TEDxOconomowoc

Speakers

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

• Annie Meng

  Co-Founder/Owner - LoveJaam

  Annie Meng is a former Wall Street investment banker and Miss Arizona 2020 for the Miss World pageant. She coaches professionals breaking into high finance careers and teaches at several top investment banks. Annie also works with executives to develop leadership and EQ skills. Together with her husband, John Meng, they run several businesses together—their primary venture being LoveJAAM, which helps singles and couples reignite passion and build extraordinary intimate relationships. She graduated from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and now lives in Las Vegas.

• Craig Schiefelbein

  Entrepreneur – Innovator - Philanthropist – Superhero

  Craig founded Paragon Development Systems (PDS) in his basement with loose change and built it into a $200M company, achieving 26 straight years of growth. Under his leadership, PDS was named a Top Innovator by Intel and consistently ranked a Best Place to Work in Wisconsin. A two-time Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” and recipient of the Ronald Reagan Leadership Award, Craig has inspired 200,000+ people on topics like purpose, innovation, and emotional intelligence. He's authored Get Out of I.T. While You Can, and was the official motivational speaker for the Green Bay Packers. Craig and his family have built 12 schools and an orphanage in Cambodia, drilled water wells across Africa, and founded multiple nonprofits in Wisconsin. He also visits sick and special needs children as Batman in his original Batmobile—because every child deserves to feel like a superhero.

• Daniel Meinholz

  Founder/President - A3 Performance

  Dan Meinholz is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 35 years of residency in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. He has successfully founded and built two companies from the ground up within the competitive swimming industry, most notably A3 Performance—a global swimwear brand that has been represented in every Olympic Games since London 2012. Driven by a deep passion for the sport, Dan is dedicated to empowering coaches and athletes of all ages to reach their highest potential. His performance philosophy has taken him across the globe, where he has shared his insights and strategies for success. Dan brings a unique blend of business acumen and athletic expertise to every stage he steps on. Through his engaging presentations, he shares powerful concepts and teachings focused on personal freedom, development, and peak performance

• Dominika Staniewicz M.S.

  Global Authority on Brain-Based Leadership and Organizational Performance

  Dominika Staniewicz is a global expert in leadership neuroscience, executive coaching, and organizational performance. With clients across six continents and nearly 20 years of experience, she brings brain-based strategies to every boardroom and stage. She’s the bestselling author of The Magic of Dreaming Big, Acting Small, and Achieving Success and has advised top leaders, including former Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski. A former labor market analyst and Shadow Cabinet Member, she helped shape national workforce policy. Dominika holds an MSc in Sociology, a double BA, and postgrad credentials in HR and Global Management. Trained by Dr. Daniel Amen, she’s an Elite Brain Coach, mentor at Amen University, and founding member of the Neuroencoding Institute. She helps leaders improve decision-making, reduce burnout, and drive sustainable performance. A decorated entrepreneur and mother of twin daughters, she proves peak performance and personal fulfillment can go hand in hand.

• Doug Allen

  CEO - The Destiny Partnership

  Transformational entrepreneur and mastermind architect. From $100K in debt to leading global peer groups and co-authoring books with his daughter, Doug shares how trust, tribe, and personal evolution unlock true freedom.

• Ellie Bassick-Trovato

  Founder/CEO - The New Brave Company

  Ellie Bassick-Trovato, M.Ed. is a bestselling author, international keynote speaker, and emotional breakthrough coach known for helping heart-centered humans turn life’s challenges into powerful catalysts for growth in relationships, leadership, and everyday life. She blends neuroscience, spiritual depth, and practical tools—delivered with joy, real-talk, and a deep belief in your ability to rise. Her signature method, the Red Zone Invitation™, helps people catch emotional hijack in the moment and reconnect to their calm, clarity, and inner strength. Ellie is the creator of The Joy Spiral Playbook and founder of The New Brave Co., a global movement built on this truth: when you’re free inside, you’re powerful outside. Whether speaking on stage or leading her Diamonds of Light program, Ellie helps people shift fast, laugh more, and discover what’s possible when they stop reacting—and start remembering who they really are.

• Iain DeJong

  CEO & President of OrgCode Consulting Inc.

