TEDxPraça Gil Eanes

Speakers

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

• Aïscha Tomasoa

  Mother, Postpartum Caretaker and Confinement Expert Aïscha Tomasoa is a mother of two, postpartum caretaker and traditional postpartum confinement expert. Inspired by her cultural lineage, ancestral wisdom and lived experience, her work centers on nurturing mothers through embodied care, nourishment, warmth, voice, and touch. She is devoted to restoring postpartum as a rite of passage. Prioritizing time of rest, connection, and collective support, believing that when mothers are cared for, families and communities can truly thrive.

• Alexandra Pereira

  Clinical Exercise Physiologist With nearly 25 years studying human physiology and movement, Alexandra Rocha Pereira is a clinical exercise physiologist on a mission to support women through menopause. As a teacher, speaker, and health educator, she organized the first-ever Menopause Seminar in the Algarve in 2025, reflecting her commitment to community-driven health education. She frequently shares her evidence-based approach to wellness on television health segments. Driven by curiosity, leading by example, and as a mother of two, Alexandra champions the concept of ""movement as medicine."" This dedication led her to author the book Tratar a Menopausa por Tu, a project designed to de-stigmatize this life stage through clarity and science. Holding a Master’s in Exercise and Health and postgraduate degrees in Clinical Exercise and Health in Menopause, Alexandra combines academic rigor with a deeply human perspective. A member of the Portuguese Society of Lifestyle Medicine, she provides women with targeted clinical tools to navigate menopause with strength, resilience, and peak vitality."

• Alicia M. Rodriguez

  Writer, Storyteller, Contemporary Mystic. Alicia M. Rodriguez is a writer, storyteller, contemporary mystic and catalyst for personal growth. This slow living evangelist has called six countries home and brings her rich Colombian heritage and multicultural wanderings to every page she writes. Through her writing, executive coaching, and curated Portuguese retreats, she guides fellow explorers who want to be the best FOR the world, not just in it. Her work has graced publications Thrive Global, Tiny Buddha, Medium, The Tiferet Journal, Writerly Magazine, and others. Her poetry appears in the domestic violence advocacy anthology Still, She Writes. Whether gifting readers with mindfulness practices in her book Everyday Epiphanies, or opening hearts with Between Root and Sky, her poetry collection, or sharing ancient wisdom in her award-winning memoir, The Shaman's Wife, Alicia's storytelling reminds us that we're all spiritual beings on beautifully complex human journeys."

• Ana Sofia Machado Ferreira

  Legal Advisor, Clinical Psychologist, and Researcher Legal Advisor, Clinical Psychologist, Researcher and Visiting Fellow at the University of Northampton, with a PhD in hypnotically induced near-death experiences, financially supported by BIAL Foundation. Former member of LIMMIT-Laboratory of Mind Matter Interaction with Therapeutic Intention, and collaborator in studies/publications developed by CIBIT-Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service) and ALEF Trust (UK) in the field of psychedelics Currently, she is a member of the SPIRECTS team at CICS.NOVA, a research project funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), that combines the study of spiritual practices with the observation of ritual uses of psychedelics. In her clinical practice, she uses an integrative therapeutic approach that includes non-ordinary states of awareness that aims to support people going through cycles of deep psychological transformation, spiritual emergency crises, as well as with the aftermath of challenging non-ordinary experiences, including post-psychedelic difficulties.

• Eva Monteiro

  Portuguese Butterflies Expert Eva Monteiro is an expert on Portuguese butterflies and other insects with nearly 20 years of experience in research, monitoring, conservation and dissemination. She coordinates since 2019 the Portuguese Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (PT-BMS), a citizen science project integrated into a pan-European BMS, that applies standardized protocols to assess butterfly diversity and trends across Europe. She was part of the team that elaborated the Action Plan for the Conservation and Sustainability of Pollinators in Portugal, being responsible for defining the Monitoring and Action Plans for Pollinators in Portugal according to the Nature Restauration Regulation.

