TEDxCranbrookSchools

Speakers

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

• Ava Phipps

  Student Speaker

  Ava Phipps has a strong love for theater, birds, and art, using all of those to explore and discuss topics surrounding disability and identity. Founder of the Cranbrook Disability Alliance, Phipps aims to bring more awareness about disability and accessibility to the Cranbrook and Michigan community as a whole.

• Chuck Garcia

  Professor at Columbia University | Best-Selling Author | Leadership Coach | Mountaineer

  Chuck Garcia is a leadership expert, best-selling author, and keynote speaker focused on communication, emotional intelligence, and personal growth. With 25 years of experience in senior roles at Bloomberg, BlackRock Solutions, and Citadel, he now leads Climb Leadership International, a global coaching and training organization. Chuck teaches professional leadership at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Engineering and has delivered keynotes in more than 20 countries. He combines lessons from business and mountaineering to help individuals build resilience, communicate with clarity, and lead with purpose.

• Hana Vala

  Student Speaker

  Hana Vala is a high school student passionate about advocacy and critical thinking, with a strong interest in literature and language and how they influence the world around her. Beyond academics, she performs with her local orchestra, where she has grown to value teamwork and collaboration. In addition to music, she competes in volleyball and enjoys reading in her spare time.

• Michelle Xu

  Student Speaker

  Michelle Xu is a senior at Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School with a multifaceted passion for medicine, biology, and the arts. Having grown up in Saudi Arabia, she brings a global perspective to her academic and extracurricular pursuits. Michelle serves as the co-president of both the Biology and Beekeeping Clubs at Cranbrook. She is deeply committed to the medical field, dedicating her summers to gaining firsthand experience through hospital volunteering and clinical shadowing.

• Oscar Shelton

  Student Speaker

  Oscar Shelton is a Michigan-born student as Cranbrook Upper School, receiving an education in various subjects. He has been involved in various programs in the Detroit area involving STEM and youth empowerment, and is dedicated to improving his community.

• Steven Wang

  CEO of dub | Harvard Dropout | CranbrookSchools Alumni

  Steven Wang is the founder & CEO of dub. Steven dropped out of Harvard at 19 to start dub in New York City, and over 4 years has now grown dub into one of the fastest growing investing apps in America with almost 2 million downloads and a team of 30 people. Before Harvard, Steven was one of the youngest employees at Apple. And before that, he dropped out of CRANBROOK to build and sell Realism, a VR startup incubated at the MIT Media Lab. Steven is a true student of the customer, and spends his time focused on product, design, and marketing today at dub.