TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool

Speakers

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

• Bennet Sullivan

  Bennett Sullivan offers his perspective on gratification and goal-setting, drawing from 13 years of competitive swimming experience. He reflects on how the sport has shaped his understanding of discipline, consistency, and long-term growth. Through his journey, Bennett shows that the mindset he developed in the pool applies to challenges of any scale. A senior at Laguna Blanca School and an accomplished swimmer, Bennett trains with both the Santa Barbara Swim Club and the Laguna Blanca team. He practices 6–8 times per week for most of the year and has competed in some of the region’s most selective meets. Swimming is a central part of his life, and today, he hopes to share the lessons it has taught him with others.

• Bennett Sullivan

  Bennett Sullivan offers his perspective on gratification and goal-setting, drawing from 13 years of competitive swimming experience. He reflects on how the sport has shaped his understanding of discipline, consistency, and long-term growth. Through his journey, Bennett shows that the mindset he developed in the pool applies to challenges of any scale. A senior at Laguna Blanca School and an accomplished swimmer, Bennett trains with both the Santa Barbara Swim Club and the Laguna Blanca team. He practices 6–8 times per week for most of the year and has competed in some of the region’s most selective meets. Swimming is a central part of his life, and today, he hopes to share the lessons it has taught him with others.

• Blake Dorfman

  Blake graduated from Laguna Blanca in 2002 and pursued writing and journalism at USC, working as a sportswriter and broadcaster before discovering his passion for education. He returned to Laguna Blanca 13 years ago, serving in roles including librarian, classroom teacher, pep rally emcee, yearbook advisor, volleyball coach, and administrator. Blake and his wife, Laura, are proud parents of two daughters and a dog.

• Brent Bauer

  Brent Bauer is an adventurous entrepreneur and extreme sports enthusiast whose near-fatal accident on a rooftop inspired his work on resilience. Featured three times in National Geographic, Brent draws on his experiences in paragliding, climbing, and adventure travel to teach others how to harness mindset, gratitude, and action to overcome life’s toughest challenges.

• Carryn Baker

  Carryn Barker is a detective, former SWAT operator, and Medal of Honor recipient who speaks on resilience, leadership, and allyship. As a keynote speaker, she draws from her lived experiences to inspire and empower others — helping individuals, teams, and organizations push past barriers and build stronger, more supportive cultures. Her journey led to a landmark legal settlement, but more importantly, it highlighted the power of standing up and standing together. Today, she shares her story to help others navigate challenges, cultivate trust, and lead with courage. Whether in the workplace, in leadership, or in life’s toughest moments, Carryn’s message is clear: resilience is built, allyship is action, and change begins with the courage to speak up.

• Daniel M. Jaffe

  Daniel M. Jaffe left the practice of law over 35 years ago to follow his passion for writing fiction, memoir, and translations of contemporary Russian literature. His tenth book, Russian Silhouette: A Memoir of Human Rights Activism and Self-Discovery, will be published in September. He also enjoys hiking, swimming, gardening, baking, and indulging in British baking shows.

• Dylan Moscovitch

  Dylan Moscovitch is a Canadian Olympic Silver Medalist figure skater turned speaker, facilitator, and coach focused on mindset and personal transformation. He is the founder of The Liminal Way and co-founder of TIERRA Viviente and Menkind Collective, with ongoing work at Yacumama EcoVillage in Costa Rica and Samati Xobo in Peru. Based in Costa Rica, Dylan blends lived experience, integrative learning, and practical tools with humor, heart, and discipline to guide individuals through life’s in-between moments, helping them navigate transition, resilience, and self-discovery.

• Kerri Murray

  Kerri Murray is a humanitarian leader guided by the belief that shelter is the foundation of dignity, safety, and hope. As President of ShelterBox USA, she leads global disaster response efforts that support families displaced by conflict, climate disasters, and crises. Since 2009, Kerri has worked on the front lines of humanitarian emergencies, from war zones to communities devastated by earthquakes, fires, and floods, advocating for those too often unseen and unheard. Before entering the nonprofit sector, she spent 13 years in global healthcare at GlaxoSmithKline. A longtime Rotary member, former Board President of GIRLS ROCK, and champion for women’s empowerment, she received the Martin Luther King Jr. Vision Award in 2024 and an honorary doctorate from Providence College in 2025.

