TEDxFayetteville

Speakers

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

• Amanda Thiebaud Horn

  Amanda Thiebaud Horn is a senior communications executive, trusted advisor, and modern mystic. With more than twenty years guiding leaders and organizations through change, she blends strategy, storytelling, and yoga-based practices to help others transform setbacks into momentum.

• Arya Thorbole

  Arya Thorbole is a high school junior at Bentonville High School in Bentonville, Arkansas with a deep passion for community impact through technology. She is currently an intern at Women+ in Technology, a non-profit dedicated to advancing opportunities and creating a safe environment for all women, young and old. In this role, Arya contributes to marketing and event planning while gaining experience in how representation and advocacy matter towards a less gender biased future. Alongside her nonprofit work, Arya is invested as the President in the club that she and 5 others founded called Tech4All. A club introducing different types of technology to all kinds of students who range from different levels of expertise. Arya helps invite speakers from numerous tech companies in the area to talk to the students about certain topics. Tech4All partners with Women+ in Technology to create an atmosphere where students can grow and learn even if they are unsure where to start. Because Arya, who believed for the longest time that technology was just coding, wanted to push the idea that technology can be so much more exciting. Looking ahead, Arya hopes to expand the Tech4All club to more schools and continue advocating for accessible pathways that welcome all students into technology.

• Brooke Bierhaus Sutton

  Brooke Bierhaus Sutton is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, food anthropologist, and entrepreneur whose work has catapulted her into remote areas of the globe. Best known for her feature documentary, “The Connected Cup”(2019), where Brooke spent 5 years traversing the globe exploring coffee and tea as a language of connection. Brooke believes sharing moments over coffee can create lasting impacts and break down barriers. Brooke’s work has appeared in National Geographic, Vox Media, PBS, NBC Sports, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, featured as a speaker at SXSW, and more. Brooke has called Northwest Arkansas home since 2020, and is the proud co-owner of Third Space Coffee in Bentonville with her husband and business partner. She published her master’s thesis on the importance of third places in society and the cultivation of atmospheres through sensory experience. As a small business owner in the hospitality industry, she is seeing first hand how special it is to provide intentional space for the community. Brooke is a mother with a big heart in the non-profit world for animal welfare, clean water rights, food sovereignty, and sustainability.

• Dr. "Bowtie" Todd Jenkins

  Dr. Jenkins is the Founder of Bowtie Leadership and Development, Inc., a global training, consultation, and coaching firm with a focus on bringing diverse people together to increase individual or organizational productivity and performance. Dr. Jenkins has more than fifteen years of experience as managing partner and chief diversity and inclusion executive, trainer, and strategist. His portfolio includes clients from various non-profits, small businesses, colleges and universities, and large corporations such as WalMart Inc., Verizon, NASA, Coca-Cola Inc, Tyson Foods, Inc., Kellogg’s, AT&T, Deloitte, Inc, Black Hills Energy Inc., Facebook, American Airlines, Amazon, Google, U.S Soccer Federation, and Starbucks to name a few. In addition, Dr. Jenkins has experience as a DEI executive for a fortune 100 company and DEI leader in various sectors such as supply chain, retail, technology, and commercial real estate. Throughout his consulting firm and keynotes, he has spoken to large crowds with over 30, 000 people in Korea and multiple engagements across the globe in South America, North America, Asia, and Europe. Bowtie Leadership and Development, Inc, senior partners and team has a combined 65 years of experience in leadership development, diversity and inclusion, human resources, and training and development. Dr. Jenkins is a proud alumnus of The University of South Carolina, where he graduated with honors and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Experimental Psychology. He earned his Master of Science from Illinois State University and a doctorate from the University of Arkansas. Additionally, Dr. Jenkins completed his post- doctorate studies at Harvard University and was recently appointed as Senior Researcher at Harvard Business School. His doctoral research area focused on minority perceptions of their supervisor in the workplace. Throughout his professional career, Dr. Jenkins serves on multiple boards in his local community, colleges and universities, within the brotherhood of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and internationally through global organizations such as Rotary International. Dr. Jenkins was named a 2022 and 2021 DEI Champion Awardee by the National Diversity and Leadership Council. In January 2020, Dr. Jenkins received recognition as a Top 25 Influencer in Business, along with names such as Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, state senators, and prestigious business leaders by Arkansas Money and Politics Magazine. In 2019, he was selected as one of the Top 100 Diversity and Inclusion Executives under 50 by DiversityMBA magazine, "40 under 40" by Arkansas Business Journal, Top 12 of Ones to Watch by Celebrate Magazine in 2017, the Rodney Momon Award recipient, Paul Harris Fellow, and included in the "30 under 30" 2016 list of Top Minority-Owned Businesses. He has been featured and contributed to several research, articles, and podcasts around building inclusion and engagement within organizations and communities. Today he is known as Dr. “Bowtie Todd,” a trainer, consultant, motivational speaker, life coach, and conversationalist. He is a proud husband, father, author, servant leader, and conversationalist who believes in his philosophy "bowtie" it all together, serve and simply be a gift unto the world!

