Past TEDx event

TEDxNokesville Women

Turning NO into Now

Took placeMay 18, 2025
LocationNokesville, Virginia, United States
FormatTEDxWomen
The mission of TEDxNokesville Women is to cultivate a community of confident women to spread great ideas while inspiring, innovating, and initiating conversations. Hearing the word NO can shake the courage to try again. The mere applied tone of NO can demotivate, demoralize, and demagnetize a vision. Women should be connectors, and TEDxNokesville Women has a goal to bridge the gap to move from NO to NOW. TEDxNokesville Women is an independent event held in Nokesville, VA licensed from TED to spread ideas within Prince William County. If you have an idea that is compelling, original and relevant, we want to hear about it! Contact us to submit a speaker, sponsorship, *committee member or talent inquiry. TEDxNokesville Women is independently organized with volunteers and licensed through TED, and we follow a strict set of guidelines for how we organize our events, and there are clear content guidelines for speakers which can be found here. 1. No commercial agenda: Speakers cannot promote their own products, books, or businesses, or those of a company which employs them. TED prohibits us from paying any form of speaker fee or honorarium to speakers or performers, as our primary mission is to share ideas with the world free from financial or commercial motivation. 2. No bad science: TED and TEDx are platforms for showcasing and explaining genuine advances in science that are backed by research. Scientific claims by speakers should be based on data that has survived scrutiny by experts in the field. Speakers should be transparent about the basis for any factual claims, and the scientific evidence for them. The consequences of pseudoscience can be especially severe, and speakers should not misuse scientific language to make unsubstantiated claims. 3. Talks are thoughtful, not divisive: No talks with an inflammatory political or religious agenda, nor polarizing “us vs them” language. We seek to build consensus and provide outside-the-box thinking, not to revisit familiar, unresolvable disputes on these topics. 4. TEDx talks are NOT motivational speeches. If the core idea of your talk is something like "be your authentic self" or "follow your passion," it will be rejected. 5. TEDx talks are NOT just personal stories. If you want to apply with a personal story, you must draw an idea or clear lesson from that story to qualify for consideration. 6. TEDx talks are NOT lectures or biographies. You must have a unique take/idea/opinion about your subject to qualify for consideration. 7. TEDx talks are NOT the place for your "circuit" speech. If you are a professional speaker, please know that we only accept NEW material based on a novel, core idea. TEDxNokesville Women is seeking ideas that show out of the box thinking related to our theme. Before submitting this application, seriously consider this question: Is your idea original? Has there already been TED or TEDx talks with the same exact content? If so, can you differentiate your idea? We consider every application carefully and due to the large number of inquiries, we are not able to respond to each one. Our staff of volunteers can only respond if we would like to know more about you and your idea. We can only feature a small selection of speakers at our event, and it doesn’t mean you did not have an idea worth sharing! We will hold onto your information for future opportunities. NOTE: Your application will not be considered if you have given a talk(s) at another TEDx event in the 12 months leading up to, AND/OR have been invited to speak at another TEDx event within 6 months of the TEDxNokesville Women event. We reject ideas that are: Vague or underdeveloped, Based on pseudoscience rather than quantifiable and specific data, Purely personal or motivational in nature, Solely about overcoming adversity or obstacles, Motivated by or seek to promote corporate, political, or religious agendas Presentation Rules Presentations will be up to 15 minutes in length, with final length determined by the TEDxNokesville Women coaching team. Presenters may not be paid for their talk. No podium can be used. All presentations will be video recorded and uploaded to the TEDx YouTube channel for global viewing. Presenters should plan on being present throughout the TEDxNokesville Women event. Presenters must have copyright ownership of any images or video included in their talk. If you use an image under a Creative Commons license, cite the source at the bottom of the slide (if slides are being used) Thank you for considering TEDxNokesville Women, and if you have read the above and feel your idea is a good fit, we look forward to reviewing your application. Speaker Application Deadline: December 1, 2024. *All TEDx events are organized by volunteers based on non-profit guidelines.

Speakers

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

  • Amy Druhot

    Advocate for Women's Success, New Construction Industry Leader, and Author

    Amy Druhot is a wife, mother of seven, author, and advocate for women's success. She has over 20 years of experience in the new construction industry. A champion for diversity and leadership, she founded Professional Women in Building RVA and is a certified Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coach through Cornell University. She has earned numerous accolades, including BizSense Power Woman RVA and HBAV Woman of the Year, and is passionate about empowering women both in the construction industry and beyond.

  • Andrea H. Evans, Esq.

    Patent, Trademark, & Copyright Attorney, Business Owner, and Author

    Andrea Hence Evans, Esq. is an accomplished intellectual property attorney and the founder of The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans, LLC, where she helps innovators and businesses protect their patents, trademarks, and copyrights. A former Patent Examiner and Trademark Examining attorney at the USPTO, she brings unique expertise to guiding clients through complex IP processes. Beyond her legal practice, Andrea is a sought-after mentor, empowering underrepresented groups in STEM, law, and entrepreneurship through education and advocacy. .

