TEDxAkron

Speakers

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

• Abby Darin-Evans

  Abby Darin-Evans (they/she) is a Staff Development Specialist at Oriana House, Inc. They train their fellow staff on a variety of topics, including new staff onboarding, emotional intelligence, CPR/First Aid, & Microsoft programs. Abby is also responsible for maintaining the agency's online LMS (Learning Management System). When they're not at work, you can usually find them deep in a book, watching movies with their cats & spouse Ken, frolicking through the Metroparks or camping with their friends. They also have a big knack for volunteering. Abby is on the Education Committee with Trans Joy Akron, the Volunteer Committee with Akron Pride Festival, the Akron Zoo PAW (Professionals Advocating for Wildlife) Committee, & is serving their first year on the Torchbearers Board of Directors. Abby is a New Hampshire native who moved to Ohio in the summer of 2015. They've been here ever since!

• Angie Haze

  Angie Haze isn’t just a singer-songwriter; she’s a sonic architect, a storyteller who bends time and genre with her evocative sound. An award-winning, queer-fronted act, Haze crafts music for the survivor—giving voice to those who have endured childhood sexual abuse and sexual violence. Her songs are anthems of resilience, a call to the unheard, and a force for change.

• Dr. Cristina González Alcalá

  Dr. Cristina González Alcalá (she/her) is a Mexican-born changemaker, equity architect, and narrative shifter who is redefining what leadership looks like—from boardrooms to the heart of the community. With roots in community and a mindset wired for systems change, Cristina blends data, heart, and lived experience to build a more just and connected world. She currently serves as Director of Community Investment at Akron Community Foundation, where she leads the Foundation’s quarterly grantmaking and contributes to the strategic direction of a nearly $6 million portfolio focused on equity and regional impact. She’s also President of the Board of Trustees at the Akron Civic Theatre and a Senior Lecturer at The University of Akron. Cristina holds a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Public Affairs, a Master of Public Administration, and a Master of Arts in Communication—all from The University of Akron. A proud Triple Zip and graduate of Leadership Akron Class 40 "Forty Flair" and Torchbearers 2016, she’s known for bringing unlikely people together and sparking conversations that shift how power, possibility, and purpose are understood. She’s equally at home designing funding strategies, mentoring future leaders, or co-creating solutions with nonprofits and neighbors. And just to keep things spicy—Cristina is also the founder of Not Yo’ Daddy’s Mexican Hot Sauce, a family-inspired small business that honors her roots, her culture, and her unapologetic flavor. Her work is guided by cultural humility, joy, and the belief that transformation begins when we ask better questions and create space for others to rise with us. Whether in philanthropy, academics, the arts, or entrepreneurship, Cristina leads with strategy, soul, and a little bit of heat.

• Gabe Minson

  Gabe Minson (they/them) is an artist, thinker, fighter, occasional writer- and, elementally, an Akronite. Those most significant pieces are the cornerstone to 21 year old Gabe’s life, where they daylight as an administrative assistant (and artist behind the desk). Outside of work, their time is spent having a lot of conversations, serving food at distros, working on community projects, playing overwatch, doing yoga, and creating. They live aspiring towards only one, non-professional, title: being a lifelong learner. Everything else comes from there.

• Garth Bender

  Garth Bender (he/him) was raised in Stow alongside his three older sisters and attended Holy Family, where his mother taught. His father served as the Director of the Cuyahoga Falls Library. After a year of post-high school travel, Garth attended Kent State University, earning a B.S. in Physical Anthropology. Following college and a brief career as a field archaeologist and ceramics analyst, he found a more permanent path in advertising—first in Columbus, OH, and later in Chicago, IL. There, he had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s top brands and formed lasting friendships with incredibly creative colleagues. Most importantly, it’s where he met his wife, Sara, and began building their family. In 2018, they returned to Akron to raise their growing family close to the rest of their loved ones. Garth is also the founder of Pie as Resistance, a grassroots project rooted in the simple, powerful act of turning strangers into neighbors—one pie at a time. Every Saturday, Garth delivers a pie to someone he’s never met, introducing himself and exchanging stories to build community and connection. Inspired by family traditions and a deep belief in neighborliness, Pie as Resistance is both a personal practice and a quiet challenge to the idea that we’re more divided than united.

• SirDiamond Jones

  SirDiamond (he/him) is a 26-year-old dynamic storyteller, creator, and advocate hailing from Columbus, Akron, and Cleveland, Ohio. As a digital trailblazer, he has cultivated a following of over 550,000 across multiple platforms by openly sharing his journey, embracing vulnerability, and inspiring authenticity. A proud parent to two stepdaughters, SirDiamond is also a committed community leader, working closely with the LGBTQ+ community and volunteering to combat youth and adult homelessness. Whether online or in person, his mission is to challenge norms, empower voices, and foster spaces where people feel seen and supported.