TEDxIssaquah

Speakers

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

• Aaron Verzosa

  Chef & Culinary Historian

  Aaron Verzosa is a chef, scholar, and 2026 James Beard National Semifinalist for Outstanding Chef whose work explores history, identity, and resilience through food. He and his partner, Amber Manuguid, opened Archipelago in Seattle in 2018, creating what they describe as a “community classroom” centered on the Filipino American experience. Through locally sourced, research-driven menus, Aaron uses food to illuminate overlooked histories and reconnect culinary tradition with place. A co-founder of the ILAW coalition and partner in Filipinx U.S. history education, he approaches the dining table as both a gathering place and a living archive.

• Adam Pinksy

  Community Publisher & Civic Leader

  Adam Pinsky is a co-founder and publisher of The Issaquah Spotlight - a nonprofit weekly digital newspaper. Adam and his family have been residents of Greater Issaquah for more than 30 years. Completing a career in construction finance, including helping to launch several construction start-ups, he recently retired as the chief financial officer of Bayley Construction — a West Coast commercial general contractor. He subscribed to The Issaquah Press until its closure in 2017 and keenly felt its loss in the community, which fueled his drive to help bring The Issaquah Spotlight to life. Adam holds a history degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the University of Washington.

• Anthony Oren

  Cybersecurity Strategist

  Anthony Oren is a cybersecurity strategist who has spent more than a decade helping families, schools, businesses, and organizations protect themselves from digital threats. Beginning with a childhood fascination for how systems worked, he transformed that curiosity into a career dedicated to defense. He has trained federal teams, led live breach simulations, and taught thousands how attackers exploit trust and human behavior. His work focuses on making cybersecurity accessible by teaching everyday people how to think like defenders and build lasting digital resilience.

• Cheryl Yamamoto

  Mindfulness & yoga practitioner

  Cheryl Yamamoto is a longtime yoga and mindfulness practitioner with more than 4,800 hours of teaching experience. As Lead Instructor and Master Trainer at Pineapple Life, she draws from traditions including Vinyasa, Yin, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Anusara, and Hatha, along with meditation, Yoga Nidra, and sound healing. Cheryl has been part of the Pineapple Life community since its earliest days and now leads its teacher training programs, preparing new instructors in Vinyasa Flow and Yin Yoga. Her work brings together movement, breath, sound, and stillness through years of practice, study, and teaching.

• Krishiv Goswami

  Student Innovator & Accessibility Advocate

  Krishiv Goswami is a junior at Interlake High School and a passionate advocate for inclusive design and accessibility. Inspired by his older brother Priyansh, who has Cerebral Palsy, Krishiv has dedicated his work to creating opportunities for people with disabilities. Through organizations like Challenger Baseball, he has helped children with disabilities participate in sports and build community. His passion for business, engineering, and product development led him to invent a weighted modular pencil grip, a 3D-printed assistive device designed to support people with disabilities in writing independently. Krishiv believes accessibility should not be an afterthought, but a core consideration in every stage of design and innovation. He hopes to inspire others to build products and systems that empower everyone.

• Kristen Coffield

  Modern Grandparenting & Purposeful Aging Expert

  Kristen Coffield is the founder of the Active Grandparenting™ movement and a thought leader in modern grandparenting and purposeful aging. A sought-after speaker, coach, and social media influencer, she empowers women in life’s third act to live intentionally and grandparent with impact. She also founded The Culinary Cure™, pioneering wellness- and longevity-focused eating. Kristen is the author of *How Healthy People Eat: An Eater’s Guide to Healthy Habits* and creator of the 21-Day Active Grandparenting™ Wellness Reset. A trusted media expert featured on ABC7’s *Good Morning Washington*, Fox5’s *Good Day DC*, and other major outlets, she helps grandparents live with strength, purpose, and joy.

• Martha Carlin

  Microbiome & Regenerative Agriculture Researcher

  Martha Carlin is a citizen scientist, entrepreneur, and systems thinker working at the intersection of the microbiome, regenerative agriculture, and human health. Her work began after her husband, John, was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease, prompting her to investigate the microbial roots of chronic illness. She is the founder of The BioCollective, a major microbiome research repository; founder of BiotiQuest; and co-founder of Ancient Organics BioSciences. Martha has spoken at the White House Microbiome Initiative, TEDxBoulder, SXSW, and scientific and medical conferences worldwide. She is a Research Fellow at Australian National University and the author of Connected: Love, Loss and the Unseen Forces Behind Chronic Disease and My Search for the Perfect Poop. Her work explores how soil, food, microbes, and human health are deeply connected.

• Ruchika Malhotra

  Author & Inclusion Strategist

  Ruchika T. Malhotra is the author of three books, including the national bestseller, *Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success.* Her work has long challenged cultural norms like “women have imposter syndrome” (an article she co-authored for Harvard Business Review is among the top 20 most impactful HBR.org articles in a century), and her books have won various awards. A former business journalist, her words have appeared in The New York Times, NPR, NBC, The Seattle Times, and more. Ruchika is the founder of Candour, an inclusion strategy firm. With her team, she has advised organizations on creating cultures of belonging and collaboration that drive sustainable innovation and growth. She previously held adjunct faculty positions at Seattle University and the University of Washington, where she now advises the Communication Leadership graduate program. Ruchika has lived in four countries and calls Seattle home. She is a Singaporean foodie raising a feminist son.