TEDxSanDiegoSalon

Speakers

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

• Darren Kew

  Dean and Professor of Peace Studies

  Darren Kew (Ph.D., International Relations, Tufts University, 2002) is Dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies. His research examines how conflict resolution methods—especially interfaith and inter-ethnic peacebuilding—relate to democratic development in Africa, Northern Ireland, and the U.S., with a focus on civil society's role. He has consulted on peace and democracy initiatives for the UN, USAID, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the State Department, and NGOs including the Carter Center, and monitored the last seven Nigerian elections and Sierra Leone's 2007 elections. In 2023-24 he co-facilitated a working group of religious leaders on peacebuilding in Belfast. He is author of Civil Society, Conflict Resolution, and Democracy in Nigeria (Syracuse UP, 2016), with articles in International Negotiation, the Journal of Democracy, and Current History.

• Jasmine Glasheen

  Retail Thought Leader, Writer & Lecturer

  Jasmine Glasheen believes that to understand the future of the marketplace, you need to understand the people redefining it. A retail strategist, writer, and university lecturer, Jasmine focuses on shifting cultural paradigms and the factors behind them. Her work explores how both neurodivergent thinkers and next-gen consumers are moving away from algorithm-chasing toward radical authenticity. Her mission? To bring the human craft back into our digital lives and make a few people laugh in the process. She is a recognized voice in The Robin Report among other retail publications, and is working on the upcoming release of her comedic memoir, Christmas is Coming.

• Katie Rast

  Philanthropic Leader, CEO, Dr. Seuss Foundation

  Katie Rast joined the Dr. Seuss Foundation in September 2025, bringing more than two decades of experience leading community-based initiatives that advance education, civic engagement, and innovation to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Her dedication to supporting education aligns with the organization’s enduring commitment to early literacy and joyful learning. Prior to this, she served as Director of Community Impact at San Diego Foundation for nine years, where she oversaw $90 million in grantmaking. There she built the Early Childhood Initiative, directed $25 million in federal CARES Act funds, and launched the Ready to Learn initiative. Rast co-founded Fab Lab San Diego in partnership with the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT as part of a global network of digital fabrication laboratories bringing advanced technology and education to communities around the world. The Lab offered free programs to low-income students and served as a launchpad for local entrepreneurs.

• Lisa Gralnek

  Values-driven brand builder & empathetic futurist

  A values-driven brand builder, Lisa has 25-years of experience launching new ideas and initiatives for companies including adidas, BCG, Chobani, moo.com, and Walmart, among dozens of others including her own independent strategy advisory, LVG & Co.. A sought-after public speaker and regular contributor to Fast Company, Lisa is currently the US Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainability & Impact at iF Design, the prestigious German nonprofit design institute. FUTURE OF XYZ, her award-winning interview series created at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and now in its 8th season, explores where we are as a world and where we’re going. No stranger to adversity – Lisa has been an outspoken advocate for the protection of Planet Earth since the 1990s, volunteers on multiple boards, is a member of 1% for the Planet, has lived in 7 countries, 6 states, and speaks 3 languages. She holds a BA in Political Science from Bates College and an MBA from #1 ranked INSEAD.

• Nathalie Molina Niño

  Author and investor in builders

  Nathalie Molina Niño works where capital, power, and consequence meet. An investor and operator, she has spent her career navigating moments of scale and transition. She is President of Known and Built, a Fund as a Service company, and the author of LEAPFROG: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs, published by Penguin Random House and named by Book Authority as one of the Best CEO Books of All Time. Her current series, Leap Again: No More Someday, brings together writing and speaking on change, pressure, belonging, and rebuilding without waiting for perfect conditions. Her work spans public and private sector advisory roles, board service across health, equity, and consumer organizations, and operating experience scaling a multinational business across more than 30 countries. You can find her and her work in places like Time Magazine, Newsweek, the Boston Globe, MSNBC, and CNBC.

• Ramya Mabry

  Food Justice Advocate + Community Builder

  Ramya Mabry is a creative community builder dedicated to building bridges between people, purpose, and possibility, and her mission is to help nourish our world again through community-centered solutions and social impact. Ramya currently serves as Coordinator for the Williams-Ross Purple Pantry at East Carolina University, where her leadership contributed to a 104% increase in food distribution in one academic year. She is also the founder of NOWA, an award-winning initiative addressing food insecurity in underserved communities, and co-founder of Sister Sister, a faith-based women’s group centered on authentic connection. Ramya earned her BA in Business Administration from North Carolina A&T State University and MA in Social Innovation from the University of San Diego. Her work experience spans nonprofits, B-corps, and Fortune 200 companies. In 2025 and 2026, she received the Patrizia Marquez Social Innovation Award and ECU Excellence Divisional Award for her leadership and impact.