TEDxBend

Speakers

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

• Adam DeHeer

  Adam DeHeer is the founder and CEO of Waterleaf, a Bend-based company developing nature-based water treatment systems. Waterleaf’s flagship product, the Estuary™, uses constructed wetlands to treat and recycle household greywater, bringing localized water reuse to the building scale. Adam’s passion for water systems began through a collaborative design project with an informal settlement community outside Lima, Peru. The experience shaped his belief that water is more than a utility — it is something people are meant to actively participate in and steward. He holds a Master of Landscape Architecture and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Oregon and was named a National Olmsted Scholar in 2019. Waterleaf’s research has received support from the NSF and EPA, and Adam regularly speaks at national conferences focused on water innovation and green building.

• Bella Emry

  Bella Emry is a singer-songwriter based in Bend, Oregon. Raised in Yamhill-Carlton, she grew up singing in the church her father pastored and at the county fair before moving to Central Oregon during her freshman year of high school. In 2026 she auditioned for the twenty-fourth season of American Idol on a self-recorded video, earning a unanimous yes from the judges with a stripped-down take on Morgan Wallen's "I'm a Little Crazy" and advancing through Hollywood Week and the show's 'Ohana Round in Hawaii. She has since performed across Central Oregon, including opening for Jacquie Roar at General Duffy's. Bend remains her home base and the center of the music career she's building.

• Dr. Andy Sabatier, DPT

  Andy Sabatier is a doctor of physical therapy, speaker, and educator whose work focuses on the connection between movement, breathing mechanics, and the human experience. After beginning his career in the ICU, he developed a “breathing first” approach to patient care that now guides his work in the community, helping people improve performance, recovery, and overall quality of life. Through thousands of patient interactions, Andy has refined the science of functional breathing into an engaging and accessible topic for everyday audiences. As a clinical innovator and educator, he is helping reshape how people understand the role of breathing in health and human performance.

• Dr. Stephen Dahmer

  Stephen Dahmer, MD, is director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine and holder of the Andrew Weil Endowed Chair at the University of Arizona, where he also serves as division chief, professor in Public Health, and associate professor in Family and Community Medicine. Triple board-certified in family, integrative, and lifestyle medicine, he trained at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and completed his fellowship at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Dahmer’s work focuses on advancing evidence-based, whole-person care that bridges rigorous science with therapies often overlooked in conventional medicine. His clinical and research interests include the real-world outcomes of integrative approaches, with particular attention to medicinal plants, supplements, and care strategies for underserved and medically complex populations. Through his leadership, teaching, and clinical work, Dr. Dahmer is helping shape a more patient-centered and biologically respectful model of health care.

• Heather Crank

  Heather Crank is a creative technologist, art director, and senior motion designer whose work explores the intersection of creativity, design, and emerging AI systems. Based in Bend, Oregon, she is the founder of Crahmanti Studio and has spent more than a decade creating motion and graphic design work for clients including Google, Coinbase, Adobe, Salesforce, and Bend Design. In recent years, Heather has focused on generative AI and creative education, leading workshops and presentations for organizations, universities, and creative communities across the country. Her work is grounded in the belief that creativity is not simply the final output, but the human decision-making process behind it. Heather holds a BFA from the California College of the Arts and is the recipient of the Adobe Achievement Award, Silver IDA Award, and Insight Award. Her work has been exhibited at the Guggenheim, Meow Wolf, Night Lights Denver, and the SUPERNOVA Animation Festival, and she hosts podcasts exploring creativity, consciousness, and what it means to be human.

• Jeremy Storton

  Jeremy Storton’s journey into the world of beer began with simple curiosity and a homebrewing hobby in 2007. What started as an interest quickly evolved into a deep exploration of flavor, aroma, and sensory experience, eventually leading him to become one of only a few hundred Advanced Cicerones worldwide and a respected global beer educator. After tasting thousands of beers across more than a hundred styles, Jeremy became fascinated by a broader realization: humans are far more capable tasters than most people believe. His work now focuses on the connection between aroma, perception, and human potential, exploring how our senses shape the way we experience the world.

• Julie Harrelson

  Julie Harrelson is a strategist, investor, speaker, and celebrant whose career is centered on helping leaders drive growth, innovation, and meaningful change. Often described as the “angel on the shoulder” to more than 100 CEOs, she has advised founders and executives who employ thousands across multiple sectors. As Managing Director of eight Cascade Funds, Julie led more than 100 investments while becoming a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs facing the pressures of high-growth leadership. Before venture capital, she served as a founder and executive in six early-stage companies and held technology leadership roles at firms acquired by EarthLink, Time Warner, and others. Known for bringing candor, humor, and humanity into difficult conversations, Julie is a lifetime student of the human spirit and serves as an accomplished emcee and celebrant for leadership events, weddings, memorials, and community gatherings. She divides her time between the Oregon Coast, Portland, Vancouver, BC, and global adventures that inspire her work.

• Oksana Lukash

  Oksana Lukash is a four-time Chief People Officer, founder, and leadership advisor who has spent more than 20 years helping organizations grow while keeping people and culture at the center. Her work spans high-growth biotech companies, executive coaching, and leadership consulting. An immigrant who came to the United States at age 13, Oksana learned early that opportunity is often created through courage, relationships, and action. Today, she helps leaders navigate uncertainty, build thriving workplace cultures, and turn challenges into momentum. Her TEDx talk explores how purposeful action can open doors long before we feel fully ready.

• Performance School Of Rock

  School of Rock Bend is a performance-based music school where students learn by playing — on stage, in a band, from day one. Four-month seasons pair weekly private lessons with band rehearsals and end in a live show. Programs run from beginners through adults on guitar, bass, drums, keys, and vocals.

• Tara Lohan

  Tara Lohan is an environmental journalist and author whose work explores the intersection of water, energy, wildlife, and wildlands. For nearly two decades, she has focused on stories that highlight solutions to environmental challenges, with particular attention to river restoration and the removal of dams. She is the author of Undammed: Freeing Rivers and Bringing Communities to Life (Island Press, 2025). Her writing has appeared in publications including The Nation, Grist, Salon, High Country News, and Earth Island Journal. Tara holds a master’s degree in literary nonfiction from the University of Oregon and lives in Bend, Oregon.