TEDxJacksonville

Speakers

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

• Andrew Hilger

  Future-of-Work Navigator

  Andrew Hilger rose from entry-level analyst to Global President of Allegis Group, helping 10,000 people start a new job every Monday. With a background in the humanities, he makes the case for a more human approach to careers in a world that won’t sit still.

• Anthony Anurca

  Electronic Improviser / Musician

  Outside of the orchestral world, he is an improviser and electronic musician. He’s recorded on various Jacksonville independent rock artist albums and coproduced an electronic acoustic EP called, Mirror World, under the name Q&K. In addition to being a musician, he is an Oden Reiki Master. As an energy practitioner, he works with individual clients as well as in group setting sound baths. He synthesizes his knowledge of music and energy theory into meditations utilizing his voice, electronic and acoustic instruments including Moog Synthesizers, the bassoon and crystal singing bowls to create a safe space for vibrational healing at the highest frequency.

• Bonnie Nixon, PhD

  Environmental Evangelist & Human Rights Advocate

  Dr. Bonnie Nixon brings decades of expertise in multi-tiered supply chains at Hewlett Packard, Walmart, Mattel and many other fortune 100 corporations. Her worldwide standards, auditing, reporting and training work exposes the "invisible" nature of labor exploitation and demonstrates how slavery was never abolished but simply outsourced. Dr. Nixon owned Circlepoint, Inc., an environmental planning and communications consultancy for seventeen years and today owns BonnEco advisory services, directs sustainability at the Port of Long Beach and is a Professor of Sustainable Supply Chains at UCLA and USC.

• Christa Sylla

  Dancethropologist

  Christa Sylla has spent her life at the intersection of movement, memory, and meaning. As a dancer, choreographer, and cultural educator specializing in African and Afro-Diasporic traditions, she founded the Nan Nkama Pan-African Drum and Dance Ensemble, and has been recognized by both the State of Florida and the City of Jacksonville for her contributions to cultural preservation. Her work brings an unusual depth to the stage: a rigorous dialogue between embodied tradition and contemporary neuroscience that asks what rhythm carries, what movement remembers, and why it matters that we keep dancing.

• CJ Goulding & Ron Griswell

  Social Architects

  CJ Goulding is a community organizer and founder of Boyz N The Wood, a national initiative centering Black men, mental health, and nature-based healing. His work focuses on building communities of care that reduce barriers to healing and restore connection. Ron Griswell is the founder of HBCUs Outside, an organization empowering students and faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to find belonging and wellness through the outdoors. His work bridges outdoor access and cultural reclamation. Together, they are building a constellation of communities using nature and connection to restore the health and soul of society.

• Isaiah Oliver

  Community Leader, Trust Weaver, Belonging Builder

  Isaiah Oliver grew up in Flint, Michigan — Black, poor, and sustained by the community safety net he would one day be entrusted to strengthen. As CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, he guided his hometown through one of America's most devastating public health failures: the water crisis. Today, as President of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, he stewards more than $800 million in charitable assets and shapes $79 million in annual grantmaking across the region. His leadership philosophy is as simple as it is countercultural: you don't lead better by making yourself smaller. You lead better by showing up whole.

• Jade Wu, PhD

  Sleep Whisperer

  Dr. Jade Wu is a behavioral sleep medicine specialist, author of Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications, and faculty at SUNY Upstate Medical University. She helps people repair their relationship with sleep using evidence-based methods—no gadgets, medications, or AI-powered beds required. Her dog is named Remy, after rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Naturally.

• Jeffrey Levenson, MD

  Eye Surgeon & Visionary

  Dr. Jeffrey Levenson is a leading eye surgeon, clinical researcher, and humanitarian dedicated to ending preventable blindness. Thirty-five years ago, he founded Jacksonville’s Gift of Sight program, which has restored vision to thousands of uninsured and medically indigent patients across the First Coast. As Chief Medical Officer of SEE International, he helps coordinate more than 150 cataract surgery missions each year across 40 countries. He also serves on the board of Vision is Priceless, Jacksonville’s leading vision charity. His viral collaboration with YouTube creator MrBeast, viewed over 200 million times, has brought global attention to the solvable crisis of needless blindness.

• Jenn Weeks

  Comedian

  Jenn Weeks is a versatile comedian, host, actor and radio personality who has carved her niche in the entertainment industry. With a flair for engaging audiences, Jenn has showcased her talent in stage plays, as well as short and feature films. Jenn's comedic journey has seen her open for renowned celebrity comics such as Bruce Bruce, Deon Cole, the late John Witherspoon and David Arnold, Kountry Wayne, and more. Her ability to connect with diverse audiences has made her a sought-after performer in the comedy circuit. Jenn's passion for comedy and dedication to her craft continue to shine through, making her a standout talent in the world of entertainment. Follow Jenn on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @JennWeeksComedy

• Josh Gellers, PhD

  Political Scientist & AI Czar

  Josh Gellers, PhD, is a professor of political science and the inaugural AI faculty fellow at the University of North Florida, where his research explores the intersection of technology, rights, and environmental governance. He is the author of two books, The Global Emergence of Constitutional Environmental Rights and Rights for Robots: Artificial Intelligence, Animal and Environmental Law, which has been cited over 200 times and selected for judges’ book clubs as far away as Bhutan. As an expert with the Global AI Ethics Institute and a research fellow with the Earth System Governance Project, Gellers' work has a global reach. He has published dozens of scholarly works and delivered invited lectures on four continents. His pathbreaking work on the rights of non-humans—including animals, ecosystems, and AI—has positioned him as one of the world’s leading voices in this emerging debate.

• Shawn Pfaffman

  Blues & Jazz Musician

  Shawn Pfaffman is a soul-jazz pianist, organist, and composer whose music blends blues, jazz, gospel-influenced harmony, and Southern storytelling into a sound that is deeply emotional and unmistakably his own. A lifelong musician, he has performed for more than forty years, evolving from a blues-obsessed teenager into a mature, soulful artist whose work resonates across generations and cultures. Shawn is known for his ability to create powerful “shared spaces” in performance—moments where audience and artist feel connected, present, and transformed. His style is grounded in improvisation and honesty, shaped by personal experiences, spiritual exploration, and a commitment to using music as a force for empathy and uplift.

• Susanna Barton

  Mindful Aging Strategist

  Susanna P. Barton is a journalist-turned-gerontologist and the founder of Grand Plans, a framework for designing the second half of life with intention. She holds a Master of Science in Gerontology and helps individuals, families, and communities reduce future caregiving chaos through education, planning tools, and honest conversation. Her work focuses on normalizing proactive aging conversations—and replacing fear with thoughtful design.

• Svetlana Makarova

  Human-First AI Builder

  Associate VP of AI Product Management at IKS Health | Former Principal Product Manager, Mayo Clinic Center for Digital Health | Doctoral Researcher in AI & Machine Learning, George Washington University | Author of The Human Margin | TEDx Speaker

• Travis Williams

  Withintrification Champion

  Travis Williams is a fourth-generation former resident of Jacksonville's Historic Eastside — which means when he talks about this neighborhood, he isn't speaking as an outside expert. He's speaking as someone whose family has lived its history. As President & CEO of LIFT JAX, he has spent his career developing and refining the concept of withintrification: community-guided revitalization that treats residents as the primary stakeholders in their own neighborhood's future. From reopening beloved local landmarks to negotiating the largest Community Benefits Agreement in NFL history, Williams proves that the most powerful driver of community transformation isn't outside investment — it's inside trust.