TEDxWhitneyHigh

Speakers

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

• Anya Arora

  Student

  Anya Arora is a freshman at Gretchen Whitney High School who loves music, space, and her dog Bubbles! After being in band for 6 years, she's heard and performed many pieces of music and wonders at how each one has a unique effect on the audience. She's excited to dive into her talk about why music influences emotions, and hopes that the next time a great song comes on, everyone will see it a little differently than they did before.

• Disha Chauhan

  Founder/CEO

  Dr. Disha Chauhan helps people become the kind of leaders they wish they had. With over 15 years of experience guiding students, professionals, and organizations, she supports people in connecting who they are to how they show up in school, work, and life. She’s passionate about helping others lead with confidence, clarity, and purpose — especially when navigating identity, growth, and change. Based in Los Angeles, Disha holds an M.Ed and Ed.D from USC and is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach. Outside of work, she’s a proud first-time dog mom and happiest at the grill, cooking up dinner and conversation.

• Juliette Tran

  Student

  Juliette Tran is a senior at Whitney High School. Since her early discovery of gaming, she’s been glued to the screen, shifting from the Minecraft sandbox to hostile hero-shooters. In her TED talk, she will share how being a woman has shaped hers and others’ experience in the gaming world and explore how to exist in a space that wasn't made for you. She spends the rest of her time honing her creative skills, illustrating posters for TEDx, as well as embracing her culture through her involvement with the Southeast Asian Student Association.

• Kayla Tang

  Student

  Kayla Tang is a junior at Whitney High School, and she looks forward to sharing her story about her culture and dialect to everyone. Throughout the years, she has learned to embrace her Teochew heritage, for it is something she’s always wanted to share. Outside of her own Teochew culture, she takes the time to learn about other traditions, such as Japanese Calligraphy and Tea Ceremony. When she’s not busy, you can catch her learning songs by ear on the piano, working on her next film, writing a haiku, or possibly taking a picture of the sunset. She wants to dedicate her speech to her grandparents, who fought for a better life.

• Megan Wallace

  Sr. Program Manager

  As a youngster, Megan had two great career ambitions: to become a prima ballerina or Alfred from Batman. Instead, she channeled her love of video games into a 16+ year career in the games industry. She served as the right hand to many Executives at Blizzard Entertainment including the CEO, for almost nine years until she became employee number 9 at a fledgling Bonfire Studios. As she approaches her ninth year there, she has served as a project manager and strategic partner on numerous teams, including People, Facilities Management, Events, Operations, and Publishing. She believes passionately in the diversification of teams and is deeply committed to a culture of inclusion. She is a proud Latina, food obsessed, a horror movie aficionado, and a board game rule follower.

• SNT JMS

  Cultural creative + financial educator

  SNT JMS (saint james) is a cultural creative and financial educator committed to strengthening communities through financial literacy and innovative investment strategies. He focuses on teaching practical systems that help individuals build ownership, create stability, and foster generational impact. Outside the markets, he writes street savvy, self-empowerment music and teaches principles of wealth and wellness, believing that discipline in these areas is the key to making radical, lasting change.

• Tinghuen Chu

  Student

  Ting Huen (Lorraine) Chu is a Junior at Whitney High School who loves procedural dramas, travelling, and contemplating. In the future she hopes to study abroad and study psychology and business. Lorraine likes to fill her schedule with a wide variety of activities, ranging from Chinese dancing for Club Chang'an to training for a half marathon. She hopes you enjoy her talk about keeping busy and encourages you to start your own wave.

• Tom Brock

  Educational consultant

  Tom Brock graduated from Cal State Long Beach as an English major, received a Masters in Counseling at USC and a doctorate in psychology at USIU, after which he established a private practice in Cerritos. Before serving eight years as Whitney's Principal and retiring in 2004, he taught Whitney's early morning AP Psych class. After retirement, he founded the Metis Leadership Group with Mike Robinson and conducted training for school principals across the south and east coast. His chief passion is in identifying the role of grace in education and how we each can and ought to reflect grace to make the world a better place.