2019 Speakers and Performers
TEDxBozeman 2019 will be held on April 13th.
ZACH WEISS
Ecological Warrior
Protégé of revolutionary Austrian farmer Sepp Holzer, Zach brings a unique combination of systems thinking, empathy, and awareness to resource management. He created Elemental Ecosystems to provide an action-oriented process to improve clients' relationship with their landscape.
RYAN MATZINGER
Professor of Jazz
Through journeys with industry stars, studies with music legends, and as a saxophonist on a Grammy Award winning album, Ryan has developed as an artist and music professor belonging to the community of studied, genre melding, multi-faceted performers teaching jazz studies and cultural literacy.
DR. LAURA M. STANLEY
Engineering Professor
Laura’s life work has been to design technologies to improve the human experience. Her personal struggles and experience at the National Science Foundation left her on a mission to utilize emerging technologies to help us cope with mental health challenges (e.g., pain, anxiety, and addiction).
JAMES ROLIN
COO
Co-founder of the first edible insect farm in Montana and now largest edible insect producing company in the USA, Cowboy Cricket Farms. I am also a member of the Montana Army National Guard.
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CLAIRE SANDS BAKER
Co-Founder/Director of The Toothpick Project
Claire has been described as interstitial: the space in between things. In her career spanning the arts, education, conservation, and biotech, she celebrates the gaps and voids. In Bozeman with her husband, kids, and dog, she works to bring biotechnology from Montana to smallholder farmers in Africa through the Toothpick Project.
ALAYNA RASILE-DIGRINDAKIS
Textile Artist and Designer
After many years working for artists and apparel designers in NYC, Alayna is back in her native MT pursuing her own fine art practice with woven textiles, natural dyes, and a special interest in new-material innovation. Her research explores the buoyant and thermal capacities of milkweed floss.
PROFESSOR VAUGHAN JUDGE
Director School of Art MSU Bozeman
Arts Advocate. In 2013 became one of the first Fellows of the National Arts Strategy: Chief Executive Program; an initiative design to address the intractable problems of finance and relevancy in the creative industries. Published author of Undergraduate Research in Art: Routledge Press.
PROFESSOR ROB MAHER
Professional Educator and Engineer
Rob Maher is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. A steadfast educator and entrepreneur, his passions include audio engineering, audio forensics, music, and acoustics. He is tirelessly optimistic about the future, and strives to enhance the joy of living for all community members.
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KRIS KAULL
Serial Entrepreneur, Flight Paramedic
An aspiring ninja who’s terribly inflexible, Kris has an insatiable love for helicopters, shallow TV & great 80’s music. Kris started Paramedic.com and co-founded EMS1.com. Most think of Kris as the next undiscovered artist. But he’s a simple ol’ Montana boy trying to make this world a bit better.
GARY FERGUSON
Science Writer
Award-winning science writer Gary Ferguson is the author of 26 books on nature and ecology. His presentations are based on 35 years spent exploring the marriage of biology, cultural history, and psychology. He lives with his wife, Dr. Mary Clare, in Bozeman, Montana.
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CARMEN YUPE
Resilience Builder
I am a builder, a grower, a poet/writer/comedian, storyteller, and idea generator who is comfortable with pushing the envelope. I’m 39-years-old, a Native woman of Shoshone, Bannock, Anishinaabe and Canadian French descent who grew up as wild and as free as they come on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.
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ZANE BURNS
Auctioneer
Zane is Gallatin Valley raised 5th Generation Montana Auctioneer performing Benefit auctions in the state of Montana and Wyoming. Zane is your not so ordinary Auctioneer performing the art of Bid Calling. Family owned and operated Auction business for more than 35 years.
TANEEL FILESTEEL
Tribal Prosecutor
TaNeel Filesteel, an Aaniiih citizen of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, serves as the Deputy Prosecutor for the Fort Belknap Tribal Government. She is passionate about working towards restorative justice and community healing, and has learned many valuable lessons along the journey.
MARY M. CLARE, PHD
Social Scientist
Mary braids passion for nature with a 30-year career as a socio-cultural psychologist. A fellow in the APA with over 100 scholarly articles & two books, she opens doorways to the natural world as a guiding force for more contented and fruitful living.
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KATHLEEN CARROLL
PhD Candidate, Wildlife Ecologist
Kathleen Carroll is a PhD student at MSU and a wildlife ecologist whose work has spanned 3 continents. Her friends have compared her to her current study species, the wolverine, citing her ferocious and unrelenting attitude towards tackling big issues and questions in conservation.
DAVID SANDS
Disruptive Innovator
Dave Sands, in an alternate reality where plant cells are computers and he is a plant hacker, took five decades to crack the code using fungi, with the goal of killing weeds and replacing chemical herbicides. He is a disruptive innovator, avid reader, teacher/mentor, napkin poet, and tennis player.
DR. BARBARA WIROSTKO (MORELLI)
Professor in Ophthalmology, Entrepreneur
Dr. Barbara is passionate about mentoring others to reach their potential. As Professor in Ophthalmology, life was laid out until it threw her a curve ball. Learn how her nationally recognized nonprofit, supporting young adults with Dyslexia who are pursuing a STEM career, have strong ties with MSU.
BRIDGET WILKINSON
Emcee
Bridget was raised in a small town in northern Idaho. The importance of community has always fascinated her. Bridget is passionate about eradicating the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness by weaving a stronger social fabric in our community and empowering others to do the same.