TEDxUVA

Speakers

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

• Abby Fifer Mandell

  Director, Galant Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, McIntire School Of Commerce

  Abby Fifer Mandell is the Director of the Galant Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the McIntire School of Commerce and Senior Lecturer of Commerce, General Faculty. Prior to joining the faculty at McIntire, Abby served for 17 years at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, where she lectured in entrepreneurship and directed the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab; co-taught the Min Family Challenge with the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship group at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering; produced the USC Social Venture Coaching Competition (SVCC); and co-produced the Aging is Now | Aging is the Future Entrepreneurship Symposium. As an undergrad, Abby was an Echols Scholar, Raven Society Member, UVA Student Council President, and Lawn Resident. Abby was born in Queens, spent her childhood in Southwest Virginia, built a life in Los Angeles, and now lives in Charlottesville. She loves books, cats, hiking, camping, and avocados, in that order.

• Adam Cohn

  Chief Financial Officer, CNN Worldwide

  Adam Cohn is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for CNN Worldwide, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery. Cohn was named to this position in 2022, and he is responsible for the financial leadership of CNN’s global television and digital business units, including CNN, CNN International, CNN Digital and CNN en Español. Cohn first joined CNN in 2008, when he provided analytical, strategic and transactional support for all of CNN Worldwide’s new initiatives, business analytics, investments, joint ventures and acquisition opportunities. Cohn earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Business from the University of Virginia.

• Christine Gyovai

  Principal, Dialogue + Design Associates

  Christine Gyovai is a professional facilitator, coach, and expert in building resilient communities. She also teaches yoga, meditation, and loves to be outside. Through her work as the Principal of Dialogue + Design Associates and host of the Yes! We Rise podcast, she guides civic leaders and community members to envision a more sustainable future and come together to make that vision a reality. A recipient of the Paul Dulaney Conservation Award, Christine has spent the last 20 years facilitating change nationally with a focus on Central Appalachia and the Chesapeake Bay. The granddaughter of a coal miner and a firefly scientist, she facilitates networks of change-makers and uses skills that include consensus-building, community planning, ecological design and mindfulness practices. Christine loves sailing, yoga and paddleboarding, and she lives at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia with her husband, two children, and an assortment of fruit trees and blueberry bushes.

• Diya Gupta

  Student, University of Virginia

  Originally from Los Altos, California, Diya is pursuing a double major in Commerce and Global Environments & Sustainability. On Grounds, she is President of the Lorax Society, the co-President of McIntire's Asian Student Network, and an intern at UVA's Office for Sustainability.

• Erin Clabough

  Professor of Psychology, Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia

  Dr. Erin Clabough connects neuroscience with daily life. A Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia and Chief Scientific Officer at Neuro, she has published over 35 peer-reviewed articles on brain development and disease, but her passion lies in translation. Through her internationally published book Second Nature, award-winning teaching on consciousness and neuroscience, and work as a certified yoga instructor and Reiki master, Erin empowers people to understand their brains and transform their lives.

• Joseph Linzon

  Founder, Corner Juice and Roots

  Joseph Linzon is a food entrepreneur and UVA McIntire graduate from Toronto, Canada who believes healthy eating should be accessible to everyone. He co-founded Roots (19 locations) and later launched Corner Juice (2 locations), two concepts focused on making nutritious food fast, approachable, and sustainable. He now lives in Charlottesville with his wife, daughter, and dog, where he continues building people-first businesses rooted in community and long-term impact.

• Paul Vann

  Founder and CEO, Validia

  Starting his cybersecurity journey at age 12, Paul has spent the past 11 years progressing from threat intelligence and hunting to pioneering work in adversarial AI. After graduating from UVA in 2023, he founded Validia to protect organizations from AI-powered attacks. When not building defenses, Paul shares his research at conferences, covering everything from energy sector cyber threats to practical ChatGPT jailbreaking demonstrations.

• Rajan Chidambaram

  Co-Founder, Royal Oak Retreat

  Rajan is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia who turned down a finance job at JPMorgan to pursue building micro resorts and doing content creation full-time. It’s led to 700K+ followers on social media platforms combined and an up-and-coming short-term rental business.