TEDxUpper Belmont Pl Youth

Speakers

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

• Arsalan Riar

  Student | Youth Entrepreneur | Founder

  Arsalan is an 8th grade student with a strong interest in finance, investing, and financial literacy. He is an avid reader who enjoys learning about how financial systems work and how young people can build confidence with money. Arsalan is an award-winning participant of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), where he developed a business plan and pitched his idea to a panel of investors, earning local and state recognition. He has founded two startups, including Finora Market, a financial platform currently in the research and development stage that aims to help young adults build financial literacy and work toward financial freedom through an app. Through his work, Arsalan hopes to empower others to make informed financial decisions and create lasting impact.

• Chaitra Madala

  Student | Youth Speaker

  My name is Chaitra Madala and I am a junior at Independence High School and the Academies of Loudoun, where I study biomedical technology. I have a deep passion for both equality and healthcare, especially in understanding how societal barriers can influence education and opportunity for everyone. My TEDx talk is based on a digital journal I founded called The Equality Thesis. Through research, I gained a deeper understanding of how gender inequality can be seen everywhere in our society and how important it is to advocate for change. Outside research, I love to play piano, skate, and help educate young minds. These experiences inspire me to make a meaningful impact and pursue medicine in my future with the hope of making a positive change to society. I want to be a doctor who not only helps patients physically but also supports and speaks for people whose voices are not heard. I hope to use my future in medicine and advocacy to help create a world that is kinder to everyone.

• Dania Kamal

  Student | Youth Speaker

  Dania Kamal is a junior at Riverside High School. She is deeply passionate about the intersection of healthcare sciences and the preservation of empathy and the human voice in medicine. Exploring this, she has spearheaded initiatives through her school’s Red Cross and HOSA that support the health of communities in need while also building a generation of future knowledgeable healthcare professionals. By interning alongside medical professionals, she has also immersed herself in the scientific and emotional healing that happens in healthcare and has gained exposure connecting with real patients with real stories. In her community, she advocates for youth in science by leading STEM youth opportunities through Loudoun’s Youth Advisory Council and Science National Honor Society. Inspiring her TEDx talk, she hopes to shape healthcare systems where the advancement of technology continues to protect the healing of the human touch, ensuring that patients feel seen beyond their medical data.

• Isaac Celeste Akouete

  Student | Youth Speaker

  Middle school student

• Jeffry Quintanilla Noyola

  Student | Youth Speaker

  My name is Jeffry Steven Quintanilla Noyola, and I am a 9th grade student at Briar Woods High School. I love playing guitar, volleyball, trying new foods, learning about cultures, drawing, but above all I especially love helping people. My favorite focus in school is biology and the study of the human body and its unique complexity. I'm currently fundraising for Blood Cancer United and have raised more than $500 In the span of 4 days, something I'm truly proud of. I decided to talk about the struggle of validation in my talk, because I'm someone who has won lots of awards and prizes but somehow, I still don't feel worthy of applause nor happiness. I'm hoping I can find meaning and fulfillment by helping in ways that go beyond recognition. My dream is to become a future humanitarian and a future surgeon, that doesn't just help people but changes lives. In healing others, I hope to one day heal the parts of myself that feel concealed behind the faint shadows of my awards.

• Jia Singhvi

  Student | Youth Speaker

  Jia Singhvi, a 13-year-old 8th grader at Virtual Distance Learning, has been coding since age 5, but her real passion has been using STEM to help people. At age 9, for her 1st CS course at JHU, she created a system to help the blind and synesthetes perceive color using other senses. While watching crime shows with her mom during her cancer recovery, she fell in love with forensics and went on to earn an advanced CSI certification. As Student Ambassador for the past 2 years, she's advocated for diversity and inclusion, making STEM courses accessible to every student. After scoring a perfect 1600 on the SAT with NWU at age 11, she was recognized as a Davidson Young Scholar, a member of Mensa's Junior Honor Society, and earned admission to a bachelor's program in Criminal Justice at age 12. Her curiosity in bias, memory and justice inspired her TEDx talk. Jia believes empathy and innovation need to go hand in hand to revolutionize the field of criminal justice and build a fairer world.

