TEDxJasper

Speakers

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

• Bo Kemp

  Chief Executive Officer at Southland Development Authority

  Bo Kemp is the CEO of the Southland Development Authority, where he leads initiatives to grow and revitalize the South Suburbs of Chicago. His professional journey spans both the private and public sectors, from Wall Street roles at Morgan Stanley and TSG Capital to serving as Business Administrator for the City of Newark under Mayor Cory Booker. Today, he brings this blended experience to community and economic development work. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Bo has always believed in the power of childhood dreams. In his talks, he explores how reframing those early dreams can serve as a compass toward fulfillment, purpose, and lasting impact in both personal and professional life.

• Cathy Parker

  Networker, Sports Mom Podcaster and Author, Sales Professional

  Cathy Parker along with her husband Carl have raised their children and many others at the ballfields. Using their family's passion for sports, Cathy saw a way to help a struggling community in Barrow, Alaska. Her philanthropic mindset continued with spearheading a project for the Boys & Girls Club to build a new club in a neighboring South Georgia community. She believes that you grow most when you share your talents and resources with another community.

• Daniel Steininger

  Business Consultant

  Daniel Steininger is a speaker, author, and educator who teaches innovation and critical thinking at Arizona State University. He spent decades leading corporations and public organizations before turning his focus to aging and brain health. At 79, he has become a dedicated student of neuroplasticity and a strong advocate for reshaping how we understand memory loss and mental aging. His work—and this talk in particular—is both deeply personal and firmly grounded in science.

• Lance Wright

  Founder & Neuroscience-Based Addiction Recovery Advocate

  founder of Life Over Addiction LLC. My work focuses on helping people understand addiction as the brain’s way of surviving pain and guiding them toward lasting recovery through neuroscience and compassion. I’ve spoken at universities, restorative justice conferences, and on digital platforms to challenge the stigma around addiction and inspire connection. My passion comes from seeing people reclaim their purpose and use their story to heal others.

• Larry Kay

  Creative Producer & Best-Selling Author (Disney, PBS, Positively Woof)

  For over thirty years, he has created award-winning work across entertainment, education, and tech. He has collaborated with Disney, The Muppets, The Pink Panther, and Aerosmith, and contributed to major tech ventures including Paul Allen’s Interval Research and Ron Gilbert’s Humongous Entertainment, where he co-wrote and co-designed the hit Freddi Fish series (2.5 million games sold). He has produced, written, and directed documentaries and educational programs for PBS stations, taught television production at NYU and internationally, and authored best-selling, award-winning dog-training books published in six languages. His dog-lover community, Positively Woof, reaches 1.9 million followers on Facebook. As a speaker, he has delivered more than sixty presentations worldwide — from the California Science Center to the APDT national conference — including keynotes in Mexico City and Tanzania. He also serves on the board of K9 Youth Alliance helping kids and shelter dogs grow together.

• Obrian Kerr

  Educator

  Obrian Kerr is a speaker, author, and transformational coach who helps individuals and organizations make smarter life and career decisions through awareness. He founded Resilience Out Loud to teach how to achieve success without unnecessary setbacks. His work blends psychology, behavioral science, and leadership insights to guide people in learning from others’ experiences rather than repeating the same mistakes. He is passionate about transforming how we perceive failure — from something to endure to something we can prevent through greater awareness and better thinking.

• Richy Bailey

  Padel Coach and Trainer

  Richy Bailey is one of the most respected and experienced padel coaches in the world. With over 35 years in padel and 30 years as a coach, he has lived the sport's evolution from its beginnings in Spain to its international growth across Europe, the U.S., and beyond.

• Ruth Penfold

  Leadership coach

  Leadership coach and founder of Bloom. I spent 20 years building people and culture in companies like Shazam and bp Launchpad. After surviving a decade of domestic abuse, I rebuilt my life by helping other women remember who they are. My work is about closing the gap between who we are and who we think we need to be. I want to help women reclaim their power and lead unedited.

• Toark Bogiatto

  Human–AI Symbiosis Researcher

  Toark Bogiatto is an international voice and co-founder of Prometheon, advancing a New Renaissance that places human awareness, philosophy, and education at the center of the age of artificial intelligence. Drawing on lived experience across 58 countries and service in the U.S. Marine Reserve, he works at the intersection of human sciences and AI to design adaptive, human-centered systems for individuals, organizations, and institutions. His work explores how humans and artificial intelligence can evolve together—not in competition, but in symbiosis—so that technology becomes a mirror and amplifier of human potential, restoring meaning, wisdom, and responsibility as the true engines of progress