• Idília Ramos

  Mother, Author, Founder & CEO of Colégio S. Gonçalo

  Born in Lagos, a town shaped by journeys into the unknown, Idília Ramos built her life around movement, resilience and achievement. She started working at 13, studied while working full-time, and became a Chief Human Resources Officer by 28. After losing her mother, she returned to Lagos and built a school from nothing, now home to 250 children growing in knowledge, joy and belonging. Through burnout, motherhood and her work as an educator, she slowly learned that growth does not only come from pushing forward. Sometimes, it begins with stillness. Idília is a mother of three, an author and a lifelong seeker. Today, she believes healing begins when we give ourselves permission to pause.

• Joaquim Pedro Ferreira

  Teacher, Director and Actor

  Joaquim Pedro Ferreira is a teacher, director and actor specialised in Awareness Through Motion and Natural Education. For more than 20 years, he has been on a process of self-reformation, exploring how education can move towards natural learning, compassion and the development of more whole human beings. Through his work as an actor, educator, trainer and teacher, Joaquim observed that many people do not lack the ability to understand complex ideas or learn quickly. What they often lack is the ability to feel well within themselves, to experience joy and to stay connected. His own difficult experience within the education system shaped his belief that traditional models can damage our natural way of learning. As a father, he became even more committed to creating a healthier and more nurturing path for children. This led him to develop his approach to Natural Learning.

• Luiza Dedisin & Canta Choir

  Singer, Vocal Coach, and Founder of Luz Cultura

  Luiza Dedisin is a singer, vocal coach and creative community builder whose work explores the power of voice and collective music-making. Born in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, she began studying piano at the age of six before moving to Portugal, where she later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Piano from the Lisbon Superior School of Music. During her studies, she discovered her passion for singing, graduating with the highest distinction from the Portuguese National Conservatory and continuing her training at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where she completed both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Classical Singing with Cum Laude distinction. After returning to Portugal, Luiza founded Luz Cultura, a creative studio in the Algarve bringing together choirs, performances and community music projects, including Luz Canta Choirs and Lagos Canta. Through her work, she creates inclusive spaces where people can find their voice, build confidence and experience the joy of singing together.

• Marcos Bravo

  Consultant and Creative Professional Marcos Bravo Caradeuc is a consultant and creative professional who spends a lot of time thinking about how technology, work, and everyday choices quietly shape the way we live. Drawing from his own experience working with digital tools, teams, and creative projects, Marcos reflects on the gap between how we think things should work and how they actually feel when we live inside them. His work blends observation, personal insight, and practical experience to make sense of modern life without pretending there’s a perfect system or a single answer. Through his writing, conversations, and speaking, Marcos explores how paying closer attention to our habits, decisions, and assumptions can lead to more intentional and meaningful ways of working and relating, both with technology and with each other.

• Miguel Barbosa

  Truth Seeker, Biomed Engineer, Entrepreneur, and Artist I'm a Truth seeker, and everything I do is a reflection of that pursuit. I enjoy lots of stuff, that's part of my nature. At my core I'm passionate about building bridges that save lives, creating meaningfull ideas and inspiring others to "let their own lights shine." For many years i engaged in projects related to social impact. Along that path i've become a defensor of innovation and education which are driven by purpose and a supporter of STEAM investment as key to improve communities and ignite generations. That's why I've cofounded Tec2Med and Purpose4All.

• Nenad Konstantin (Nesha)

  Live Musician, Singer and Guitarist

  Nenad Konstantin, professionally known as Nesha (born August 19, 1986, Serbia), began his musical journey in 2011. From his early days performing in bands and creative projects across Serbia, it was clear that music was more than just a path, it was a calling. He gradually gained recognition through talent shows, a songwriting competition win, and his work in radio and television, shaping both his sound and stage presence. Driven by a love for connecting with people through music, Nesha took his journey beyond borders, spending several years performing internationally on cruise ships. These experiences helped him refine a style that blends musicianship with spontaneity and audience interaction.