• Katarina Walordy

  Speaker | Author | Founder

  Katarina Walordy is a freshman studying neuroscience and public health at Johns Hopkins University, founded Micromission, a community organization that raises awareness of the impact of microplastics. Recipient of at Loudoun RSEF for her work on environmental science. Katarina has also been an intern with Orblynx Academy for the past six years, co-leading projects such as BioBench (mycelium-based benches), Creative Coping art workshops, and mentoring students in sustainability. Her experiences at Orblynx Academy have profoundly shaped her sense of her interests, and she is a proud alumna of the program. She was also on the Youth Advisory Committee for LCWAG for the past three years. Lastly, in 2023, she gave a TED-ed Student Talk titled “Influenced or Influencer?: Navigating social media for a positive impact and well-being” and was selected for the TED-Ed Student Channel. Outside of academics, she enjoys playing piano, the painting, and dance.

• Leana Paradkar

  Student | Youth Speaker

  Leana Paradkar is a sophomore at Rock Ridge High School and a student in the Academy of Engineering and Technology Entrepreneurship Pathway. She serves as Safer Country’s student advocate, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing gun tragedies, and is the founder and president of Rock Ridge Safer Country, a school club that partners with Safer Country to raise awareness about gun violence prevention. She is deeply committed to ending gun violence in the United States. Leana is also an avid public speaker and Public Forum debater. She is the Virginia Co-Lead of ElevateVoices, a nonprofit that empowers underrepresented students in public speaking, and a DECA state award winner. In her free time, Leana enjoys reading, writing, and playing the piano. She also loves spending time with her dog and watching movies with her sister and grandma. Leana uses her voice to advocate for what she believes in, because she believes that when everyone’s voice is truly heard, the world becomes a better place.

• Lia Mercado

  Student | Youth Speaker

  My name is Lia Mercado, I am an eighth grader at Belmont Ridge Middle School. I enjoy drawing, reading, writing, and music. I love art and always have. I am in a couple of school programs such as NJHS and Tri-M, but I am also interested in doing the school musicals, jazz band, and other music related extracurriculars. I hope that in the future I can continue to pursue a field that has a tie with art or creation in some way or do something that can benefit society somehow. I would love to make an impact in the world for the better one day that could stand up for others' rights. Most of all I want to help others.

• Mahsa Riar

  Trailblazer | Speaker | CEO & Founder of Limitless Limb

  Mahsa Riar is a freshman studying behavioral neuroscience at Northeastern University, founder and CEO of Limitless Limb, an award-winning company focused on designing functional 3D printed assistive devices for those with limb loss and limb differences. Mahsa’s passion for social justice led her to found and chair the Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls: Girl emPower Summit for five years, making it one of the largest youth empowerment events for girls in Loudoun County. Since 2021, she has been an intern at Orblynx Academy and co-led projects such as three fully biodegradable mycelium Bio Benches, Creative Coping Art Workshops, and a student mentorship program. In 2023, Mahsa delivered her TED-ed talk titled “Why Am I Not Creative?: Unleashing Your Inner Creativity,” which was selected for publication on the official TED-ed Student Talks platform. She has also been invited to keynote at events such as AWS Tech Day and LifeSmarts, recognized as trailblazer in innovation & leadership.