  Iain De Jong is a fierce advocate and unapologetic truth-teller in the fight to end homelessness. With 30 years in the trenches, across government, frontline services, research, and consulting, he brings unmatched insight and urgency to transforming how systems respond to housing instability. As President & CEO of OrgCode Consulting Inc., he’s led work in hundreds of communities across Canada, the U.S., and Australia, helping them shift from reacting to crises to acting on bold, strategic intent. He’s also the founder of The Leadership Academy on Ending Homelessness, keynote speaker, conference presenter, author of The Book on Ending Homelessness, and a trusted advisor to nonprofits, policymakers and philanthropists alike. Whether he’s coaching frontline teams or challenging national strategy, Iain is driven by a single mission: to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

• Jamie Counsell

  MLS - Healthcare Law, BSN, RN ,Forensic Nurse Examiner SANE Program Team Lead/Coordinator Mercyhealth System WI & IL

  Jamie has 24 years of healthcare experience with 13 of those years focused on Forensics and caring for victims of crime. She is a graduate from Bryant & Stratton College in 2009 with her ADN, Western Governors University in 2018 with her BSN, and then continued on to receive her Masters in Legal Studies for Healthcare Law from Oklahoma University Law School in 2024. Jamie’s background is in Women’s Health and from there she transitioned into the Emergency Department and now successfully runs 2 Forensic programs in both WI & IL. She sits on over 25 committees and provides presentations locally, statewide, and nationally. Outside of work she enjoys family time, crafting and self-care activities. Jamie loves to laugh and bring humor to everyone around her. She is a married mother of two boys and loves her two dogs.

• Jessica Hernandez

  Co-Founder, Care Navigator | Physician | Cancer Survivor

  Dr. Jessica Hernandez (DrJessyH) is a physician, health empowerment expert, and cancer survivor who understands what it means to navigate the healthcare system from both sides of the stethoscope. A board-certified emergency and lifestyle medicine physician, she brings over a decade of frontline experience caring for patients in vulnerable moments. Her own cancer journey—and later losing her husband to cancer—fuels her mission to empower patients with clarity, confidence, and choice. She’s also a real estate investor and co-founder of CareNavigator.ai, an AI-driven platform that helps people understand diagnoses, explore options, and make informed decisions without fear or confusion. With a Master’s in Health Professions Education and fellowship training in medical simulation, she leads team-training programs focused on communication and psychological safety. Her TEDx talk, “Freedom in Your Own Health,” reminds us that freedom begins when we realize we have a voice in our care.

• John Meng

  Founder/Owner - LoveJaam

  John Meng is the founder of LoveJAAM, a relationship training company focused on helping people build intimate partnerships that fuel purpose, peace, and performance. A civil engineering executive and Ironman World Championship competitor, John blends real-world leadership with deep personal transformation. His book, The Creed of Authentic Men, offers a clear, actionable path for men to reconnect with themselves and their partners. Through thousands of hours of study and hands-on coaching, John equips others to create relationships that elevate every area of life.

• Mark Small

  President / Founder - MMC Ventures

  Mark Small is a global sales and revenue operations leader turned Growth and Go-to-Market (GTM) Advisor, helping startups and investors achieve scalable, repeatable success. With a track record of leading high-growth, global sales and revenue organizations at top SaaS and cybersecurity companies—including Oracle, McAfee, Proofpoint, and Cofense—Mark specializes in guiding early-stage and emerging companies to build winning GTM strategies and high-performance sales organizations. Beyond his work in the startup ecosystem, Mark is deeply committed to giving back to the community, mentoring emerging leaders, supporting local businesses, and helping organizations drive meaningful social impact.

• Rimantas Jurevicius

  Mentor / Speaker / Author

  Recently Rimantas retired as VP from Ultracoat after 32 years. He enjoyed a 10 month break and is now back in the workforce - part time in the role of Operations and Development Advisor at Kettle Moraine Coatings in Jackson, WI. The incredible journey of Rimantas Jurevicius, the visionary author behind My Story – 60 Years Of My Life With Hurdles From Lithuania To USA. His life is a powerful testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome immense challenges, embrace new opportunities, and build a legacy of gratitude and success against all odds. Discover the man whose unique lived experiences, from Soviet-occupied Lithuania to the heart of the American Dream, shaped a profound perspective on freedom and perseverance.

• Tim Schneider

  CEO/President Bank Five Nine

  Tim Schneider is President & CEO of Bank Five Nine, a $2.3B, 14-branch bank based in Oconomowoc, WI. With nearly 40 years in banking, he’s held roles from ag and commercial lending to COO. Before joining Bank Five Nine, he was founder and CEO of Investors Community Bank, where his dairy farm roots helped it become a top ag lender. A UW River Falls grad ('88), Tim lives in Delafield with his wife, Heather, and has two grown children. He’s committed to Bank Five Nine’s mission to “Make Lives Better,” focusing on company culture and community involvement. Tim has served on numerous boards, including the Waukesha County Center for Growth, Glacial Community YMCA, and Wisconsin Bankers Association. He’s also active with the ABA Community Bankers Council and the UW River Falls Foundation.