  • Carylee Carrington

    Entrepreneur, Literacy Advocate, and Author

    Carylee Carrington is an award-winning children’s author and literacy advocate. As founder of Read With Carylee, she promotes diversity in children’s literature and supports independent authors. Carylee is a two-time Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit of the Year Award recipient, with partnerships including Commanders Read and the Washington Wizards. She regularly appears on Good Morning Washington and Living Local DMV, conducts author visits nationwide, and currently serves on the Boards of the Prince William County Arts Council and Northern Virginia Reading is Fundamental.

  • Deshauna Barber-Echols

    Former Miss USA, Advocate for Women & Veteran's Rights, Author, and Business Owner

    Deshauna Barber is an Army Veteran, Former Miss USA, and Non-Profit Development Strategist celebrated for inspiring audiences worldwide. She became the youngest president of Service Women’s Action Network in 2019 and continues to advocate for service members, women’s rights, and mental health. With over 11 years of military service and impactful philanthropic work, she embodies resilience and perseverance. Deshauna empowers individuals to overcome obstacles and create meaningful change through her platform.

  • Kim B Miller

    Spoken Word Poet, Facilitator, and Host

    Kim B Miller is a spoken word poet, author, speaker, facilitator, host, haikuist, mother, and wife. She is Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park, Virginia Poet Laureate Emerita, (the first African American Poet Laureate for the region). Kim is an award-winning poet. Kim touches people with words.

  • Lauren C. Nelson

    Personal Branding & Visibility Strategist, and Entrepreneur

    Lauren C. Nelson, a personal branding strategist, coach, and consultant, is the founder of The Visibility Agency and creator of The Powerhouse Era, a personal branding and visibility program designed to empower hidden professionals to become highly paid, visible, and credible experts in their industries. Fueled by her own experience as a timid and invisible high performer throughout her corporate career, she has helped professionals own their authority, find their confidence, and accelerate their careers and businesses using personal branding. Through her workshops, Lauren equips women with the tools and confidence to stop hiding and minimizing themselves, gain recognition, secure lucrative opportunities, and make a lasting impact in their fields.

  • Michelle Valorae

    Community Advocate, Author, Educator, and TV Contributor

    Michelle Valorae is a TV contributor and Community Educator throughout the DMV area on topics such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, healing, and empowerment. She is a mentor through her mentorship program called “Crowned with Destiny” where she helps survivors of trauma start their healing process and walk into their purpose. She is a recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her volunteer and advocacy work. Michelle Valorae’s most important role is being called “mom” by her beautiful daughter named Destiny.

  • Natalie Jobity

    Leadership Coach, Executive Presence Expert, and Entrepreneur

    Natalie Jobity, known as "The Brilliance Unveiler," is a Leadership Coach, Executive Presence Expert, and Entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience empowering women to own their brilliance and lead audaciously. As the founder of The Unveiled Way, she helps visionary leaders break through barriers to step into their power and make their highest contribution in their sphere of influence. Her work inspires visionary women to step outside their comfort zone, and harness the power of their feminine attributes like intuition and empathy so they can transform lives, organizations, and communities they’re destined to serve.

  • Rebecca Baybayan

    Visionary Thinker, Author, Facilitator, and Leadership Expert

    Rebecca Baybayan is a global leadership expert with over 25 years of corporate experience spanning talent management, leadership development, organizational design, and cultural transformation. Known for her ability to connect with diverse audiences, she is a sought-after facilitator and certified coach who brings energy and deep expertise to every interaction. Rebecca is one of only 33 Emergenetics Master Trainers worldwide. A passionate global traveler, she embarked on a life-changing solo trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp in April 2023 and plans a solo trip each year as a way to explore and re-center. She focuses on living her core values of adventure, curiosity, dependability, excellence, and kindness every day. Rebecca’s work inspires individuals to unlock their potential and lead with authenticity and purpose.

  • Stacy Wood

    Executive Women's & Equine Coach, and Program Facilitator

    Stacy Wood, founder of Through the Woods Consulting, is an author, certified coach, and facilitator, supporting high-achieving women, top corporate organizations, and impactful associations! She is a momma, wife, nature enthusiast, animal lover, and curious thinker who is inspired by science. Stacy believes that we all have the ability to Own Our Journey as we navigate the river of life.

  • Tamra Andress

    Author, Spiritual Thought Leader, and Entrepreneur

    Tamra Andress is an author and podcaster. She empowers high-capacity Christian leaders to become "millionaire messengers," sharing the Good News through her publishing company, F.I.T. in Faith Press, which specializes in publishing, podcasting, and platform development. Passionate about words and The Word, Tamra brings joy and purpose to marketplace ministry, integrating faith and entrepreneurship. Her nonprofit, The Founder Collective, ordains and supports marketplace ministers, fostering impactful leadership rooted in divine calling.

Organizing team