TEDxSHSU

Speakers

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

• Alondra Anderson

  Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist

  Alondra Anderson is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional, and BrainSpotting Therapist. Anderson is an alumna of Sam Houston State University and co-founder of Abstract Touch with her husband, where they provide mental health and leadership support through counseling services and transformational speaking. Her greatest passion is supporting others through their healing process and self-discovery of purpose; as well as educating others regarding self-worth, self-care, and therapeutic life skills. Anderson has over a decade of experience supporting individuals dealing with life transition, anxiety, depression, and stress management, and her experience spans early childhood through adult mental health. She is the mother of two children and one fur baby, and loves butterflies, beaches, and books.

• Angela L. Jones

  Off Script: How Black Women Can Reclaim Pleasure, Power, and Worth

  Dr. Angela L. Jones is a certified sex therapist and licensed professional counselor, whose lived experience and clinical work drive her mission to help women reclaim pleasure as a vital part of their humanity. For over 17 years, Dr. Jones has worked with adults navigating emotional, behavioral, and sexual challenges in her private practice, Get Centered Counseling & Consultants. She has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs of Texas. She also hosts FOX 26's weekly segment Angela After Dark, appears on OWN Network's Heart & Hustle: Houston, and has served as an expert contributor for three seasons on TVONE's Fatal Attraction. Her insights have been featured in multiple media outlets, where she sparks national conversations on sex, intimacy, and emotional wellness. Dr. Jones earned her degrees from Sam Houston State University and Texas Southern University. To learn more, visit getcenteredcc.com and follow Dr. Jones on Instagram at @drangelajones.

• Chiamaka Femi-Adeyinka

  Through Their Eyes: Smart Glasses for Crime Scene Investigation

  Chiamaka Femi-Adeyinka is a Digital Forensics Investigator and Ph.D. Candidate in Digital and Cyber Forensics Science at Sam Houston State University, where her research explores the intersection of wearable technologies, artificial intelligence, and forensic investigation. With more than six years of experience in digital forensics and incident response, she has analyzed complex evidence and uncovered hidden truths using industry-leading tools. Her innovative projects include developing smart-glasses object detection systems for crime scenes, and integrating AI into investigative workflows. Femi-Adeyinka also serves as a course instructor and mentor in international cybersecurity programs, and she actively advocates for women in technology through initiatives such as ITU HerCyberTracks, Women in Cybersecurity, and Women4Cyber.

• Danielle Garbarino

  The Cognitive and Biological Blocks Between You and Exercising

  Danielle Garbarino is a Senior Honors Psychology student, with minors in Theatre and Biology, at Sam Houston State University. She has experience in the Pharmacology & Neuroscience Lab and the Cognition Lab at SHSU. She actively volunteers with Compassus Hospice, providing administrative help as well as direct patient care. Yoga is a big part of her life and she loves sharing its benefits. Garbarino has a long-time passion for both physical and mental health. She plans to attend graduate school in Behavioral Neuroscience.

• Darren Grant

  The Road to Self-Reliance Begins with Biking

  Dr. Darren Grant is an economist and educator who has cycled to work or school almost continuously since he was six years old. Before receiving his Ph.D. in economics, he worked at the National Space Technology Laboratories in Mississippi and taught high school in New Orleans. Since then, he has taught at Georgia Southern University, The University of Texas at Arlington, and is currently a professor at Sam Houston State University. His published research has probed topics as diverse as ultramarathoning, aluminum recycling, Powerball, and, of course, bicycling. Over the last 40 years, he has taken solo bicycle trips covering nearly 10,000 miles through 33 states and four foreign countries. Learn more about Grant's biking experiences here.

• Haitrieu Nguyen

  Go with the FLO: Unlock Your Emotional Genius

  Haitrieu Nguyen is a sociology lecturer at Sam Houston State University and a certified Mental Health First Aid trainer. A first-generation Vietnamese American, she leads workshops that equip communities with tools for resilience and emotional growth. Drawing on research and personal experience, Nguyen inspires audiences to develop emotional intelligence, navigate challenges, and transform struggle into strength. Through teaching and public speaking, she empowers individuals to foster wellbeing and deepen connections in communities.

• Jennifer Bunn

  From Taboo to Training Tool: Rethinking the Menstrual Cycle in Athletic Performance

  Dr. Jennifer Bunn is a former collegiate athlete and built her career studying how the body moves, performs, and recovers. She is passionate about helping women understand their menstrual cycles and how they impact everything from training to everyday life. Bunn has worked with athletes, students, and fellow researchers, and is not afraid to challenge outdated ideas in sports science. She is also a proud advocate for making science accessible, practical, and a little more fun. Whether in the lab or the classroom, Bunn is driven to break down barriers, bust myths, and make sure women know what they need to thrive — in sport, in health, and in life. Understanding your body shouldn't be confusing or embarrassing. It should be powerful.

