Elon Epps

Brainstormer, Change agent, Christian, Designer, Producer, Student, World traveler

I am a city girl at heart with values of the world, originally from Washington, DC, graduate of Sewanee: The University of the South with a degree in Women's and Gender Studies. While at Sewanee I was involved in the creation and execution of TEDxUniveristyoftheSouth and held roles as a Bonner Scholar, Proctor, and Arcadian Co-Director. After graduating I moved to Conway, AR where I was an Admission Counselor at Hendrix College focusing on the recruitment and matriculation of students of color. I created the Vision program which aims to demonstrate the diversity at Hendrix. Later I became a Licensing Coordinator at TEDx for TED. Where I acted as an informed resource for new applicants and returning organizers. As well as expediting the review process from start to finish for over 1,000 organizers utilizing Salesforce and Zendesk. I have spent the last five-six years training as a facilitator in Reflective Structured Dialogue methodology from Essential Partners and have a Professional Certificate in Mediation. I am currently pursuing an MLitt in Peacebuilding and Mediation from the University of St Andrews. My dissertation is focused on the impact dialogue work has on higher education intuitions looking at the long term work of Michigan, the newer work of Dartmouth, and the new use of EdTech such as Constructive Dialogue Institute.

dialogue and building bridges across difference.

curiosity can save the world from destroying itself.

audio post production, broadcasting, Communication, design, Dialogue, Event Management, Facilitation, interdisciplinary collaboration, marketing, media producer, organization, program development, program management, Salesforce, teamwork, time management, volunteering, Zendesk

I fell in love with TED in high school when I saw two TED talks in two different classes: William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story. During college, I continue my love affair with TED. While others watched YouTubers, Vine (or its younger more hip sister TIkTok), or TV I spent my free time watching, listening, and learning from TED and TEDx talks. By the time I returned from study abroad I knew I waned to host a TEDx at my college, so we created TEDxUniversityoftheSouth. Two years later, I worked at TED for almost two years on the TEDx licensing team. I love TED, I believe not only in the mission/vision, but in the methodology.

listening, watching, and observing people, organizations, and the world to identify where the gaps are, how collaboration could occur, and how/what systems need for them to work more innovative and effective.