TEDxWCC

Speakers

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

• Aisha Bowe

  Innovator, Leader and Global Advocate for STEM and Entrepreneurship

  Bowe attended Washtenaw Community College from 2003 to 2005 before transferring to the University of Michigan, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering. After working as a rocket scientist for NASA, she founded two technology companies — LINGO, which creates hands-on coding kits for students, and STEMBoard, an engineering firm. Aisha’s journey, from discovering her passion for math in a community college pre-algebra class to preparing for space, has inspired audiences worldwide. Today, she travels globally as a speaker and advocate for STEM education.

• Brandon Tucker, PhD

  Executive Vice President for Instruction at Washtenaw Community College

  Dr. Brandon Roderick Tucker is the Executive Vice President for Instruction at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In this role, he serves WCC as an academic leader for one of the region’s most diverse institutions, supporting more than 20,000 students each year. With a background in higher education and workforce development, Dr. Tucker has built strategic industry partnerships to expand academic credit pathways and meet evolving talent needs across Southeastern Michigan. Dr. Tucker also advises nationally on semiconductor workforce development through his appointment to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Industrial Advisory Committee. Dr. Tucker holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management from the University of Toledo, and a Master of Organizational Leadership from Lourdes University. He also serves on the boards of the United Way of Southeastern Michigan, Square One Educational Network, and Girls Group.

• Donovan Daniels

  Mental Health Advocate

  Donovan Daniels is a dual-enrolled high school student majoring in Liberal Arts with a passion for science and the biology behind human behavior. Donovan is also a mental health advocate, focusing her work on suicide prevention & eating disorder awareness. In addition, she is the Regional Officer and chapter President of Phi Theta Kappa and is an active member of the National Honor Society. Donovan hopes to pursue a career in neuroscience or pediatric neurosurgery to aid the next generation in developing happy & healthy brains. She dedicates her presentation to WCC professor Bonnie Tew, who was a mentor to her and the first person to suggest her participation in TEDxWCC.

• Jacqueline Cuevas

  Community Activist

  Jacqueline Cuevas is a disability self-advocate and professional speaker committed to changing how people understand and react to hidden and dynamic disabilities. As Chair of Self Advocates of Michigan and a member of the Detroit Department of Transportation's Local Advisory Council, she works to elevate lived experience and push for a more inclusive world. Through her storytelling and advocacy, Jacqueline invites audiences to challenge stigma, value lived experience, rethink assumptions, and see disability through a more human lens to create a more inclusive world.

• Kamryn Billings

  Agricultural Education Advocate

  Kamryn Billings is a student, agricultural advocate, and leader with a passion for Agricultural, Food, and Natural Resources education. Although she did not grow up in an agricultural family, she discovered her passion through hands-on experiences, leadership opportunities, and service. She is actively involved in FFA, 4-H, her community, and owns and operates K & R Sheep Services. Kamryn currently serves as the 2026-2027 Michigan FFA State Treasurer and hopes to inspire others by advocating for agricultural literacy and the future of agriculture.

• Kei Graves, PhD

  Humanities and Global Studies Faculty

  Dr. Kei Graves, is a Humanities and Global Studies faculty member at WCC and a first-generation college graduate. Drawing on an interdisciplinary background in the arts, humanities, and education, he explores how beauty can act as a form of reconnection in a world shaped by fragmentation and grief. His work considers the ways institutions, communities, and identities are shaped by the judgments we make about what is beautiful and what is not. In this talk, Kei invites us to widen our understanding of beauty as a force that shapes belonging and signals who we choose to stand with. By challenging our assumptions, he proposes that beauty becomes not a luxury, but a practice that begins the work of connection and shared hope.

• Michael M. White, EdD

  Service + Mentorship + Community Empowerment

  Michael M. White, Ed.D. is a U.S. Army veteran, educator, leadership strategist, and speaker whose work focuses on resilience, leadership, and personal transformation. Drawing from experiences that include surviving a traumatic brain injury as a child, overcoming homelessness as a young single father, and spending more than two decades developing leaders and workforce programs, he created the DFIRR Framework: Data, Facts, Information, Results, and Reset, to help individuals navigate setbacks and build purposeful comebacks. Through his work in education, workforce development, mentorship, and community leadership, Michael empowers others to transform adversity into opportunity and lasting impact.

• Scott Shaper

  Computer Science Faculty

  Scott Shaper is a full-time faculty member in the Computer Science department, where he teaches programming. Over the past year, he has integrated artificial intelligence into his work, using it to develop curriculum materials such as books, assessments, and instructional videos. He is currently designing a course focused on building AI agents. His recent experiences with AI inspired him to give this TEDx talk. Outside the classroom, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and son, who keep him grounded in an increasingly AI-driven world.

• Semaj Danley II

  Service + Leadership

  Semaj Danley II is a student at Washtenaw Community College pursuing a path toward political science and law. He is the founder of LIFE Community Outreach, a campus organization focused on service and impacting the local community. Semaj also plays an active role in leading with MERCY Worldwide, contributing to service initiatives and outreach efforts on a broader scale. He is deeply committed to serving in his church, where he helps lead and support others in their spiritual growth and community engagement. Semaj is passionate about leadership development, believing that true leadership begins in discipline and is proven through action long before recognition. He plans to pursue a career in law, using his voice and influence to create lasting impact.

• Shyra Divine

  Inner Revolution Changemaker

  Shyra Divine is the founder and CEO of Planet Divinity LLC, a creative platform dedicated to personal transformation, storytelling, and community impact. Through her work, she empowers individuals to turn adversity into purpose and step into their highest potential. Rooted in the belief that inner transformation creates external change, Shyra is on a mission to “Lead an Inner Revolution.” She is passionate about building spaces where authenticity, healing, and creative expression inspire the next generation of leaders.