• Nick Madge

  Entreprenuer Helping the World Live Carbon Neutral Digital Lives For 20 years, I've translated complex digital visions into reality for; global multinationals, government agencies, and universities. Implementing AI solutions, leading automation projects, managing multi-million euro digital transformations. But I've also spent those same years escaping into the mountains every chance I got, hiking forests on weekends, running coastal cliffs at dawn. For decades I lived in two worlds: deeply digital, desperately drawn to nature. In 2020 I made Lagos my home, and last year I founded Digital Forest here in the Algarve. Real forests integrated with immersive digital experiences designed to make nature irresistible to the generation that grew up on screens. My mission is to show we don't have to choose between nature & technology, not when we can choose both.

• Pedro Mota Machado

  Planetary Scientist Pedro Mota Machado's main activity is focused on planetary sciences, more specifically on the study of other planets' atmospheres. His work includes several bodies in the Solar System: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Io, Europa, Enceladus and Titan. He is also interested in the characterization of exoplanets' atmospheres. Besides the study of atmospheric composition, atmospheric dynamics and their minor components are also some of the essential objectives of the current work. He is invited scientist at the Japanese space mission Akatsuki, he was part of the Venus Express science team of the European Space Agency (ESA), and he is Co-PI of the ARIEL space mission (ESA), which main objective is the characterization of the exoplanet atmospheres. He is Co-PI of the EnVision, Mars Express and ExoMars space missions (ESA). Currently he is a researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA), and professor at the University of Lisbon.

• Rafael Reis

  Leadership Coach Rafael Reis works where uncertainty lives. A leadership coach and organisational strategist, Rafael is the founder of Controlled Chaos, a consultancy dedicated to helping people and organisations thrive in environments of constant change. He challenges the idea that chaos is something to be avoided, arguing instead that it is a natural force that, when understood, can be leveraged. With over a decade of experience across education, entrepreneurship, and leadership, Rafael has guided founders, executives, and teams through moments of growth, instability, and reinvention. His work blends coaching psychology, systems thinking, chaos theory, and philosophy, translating complex ideas into practical tools for decision-making, self-leadership, and cultural transformation. At the heart of his work lies a belief that, when everything around us seems to be falling apart, the most powerful solutions are often the simplest.

• Rancho Folclórico e Etnográfico de Odiáxere

  Rancho Folclórico e Etnográfico de Odiáxere is a cultural group founded in March 1984 to preserve and share the customs, dances, songs and traditional costumes of the western Algarve. Based in Odiáxere, near Lagos, the group has more than 50 active members and is known for recreating traditional dances and songs such as corridinhos, waltzes and mazurkas. Through authentic costumes, local characters and regular performances in Portugal and abroad, the group keeps the cultural heritage of the Barlavento Algarvio alive.

• Rose Hes-Rozendo

  Content Strategist, Creator and Employer Branding Manager

  I am a content strategist, Employer Branding Manager and content creator on LinkedIn. I am originally from the Netherlands but have most recently lived and worked in Ireland and am currently based in Lagos, Portugal I manage the employer brand for a global science company and also run my own training business called For The Love of Content. I run specialized trainings on topics like Employer branding, LinkedIn advertising, and content strategies.

• Sarah Donkor

  Dancer, Teacher, and Creative Entrepreneur Sarah Donkor is a dancer, teacher, and creative entrepreneur whose work focuses on confidence, movement, and self-expression. Born in Belgium with Ghanaian and Algerian roots, and based in Portugal for the past ten years, she brings a multicultural perspective to everything she creates. She is also a mother of two, a role that deeply shapes her sense of purpose and resilience. With years of experience teaching children, teenagers, and adults, Sarah uses music and dance as tools for empowerment, helping people reconnect with their bodies, intuition, and inner strength. Her journey has included moments of instability and self-doubt, which led her to discover how movement can become a compass when life feels uncertain. Today, she runs a dance studio and develops creative projects that inspire others to keep moving forward, trust their process, and build confidence from the inside out.