In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Lynn University
3601 N. Military Trail
Boca raton, Florida, 33431
United States

Brian Connors

Senior Director, Bacardi Center of Excellence Brian Connors is the Senior Director, Global Food & Beverage Innovation, and Faculty Director of the Bacardi Center of Excellence at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. He is regularly invited to speak nationally on topics such as food & beverage trends, technology, strategic marketing, creative wine education, and hospitality leadership. Brian has received national media attention on NBC’s Today Show, FOX & Friends, as well as international media coverage. In 2023 Brian was honored as one of the ‘30 Most Influential Educators in Global Hospitality’ by The International Hospitality Institute. Brian has a Master's degree from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida, a Bachelor of Science from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and earned his culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University.

Christina M. Simpson

Mother. Dancer. Wannabe Racecar Driver. A University of Florida graduate with a Masters in Sports Management, I set out into the world of sports before pivoting to travel and finding my home. Now leading a global business development team for the world’s leading attraction pass company, my week is not complete without pushing the envelope and driving change. An advocate for female leaders everywhere and a champion of personal growth, I take my seat at any table I want and empower others to follow. My message - believe in yourself, trust yourself, you’ve got this - so go do!

Louis Grayson

Entrepreneur | Founder Ramen Lab Eatery Louis Grayson is an entrepreneur specializing in restaurants/hospitality and owner of the popular Ramen Lab Eatery, a hip ramen concept specializing in hand made ramen noodles in Palm Beach County. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business with a specialization in International Business from Lynn University. Despite initially steering away from the hospitality industry, Louis found his calling within it, driven by ambition, the love for food and a family of hospitality individuals. Starting his entrepreneurial journey at 26 years old, Louis's restaurants have garnered acclaim as the "Best Restaurant Group of 2021," employing over 100 staff. Notably, his restaurants boast a predominantly female-led management team and have received recognition for their community service. Louis's resilience during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of innovation and adaptability in the hospitality sector. Louis Grayson will inspire the audience to harness the transformative power of ideas. He encourages individuals to embrace innovation and empower themselves to create meaningful change in the business world.

Michael Shaw

Michael Shaw joined the organization in 2022 as vice president of brand marketing with the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and its properties including the Miami Open and Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. In his role, he oversees the organization's marketing, video, brand assets and creative strategies. Shaw formerly served as the senior vice president & head of brand, experience and innovation at the Miami Marlins. While with the Marlins, Shaw was also the chair of the Innovation Committee and co-chair of the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee and had organizational oversight on ballpark experience and ballpark operation functions. His previous roles included serving as a principal of business development at Amazon and leading as the head of sports partnerships at Groupon. In addition to his business development experience, Shaw was also part of the programming and acquisitions group at ESPN where he negotiated content agreements, managed professional league relationships, and assisted with the development of the NBA schedule on ESPN and ABC.

Mitali Saxena

Founder of Fashom | XFashom | Business Strategy Consultant | Practicing Mindfulness in Business Mitali Saxena is an entrepreneur & fashion strategy leader. With a strong track record of building successful fashion startups, Mitali has developed and expanded a fashion tech brand from zero to a multi-million-dollar revenue business. Mitali Saxena holds a Bachelors in Computer Engineering, and Masters in Electrical Engineering. After her 8- year career in Wireless Communications and fed up with the disparity between fashion industry beauty standards and the needs of real women, she founded her Fashion Tech startup, a style-centered online community, called Fashom, in Miami. Saxena is currently working on launching a B2B SaaS platform that uses AI/ML to help retailers reduce returns and predict and plan inventory. In addition, Saxena runs her own program for feeding underprivileged kids in Swaziland, Africa called Foodom, and supports non-profit organizations for animals, with one dollar from every Fashom box going directly to rescue stray animals in NYC. Mitali has personal interests in Yoga, Spirituality, Technology and Fashion.