• Lauren Enright

  Lauren Enright is CEO of Axiom Climate and Program Manager of Water Services at SCS Global Services. She combines expertise in climate, water resilience, and ecological economics with hands-on experience in the outdoors. Lauren works to help communities understand and prepare for water-related climate risks, blending science, strategy, and human-centered solutions.

• Mackenna Minehan

  Mackenna Minehan, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in anxiety and depression. She uses CBT, DBT, EMDR, and Motivational Interviewing to help teens and young adults build resilience, challenge maladaptive thoughts, and focus on the present. She earned her master’s in clinical social work from Columbia University and maintains a private practice while collaborating with the Open Minds Foundation.

• Mark Collier

  Mark Collier has been delighting his audiences professionally for over 35 years. He has performed in Japan, Tahiti, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. He is a familiar and welcome sight at many of the exclusive parties held in the Santa Barbara area. His hilarious, irreverent, tongue-in-cheek style of self-deprecating comedy contrasts with his surprising skill as a sleight-of-hand artist and accomplished juggler.

• McKenna Elliott

  McKenna is a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter redefining dark femme indie pop. With a voice that bridges raw vulnerability and commanding strength, she moves effortlessly from soulful ballads to electrifying anthems that feel both intimate and expansive. Influenced by artists such as Olivia Dean, Kacey Musgraves, Lizzy McAlpine, and Fleetwood Mac, McKenna’s music blends emotional intensity with vivid storytelling. A Berklee College of Music vocalist and the youngest artist on the Voracious Records roster, she channels life, heartbreak, and growth into her debut self-titled EP, set for release in Fall 2026. Performing between Boston and her hometown of Santa Barbara, McKenna creates music rooted in honesty and connection—inviting listeners into a space where vulnerability and power coexist, and reminding them they are not alone in their journey.

• Mia Xavez

  Mia Xavez is a Los Angeles–based entrepreneur, artist, and filmmaker. She is the founder and executive producer of Demasiada Productions, where she produces independent films, music videos, and commercial campaigns for clients including Spotify and Serato Audio. She is also the face and creative partner of luxury mezcal brand Zomoz. She integrates the wisdom of her Rarámuri and Chicimeca lineages through her mentorship as a curandera, and her work celebrates transformation, creativity, and the pursuit of possibility.

• Rosal Ortega

  Rosal Ortega, also known as Donna Tuttle, is a ninth-generation Santa Barbarian and a professional Spanish Classical and Flamenco dancer, as well as a singer, choreographer, and instructor.

• Santiago Segovia

  Born and raised in Villa Ramallo, Argentina, Santiago Segovia moved to the United States 13 years ago on a tennis scholarship. After graduating from Texas State University, he and his husband settled in Santa Barbara, where Santiago discovered a passion for expanding access to tennis within underserved communities. Through his volunteer work, he met Katie Kinsella, and together they co-founded Ace Your Dreams, a Santa Barbara–based program dedicated to developing the educational and tennis skills of underserved youth both here and in Latin America. Santiago’s motivation for launching Ace Your Dreams is rooted in a decade-long dream: to provide young people in situations similar to his own with the resources and opportunities he once needed. His work reflects a deep commitment to accessibility, empowerment, and the transformative impact of sports.

• Sharon Allen

  Sharon Allen is a recognized leader in international philanthropic telehealth, improving global health equity for vulnerable populations. Under her leadership, WTI developed a model connecting remote physicians and nurses to provide sustainable medical expertise, establishing specialist care and training in over 50 under-resourced hospitals and clinics. She presents at major healthcare conferences, including the Forbes Health Summit, and serves on the World Health Organization Digital Health Board of Advisors and Roster of Experts, contributing to WHO’s Telehealth Roadmap for the Underserved. In 2023, the United Nations Association awarded her the Peace Prize.