• Jessica Lovell

  The Strength Illusion: Why We Fear Vulnerability

  Jessica Lovell is a senior banking executive, founder of Raevolution Speaking, and a first-generation college graduate who earned her BBA from Sam Houston State University in 2023, while balancing a demanding career and raising a family. Her career began at age 18 as a part-time bank teller, and over 27 years, she rose to become Senior Vice President and Director of Customer Experience. As the outgoing president of Financial Women in Texas, Lovell championed statewide initiatives to mentor and elevate women in finance. Today, she speaks nationally on resilience, authenticity, and redefining strength through vulnerability.

• La-Toya Scott

  The Power in the Pivot

  Dr. La-Toya Scott is an Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Culture at Sam Houston State University. A first-generation scholar, she holds a Ph.D. in English and is the author of the forthcoming book, In Hush to Harbor (Rutgers University Press). Her research centers on Black literature, feminist thought, and cultural history, with particular attention to the creation of safe spaces across physical and digital worlds. Beyond the academy, she is the founder of In-House Scholar, a digital platform with thousands of followers where she translates complex histories and theories into accessible, public conversations. She has published articles, presented her work internationally, and is deeply committed to mentoring students. Dr. Scott's career reflects her passion for bridging scholarship and community, encouraging resilience, creativity, and critical engagement at every stage of learning.

• Oliver Starr

  Defanging Alpha: What Wolves Can Teach Us About Leadership

  Oliver Starr is Founder and Executive Director of the Tahoe Wolf Center, a nonprofit dedicated to education and conservation. For over 30 years, he has lived and worked with wolves, translating their lessons into leadership insights for individuals and organizations. Starr is also an entrepreneur, author, and executive coach. He has advised leaders of startups and Fortune 500s, written on science and technology, and built award-winning businesses, including a celebrated restaurant in South Lake Tahoe. His books include The Wolf Lover's Guide to Raising Dogs, the forthcoming Defanging Alpha: Rethinking Leadership Through Nature's Lens, and the children's title, The Little Malamute Raised by Wolves. With a background spanning professional cycling, technology, conservation, and public speaking, Starr blends lived experience and practical wisdom. His work challenges audiences to rethink what leadership means — and to follow the example of wolves who lead through trust and service.

• Rebecca Renfro

  Resurrecting the Dead: Opera and the Power of Storytelling

  Dr. Rebecca Renfro is a Professor of Music at Sam Houston State University, where she holds the titles of Director of Opera Workshop and Studio Voice Instructor. Directing credits include productions for Greater Worcester Opera, Opera del West, University of Connecticut Opera Theater, Lone Star College, Lone Star Lyric Opera, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and Opera Viva in Verona, Italy. Under her leadership, SHSU Opera has garnered national recognition, having accumulated several Opera Scenes Competition awards with the National Opera Association between 2011 and 2023. The ensemble has garnered numerous wins in the American Prize in Collegiate Opera Production competition as well. SHSU Opera made its international debut with its production of Dido and Aeneas in Osaka, Japan, in 2018. Dr. Renfro serves on the executive boards of the National Opera Association and Greater Worcester Opera and is a founder of Opera del West in Boston, MA.

• Sharonda Taylor Johnson

  Words Have Weight: The Invisible Forces That Shape Our Lives

  Sharonda Taylor Johnson is an ordained minister, author, empowerment coach, and administrator with over 28 years of educational leadership and teaching experience. She is Director of the Hornet Success Academy in Huntsville Independent School District in Huntsville, Texas, where she has helped build a thriving alternative education program that equips students with mentoring, internships, and college-career readiness opportunities. A second-generation college graduate, she earned her BA from Stephen F. Austin State University and master's in Educational Leadership from Sam Houston State University. Sharonda is a two-time near-death survivor, which fuels her passion for helping others break free from victim mindsets and embrace resilience. She believes in giving not a hand-out, but a hand-up, empowering others to rise above adversity through education, preparation, and determination. Her mantra, and that of her students, is: "I can. I will. I must. Because failure is not an option."

• Timothy Sturtevant

  Why Not? How Spontaneity Can Transform Your Life

  Timothy Sturtevant is a junior at Sam Houston State University in the Honors College, double majoring in Animation and Film/TV Production. When not pursuing the arts, Timothy is truly living spontaneously, whether it be learning how to juggle for no reason or practicing with the SHSU inline hockey team, for which he serves as head of logistics. While growing up as a military brat in Abilene, Texas, he learned to just say "yes" to life and take every opportunity to live his life to the fullest.