Past TEDx event
TEDxArlington Heights
Under the Surface
Speakers
Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.
Angela Blake
Social Worker
Angela Blake is the Assistant Director of Guest Services at St. Margaret’s House, a low-barrier day center serving women and children experiencing economic injustice. For nearly 15 years, she has worked as a social worker with children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, young adults with autism, and families experiencing homelessness. Angela volunteers with Housing is a Human Right Action Group, a grassroots coalition that brings together municipal and state officials, activists, educators, organizers, and public servants to find solutions to homelessness, including tenant rights, safe housing conditions, and dialogue between tenants and landlords. She has also facilitated the Queer Youth of Color group at her hometown LGBTQ Center and served with Living Matthew 25, a Lenten community collaboration, leading a film series for the past three years. In fall 2023, Angela participated in “Better Homes: The Play,” an award-nominated production.
Dhilan Stanley
Student
Dhilan Stanley is a sophomore at Barrington High School who is passionate about history, math, and connecting ideas that shape the world. He serves as captain of the junior varsity Scholastic Bowl team, plays on the junior varsity tennis team, and participates on the Fed Challenge team. Outside of school, Dhilan is an enthusiastic volunteer who has spent the past several years engaged in public education and community outreach at a local museum. Dhilan believes deeply in the power of service, building bridges across boundaries, and the quiet impact of showing up with curiosity and kindness.
Dr. Leslie Davis
Relationship Therapist
Dr. Leslie Davis is an award-winning licensed clinical professional counselor and relationship therapist. A dual-state powerhouse serving Illinois and Missouri, she was named Top Mental Health Counselor of the Year (2023), Empowered Woman of the Year (2024), and Trailblazer of the Year (2025) by the International Association of Top Professionals. Dr. Davis is known for helping women, couples, and teens heal relationships while navigating anxiety and depression with strength and strategy. She is the founder of EVA Empowered, a global mental health movement helping women build healthier attachments and reduce depression. A proud member of the Illinois Black Counselors Association. She serves on the board of the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation in St. Louis, offering expert guidance on the mental health needs of heart families across the nation. She is an international bestselling author and co-author of “Voices of Women: Creating Ripples of Brilliance.”
Dr. Ngozi Ezike
Health System Executive
Dr. Ngozi Ezike currently serves as President and CEO of Sinai Chicago, Illinois’ largest private safety net health system. There she has focused on advancing health equity through innovation and investment, including in state-of-the-art technology allowing Sinai caregivers to work better and faster, providing better care and service for the people they serve. Previously, she was the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), where she valiantly navigated the state through the most difficult waves of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Ezike is a board-certified internist and pediatrician as well as a nationally recognized public health leader. She holds degrees from Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and a business management certificate from Harvard Business School.
Frank McAndrew
Psychology Professor
Dr. Frank McAndrew is the Cornelia H. Dudley Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Knox College where he received all of the college’s prizes for distinguished teaching and faculty achievement. In 2005, he was nominated for the prestigious CASE U.S. Professor of the Year Award. McAndrew’s book on Environmental Psychology has been translated into several languages and is regarded as a classic text in the history of that discipline. Professor McAndrew is also well-known as a purveyor of psychological science to lay audiences. His blog at Psychology Today Magazine and his other op-ed articles have attracted over twenty-five million readers. Frank is a frequent guest on podcasts and TV & Radio talk shows, and he has lectured widely across the globe. His research has been featured in media outlets including Time, The New Yorker, PBS Newshour, NBC’s Today Show, NPR, Fox News, the BBC, CNN, The Guardian, the Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
Kelwin Harris
Chief Civic Engagement Officer
Kelwin Harris is the Chief Civic Engagement Officer and Deputy Assessor with the Cook County Assessor’s Office, where he leads public participation and outreach for the nearly 2 million property owners in Cook County. Kelwin was previously a Senior Outreach Planner with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) where he led stakeholder engagement and provided technical assistance to help communities find more equitable solutions to improve the quality of life of residents. Before CMAP, Kelwin held several roles as a non-profit leader working in grassroots community development and organizing on Chicago’s Southside. Kelwin started his career in government as an Assistant to Mayor Richard M. Daley. Kelwin was named one of Crain’s Chicago Business’s Notable Black Leaders in 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University, a Master in Urban Planning degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
Kevin Chaplin
AI Strategist
Kevin Chaplin is a generative AI strategist, technologist, and advocate for inclusive innovation. With over 20 years in technology consulting, he built and led a 150-person data and analytics team in Chicago, guiding organizations through complex digital transformations. As co-founder and now COO of Headquarters for AI, Kevin now helps companies navigate the generative AI landscape with a focus on literacy, governance, and scalable strategy. His work bridges cutting-edge innovation with real-world impact. Named one of Crain’s 2023 Notable Leaders in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Kevin is equally passionate about building a more equitable tech industry, mentoring future leaders, and championing access to opportunity.
