TEDxSanDiego

Speakers

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

• Christina Connett Brophy, PhD

  Museum Executive, Author, and Mariner

  Christina Connett Brophy, PhD, is President and CEO of the Maritime Museum of San Diego; an International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM) Executive Council member; Lead for the ICMM Maritime Refugees Project; Explorers Club Fellow; Board member of TMA BlueTech. She held leadership roles at Mystic Seaport Museum and the New Bedford Whaling Museum; taught at Rhode Island School of Design and is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology. Connett Brophy has lectured in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East on maritime history, fine art, and cartography. She holds degrees from Northwestern University, University of Auckland, and University of Valencia. A lifelong mariner, she grew up aboard the research vessel Geronimo, tagging sharks and turtles throughout the Atlantic for the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Archie Carr Foundation, an ongoing program founded by her parents and St. George’s School 50 years ago.

• Dev Patnaik

  Author + Professor + CEO Advisor

  Dev Patnaik is the CEO of Jump Associates, the strategy firm for future focused leaders. Dev has been a trusted advisor to CEOs at some of the world’s most admired companies, including Starbucks, Target, Nike, Universal Music and Virgin. He’s a frequent keynote speaker at major forums, and his writing has appeared in BusinessWeek, Forbes, Fast Company, and many others. Dev is the author of Wired to Care, named one of the best books of the year by both Fast Company and Business Week. When not at Jump, Dev is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University, where he teaches innovation methods to MBA and design students. Having witnessed the moments when bold bets were made and hard truths had to be faced, he has a rare perspective on what distinguishes leaders who shape the future from those who merely survive it.

• Joe Dreamz

  Inspirational rapper, speaker, podcast host fashion designer

  My name is Joe Dreamz, born and raised in Slam Diego (Go Padres), California and I believe the world would be a better place if everyone was living their Dream! My stage name was inspired by Joseph, a character in the Bible who was famous for his ability to interpret dreams. I began living my dreams during the pandemic, I was working for a life insurance company, but in my mid-20s I didn't have the experience or the network to succeed the way I wanted to. I got fired. Right after that, I hit the road — a solo trip up the West Coast. While in Seattle, my car broke down. I had emergency savings. Instead of using them to fix the car, I took another leap of faith: I bought a microphone and a Bluetooth speaker, and went all in on living Joe Dreamz! Now my dream is that someone can listen to a Joe Dreamz song, watch a D.R.E.A.M. podcast, wear the merch, or order a birthday freestyle and not have to wait until their car breaks down before they start living their dreams as well!

• Kiana Aran

  Professor of Bioenginnering and Medicine

  Dr. Kiana Aran is a Professor of Bioengineering and Medicine at the University of California San Diego whose work bridges biology and modern electronic systems. Born and raised in Iran and trained in electrical and biomedical engineering in United States, she pioneers bioelectronic sensing platforms that directly interface with living systems. She is best known for inventing CRISPR-Chip, a technology enabling real-time, amplification-free genetic detection and precision gene-editing analysis. Her research focuses on multiomics sensing and technologies for precision biology and medicine. Dr. Aran co-founded Cardea Bio, acquired by Paragraf, and CRISPR QC. Her honors include the Global Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature, the NSF CAREER Award, Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, Nature Research Award for Inspiring Women in Science, Engineering Medal of Excellence from Rutgers University, Distinguished Engineer of the Year San Diego, and Inc.’s Top Female Founders.

• Loren Cobbs

  Brand, Marketing & Community Strategist

  Loren Cobbs is a culture strategist and architect of belonging who designs experiences that transform strangers into community. As the Founder & CEO of LFR Events & Consulting, she has produced 300+ events reaching over 20,000 attendees, creating spaces rooted in joy, culture, and connection with her flagship brands SD Melanin, Blanket Sounds, and Kinfolk Fest. A former U.S. Diplomat and Global Marketing Director, Loren has advised C-suite leaders and led campaigns for 200,000+. Today, she sits at the intersection of culture, data, and human connection—helping people and organizations build environments where individuals feel seen, valued, and connected. Her work explores how belonging can be intentionally designed—and why it’s essential to how we live, work, and build community. Explore Loren’s work at lorencobbs.com "

• Louie Nguyen

  Youth development and social-impact finance

  Louie Nguyen, CFA, is a nonprofit chief executive officer and impact investing leader with 25+ years of experience strengthening children, families, and communities. His leadership approach, grounded in innovation, accountability, and measurable impact, has helped expand programs that address mental health, youth development, family support, and community wellness. He is recognized for building strategic partnerships across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to drive sustainable change and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. Louie is passionate about advancing equity and designing systems that help communities thrive. In his talk, "Grid over Grit," he makes the case for why the community support we provide young people matters more than the grit they're asked to summon. Louie is collaborating with the Ford Foundation on games to address youth connectivity. To learn more, connect via LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/louie-nguyen-cfa-9643531/

• Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey

  Subtraction Activist

  Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey is a Subtraction Activist, leadership strategist, and Forbes Senior Contributor who has spent her career helping ambitious, big-hearted high-achievers identify and build their own flavor of success. Nell's journey has crossed three sectors and four continents. She began in the not-for-profit sector, supporting youth activists globally and building mental health programs for refugee communities. She spent the next decade helping Fortune 500 executives, Ivy League MBAs, global NGO leaders, and government officials to align their skills, needs, and desired impact. Today, she leads her own B Corp, sharing the approach of Systematic Subtraction through content, tools, and coaching. Nell holds degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, Columbia, and London Business School, and is conscious she may have learned more about leadership from her horses than from any of those fine institutions. She writes the Substack, Subtract to Succeed, also the title of her forthcoming book.

• Ramla Sahid

  Grassroots Organizer and Social Change Strategist

  Ramla Sahid is the executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA). Her work is shifting who holds power, who holds resources, and whose lives benefit from community investment. PANA ensures historically excluded communities have voice and influence over public investment, inclusive democracy, and policy priorities. She recently spearheaded the purchase of 2.2 acres of land for the Global Village: Refugee and Immigrant Cultural Hub and Housing Campus and oversaw a participatory visioning process with nearly 2,000+ community members to shape the programming, masterplan, and long-term community ownership of the site. Sahid's experience guides her work. She is committed to leading efforts that produce changes in policies, practices, systems, organizational capacities, and community norms to improve health. Instagram: N/A LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramlasahid Website: www.panasd.org

• Tyler Callaway

  Industry Innovator Action Sports, Surfer, entrepreneur, author, inventor

  Tyler Callaway believes hope becomes real when people can see it in someone else. A four-time national surfing champion and East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame inductee, he spent decades in surfing before surviving cancer multiple times, an experience that reshaped his understanding of resilience and purpose. He co-founded the Legends Surfing Luau benefiting Moores Cancer Center, which has raised over $15 million for cancer research. Today, he is building a video-storytelling platform for cancer patients and survivors, helping them see that survival—and even thriving—is possible. He also connects biotech and research teams with the human impact of their work, bridging innovation and lived experience. Having survived cancer, a shark attack and a lightning strike, Tyler lives by one belief: seeing someone survive and thrive can change how you fight to live. “I’ve been incredibly lucky with early diagnoses and successful treatments. The least I can do is pay it back by paying it forward.”