Theme: HUMAN

This year's TEDxMcMasterU conference aims to explore the multifaceted theme of being human, delving into the psychological, spiritual, cultural, societal and transformative aspects that shape our humanity. Performers will unravel the complexities of our shared human experience, offering unique perspectives on the challenges, triumphs, and evolving narratives that define us. Join us for a thought-provoking journey that explores the diverse facets that make each of us a vital note in the human experience.

L.R. Wilson Concert Hall (McMaster University)
1280 Main St. West
Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8
Canada

Basim Salim

Senior Marketing Executive, Educator

Basim Salim is a senior marketing executive with over 10 years of experience working locally and internationally in both B2C and B2B industries, Basim specializes in digital marketing, international marketing strategy, product development, and demand generation. He's a dedicated educator and has taught courses in marketing, branding and strategy at York University, Seneca College and Conestoga College. He is currently the Director of Marketing at Riva International. He holds a Bachelors of Commerce from York University and completed his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the DeGroote School of Business. Basim is passionate about marketing professional development and executive coaching and is dedicated to helping young professionals succeed in career and in life.

Dr. Goran Calic

Professor, MBA Program Director

Dr. Goran Calic is the Michael Lee-Chin & Family Chair Professor in Strategic Business Studies and an Associate Professor of Strategic Management at McMaster University. Goran currently serve as the Director of MBA Programs at the DeGroote School of Business, where he also teaches in the MBA and Executive Education programs.His research focuses on technology innovation and strategy. His work has been published in the Harvard Business Review, and other top journals.

Dr. John Rehner Iversen

Neuroscientist, Associate Professor

Dr. John Rehner Iversen, PhD is a cognitive neuroscientist studying the interactions between music and the brain. He recently joined McMaster University as an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior after a decade at the University of California San Diego. Iversen (co)directs several studies of the impact of music training on development in childhood and adolescence including the the EARLI project, part of a National Endowment for the Arts Research Laboratory. These projects place the impact of music into a broader neurodevelopmental framework, in which researchers are charting the 'growth curves' of the developing brain to understand how brain development shapes the emerging skills of each individual. After undergraduate studies in Physics at Harvard, he received an MPhil in History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge and a PhD in Speech and Hearing Science from MIT.

Dr. Richa Agnihotri

Paediatrician, Clinical Professor

Dr. Richa Agnihotri is a Community Pediatrician, President of the Community Paediatrics Section of the Canadian Paediatrics Society, and Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University who is certified in Lifestyle Medicine. As a passionate advocate for child health and wellbeing, she believes in the healing and health-promoting power of strong relationships and in the immense power of working collaboratively to recreate a modern-day version of the "village" it takes to raise a child. She works with partners in her local community to enhance child health and wellbeing, practices social prescribing, and teaches children's yoga. In her clinical work, she employs healthcare coaching strategies to help families build healthy habits based on their own values, goals, and barriers, and within the context of their social determinants of health. She has a website where she blogs and shares free family resources and a YouTube channel for building children's health literacy.

Dr. Saman Arfaie

Researcher, Medical Student, Pianist

Dr. Saman Arfaie is a published researcher, classically trained pianist, thought leader, and medical student. He graduated from McGill University with a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery and is starting his neurosurgery residency at the University of Western Ontario. Before this, he completed his BSc-Neurobiology, BA-Persian Literature, and double minors-chemistry & music at the University of California, Berkeley. He then conducted brain tumour research at the University of California, San Francisco Department of Neurosurgery. Saman has been recognized by 30+ national and international awards, has published 20+ peer-reviewed articles, and is in the process of co-authoring 2 forthcoming textbooks with Cambridge University & Manitoba University Press. He co-founded the Canadian Medical Student Interest Group in Neurosurgery and the Neuro International Collaboration, a multi-continental research endeavour. In 2022, he was selected as a Finalist for the Top 25 Immigrants in Canada.

