TEDxEastchester School District

Speakers

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

• Arthur Luk-Solarz

  Arthur Luk-Solarz is a sophomore at Scarsdale High School who is already making waves as a young innovator in the tech space. Driven by his personal experience with digital distraction, Arthur founded Escape Goose — a browser extension and productivity tool designed to help users reclaim their time from social media and gaming.

• Ava Tsapatsaris

  Ava is an Emmy Award–winning broadcast journalist and published scientific researcher. She has raised over $100,000 for cancer research, including funding a literacy and treatment room at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Before beginning her Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health at Harvard, Ava designed her own major at New York University titled The Public Understanding of Science, Medicine, and Health. She graduated in three years and earned several competitive undergraduate research grants. Ava bridges clinical research, health communication, and community service.

• Constantine Katsoris

  Constantine Katsoris is a Chemistry major at Tufts University, with a pre-med track and deep interest in biomedical research. During his undergraduate career, he interned at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, where he engaged with cutting‐edge biotech work and immersed himself in the hands-on culture of innovation and mentoring. At Tufts, Constantine has also shown leadership and community engagement, leveraging his language skills and scientific curiosity to connect research, service, and pre-health aspirations.

• Erika Lunenfeld

  Erika is an accomplished writer whose poems have been published in literary outlets such as BarBar Literary Magazine and Washington Square Review. She also demonstrates leadership in journalism: she has served as Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, the Eaglet, where she founded the “UniVerse Collective” to amplify under-represented perspectives.

• Jennifer Gavin

  Jennifer Gavin is a dedicated English teacher at Eastchester High School within the Eastchester Union Free School District, bringing over a decade of classroom experience to her role. She inspires students through engaging literature, thoughtful writing instruction, and a commitment to helping each learner find their voice in and beyond the classroom.

• Joey Piergiovanni

  Joey Piergiovanni is a senior at Eastchester High School with a passion for creative expression and community engagement. Whether through academics, service, or the arts, Joey strives to inspire others to think differently and act with purpose. His TEDx talk reflects the curiosity and optimism that define his generation—seeking meaning, connection, and a voice in shaping the future.

• Karen Guggenheim

  Karen Guggenheim is a social entrepreneur, author, and global thought-leader in the science of wellbeing. As the Founder & CEO of WOHASU® and architect of the World Happiness Summit®, she harnesses evidence-based approaches to happiness, human resilience and systemic wellbeing. Her mission: to translate personal transformation into organizational, policy, and societal impact.

• Kelli Harding

  Dr. Kelli Harding is a physician, author, and public health expert whose work bridges the science of medicine with the art of human connection. A graduate of Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Harding has dedicated her career to exploring how kindness, compassion, and social relationships impact health and longevity. She is the author of The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness, which reveals how everyday interactions shape our physical and emotional well-being. Currently serving as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, Dr. Harding’s mission is to reimagine healthcare and education through the lens of empathy and community.

• Kim Ferguson

  Dr. Kim Ferguson is a developmental and cultural psychologist whose work explores how children grow, learn, and thrive across diverse global contexts. As Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at Sarah Lawrence College, she integrates research, social justice, and community partnerships to advance holistic approaches to education and wellbeing. Her research spans child development, sustainability, and the role of the physical environment in shaping human potential—connecting the local and the global in powerful, human-centered ways.

• Maggie Hynes

  Maggie is a standout student at Eastchester Middle School who combines curiosity, creativity and community spirit. She has distinguished herself both in and out of the classroom through her initiative, leadership and dedication to service. At school, Maggie is known for her thoughtful contributions: she participates actively, supports her peers, and contributes to a positive school culture. Recently she gained recognition when she joined fellow students in signing copies of the book Inspiring Stories That Make a Difference 2 as part of the efforts of the Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation.

• Nick Katsoris

  Nick Katsoris is the Founder, President & Executive Director of the Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation, a nonprofit that inspires over 150,000 children and young adults in 30 countries around the world to make a difference through service and personal purpose. He is also the author the children's book series featuring "Loukoumi" the lamb and an attorney, arbitrator at the American Arbitration Association and motivational speakerin including at the World Happiness Summit.

• Sarah Mortensen

  Sarah Mortensen is a senior at Eastchester High School whose curiosity and creativity drive her to explore the intersection of storytelling, identity, and purpose. Through her academic work and community involvement, she strives to spark dialogue and inspire others to see the world with empathy and imagination.

• Simos Dimas

  Simo Dimas is a student at Columbia University’s Columbia College, coming from Bronxville, NY. Rooted in the Westchester school-community, he has blended academic commitment with broad curiosity and cross-discipline interests. At Columbia, Simo is cultivating a rigorous liberal-arts foundation as he explores the intersections of economics, policy and global affairs—with a focus on how ideas scale from communities to institutions. His Bronxville background grounds his leadership style and motivates him to bring insight back to regional networks. With a future oriented toward public policy or international development, Simo is building his toolkit in research, substantive writing, and collaborative engagement—as he advances from the classroom into meaningful action.

• William Meyer

  Dr. William Meyer is an educator, author, and speaker whose work explores the intersection of learning, wellbeing, and human potential. As Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Assessment, and Student Success in Eastchester, he leads initiatives that integrate academic rigor, emotional intelligence, and mental health. He is the author of Three Breaths and Begin, Big Breath, and Healing Breath—books that bring mindfulness and reflection into classrooms and everyday life. A frequent speaker at conferences, universities, and community events, Dr. Meyer’s upcoming book, RESTORE: Rediscovering the Soul of Education, reimagines schools as spaces of connection, trust, and transformation.