TEDxBaltimore

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Alash

  Tuvan Throat Singers

  Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Masters of traditional Tuvan instruments as well as the art of throat singing, Alash are deeply committed to traditional Tuvan music and culture.

• Alec Ross

  Innovation Advisor

  Alec is an author, Innovation Advisor, and Senior Fellow at Columbia University. He was Senior Advisor for Innovation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

• Alexandra Petri

  Writer

  Alexandra writes the ComPost blog for the Washington Post newspaper, offering a lighter take on the news and opinions of the day. She is the author of "A Field Guide to Awkward Silences" as well as the 2014 O. Henry Pun Champion.

• Aprille Ericsson

  Aerospace Engineer

  Aprille is the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Howard University. She is currently an aerospace engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

• Gymama Slaughter

  Computer & Electrical Engineer

  Gymama is Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at UMBC. Her research focuses on the application of sensor-processor integration, bioelectronics design and theory, optimization methods for physical circuit design, biologically inspired computing (neural networks), and sensor interfacing and wireless networking and communications.

• James Page Jr

  Diversity Advocate

  James Page Jr MBA brings more than 17 years leading diversity, inclusion and cultural competency initiatives in global Fortune 500 companies and health care. He is currently the Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

• Jamila Raqib

  Nonviolent Action Advocate

  Jamila serves as the Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution, an organization focused on advancing freedom and democracy through nonviolent action around the world. She is a Research Affiliate at the Center for International Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

• Jeff Otto

  Biotechnology and Healthcare Executive

  Jeff is the National Director, Center for Translational Research (CTR) at Catholic Health Initiatives Institute for Research and Innovation. He is responsible for building, leading and growing CTR.

• Jessica Waters

  Reproductive Rights Attorney

  Jessica is the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in American University’s School of Public Affairs and is also a faculty member in the Department of Justice, Law and Criminology and an adjunct faculty member at the Washington College of Law. Her research focuses primarily on reproductive rights law.

• Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

  Social Activist & Scholar

  Keeanga-Yamahtta is an Assistant Professor at the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University. She is also interested in social movements and Black politics in the United States.

• Kevin Manning

  University President

  Kevin has has more than 40 years of experience in higher education administration. He has been the president of Stevenson University for 15 years, the third largest independent university in Maryland.

• Leana Wen

  Public Health Advocate

  As the Commissioner of Health in Baltimore, Dr. Wen has been reimagining the role of public health. She has engaged public health in violence prevention and launched an opioid overdose prevention program that is training every resident to save lives.

• Maya Schenwar

  Prison Abolitionist

  Maya is Truthout's editor-in-chief and the author of "Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn’t Work and How We Can Do Better." Maya serves on the Board of Advisors at Waging Nonviolence.

• Michael Cryor

  Urban Development Executive

  Michael was appointed by the Baltimore mayor to chair OneBaltimore, an initiative to unite businesses, not-for-profits and other groups working to help the city recover after rioting in late April. He is the president of the Cryor Group LLC, a communications consulting firm.

• Michelle Thaller

  Astronomer

  Michelle Thaller PhD is the assistant director for Science Communication at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. She manages the SSC education and public outreach program, writes a monthly science column for the Christian Science Monitor, and has made numerous appearances on television.

• Slangston Hughes

  Spoken Word Poet

  Slangston is a spoken word poet who attempts to bridge the gap between the legacy paved through the Harlem Renaissance and Black Arts Movement with the innovative but yet rebellious spirit of hip-hop culture.

• Tina Collins

  Mental Health Advocate

  After decades of complete disability, Tina recovered from mental illness. She is now married, working, pursuing higher education and advocates to end the stigma of mental illness.

• Warren Grayson

  Biomedical Engineer

  Warren is Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. His lab seeks to address the challenges associated with engineering functional craniofacial and orthopaedic constructs for use in therapeutic applications.