In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Wharton Center for the Performing Arts
750 E Shaw Ln
East Lansing, Michigan, 48824
United States

Alissa Hakim

Law Student and SWANA Researcher

Alissa Hakim is a current law student with the goal to work in public interest after graduation. Alissa holds a degree in Humanities and in Political Theory. She is a Lebanese, Muslim American and survivor of weapons-based violence in the U.S. and abroad. She currently works at a Michigan-based legal aid clinic assisting lower income individuals as well as veterans and survivors of domestic violence. Alissa previously worked at the Center for Arab Narratives, a national institute for SWANA research, as a research assistant. During her undergraduate studies, Alissa helped create and run programming for youth in Costa Rica, women in Botswana, and students in Detroit. Outside of her education and legal career, Alissa runs a SWANA inspired clothing brand and magazine.

Angel G. Henry

President of Amulet Consortium, an Organization Development Consultancy

Angel G. Henry is a 3x TEDx Speaker and is the visionary founder of Amulet Consortium: Agility in Action, a leadership consultancy dedicated to serving nonprofits and midsized organizations looking to enhance employee engagement and ensure retention of their top talent. Angel has over 20 years IT experience, with over a decade in the project management discipline. She became a recognized leader on the topic of Agile Mindset from her success of achieving high value delivery by cultivating innovative, diverse teams. Rising to the executive ranks as the only African American female at a multi-billion dollar tech firm she was inspired to educate and coach all people managers how to empathetically connect with their teams to achieve the same results she did for over 15 years. When Angel is not coaching or teaching, she is in Indianapolis being a life guide to her daughter and son.

Cam Forton

PhD Candidate

Cam is a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Dr. Lena Brundin at Van Andel Institute. His primary research aims to uncover the role of bacterial-derived tryptophan metabolites in mood disorders, leveraging methods in metabolomics to draw associations between patient blood constituents and clinical measures. Prior to joining Van Andel Institute Graduate School, Cam earned a B.S. from Michigan State University, majoring in human biology and zoology with a minor in music. Cam first joined the Brundin Lab as a research technician in 2020, where he worked on projects linking inflammation and metabolism to behavior in animal models and patient cohorts. Since becoming a student in 2022, Cam has shared his current work at conferences and has contributed to multiple co-authored publications as well as a first-author publication on gut indoles in alcohol use disorder. Looking ahead, Cam aims to continue in a career investigating novel interventions for mental health.

Cheryl Murphy

Director of the Center for PFAS Research, Professor in Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife

Dr. Cheryl Murphy is a professor at Michigan State University and founder of the Center for PFAS Research. Her work explores how environmental contaminants move through and affect biological systems, from molecules and cells to fisheries, wildlife, ecosystems, and human communities. Trained as a marine biologist, oceanographer, and environmental toxicologist, she studies how small, invisible changes create far-reaching consequences across species and environments. Murphy's research focuses on emerging contaminants such as PFAS, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and complex environmental mixtures, aiming to improve how we predict and prevent harm to ecological and human health. She serves on national scientific advisory panels and collaborates across engineering, agriculture, public health, veterinary medicine, and environmental science. Through her work, Murphy has grown interested in the complex systems shaping outcomes, not only in nature, but in our communities and relationships.

Christopher Wrede

Professor of Physics

Chris Wrede is a Professor of Physics at Michigan State University leading a research program focused on experimental nuclear astrophysics based at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. He conceived and led the development of the Gaseous Detector with Germanium Tagging (GADGET), the Lifetimes and Branching Ratios Apparatus (LIBRA), and the Doppler Shift Lifetimes 2 (DSL2) setup. His experiments have been used to make more accurate comparisons between models and observations of thermonuclear stellar explosions. Prof. Wrede has taught undergraduate courses in Thermodynamics and Modern Physics, Electronics, and Astronomy, and a graduate course in Nuclear Astrophysics. Seven students have earned their Ph.D. under his supervision. Previously, Prof. Wrede worked as a Research Associate at the University of Washington’s Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics and earned a Ph.D. from Yale University based on research at the Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory.

Corean Canty

Storyteller & Voice Strategist

Corean Canty is a storyteller, keynote speaker, and executive leader whose career spans operations, brand strategy, marketing, and organizational leadership. A Michigan State University alumna, she works at the intersection of story, identity, and human connection, helping leaders bring clarity to complexity and align how they operate with how they communicate.

Karen Holt

Associate Professor of Criminal Justice/Criminologist

Karen Holt, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and criminologist in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. She has dedicated her career to working to prevent and respond to sexual abuse and to produce research that can be used to inform policy and practice. She is involved in multidisciplinary collaborations with law enforcement, legal professionals, corrections staff and providers, advocates and organizations that are working toward making society safer, with the shared goal of "no more victims."

Kyla Wright

Journalist and Ph.D. Student

Kyla L. Wright is a Detroit-based journalist, media leader, and advocate committed to using storytelling as a tool for community impact. She serves as Managing Editor of Model D, where she leads coverage focused on culture, innovation, and neighborhood development, and is the publication’s first Black female Managing Editor. Kyla is also a Ph.D. student in Information and Media at Michigan State University, where her research explores media representation, literacy, and the experiences of Black women. Beyond journalism, she is the founder and executive director of Operation S.A.S.H. (Sexual Assault Stops Here), a nonprofit dedicated to survivor advocacy, education, and empowerment. She is also the co-founder of Just Wright Travels, a mother-daughter travel agency specializing in curated travel experiences. As Miss North America 2024, Kyla continues to leverage her platforms to educate, inspire, and create meaningful change in her community and beyond.

Nthanda Manduwi

Systems Entrepreneur, Author & Former United Nations Evaluation Specialist

Nthanda Manduwi is a Malawian systems entrepreneur, author, and former United Nations evaluation specialist, working at the intersection of global development, technology, and institutional reform. She began her career with the United Nations in Malawi before joining UNDP in New York, where she was selected as one of 20 young professionals from more than 38,000 applicants for the inaugural UNDP Graduate Programme. Today, she is the Founder and CEO of Q2 Systems, a Detroit-based and South Africa-incorporated cyber-physical infrastructure company focused on digital twins, simulation technologies, and autonomous systems. Nthanda holds degrees in Economics, Demography, Digital Transformation, and Business Administration, including an MBA from Michigan State University. She is a Detroit Tech Fellow, Rockefeller Foundation Big Bets Fellow, and author of the forthcoming seven-book Lessons series exploring development, power, institutions, and the future of global systems.