TEDxBayshore Blvd

Speakers

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

• Abigail Hall, PhD

  Associate Professor of Economics

  Abigail Hall is an Associate Professor in Economics at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida. She is a Senior affiliated scholar with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and a Senior Fellow with the Independent Institute in Oakland, California. She holds a PhD in Economics from George Mason University. Dr. Hall is deeply engaged in bringing economics to life both inside and outside the classroom. Her approachable yet rigorous method helps students and audiences grapple with difficult topics of economics of militarism, the U.S. military, and national defense, while her research focuses on political economy and defense and peace economics. In her talk, Abby discusses the importance of navigating tough conversations around divisive topics like pornography, the death penalty, and abortion with confidence and curiosity. She shares six economic ideas that can help us engage more productively, scrutinize our own beliefs, and model the behavior we wish to see in others.

• Alexander Lange

  Men's Coach, Writer, Speaker, and Aspiring Non-Profit Leader

  Meet Alex Lange a father, writer, men’s coach, podcaster and messenger of healing. Alex served in the US Navy for over 13 years, and is currently obtaining his master’s degree in Transformational Leadership from the University of Maryland Global Campus. After unimaginable loss of his young son, Liam, his daughter’s diagnosis of a brain tumor, and his own discovery of multiple brain tumors, Alex found that pain is universal, but so is the potential to turn it into purpose. Now living and learning alongside his wife and four children as a world schooling family, Alex shares a message rooted in Liam’s legacy. His TEDxBayshore Blvd talk speaks to anyone who has ever suffered silently, carried invisible weight, or questioned their worth in the face of adversity. Alex delivers a message of reimagining the pain as it is not something to escape, but a sacred invitation to live more fully, love more deeply, and lead with authenticity.

• Arbaina Kawilan

  Store Manager, Resilience & Emotional Well-being Advocate

  Arbaina Kawilan is a speaker and store manager based in Texas, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting Technology. She began her career in the Mayor’s Office in the Philippines before transitioning to nonprofit work with A Single Drop for Safe Water and Nonviolence International Southeast Asia (NISEA). Through her work with NISEA, she was selected as a civil society fellow to deliver an intervention at a United Nations review conference in 2023. In 2018, Arbaina moved to the United States and began building a new life. She worked in the hospitality industry and now leads operations and client experience at a window treatment company. Outside of work, Arbaina shares videos on resilience, personal transformation, and quiet strength—offering insight from her lived experiences with the hope of reaching others navigating adversity. Her TEDx talk builds on that same mission: showing how lived experience can be transformed into a framework for growth, clarity, and quiet power.

• Breanne Mertz, DBA

  Assistant Professor of Marketing

  Breanne A. Mertz, DBA is a marketing professor, researcher, and entrepreneur passionate about helping people live and work with greater well-being and purpose. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Marketing at The University of Tampa and earned her Doctorate in Marketing from Louisiana Tech University, where she was focusing on how marketing strategies and systems can enhance well-being, uphold dignity, and protect vulnerable populations. She has published in various leading academic journals in her field where much of her research examines how social media wellness, workplace dignity, and the protection and empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized individuals intersect with everyday consumer choices and service experiences. In her TEDx talk, Breanne reveals how social media quietly steals years of our lives and how small intentional choices can help us reclaim our time, attention, and purpose.

• Daniel Cuneo, JD

  Chief Operating Officer

  Daniel H. Cuneo is a lawyer, leader, and Chief Operating Officer serving clients across Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, and Texas. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, he has built a career that spans the courtroom, the C-suite, and the Inc. 5000’s list of America’s fastest growing companies. Dan is a licensed attorney in multiple states with more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of law, leadership, and innovation. Dan holds a Doctor of Law from Saint Louis University School of Law. In addition to his work as COO, Dan is a sought-after speaker and frequent media contributor. He is recognized for his straight talk, strategic thinking, and commitment to building organizations where people come first. Dan’s TEDx talk, he challenges the traditional metrics of success by showing how investing in people drives growth, resilience, and lasting impact. He invites audiences to rethink leadership and reimagine what true success looks like.

• Emilie Robinson, DPT

  Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Lymphedema Therapist

  Emilie Robinson, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, is a licensed physical therapist, certified lymphedema therapist through the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA), and a certified Pilates instructor. She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Nova Southeastern University and has been immersed in the field for over a decade. Emilie is the founder of a Pilates studio, where she specializes in sessions focused on mobility, lymphedema management, chronic illness, and end-of-life care. She also works as a physical therapist with a leading healthcare provider nationwide, extending her commitment to evidence-based and compassionate care. Her practice is grounded in connection and respect for the body’s wisdom. Emilie was honored with the Making a Difference Award from the Women in Healthcare Organization. Through intentional movement and education, she empowers people to move through recovery, aging, and transitions—including death—with strength, dignity, and purpose.

• Jasmine Jenkins

  Senior Product Marketing Manager

  Jasmine Jenkins has over a decade of marketing experience in the technology and SaaS industries and currently serves as a Senior Product Marketer at a risk and compliance operations software platform. Above all, her most meaningful role is being a wife and proud mom to her two young children, Maverick and Maya. Jasmine has an MBA from The University of Tampa. In her talk Jasmine shares her personal journey through motherhood, exposing the silent pressures moms face. She challenges outdated norms, urges support without judgment, and reminds every mother: it's okay to take time for themselves and that they are enough just as they are.

• Jessica Dueñas

  Area Coordinator, Life Coach, Educator

  Jessica was previously a classroom teacher and was named the 2019 Kentucky State Teacher of the Year and recognized as a Kentucky Colonel in 2021 for her leadership in addiction awareness and mental health advocacy. Jessica holds an Ed.S. in Instructional Leadership from Bellarmine University, an M.S. in Special Education from CUNY Brooklyn College, and a B.A. in History from CUNY Hunter College. In addition to her work in education, Jessica is an instructor and meeting host with The Luckiest Club, a global sobriety support community. She facilitates recovery discussions that focus on healing, boundaries, and the journey from self-abandonment to self-trust. Jessica’s talk explores the emotional cost of chasing external success and the freedom that comes from redefining worth on your own terms. Through her story and those she supports, she invites audiences to question pressures to prove themselves and imagine a life built on alignment, not performance.

• Kait Richardson, RDN, LD

  Licensed and Registered Dietitian

  Kait Richardson, RD, LD is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian, author, and mom on a mission to redefine the conversation around nutrition and self-worth. She earned her degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Missouri State University, where she also completed a Dietetic Internship with an emphasis in public affairs- an experience that deepened her commitment to compassionate, evidence-based nutrition care. For the past eight years, Kait has helped clients cut through the noise of diet culture as a lead dietitian at a private practice based in Orlando, FL. Her approach blends personalized nutrition counseling with practical strategies to support long-term success. Kait specializes in weight management, women’s health, and corporate wellness, empowering individuals and teams to take ownership of their health with confidence and clarity. Just as in her talk, Kait’s life reflects her passion for challenging society’s obsession with willpower and perfection when it comes to food.