TEDxColumbiaCollegeChicago

Speakers

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

• Abel Alejandre

  Abel Alejandre has a varied background rooted in education and the Fine Arts. From making comic books with friends in elementary school to playing in band for eight years and participating in theater for four years. He has accumulated rich experiences. Abel also spent five years educating in theater and is now focused on filmmaking. Throughout his youth, he nurtured a wild imagination filled with stories, characters, crossovers, and visionary images from his dreams. He believes in the importance of the Fine Arts in education and human experience. Abel recognizes that methods of self–expression are often deemed unimportant, seen as time wasters, or influenced by other’s voices rather than one’s own. He views art as the mirror of the soul, a fundamental aspect of human nature that persists even for those who may not fully realize it. Now, he is eager to unravel the yarn ball that is the creative process, starting from the very beginning.

• Braxton Mastre

  Braxton Mastre is a passionate creative advertiser, storyteller, and leader with a vision for crafting campaigns that connect deeply with audiences. Over the years, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with major global brands such as Tide, Carter’s Rivian, and L’OREAL- each experience shaping his perspective and sharpening his creative instincts. These collaborations have not only fueled his passion for impactful advertising but also laid the foundation for building his own creative agency, Mastre. At Mastre, Braxton and his team don’t just make ads-they craft narratives that resonate, inspire and move people to action, whether it’s launching a new product or elevating a brand’s identity, he brings a detail-oriented approach to every project. Braxton believes that storytelling is the key to influence, and the committed to helping brands find their voice. Tell their story, and leave a lasting impression on the world.

• Carlos Lerma

  Carlos Lerma is an award-winning Mexican writer/director, animator, and author based in Chicago. He’s known for his collection of live-action and animated short films, all inspired by his own life experiences of early adulthood, being an immigrant, friendship, love, and heartbreak. He was featured in the Chicago Tribune not only for his work, but also for his ongoing film festival tour across the U.S., which began a year and a half ago. Some of these include screenings at the Music Box Theatre, NFFTY, and CineYouth presented by the Chicago International Film Festival. He is also the author and illustrator of the illustrated poetry book Adultish, now in its third edition. LINKS: https://www.instagram.com/carloselerma https://www.youtube.com/@carloselerma https://www.carloselerma.com/

• Chelsey Faulkner

  Chelsey is an experiential marketing strategist, lifestyle contributor, and founder of Candid Hues Cosmetics. With a psychology degree and a master’s from Columbia College Chicago’s Entrepreneurship for Creatives program—where she won the pitch competition—she’s worked with brands like TGIN, EBONY, Essence, Olay, CoverGirl, and Aussie Hair. Her work blends beauty, media, and events with a focus on storytelling, community, and inclusion. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Chelsey draws inspiration from her cousin Linda Brown of Brown v. Board of Education, channeling her legacy into creating inclusive, innovative spaces for creative entrepreneurs.

• Comus Rivera

  Comus Rivera is a queer, nonbinary multidisciplinary artist located in the Chicagoland area. Through a mix of visual and musical artmaking, their work crosses genre and medium in an explosion of art where no idea is “too much”. Drawing on their lived experience in the queer underground art scene of Chicago and Philadelphia in the 2020s, their work reflects an unabashed radical acceptance of the self. Sometimes described as overwhelming and confrontational, Comus’ art incorporates neon psychedelia to lay their queer truth bare for the audience.

• Dennis Anderson

  Dennis Anderson, Columbia College Class of 1985, is the family and community engagement coordinator at School District U-46 in Elgin, Illinois. Before transitioning to education, he spent over 30 years as an award-winning newspaper editor across multiple states. Recognized nationally for his community engagement, Anderson led newsrooms honored by Editor & Publisher and state press associations. He was named GateHouse Media’s Editor of the Year and served 11 years on the Associated Press Media Editors board. He lives in Crystal Lake with his wife, two sons, a daughter-in-law, and three senior dogs.

• Emmanuel Neal

  Emmanuel Neal is a management consultant and executive coach specializing in leadership and organizational development. He has been consulting and coaching since 2010. Consulting and coaching clients have included organizations, entrepreneurs and leaders in various industries such as nonprofit, tech, health, arts and others. Emmanuel works with organizations and leaders to create positive personal and professional change and growth through: - Individual, team, and group coaching - Strategic planning - Project management - Group facilitation/adult learning His PhD is in Business Psychology (Consulting Track) from The Chicago School, Master of Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago. He is a volunteer consultant with the Lawyers for the Creative Arts and a member of the Society of Consulting Psychology. He is also a Board-Certified Coach (#5445) Specialty Areas: Executive/Business/Corporate/Leadership