• Medha Dontineni

  Student | Youth Speaker

  My name is Medha Dontineni, and I am a sophomore at Lightbridge High School, who is fascinated by the intersection of artificial intelligence and human health. I am the founder and President of my school’s Data Science Research Society, where I create a space for peers to explore how analysis can solve problems. My passion for ethical innovation was sparked by a personal experience, which led me to question how society can balance rapid scientific progress with the protection of our own privacy. Outside of school, I serve as the Treasurer for the local Create for Kids chapter, where I connect with hospitals to empower children's ongoing long-term treatment, and I work with young children learning the Telugu language as an assistant teacher. I believe that the younger generations are the key to our future, and I hope to use my voice to ensure that as we learn how to decode life at unprecedented speeds, we still keep human values and ethics at the heart of discovery.

• Nandini Kosoor

  Student | Youth Speaker

  My name is Nandini Kosoor and I am a junior at Stone Bridge High School and the Academies of Loudoun. I enjoy learning new things, memorizing digits of pi, singing, reading, and spending time with my friends and family. Balancing school, hobbies, and a social life can be a major source of stress for teenagers, including me. This is the reason I shared my method for tackling these stressors, a method I call flipping the switch. Flipping the switch has been helpful because it provides a mindset shift that motivates me to keep going. This method has been helpful for tackling problems ranging from social to academic and I hope it can help others as well! In the future I hope to pursue a career that can help other people and improve their lives.

• Nidhi Nair

  Student | Youth Speaker

  My name is Nidhi Nair and I am a junior at Independence High School who is passionate about gender equality. I am the founder of Equality Thesis, a digital journal dedicated to bringing awareness about gender bias through articles and research. I created this platform to spark meaningful conversations and turn awareness into action in order to create a more equal society where everyone has the chance to succeed. Gender equality is something I am deeply passionate about and something I want society to achieve, which is why I centered my speech around it. Some of my other passions are playing the piano and flute, as well as painting. I also advocate for equity in health care and want to raise awareness for diseases that affect many people. My long-term dream is to become a surgeon while also being an advocate for gender equality in medicine and society. By combining medicine, research, and advocacy, I hope to challenge barriers and promote a more equitable healthcare system.

• Rajasree Mohta

  Student | Youth Speaker

  Rajasree is a junior attending Broad Run High School and the Academies of Loudoun. She is a public speaker, youth advocate, and national speech competitor who is passionate about helping young people find their voice. After overcoming a fear of public speaking, she now uses her experiences to challenge limiting beliefs around fear, comfort, and growth. She enjoys reading, writing, and listening to music. In her free time, she volunteers at the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneurship Academy (YEA!), where she guides students through refining business plans and delivering elevator pitches. Motivated to inspire others to embrace discomfort and unlock their potential, Rajasree encourages students to step outside their comfort zones and speak up even when it feels uncomfortable.

• Samheetha Vasan

  Student | Youth Speaker

  Samheetha Vasan is a 9th grader studying at Rock Ridge High School and the Academies of Loudoun. Art has played a significant role in her life through music, painting, dance, and cooking, serving as a powerful tool to help her manage stress. She is very passionate about supporting teen well-being through art appreciation, a topic close to her heart that also inspired her talk. Samheetha is the founder of a youth-led community initiative that brings teens together to enjoy and appreciate art. She is also the founder and president of the Rock Ridge Biomedical Club, which she hopes will spark interest in students on topics related to biology and medicine. As an active member of the Science Olympiad team, she has helped mentor younger students by leading study sessions and writing tests. Through these efforts, she is dedicated to fostering the next generation of competitors and deepening their passion for science. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, playing the violin, and baking.

• Zahra Isgandarova

  Student | Youth Speaker

  Zahra Isgandarova is a current senior at Independence High School and the founder and CEO of The Kindred Project, a non-profit dedicated to protecting and amplifying immigrant youth and their voices. Having been inspired by her experiences as an Azerbaijani-American, Zahra is dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a voice in policy reform. Through advocating for immigrant rights both in her community and nationwide, immersing herself in policy analysis, and hosting legal workshops for youth in her community, Zahra continues to push for change in policy and pursue a future where human rights, journalistic freedom, and youth empowerment are a reality.