TEDxNewton North HS

Speakers

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

• Alyssa Yasuhara

  Alyssa, is a sophomore at Newton North High School. She enjoys participating in school clubs related to STEM, as well as public speaking. Recently she has started learning engineering and robotics, and she loves creating and innovating technology to improve other people's lives.

• Aneesha Aryan

  Aneesha Aryan is a high school junior at Newton North High School with a strong interest in neuroscience and medicine. She is the co-founder and co-president of TEDxNewton North HS and the Newton North Psychology Club, where she focuses on storytelling, mental health, and community impact. Aneesha is also involved in biomedical research through iGEM at BOSLab and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, exploring the intersection of science, ethics, and public health. She is passionate about leadership, empathy-driven outreach, and using science and storytelling to create meaningful change.

• Christopher Brezski

  Chris is a 12-year Newton resident and has served as an elected member of the Newton School Committee for the last four years, and Chair of the School Committee for the last two years. Prior to the School Committee, Chris advocated for a safe return of students to classrooms in the COVID era and filed the petition that led to the creation of a Medical Advisory Board to guide NPS toward a safe reopening. Chris has been an institutional investment manager for the last twenty years. He lives in West Newton Hill with his wife, two children and family dog, Sammy.

• Divya Iyer

  Divya Iyer attended Northeastern University and graduated with a B.S. in Data Science and Business Analytics in 2024. She is currently an associate consultant at BRG working in applied analytics in the healthcare performance improvement sector.

• Emily Norton

  Emily Norton has served as Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association since 2018. She previously served as Massachusetts Chapter Director for the Sierra Club. From 2014 to 2024 Emily served as a Newton City Councilor. Emily holds a BA in philosophy from the University of Vermont and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

• Monica Petulla

  Monica Petulla, is a student athlete attending MIT in her sophomore year, playing lacrosse and studying biological/biosystems engineering. Additionally, she is currently a director of Camp Kesem at MIT, which is a national 501 organization that supports children and teenagers who are facing a parent's cancer.

• Todd Young

  Todd Young has served as the Department Head for Fine and Performing Arts at Newton North High School for the past 18 years. Additionally, Todd has worked for the Canton and Needham Public Schools, as well as for 13 years as a professor in Music Education at Gordon College. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and earned a Masters in Sacred Music through the School of Theology at Boston University. He is a recipient of Berklee College's Exemplary Music Educator award and the Massachusetts Music Educator Association's Lowell Mason award. Most importantly, he is the proud father of two wonderful daughters.