Michael Rust

Business adviser, Business leader, Change Agent, Christian, Concerned citizen, Connector, Consultant, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Event planner, Foodie, Global soul, Idea generator, Inventor, Lawyer, Life mentor, Parent, Philanthropist, Photographer, Writer/Editor

I am a father, mediator, speaker, trainer, non-profit CEO, attorney, and more. I am the License holder and Co-Organizer of TEDxOshkosh and am a 3 time past TEDx speaker ("Emoticons will save the world" at TEDxFondduLac 2017; "A. Ham, Pork, and Sausage: A recipe for democracy" at TEDxUWStevensPoint 2019; and "Beyond Black and White: Resolving Conflict in Our Polarized Society" at TEDxEustis 2021). I have served as President of the Association for Conflict Resolution, Mediation Partner for the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System, President of the Wisconsin Association of Mediators, and am the CEO of the Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center.

Conflict resolution and Collecting bottle caps

Communication skills are changing and this is leading to conflict

Conflict resolution, Event planning, Mediation, Negotiation

I started TEDxOshkosh over a cup of coffee. It has spawned 4 other local TEDx events and increased awareness of the TED ideas locally. TEDxOshkosh views our role as exporting local ideas to the world. I had the awesome opportunity to give a TEDx talk ("Emoticons will save the world") at TEDxFondduLac 2017 and have been asked by a few people to do an updated version. I'm still working out what the Idea Worth Spreading might be. I have since delivered a second TEDx talk "A. Ham, Pork, and Sausage: A recipe for democracy" at TEDxUWStevensPoint 2019. I am passionate about the role of conflict resolution in our world today. That is why I left my private attorney practice to become a full-time mediator, I have been elected as President of the Association for Conflict Resolution (an international organization), and why I continue to be involved in TEDxOshkosh. I think that helping people to experience new ideas, to listen to ideas they might disagree with, makes them better able to handle conflict when it arises. And it will.

Cooking (I have actually won awards for my cooking).