TEDxWest Vancouver

Speakers

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

• Ana Valle Rivera

  Early Childhood Educator

  Ana is a proud mother of three, a consultant, and the founder of Early Years Thriving. Since 2007, Ana has worked in various capacities in the early years field to support children, families and educators. Ana has a background in ECE, a Bachelor’s Degree in Child & Youth Care, a Master’s Degree in Professional Education in Early Childhood Education.

• Angela Ivy Leong

  Psychotherapist

  Angela Ivy Leong is a Vancouver-based licensed psychotherapist and founder of An Elegant Mind Counselling Clinic. For over a decade, she has helped thousands of individuals and couples rebuild intimacy after betrayal, disconnection, and trauma. Angela created The KISSS Method™️, a rapid-sync protocol that aligns self-awareness with sexual well-being. Her work explores how modern relationships and technology intersect with human biology and emotional healing.

• Art Dodd

  Storyteller + Ordained Minister

  Art Dodd is a speaker, storyteller, writer, and ordained minister living on Salt Spring Island near Vancouver, BC. With a background spanning stock brokerage, real estate, the music industry, and now guiding others through meaningful rituals, Art brings both lived experience and heartfelt insight to the stage.

• Barb Westlake

  Accessibility Advocate

  Barb Westlake, a wobbly mobility and accessibility Rebel, confides that her constant tripping and falling initiated her crash course in mobility issues. Although she jokingly calls her disease The Wobbles, she was eventually diagnosed with inclusion body myositis (IBM), a rare degenerative muscle disease. She travels and navigates the world with two walking sticks, humour, and a positive attitude. Barb light-heartedly and honestly shares her experiences and encourages her audiences to create more inclusive, barrier-free communities.

• Cori Slaughter

  Veteran & Retired Police Officer

  Cori Slaughter is the Founder and President of W.H.I.S.P.E.R. Alliance Inc. (We Heal in Safety, Peace, Empowerment and Resilience), a national initiative supporting women, youth, and communities through trauma-informed education, somatic practices, and culturally grounded programs. Her work includes the Ways of Warrior Women project, community-based safety initiatives, and programs designed to help people reconnect with their voice, agency, and inner strength.

• Dave Jonsson

  Pro Skateboarder, Survivor, Community Builder

  Dave is a professional skateboarder and community builder with over two decades of experience in the sport. He is the founder of The Belong Centre, an initiative that transforms empty buildings and communities across British Columbia into hubs of creativity, art, and connection.

• Dean Kotopski

  Physical Rehabilitation Expert

  Dean Kotopski is a 36-year veteran of physical rehabilitation with certifications in physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, and IMS. Beginning his career as an auto mechanic at 18, he later transitioned into rehab medicine with a lifelong passion for mechanics, movement, and problem-solving. His interdisciplinary background and decades of hands-on clinical experience inform his unique perspective on building comprehensive therapeutic toolkits.

• Dr. Kelly Barnett

  Physician & Arts Advocate

  Dr. Kelly Barnett brings a rare fusion of creative and clinical insight to reimagine how people heal. She is currently developing a healing arts center that unites medicine, movement, nutrition, community, and creativity under one roof. Dr. Barnett is a Canadian-certified Internal Medicine Specialist and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), and is dual board-certified in Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine in the United States. She completed her Internal Medicine residency and Integrative Medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona, her medical degree at St. George’s University, her Master of Science in Global Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, and her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art at Vassar College.

• Megan Shallow

  CEO & Lead Social Media Unicorn

  Megan is a social media strategist and social media agency owner with nine years of experience helping businesses grow organically through community, referrals, and authentic storytelling. With a psychology background focused on how digital communication shapes human relationships, she combines behavioral insight with real-world expertise to guide companies in rethinking how social media fits into their operations. Her work as a fractional Chief Social Media Officer has supported CMOs, marketing teams, and business leaders who rely on her to translate the outside conversation into meaningful strategy.

• Noel Bentley

  Speaking Coach and Humourist

  Noel coaches speakers, photographers, and organizations to realize their potential through storytelling and humour. With lived experience navigating mental health challenges, recovery, and the transformative impact of sharing his own story, he brings both empathy and expertise to his work. His natural habitat is the stages and coffee shops of British Columbia, where he helps others find clarity, confidence, and connection through story.

• Parth Gargish

  AI Consultant & Business Strategist

  Parth Gargish is an AI Consultant and business strategist who helps SaaS companies scale with clarity, creativity, and data-driven precision. He is the author of 'The Art of Being a Survivor' and brings over a decade of experience leading digital transformation across North America. As the founder of SaaSNXT—a global community for SaaS innovators—and EVP of Business Growth at Netsmartz, Parth has guided hundreds of entrepreneurs in building resilient, future-ready businesses. Beyond the boardroom, he’s a passionate cricketer and a strong advocate for mental resilience, both on the field and in life.

• Santosh Iyer

  AI & Robotics Executive + Solopreneur

  Santosh Iyer is a solopreneur who proves you don't have to choose between corporate success and entrepreneurial freedom. By day, he's a senior technology leader at a leading Fortune 500 company, driving AI, robotics, and data integration for a multi-billion dollar product portfolio. By night, he built Moonshot - a healthcare AI education company that runs passively while delivering hands-on learning experiences to students and professionals worldwide.

• Shiva Ghayemghamian

  Notary & Legal Services Expert

  Shiva is a notary and entrepreneur who brings both legal expertise and a deeply human-centered lens to her work. With a Sociology degree from UBC and a Master of Applied Arts in Legal Studies from SFU, she gained extensive experience working with lawyers, notaries, and real estate professionals across the Tri-Cities and North Shore before establishing her own thriving practice. Today, she is known for educating her community and guiding clients through life’s most significant legal commitments with clarity, empathy, and integrity.

• Sian Flanagan

  Artist, Poet, Director

  Sian Flanagan is the Founder of The Business of You Coaching and RantAJAM Conscious Entertainment. She is a Transformational Speaker, Poet, Embodied Leadership Coach, Award-Winning Director, Best-Selling Author, and Performance Artist passionate about helping others live vibrantly in life, body, and business. With a background in psychology and human kinetics from UBCO, and as a former semi-pro athlete turned conscious creator, Sian bridges the worlds of art, science, and heart to help individuals and organizations lead with authenticity, confidence, and presence.