TEDxOU

Speakers

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

• Akshay Singh

  AI/ML Student + Healthcare Innovator

  Akshay Singh is a computer science honors student specializing in artificial intelligence and machine learning at the University of Oklahoma. His research in cardiometabolic disease and healthcare AI has been presented at the Stanford University National Research Conference and accepted for presentation at Yale University, Harvard-affiliated research conferences, and Brown University. His work inspired the creation of Circulyze — an AI healthcare startup focused on early detection and personalized prevention — following engagement with Silicon Valley investors including Y Combinator-affiliated founders and Khosla Ventures.

• Alexandra Touliatos

  Finance & Energy Management Student

  Alexandra Touliatos is a senior at the University of Oklahoma studying Finance and Energy Management with aspirations to work in the energy finance industry. As the only woman among 10 interns during her energy banking internship in Houston, she discovered firsthand the invisible costs of navigating spaces not built for you. Driven by a belief that excellence and inclusion can — and must — coexist, she has helped build supportive communities for women in finance and become passionate about the quiet, intentional forms of disruption that allow people to thrive in spaces not originally designed for them.

• David Colindres

  Engineering student + Community Builder

  David Colindres is a dual graduate student in Industrial & Systems Engineering and Econometrics at the University of Oklahoma. While anonymously running OU Love Letters — one of the campus' most engaged student platforms, accumulating over 20,000 confessions — he discovered that a single act of outreach can cut suicide risk in half. He studies how small digital gestures shape genuine human connection.

• Emily Flesher

  Applied Researcher + PTSD Advocate

  Emily Flesher is an applied researcher with a background in psychology, sociology, and special education, examining how mental health and trauma show up in classrooms, clinics, and everyday life. She has presented her work at universities, regional and international conferences, and children's hospitals, including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She also lives with PTSD.

• Jhanvi Patel

  Civic Engagement Fellow + Youth Democracy Organizer

  Jhanvi Patel is a student leader at the University of Oklahoma studying Business Management, Psychology, Legal Studies, and Human Resource Management on the pre-law track. A first-generation college student, she serves as a Civic Engagement Fellow with Oklahoma Votes — helping 3,000 students register to vote during the 2024 election — and has interned with the Oklahoma Innocence Project and at the Oklahoma State Capitol. She is passionate about civic participation, legal advocacy, and amplifying underrepresented voices.

• Judah Anttila

  Industrial Systems Engineer + AI Futurist

  Judah Anttila is an accelerated master's student in Industrial & Systems Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, where he maintains a 4.0 GPA and serves as president of three engineering organizations. He is the founder of Pristine Pens and founding president of OU Norman Next, with a background spanning entrepreneurship, philosophy of mind, and systems thinking.

• Katie Sparks

  Teen Entrepreneur + AR innovator

  Katie Sparks is an OU sophomore and CEO and co-founder of technology startup Wrist World, who began her business career at age 13 by leveraging augmented reality technology to create and sell patented product lines around the world. Wrist World's PR success has been recognized by the Public Relations Society of America with an Uppercase Award and by the International Licensing Excellence Awards as a finalist for Best Licensed Digital Product. Katie serves as a motivational and talent-development speaker for various forums and, when she's not running a company or keeping up with coursework, you'll likely find her advocating for Oklahomans on Capitol Hill.

• Ken Parker

  Technology Entrepreneur

  Ken Parker is a technology entrepreneur and co-founder of NextThought, an education technology and creative media company, whose career spans aerospace engineering, Wall Street finance, and fintech — including a co-founding role at RiskMetrics, which achieved a $1.55 billion exit. A first-generation college graduate with more than three decades of experience in artificial intelligence, he recently served on Oklahoma's Governor's AI Task Force and is widely recognized as a leading voice on the intersection of AI and human potential. He is passionate about helping people — and organizations — ask the right questions before the next wave arrives.

• Khushi Damani

  Biomedical Engineering Student + Founder

  Khushi Damani is a biomedical engineering major at the University of Oklahoma focused on creating practical solutions at the intersection of research, technology, and patient care. Through hands-on research and clinical experience, she has observed the ways engineering can address inefficiencies in healthcare delivery. She is president of the Biomedical Engineering Society and Reform and Reach, and founder of PhantomFit — a medical device designed to improve pain management and daily life for amputees.

• Mahsan Jobeiri

  Violinist

  Mahsan Jobeiri is a professional violinist from Iran. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance from Tehran University of Arts before continuing her studies in the United States, where she completed her Master of Music degree at Texas Christian University under the guidance of Dr. Haerim Elizabeth Lee. She maintains an active performance schedule, appearing in festivals, orchestral programs, and chamber music settings. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance at the University of Oklahoma under the guidance of Dr. Yena Lee.

• Megan Austin

  Music Education Student + Arts Advocate

  Megan Austin is a senior at the University of Oklahoma studying Vocal Music Education and Arts Management. She has held multiple leadership positions within the College of Fine Arts, including President of the Dean's Student Advisory Council, Vice President of Membership for Sigma Alpha Iota, and Vice President of OU's National Association for Music Educators. After graduation in May, she hopes to teach music or pursue a master's in Business and Arts Administration.

• Sabrina Cronauer

  Elementary Education Student + Education Reform Advocate

  Sabrina Cronauer is an Elementary Education major at the University of Oklahoma whose passion for teaching was shaped by her own experiences as a student. She is committed to becoming the kind of teacher who sees children as more than test scores and creates classrooms where students feel known, valued, and capable.

• Tayvon Lewis

  MBA Candidate + Founder

  Tayvon Lewis is a technologist and MBA candidate at the University of Oklahoma focused on community transformation. As the founder of Cre8tive Change, he develops technology for social impact and has contributed to statewide and national initiatives focused on prevention and systems change.

• Thea Massi

  MIS student + Mult-Discipline Explorer

  Amateur skateboarder, DJ, jiu-jitsu competitor, chess player, and artist: Thea Massi loves exploring her interests and helping people discover who they want to be. She is a Management Information Systems student and the current President of the Entrepreneurship Club, with a background in sports broadcasting, entrepreneurship, venture capital, film, and tech. She is passionate about telling stories, starting meaningful conversations, and encouraging curiosity and authenticity.

• Titus Rhodes

  Film Director & Producer

  Titus A. Rhodes is a writer, director, and producer from St. Louis, based in Oklahoma City. He is completing an A.A. in Digital Cinema Production at Oklahoma City Community College and pursuing a B.B.A. in Finance at the University of Oklahoma's Price College of Business, while running RAILRHODES — a production company developing films and brand content centered on flawed characters and emotional stakes. His credits include branded work for FX, The CW, AT&T, Converse, ESPN, Cadillac, and American Express, alongside directing his latest short, BETSY.

• Zayda Penner

  Psychology student + Founder

  Zayda Penner is a psychology student at the University of Oklahoma on the pre-med track. Growing up in Antlers, OK, she survived anorexia nervosa at age 13 — an experience that ignited her passion for mental health advocacy. As founder of Project Survive, she shares her story through speaking to help others find purpose in their own detours and make a difference in the lives of those who are struggling.