• Jackie Spinner

  Jackie Spinner is a professor of journalism at Columbia College Chicago and faculty advisor to the Columbia Chronicle. She was a staff writer for The Washington Post for 14 years and covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is the editor of Gateway Journalism Review and directed and produced two documentary films, Don’t Forget Me and Morocco, Morocco, which aired on PBS in Chicago in 2022. In Chicago, where she lives with her three Moroccan-born sons, Professor Spinner volunteers in the refugee and veteran communities. She also is an advocate for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, a passion she credits to her autistic son

• Jan Zhou

  Jan Zhou is an artist, designer, and educator whose journey bridges tradition and innovation. Originally trained in mechanical engineering in China, she later studied fashion design at Columbia College Chicago and built a career in global fashion and creative education. As founder of JZen Line Hub, Jan champions mindful artistry, encouraging students to awaken their creativity through foundational learning, presence, and mastery. She believes true learning is lived, embodied, and ever unfolding.

• Latil Willis

  Latil Willis is a creative devoted to the power of storytelling as remembrance, restoration, and return. She believes that art, when held with care, can be both a mirror and a bridge. Her work honors cultural memory, radical imagination, and the sacred act of gathering. Guided by a deep reverence for community as a place of healing and possibility, she creates spaces where truth can be spoken, compassion can be shared, and transformation can begin. Through projects like Through Her Eyes, she explores the beauty and complexity of sacred familial bonds and the wisdom that lives in intergenerational dialogue. As she prepares to graduate, Latil remains rooted in her desire to grow, to listen, and to dream in collaboration with others. Her vision is a future shaped by collective care, where art reminds us, that healing is a shared journey and belonging is a birthright we each carry home.

• Lori Klinka

  Lori Klinka is a communication strategist, award-winning speaker, and actor who helps people speak with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. For over 20 years, she has taught “Speaking Out” and acting at Columbia College Chicago, empowering students to find and use their voices. Lori blends her stage and boardroom experience to guide individuals and organizations in unlocking the power of storytelling and genuine connection. Through workshops, international speaking, and programs like “People Don’t Come with Warning Labels,” she uses humor and heart to make communication come alive.

• Moriah Gilman

  Moriah Gilman is a Chicago-born artist and aspiring Speech-Language Pathologist. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Musical Theater from Columbia College Chicago and later earned a B.S. in Speech & Hearing Science from Arizona State University. A Jim Jacobs Scholarship recipient, her work spans Columbia’s theater and film departments, with playwriting published in The RENAISSANCE Anthology and a co-starring role in Freakuency. She is represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent Agency and is currently pursuing her M.S. Ed. in Speech-Language Pathology while researching cognitive health in aging populations. Moriah aims to blend her passions by building a career in theater/film and founding a non-profit theater for children with speech impairments. She lives by the quote: “Art changes people and people change the world.”

• Toy Monique Hawkins

  Toy Monique Hawkins, is the Founder of Green Goddess Productions, a purpose-driven creative content company dedicated to producing inspirational content across television, films, books, and live events. Her creative passion centers on themes of faith, spirituality, family, and personal growth—designed to uplift, heal, and empower audiences of all ages. With a strong background as a television executive and producer, Toy Monique has recently developed scripted content in her dual role as Vice President of BET Networks and Vice President of BET Studios. Select credits include Kingdom Business, The Ms. Pat Show, and House of Vicious. In 2025, the proud Chicago native produced Lil Kev, an adult animated series inspired by Kevin Hart’s childhood. Her producing portfolio also includes Bigger and That Girl Lay Lay for Nickelodeon. Created by the Creator to create - that’s the belief that fuels Toy Monique’s contributions.

• Vanessa Wright

  Vanessa Wright is a former talent agent turned documentary filmmaker, educator, and founder of Tellers Untold LLC, a media company dedicated to amplifying untold stories from Black and brown communities. She attended The Ohio State University and is a two-time alum of Columbia College Chicago, where she teaches in the Business & Entrepreneurship Department. The first film in her award-winning Sankofa Chicago documentary series — focused on Black history, race, education, and generational truth-telling — has been featured on PBS, Amazon Prime, Tubi, and other major platforms. Inspired by the Ghanaian concept of Sankofa, which means “to go back and retrieve what was forgotten,” Vanessa uses film, social experiments, and intergenerational dialogue to spark conversations about identity, justice, and the stories too often left out of history. She believes that when unheard voices are given the mic, transformation follows. Substack

• Vici Howard

  Vici Howard, a 1990 alumna of Columbia College Chicago, is the founder of Black & Brown Femme Films (BBFF), a nonprofit uplifting Black and Brown femmes through film, poetry, and art. What began as a submission-free film festival has grown into a movement, including The Vibe exhibition and a 3-Day Poetry Festival. As a cultural producer and artistic activist, Vici uses storytelling to center marginalized voices and foster connection, joy, and healing. Through BBFF, she creates inclusive spaces that challenge harmful narratives and celebrate underrepresented communities.