TEDxTorrey Pines

Speakers

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

• Brandi M. Mitchell

  Soccer Advocate and Nonprofit Administrator

  When Brandi Mitchell isn’t out on the field playing 40+ recreational women’s soccer at local parks in San Diego, she is bringing together women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s for special events and media opportunities. She creates training sessions and tournaments for them around the world, gently coerces them into group photos, and connects them to a global audience through her online presence and her in-person appearances as “San Diego Soccer Women.”

• Cate Armstrong

  Singer Songwriter / Mental Health Advocate

  Cate Armstrong is here to feel. She pours her heart and mind into songwriting and community building, welcoming people into her dreamy-folk sonic world, sensitive lyrics, and curated mental health peer-support groups. She is passionate about cultivating connection in intimate spaces that aim to nurture greater authenticity and collective wellbeing.

• Charlie Lin

  Brain Health Advocate

  At 15, Charlie has made a remarkable comeback from a stage two diffuse axonal injury, turning adversity into a source of strength and purpose. His journey has ignited a passion for helping others, raising awareness of the mind’s power to shape our reality after any injury, and inspiring people to see possibility where others see limitation.

• Colleen Mitchell

  Entrepreneur

  Colleen Mitchell is a former licensed funeral director and corporate culture leader whose work spans retail, technology, and entrepreneurship. Early in her career, she worked closely with grieving families, shaping her perspective on time, choice, and the regrets people most often postpone. In 2024, she left corporate leadership to pursue entrepreneurship full time, co-founding and scaling a self-serve dog wash business in San Diego that now serves tens of thousands of customers across multiple locations.

• Dr. Brendan Talwar, Ph.D.

  Marine Scientist | Conservation Biologist

  Brendan Talwar studies fish and fisheries, with a focus on sharks. He is a shark researcher and winner of Netflix’s All the Sharks. His work spans biology, ecology, policy, and toxicology, from tracking silky sharks across the Caribbean to assessing contaminant levels in commercially important species. He combines field science with public engagement, translating technical findings into stories that connect people to marine conservation.

• Dr. James M. Hyman, Ph.D.

  Associate Professor | Neuroscientist

  Dr. James Hyman studies how the brain processes and manipulates information essential for cognition and memory. His work draws on psychology, electrical engineering, physics, and computer science to understand the neural code and how it is affected by neurodegenerative disease. He is an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he has taught dozens of neuroscience courses and regularly speaks with the community about how the brain works.

• Dr. Stacy Cecchet, PhD

  Forensic & Operational Psychologist

  Dr. Stacy Cecchet has spent her career stepping into the shadows - where online predators hide and children are most at risk. She works alongside law enforcement to profile offenders, uncover patterns of manipulation, and has trained thousands of investigators worldwide in the art of interviewing and online undercover techniques. Her mission is as clear as it is urgent: to outthink those who would harm children and to give families the tools they need to keep them safe.

• Hollie Berry

  Creative Entrepreneur

  Hollie Berry is a licensed cosmetologist, educator, and yoga teacher based in San Diego. With over a decade as a professional makeup artist, she’s learned that beauty is less about products and more about presence, trust, and the confidence we feel when we are truly seen. Today, she blends artistry and mindfulness to inspire conversations about authenticity, human connection, and redefining beauty in a world shaped by social media.

• Jason Williams

  Founder of SG Living and Sober Gangster

  Jason Williams has been living sober for nearly three decades and built Sober Gangster, a lifestyle brand, to flip the script on what recovery looks like. Through his sober living community, SG Living, he creates a culture where accountability meets ambition and where recovery means thriving, not just surviving. His work challenges stereotypes and shows that living sober is more than a choice; it is a powerful lifestyle.

• Wendy Patrick, J.D, Ph.D.

  Deputy District Attorney

  As a career prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney, Wendy Patrick has dedicated her professional life to community protection and crime prevention. In today’s world, this includes using new technologies to promote public safety and security, enhance personal wellbeing, and improve quality of life. Her work explores Artificial Intelligence through engaging, practical examples of how this emerging technology can be used legally, effectively, and ethically, within established moral boundaries.