Theme: AWAKENINGS

Join 7 amazing women who will deliver TED-like talks at Imagination Stage - a lovely venue - in Bethesda. The energy, mingling and learning will be fabulous, along with lunch, refreshments and goody bags. For details, visit https://TEDxBethesdaWomen-Awakenings.Eventbrite.com.

Imagination Stage
4908 Auburn Avenue
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814
United States

Amanda Moskowitz

Amanda Moskowitz is an author, creative consultant, humanitarian, mother, playwright, photographer, stand-up comedian, teacher, and wife. In recent years, she's authored children's books, and a critically acclaimed one-act play, and made the leap from the corporate world to full-time freelancing, all amidst the pandemic. Join us as she shares her journey of self-discovery and tackles mid-life existential inquiries on the TEDx Bethesda Women stage.

Ellen Oh

Ellen Oh is an award winning author and editor of middle grade and young adult novels. She is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in children's literature. Originally from NYC, Ellen lives in Rockville, Maryland with her husband, three human children, and two dog children, and has yet to satisfy her quest for a decent bagel.

Erin Friedman

Erin Friedman is an abstract artist based in Bethesda, Maryland. She has always been captivated by the experience and process of creating. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a BFA in painting and a concentration in design, she gradually refined her process and found her niche in abstract painting. Her work is about expressing herself through visual conversation, where the artwork allows the viewers to experience their own reactions. Erin’s work has been exhibited in private collections and galleries, both nationwide and abroad.

Jennifer Sproul

Jennifer Sproul (pronounced SPROW-EL) is a Baby Boomer who calls herself a Baby Bloomer. She is 69 years OLD (NOT 69 years YOUNG), a Realtor® with Washington Fine Properties who started her career in real estate at 50; she ran her first full marathon at 58 and at 67 she began writing and published her first chapter in an Amazon best seller, “The Ultimate Guide to Self Healing, Volume 5” by Laura Di Franco. Her second chapter in another Amazon best seller, “Mindset Mastery, Awareness, Meditation, Mindfulness and Manifestation for the Spiritual Warrior” also led by Laura Di Franco, was published in January 2023. In July 2022 she launched her “platform” Graceing Agefully” from which she blogs monthly. The mission of Graceing Agefully™ is to “change the CULTURE of aging”.

Lauren Taylor

Lauren R. Taylor has been working to end gender-based violence since 1978, when she co-founded Washington, D.C.’s, first shelter for abused women and their children. She’s a survivor who, for more than 35 years, has been teaching skills for stopping harassment, abuse, and assault to those most often targeted: women, LGBTQIA+ people, teens, children, and disabled people. As a trainer and director of Defend Yourself, Lauren and her team have reached more than 40,000 people in the D.C. area and nationally. Her writing on interpersonal violence and violence prevention has been widely published in The Washington Post, Everyday Feminism, the Ms. Blog, and other media. Lauren recently co-authored" Get Empowered: A Practical Guide to Thrive, Heal, and Embrace Your Confidence in a Sexist World."

Nicole Pensak, Ph.D.

Dr. Nicole Amoyal Pensak is a Clinical Psychologist, Researcher, and Author and certified in Postpartum Mental Health. She has trained at some of the nation's top academic medical centers – some right here in the DMV region. She now runs her own private practice and serves on the Expert Review Board at Parents Magazine. Her new book, RATTLED, How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain will be released April 30th, 2024, in time for Mother's Day, by Norton. Preorders for her book will be available late October 2023. She and her husband live on the coast of New Jersey and have two energetic children, Jordan, age 6, and Max, age 3.

Stephanie Hack, M.D.

Dr. Stephanie Hack is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with a special interest in health education and health advocacy. In 2022 she launched the Lady Parts Doctor podcast, to provide a safe space for women to discuss their health concerns freely without judgement. The podcast has since led to the development of the Lady Parts Doctor women's health platform, whose mission is to provide evidence-based medical information to women who feel unseen and unheard in the medical space. When not podcasting or coaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three sons.