Gissele Damiani-Taraba

Masters in Epidemiology, Social Work

Gissele Taraba (She/Her) was born in Lima, Peru and has been living in Canada for over 30 years. She has a double Masters, one in Epidemiology and another one in Social Work. Gissele has worked in the not-for-profit field in leadership for over 14 years and is a mother of two beautiful children. She is also co-owner of the Maitri Centre and is the host of the Love and Compassion podcast with Gissele where she speaks to people about the transformative power of self-compassion and self-kindness. She recently published her first book, Reimagining Work: from suffering at work to creating a more loving, compassionate, abundant and spiritually aligned life to help others live the life of their dreams. In her book, she discusses how we can transform the world of work into something we all want to do on Monday morning

Kwame Osei

Speaker, Teacher, Football Teacher

Kwame Osei is a professional host & keynote speaker for seminars, corporate & school events. He was born in Ghana but raised in a Toronto community called Rexdale - known for low-income housing, high drugs, violence and gang rates. His environment created a low-expectations narrative for him. His mindset as a teen was to "expect the worst and hope for the best." This perspective on life led to him getting in trouble with the law. Through sports, he was able to change his mindset and escape the negative narrative. Since then he has earned 2 Degrees. He became a teacher - teaching at the high school level and at a Federal Prison in Ontario. He played professional football in the CFL and has coached at multiple levels, including at Queen's University. He has a passion for EDI and had the opportunity to impact lives as Head of Equity Diversity and Inclusion at Nikki Ray Media. He is an entrepreneur author, Amazing Race Canada cast member and recipient of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Award.

Nicole Rakowski

PhD Candidate, Athlete, Entrepreneur

Nicole Rakowski's story of survival and resilience is one that inspired thousands around the world. Nicole, a PhD Candidate in Health Management, a competitive body-building athlete, entrepreneur and fitness expert, Co-Founder of Fitsentive (a Fitness App transforming how individuals approach their wellness journey), and an internationally recognized public figure has empowered the lives of thousands globally with her story on grit, determination, and perseverance. Nicole has overcome several major challenges in her lifetime and is a survivor of adversity. Furthermore, her accomplishments have been recognized by prestigious publications globally. For instance, she was selected as one of NYC Journal's Top 40 Under 40 in January 2024, which highlights the brightest disruptors in their respective fields. Additionally, she will be featured in Entrepreneurs Herald's Top 30 Entrepreneurs in February 2024, further solidifying her position as a successful entrepreneur and inspirational leader.

Rachel Mintz

Student, Irish Dancer, Cancer Survivor

Rachel Mintz is a 21-year old health sciences student, professional Irish dancer and cancer survivor. Following a cancer diagnosis at the age of 18, Rachel faced the challenges of a health crisis head on. With an unwavering commitment to understanding the intricacies of health and patient-centred medicine, she hopes to dedicate her life to improving the health and well-being of others. In addition, her dedication to dance has been a constant source of passion and purpose throughout her life, providing the forum to put the lessons learned through adversity into action. She has successfully competed at multiple North American Championships, seven World Championships, and most recently performed the lead role in an American production titled 'Aisling'. As Rachel continues to navigate the worlds of survivorship, academia, and dance, she strives to inspire others to turn setbacks into stepping stones toward a more purposeful future.

Victoria Gracie

Researcher, Model, BodyIMG Founder

Victoria Gracie is a research assistant at a clinical neuroscience laboratory in CAM, with academic interests focusing on the etiology and neurobiological basis of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Motivated by her journey with BDD, she has become a leading advocate for body positivity; her story has been showcased on national television and highlighted in publications internationally. Victoria is an award-winning TEDx speaker, fashion model, and founder of BodyIMG: an NGO dedicated to sharing scientific literature on body image with a larger audience. She is a student affiliate of the American Psychological Association and the Canadian Psychological Association, as well as a member of the Internation OCD Foundation's BDD Special Interest Group and APA's Division 40 in Clinical Neuropsychology. Victoria's goal is to expand our perception of beauty beyond the uniform, photoshopped standards, into the diversity that makes all humans "beautiful."

Yashaswani Chauhan

Medical Student

Yashaswani (Yashi) is a second-year medical student at the Schulich School of Medicine at Western University. As the first daughter in her family to pursue professional school, she continues to push the boundaries of what success looks like for young South Asian girls with humble beginnings and big dreams. Since the age of 4, Yashi has been enchanted by the world of stories, words and the human experience. Her love for language and narrative naturally found its home in the field of medicine. One day, she hopes to be a doctor that patients find comfort and safety within their most vulnerable moments.