• Dr. A.C. Fowlkes

  Dr. A.C. Fowlkes is a pioneering voice redefining how institutions approach equity, representation, and mental health. As a transgender man and clinical psychologist, he unites lived experience with professional expertise in his role as CEO of Fowlkes Consulting, a globally recognized firm advancing LGBTQ+ sensitivity and transgender inclusion. For more than two decades, Dr. Fowlkes has led transformative change across finance, healthcare, and correctional systems. He served as Chief Psychologist for Virginia’s second-largest prison, directing complex mental health services, and helped design the nation’s first treatment program for female sexually violent predators—establishing a benchmark in forensic mental health. Beyond direct service, Dr. Fowlkes influences public thought. He is a Forbes contributor, a board member of The Trevor Project, and a LinkedIn “Top Voice,” recognized among the Top 10 thought leaders in the United States and Canada on LGBTQ+ issues. His book, Transgender Inclusion: All the Things You Want to Ask Your Transgender Coworker But Shouldn’t, offers accessible, compassionate insight while dismantling harmful myths. As the first out Black transgender man to lead a U.S. psychiatric facility, Dr. Fowlkes embodies resilience, authenticity, and innovation. His journey reflects a steadfast commitment to systemic progress, inspiring inclusion and justice across every sector he touches.

• Dr. Airic Hughes

  Dr. Airic Hughes is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, an entrepreneur, artist, philanthropist, and faculty member for the History department at the University of Arkansas. Hughes’ research explores Black geographies in America, uncovering how public policy has shaped urban lived experiences. As a youth, Hughes was raised in an urban community socially segregated by public policies such as the construction of federal Interstate 630. With seven younger siblings, Hughes used an athletic scholarship to open opportunities for higher education. Upon attaining his M.A. and Ph.D. in History, Hughes founded Visionairi Enterprises to build on his research acumen as an independent scholar. Hughes has served in the faculty for the University of Arkansas History Department and also taught Arkansas History for Philander Smith University. Hughes and his wife Dr. Synetra Hughes founded Visionairi Enterprises in 2016, and opened Visionairi Studios in 2022. Visionairi Studios is a Black owned creative space in the heart of Downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas and is the home for Visionairi Enterprises. Visionairi works to execute its mission of Black cultural preservation through supporting artists and storytellers from underrepresented communities, with original programs including the Micheaux Award & Film Labs (MAFL) and the incARceraTed series. Hughes and Kenneth Reams began working together in 2018 to produce the incARceraTed series. The incARceraTed series highlights artistic works from Kenneth Reams and other incarcerated artists through curated art exhibitions toured around the state of Arkansas.

• Kevin Skidmore

  Kevin Skidmore is a communication expert, relationship coach, and leadership trainer with more than 45 years of experience helping people break free from unhealthy self-image and poor communication patterns. He equips individuals to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and lead with clarity by developing practical skills and a clear vision for their future. Kevin has taught communication courses at 14 universities and colleges across 8 states and has trained tens of thousands of executives, entrepreneurs, students, and everyday people to communicate more effectively.

• Luke Gromer

  Luke Gromer is the founder and president of RYG Athletics, a Northwest Arkansas based company that provides NIKE Sports Camps throughout the country each summer. Last summer, RYG Athletics served over 420 youth athletes through their NIKE Sports Camps and in summer 2026 they expect to serve over 700 athletes ages 6-14. Luke is a former public school teacher and basketball coach with nearly a decade of coaching experience across multiple sports. Luke has been working at or leading summer camps, either sports camps or camps for individuals with disabilities, for the last 15 years. Luke also created and hosted The Cutting Edge Coaching Podcast where he published over 110 episodes interviewing some of the top coaches, researchers, and leaders in the youth sports space about how to create better sport experiences for athletes. Luke was a multi-sport athlete through high school, and he had transformative experiences in sport. He's passionate about restoring joy in sports and providing as many young athletes as possible with life-changing experiences in sports.

• Randy Wilburn

  Randy Wilburn is a podcast strategist, entrepreneur, and community leader with more than 16 years of experience helping people and organizations tell their stories. He is the founder and host of I Am Northwest Arkansas®, a podcast with over 350 episodes highlighting the unique business, culture, and community of the Ozarks. Beyond his work in Northwest Arkansas, Randy has produced more than 2,000 podcast episodes across multiple industries and trained thousands of professionals in leadership, communication, and brand building. A proud graduate of Howard University, Randy’s career has spanned media, consulting, and education, including teaching MBA students at the University of Arkansas and leading workshops on storytelling and communication strategy. His work emphasizes the power of connection—whether through podcasting, entrepreneurship, or community engagement. At TEDxFayetteville 2025, Randy will explore the concept of “second acts”—the powerful and often unexpected opportunities for reinvention that emerge in both life and career. Drawing from his personal journey, professional experience, and the many voices he has amplified through podcasting, Randy will share how storytelling, curiosity, and resilience can open doors to new possibilities at any stage of life.

• Trey Lane

  Trey Lane, AIA, is an architect and Major Projects Design Technology Manager at HOK, one of the world’s leading architecture firms. In this role, he guides the firm’s largest projects in technology advancement and implementation, helping teams navigate complexity with clarity and innovation. Practicing architecture since 2008, Trey is recognized for his calm under pressure, kindness, and curiosity—qualities that enable him to uncover novel solutions and improve processes. His drive to make design better has led him to integrate lessons from computer science and data analysis into architectural practice. Beyond professional practice, Trey has been recognized for innovative problem-solving on a global stage. He has won multiple NASA competitions, including first and second place in the 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge and an honorable mention in the Space Poop Challenge. In 2022, he was named to the Arkansas Construction Hall of Fame as an Emerging Professional. Trey’s design philosophy is rooted in curious, cross-disciplinary engagement—drawing inspiration from nature, technology, art, and ideas outside architecture. A lifelong space enthusiast, he sees exploration as a mindset as much as a frontier. Off the clock, Trey is an avid tea drinker, and most proudly, a devoted husband and father.