TEDxEncinitas Blvd

Speakers

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

• Colette Rossow

  Student Climate Activist & Community Organizer

  Colette Rossow is a student activist, organizer, environmentalist, and outdoor enthusiast. She spent her childhood on trails all over the state, backpacking, hiking, and observing the local native species. She has worked as an outdoor educator-counselor, teaching students about climate, sustainable agriculture, and environmental stewardship as well as a horticultural assistant for her college’s botanical gardens. In the advocacy sphere, after developing and leading her high school’s environmental action organization for three years, she has gone on to hold secretary, community outreach, and vice president positions on the executive board of Wellesley College YDSA. Colette was awarded the Chatham University Rachel Carson Book Award for excellence in environmental studies, English, and social justice and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

• Dimitri Deheyn

  Marine Biologist & Ecotoxicologist

  Dimitri Deheyn is a marine biologist and ecotoxicologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. His cross-disciplinary research focuses on plastics, especially microplastics, which pose serious threats due to their ability to enter organisms and the food web, including humans. He explores the potential toxicity of plastic materials and their chemical additives, emphasizing the importance of public education and global citizen science efforts. With a background rooted in Belgium, Africa, and South America, Deheyn brings a global perspective to environmental health. His goal is to better understand microplastic production and distribution and help develop solutions that protect ecosystems and future societies.

• Jenni Brandon

  Marine Biologist & Ecologist

  Dr. Jennifer Brandon is a PhD marine biologist and ecologist who has spent most of the last decade researching plastic pollution. She has developed multiple new techniques to identify and quantify microplastics and she was the first to discover the exponential increase of microplastics being left behind in our modern sediment record. She has been interviewed dozens of times for her expertise in marine plastics, including by NPR, The New Yorker, and the BBC. She is also an expert in science communication, and has given hundreds of lectures and invited talks, including as a National Academy of Sciences Distinguished Speaker and as a guest of the US Consulate in Brazil. Jenni holds a MS in Marine Biology and PhD in Biological Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego.

• Lis Best

  Founder, Girls Club Collective

  Lis Best has spent the past 15 years working at the intersection of leadership, sustainability, and human potential. She is the founder of Girls Club Collective, a personal and professional development community for the leaders and entrepreneurs building what comes next, and host of the Women Changing the World podcast. As a facilitator, advisor, and coach, she has worked with hundreds of impact leaders from organizations including Allbirds, Adobe, Google, PwC, UC Berkeley, and Duke. Before launching her own practice, she worked in sustainability, communications, and government affairs with organizations including BSR and Qualcomm. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and Nasdaq.

• Matthew Classen

  Executive Director of TMA BlueTech

  Matt Classen serves as the Executive Director of TMA BlueTech, where he has strengthened TMA's position as a leading blue economy cluster in Southern California. Under his leadership, TMA has expanded its influence through international trade missions and global dialogues, promoting both economic growth and positive environmental impact. A sought-after speaker at global forums, Matt has cultivated strong relationships with policymakers and academic institutions, driving efforts to forge strategic partnerships across the Pacific Rim and North Atlantic. His work advances key initiatives in defense readiness, decarbonization technologies, and ocean science. Through collaboration with regional partners and flagship events like BlueTech Week, Matt is helping transform Southern California into a global hub for maritime defense, ocean resilience, and climate innovation.

• Stephen Mayfield

  CEO and Founder of Algenesis Labs

  Stephen Mayfield, PhD, CEO and founder of Algenesis Labs, was a Distinguished Professor of Biology at UC San Diego and director of the California Center for Algae Biotechnology. His research focused on the molecular genetics of green algae and using algae as a platform for producing high-value recombinant proteins and bio-products. Steve earned BS degrees in Biochemistry and Plant Biology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a PhD in Molecular Genetics from UC Berkeley. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Geneva, he became an assistant professor at the Scripps Research Institute, where he spent 22 years, eventually serving as Dean of Biology. In 2009, he joined UC San Diego. Beyond academia, Steve founded multiple biotech companies, including Rincon Pharmaceutical (2005), Sapphire Energy (2007), Triton Health and Nutrition (2012), and Algenesis Corporation (2016).