TEDxMSJC Studio

Speakers

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

• Brian Sylva

  Trustee

  Since joining College of the Desert in 2016, Brian Sylva has led the Sports Information Department, overseeing media relations, digital content, and storytelling for all 15 Roadrunner athletic programs. A former journalist for The Press-Enterprise and longtime Sports Information Director at San Bernardino Valley College, he brings extensive experience in communications, marketing, and digital strategy. A respected leader in California Community College Athletics, Sylva served as President of the California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) and received its B.R.A.S.S. T.O.P. Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 for his lasting contributions to the profession. Sylva is deeply involved in public service—currently serving on the Mt. San Jacinto Community College District Board of Trustees, with past leadership roles on the Beaumont USD Board and the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife have been married 20 years and are proud parents of twin daughters.

• Dave Enns

  Speaker/Author

  David Enns (Ph.D,, Liberty University) is a communication researcher and international entertainer who bridges the gap between scholarly insight and human connection. His research on language, rhetoric, and terministic screens has earned him Top Paper Awards and publication in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Media and Religion. His dissertation examines how specialized language creates invisible barriers in public discourse. As "Dave the Horn Guy," David has entertained millions through appearances on America's Got Talent (semifinalist), The Tonight Show, and major sporting events, partnering with organizations including Disney and Apple. He has performed at over 2,000 shows across 16 years, proving that authentic communication creates genuine connection. His TEDx talk challenges audiences to move beyond conversational autopilot and embrace the transformative power of intentional, specific language in everyday interactions.

• Diana Jimenez

  Registered Dietitian

  Diana Jimenez is a Registered Dietitian and a long-time resident of Temecula, where she has lived with her family for 17 years. With 21 years of marriage and three children, she approaches health from a deeply personal, as well as professional, perspective. She holds a Master's degree in Nutritional Science and Dietetics from Iowa State University and specializes in the complex areas of gut health and nutrition for fertility. Drawing on her extensive experience, she provides strategic, targeted nutrition and supplement plans, guiding clients in managing chronic digestive issues and helping women optimize their bodies to achieve fertility. Diana goes beyond conventional wisdom, uniquely integrating the latest Western medical nutrition practices with integrative and functional approaches. This innovative fusion provides truly personalized care that thinks outside the box and supports complex body systems for optimal, holistic health.

• Jeff Dockendorf

  VP of Operations

  Jeff Dockendorf is a dedicated family man, celebrating 20 years of marriage with his wife and six wonderful children. His formative years in Orem, Utah, were followed by a transformative two-year volunteer mission in Madrid, Spain. This experience proved invaluable, teaching him about leadership and fostering collaboration among diverse peoples and cultures. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 2008 with a Spanish major and a business minor. That same year, he relocated his family to Southern California, launching his career with Synergy Companies. Mr. Dockendorf currently serves as the VP of Operations and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Redlands. Beyond his professional life, he cherishes time spent working, laughing, and playing with his family. He also enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, and providing community service.

• Jennifer Root

  Superintendent

  Dr. Jennifer Root has served as Superintendent of the Menifee Union School District since October 2020. Guided by the belief that educating children is a community's greatest responsibility, she is dedicated to ensuring all students receive a relevant and empowering education that prepares them for a limitless future. With 33 years of experience, Dr. Root has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director, and assistant superintendent. Before joining Menifee, she was the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services in the Anaheim Union High School District. She also held district-level leadership roles and spent 11 years as an elementary principal. Dr. Root holds degrees from UC Riverside, Azusa Pacific University, and the University of Southern California. She is a multi-year ACSA Administrator of the Year and a Q10 Transformational Leadership award-recipient.

• Jeremy Habig

  Executive Director Temecula Valley Film Festival

  Jeremy Habig is the Executive Director of the Temecula Valley Film Festival and an independent filmmaker whose creative journey began in Orlando, Florida. After graduating from Full Sail University's Film and Video program, Jeremy launched his filmmaking career with his silent short, Gallows Tree, followed by multiple short films, music videos, and several documentaries. His award-winning project, Looking in the Fishbowl, even survived a major setback when a dog exposed two cans of his developed film, forcing multiple reshoots; the film later went on to win Best Short Film from the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association. Over the past 20 years, Jeremy has worked across film, television, and reality programming. Now leading the Temecula Valley Film Festival, he champions emerging voices, up-and-coming visual artists, and the belief that storytelling, whether through film or conversation, creates empathy, belonging, and meaningful human connection.

• Jo-Ann Marie Hoye

  Senior Executive Architect & Founder of The Poets Collective

  Dr. Jo-Ann Marie Hoye has dedicated her life to an enduring love for the Arts. She is an artist who utilizes her work as a medium to explore and communicate themes of cultural identity, culture, and home. Dr. Hoye brings over 25 years of experience serving as a Cultural Arts Consultant for local community organizations and churches. Her background also includes serving as an Arts Education Program Manager, where her responsibilities involved the management of onsite Community Art Studios, including the planning, scheduling, implementation, training, and evaluation of their programs and courses.

• Lina Tejeda

  Museum Curator

  Lina Tejeda, M.A. is half Pomo from her tribal homelands in Northern California and half Mexican from Nayarit, Mx. She holds a Masters degree in History from California State University San Bernardino with a special focus on California Indian History and museum studies/public history. Lina is passionate about working in institutions to advocate for the return of cultural sacred items to tribal nations from which they belong and telling the true histories of the California Indian people. In her spare time, she is a traditional Pomo dancer who has taken to learning about her cultural traditions, including basket weaving, regalia making, singing, and learning about California's traditional ecological knowledge. While her passion lies in her own cultural heritage, she finds enjoyment in all areas of history, including topics such as British history, French history, and social histories of the United States.