TEDxBuffalo

Speakers

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

• Aitina Fareed-Cooke

  Founder

  Aitina is the founder of Get Fokus’d Productions, an international award-winning digital storytelling company, national recording artist, speaker, creative educator, and serves as the Mayor-appointed Poet Laureate of Buffalo NY. With over 20 years of experience, she has impacted over 20,000 emerging creatives, raised nearly half a million dollars for community arts programs, and produced impactful visual narratives supporting cultural and economic growth. Her work as a songwriter has led to contributing to a Grammy-winning album and her leadership in arts advocacy highlights her unwavering commitment to using creativity as a catalyst for community upliftment. Aitina’s accolades include awards from 43 North’s Ignite Buffalo in partnership with Facebook, New York State Council on the Arts, Citizens Bank, Arts Services Inc., and numerous honors for her visionary leadership and artistic excellence.

• Ashley Falletta

  Founder of Prose Creative Writing Studio

  Ashley Falletta is a ghostwriter, performer, and the founder of Prose Creative Writing Studio. She collaborates with entrepreneurs, visionaries, and thought leaders to transform their ideas into compelling, purpose-driven words that inspire action and leave a lasting legacy. She is also the face behind the TTRPG gaming brand CriticalNarrative, where she creates entertaining content and presentations around role-playing, character development, and storytelling within the gaming community.

• Joseph S. Thomas, MD, FHM

  Hospitalist Physician and Science Communicator

  Joseph S. Thomas, MD, FHM is a hospitalist physician and science communicator working with patients in Buffalo, NY and serving as a clinical instructor to medical residents and students. He also serves as one of the Digital Media Editors for the Journal of Hospital Medicine. He writes at the blog Managing Health Expectations and on Substack, has guested on multiple podcasts, and uses social media to create educational videos and fight misinformation, especially about public health.

• Kendra Brim, MBA

  Leadership Strategist

  Kendra Brim is a speaker, author, podcaster, and leadership strategist who empowers individuals and organizations to grow with purpose. A former Division I basketball player, she has redefined success beyond the court by building a thriving career in leadership development and founding Out of Bounds, a platform that helps athletes and emerging leaders navigate transition and identity. With a strong commitment to advancing equity, her work blends personal transformation with professional insight, inspiring audiences to embrace change, lead authentically, and create lasting impact in their communities.

• Megan McElfresh

  Executive Director of the Stained Glass Association of America

  Megan McElfresh is a nationally recognized speaker, writer, community advocate, and dedicated artisan with deep roots at the intersection of preservation trades, architectural glass art, and community service. Growing up in stained glass studios instilled in her a passion for hands-on creative trades education, while her relentless curiosity about glass as a material and her research into community economic systems drive her to build innovative, collaborative solutions that strengthen community connections. Megan believes the future of stained glass and cultural heritage depends on a community-first approach, emphasizing collective action and knowledge sharing. As the Executive Director of the Stained Glass Association of America (SGAA), she is committed to breaking down barriers to craftsmanship education, recognizing that our history is not merely a relic but a living, evolving story that must be nurtured through collaboration and inclusive innovation.

• Stephanie Vito, AIA

  Architect

  Stephanie is a tireless advocate for improving patients’ and people’s lives through design. Her work as a healthcare architect and planner elevates mental healthcare across communities, specific populations and society. Stephanie’s professional goals are rooted in human empathy – seeking to eliminate mental health stigmas by pushing back against society’s preconceived notions.