TEDxWidener University

Speakers

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

• Dallas Woodruff

  Dallas Woodruff is a communication studies major in her junior year. She serves as the president for the Public Relations Student Society of America as well as the vice president for Widener University’s radio station. She is a student worker for University Relations and a social media intern with the Communications Department. She worked as a research assistant for the textbook Speaking Professionally. In addition, Dallas has a marketing-focused internship with Intermetro Industries Corporation and works as a freelance podcast consultant. She is also a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the official honor society of the National Communication Association, and was recently placed on the President’s List for her academic achievements. She has earned certifications in social media marketing as well as search engine optimization. Her passions and interests include hiking, wellness, writing, and educating others on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

• Emily Battaglia

  Dr. Emily Battaglia is a dedicated nursing professional with experience in medical-surgical nursing, research, and nursing education. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Widener University, where she integrates her clinical experiences into an academic environment. She believes learning is a lifelong process and should be enjoyable. Working closely with students has allowed her to enhance her student-teacher partnership, which she believes is an integral component of teaching. Her role as a Family Nurse Practitioner has shaped her research interest in the mental and physical health impacts on adolescents who vape. Dr. Battaglia's work highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the mental, physical, and social factors associated with vaping, which can provide valuable insights for developing effective screening tools, preventive education, and cessation programs. Through her teaching and research, Dr. Battaglia aims to uphold and promote the health of the adolescent population.

• John DeSantis

  John DeSantis is a high school math teacher who earned his Masters in Education from Widener University. His dog, Ingrid, is an eight-year-old rough collie. Together, they have been a certified pet therapy team since April 2021. In that time, John and Ingrid have made over 800 visits to schools, senior healthcare and rehab facilities, businesses, first responder stations, and community events to bring comfort and ease anxiety for the people they meet. John and Ingrid were selected for the Collie Club of America Ambassador Award for 2023 signifying them as the best community service team in the country. The Chester County Commissioners awarded them a Proclamation recognizing their service to the community. Ingrid has earned the “Gold Dog” Gold Medal for her accomplishments.

• Keeshea Turner Roberts

  Keeshea Turner Roberts is an Assistant Professor of Law at Delaware Law School, where she teaches Family Law, Civil Procedure, and Poverty Law. A distinguished expert in family law and civil justice, she has over two decades of experience. Keeshea began her legal career as a public benefits and family law litigator at the Neighborhood Legal Services Program, rising to manage a neighborhood office. She also served as co-director of the Civil Protection Order Project (CPOP)—a first-of-its-kind program providing legal services to respondents in domestic violence cases. In 2021, the Association of American Law Schools named her a Bellow Scholar for her groundbreaking research on the benefits of legal counsel for respondents in civil protection cases. Her research also explores the relationship between law, structural inequality, and access to justice. Additionally, she writes on the African American experience, including anti-racism and Critical Race Theory. Prior to Delaware Law, she taught at Howard University School of Law and lectured at law schools throughout the D.C. area. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

• Kristina Dorsett

  Kristina serves as liaison to the health sciences and outreach coordinator for Wolfgram Memorial Library on Widener’s Chester, PA campus. She has experience working in corporate science as well as being the User Experience (UX) designer for a team of instructional designers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She was drawn to librarianship because she loves helping people find what they are passionate about. She is a specialist in evidence-based practice, mindfulness, and team science. Her professional interests include the use of graphic design in health literacy, social justice issues in health care, and UX for libraries. Kristina has been awarded with the Eta Beta chapter’s “Friend of Nursing” award and the “Friend of MSA” Award from Widener University's former Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. She strives to include diversity, equity, and inclusion in her teaching and work on campus through collaboration and promoting information literacy skills.