TEDxNorthampton

Speakers

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

• Aaron Thompson MBE

  Leadership & Organisational Performance Specialist

  Aaron Thompson MBE is a leadership specialist with extensive experience in high-pressure, complex environments. His work focuses on “mission command” leadership, empowering people through trust, clarity, and intent rather than control. Aaron has worked across defence, public service, and organisational leadership, helping teams perform effectively even when leaders are not physically present. At TEDxNorthampton, he explores how leadership must evolve in an increasingly dispersed and remote world, and why trust has become one of the most critical leadership skills of our time.

• Dean Westmoreland

  Leather Artisan, Bespoke Shoemaker, Presenter & Footwear/Leather Expert on BBC The Repair Shop

  Dean Westmoreland’s journey into footwear began unexpectedly at the age of 22, when he replied to a local newspaper advert for “shop duties including making tea.” That role turned out to be with Timpson, marking the start of a lifelong career in footwear. Working across a range of independent businesses, Dean developed an early ambition to create bespoke shoes. Living in Yorkshire, access to traditional shoemaking knowledge was limited, so he took a self-directed path, setting up his own shoe repair business with a specialist focus on welted footwear, while self-funding his shoemaking education. His continued passion for learning and mastery of leathercraft led to him being cast as a footwear expert on BBC One’s The Repair Shop, as well as working as a shoemaker for John Lobb. Dean continues to deepen his knowledge and experience within the footwear industry, driven by craftsmanship, curiosity, and respect for traditional skills.

• Louise Beale

  Broadcast Journalist & Public Speaking Coach

  Louise Beale is a broadcast journalist and media professional with extensive experience in television news. Having spent years reporting and communicating under pressure, she now works at the intersection of media, communication, and emerging technology. Louise focuses on how human presence, credibility, and storytelling remain essential skills especially as AI transforms how content is created and consumed. Her TEDx talk explores what television news has taught her about speaking powerfully, authentically, and responsibly in the age of artificial intelligence.

• Olivia Krawczyk

  Designer & Typography Researcher

  Olivia Krawczyk is a designer and researcher with a passion for typography, visual culture, and the hidden stories embedded in our built environment. Her work explores how letterforms, signage, and everyday design shape identity, memory, and belonging. Through research and creative practice, Olivia encourages people to notice the details often overlooked in public spaces. At TEDxNorthampton, she invites the audience to quite literally “look up” and discover how type tells the story of who we are and where we come from.

• Ollie Wanjohi

  Researcher & Storyteller

  Ollie Wanjohi is a researcher and storyteller passionate about uncovering overlooked histories and amplifying under-represented voices. His work focuses on historical narratives that still hold relevance today, particularly those connected to identity, courage, and social progress. At TEDxNorthampton, Ollie brings the story of Walter Tull a pioneering footballer, soldier, and leader with strong Northampton roots to a modern audience, exploring why remembering these stories matters when shaping a more inclusive future.

• Patrick Farran

  Leadership Researcher, Educator, and Executive Advisor

  Dr Patrick Farran is a leadership researcher, educator, and organisational strategist based in the midwest, US. With a background spanning business leadership, organisational behaviour, and team performance, Patrick studies how leaders inspire commitment and alignment in complex organisations. His work focuses on trust, shared purpose, and co-creation as drivers of sustainable leadership. Drawing on academic research and real-world experience, Patrick challenges traditional top-down leadership models and offers a human-centred approach to building teams that genuinely believe in the future they are creating together.

• Rebecca Steers

  Station Manager, Community Radio Leader

  Rebecca Steers is the Station Manager of NLive Radio, Northampton’s community radio station, and a leading voice in the UK community radio sector. With over 15 years’ experience in local broadcasting, she is also Co-Founder and Director of the UK Community Radio Network and Chair of the Community Radio Awards. Rebecca has represented the sector at national policy level, including appearances before the DCMS Select Committee. Her work focuses on protecting and strengthening truly local media, giving communities a voice, and ensuring local radio continues to thrive in an increasingly centralised media landscape.

• Simon Sneddon

  Professor of Learning and Teaching Innovation

  Professor Simon Sneddon is an academic and researcher specialising in green technology, sustainability, and environmental innovation. His work examines how emerging technologies are shaping environmental solutions and the unintended consequences they can create. With experience spanning research, policy, and industry collaboration, Simon challenges simplified narratives around “green” solutions and encourages deeper thinking about long-term impact. His TEDx talk invites audiences to reconsider whether technology is truly solving environmental problems, or simply reshaping them in new forms.