TEDxEvansville 2017 announces speakers; online ticket sales open Friday
View all newsEVANSVILLE, IND. – TEDxEvansville is pleased to announce its lineup of speakers for TEDxEvansville 2017. The event is centered around this year’s theme – Grow. The 11 speakers were selected for their thought-provoking ideas and ability to convey their ideas in a moving way. They will present their talks – each less than 18 minutes in length – at TEDxEvansville from noon to 5 p.m., Friday, October 27, 2017, at the University of Southern Indiana’s Performance Center. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 18 at www.TEDxEvansville.com.
Zac Parsons, licensee of TEDxEvansville, said, “With a couple years of experience in planning and executing TEDxEvansville events, we are applying lessons learned to make this our best event yet. Our theme of ‘Grow’ can be interpreted in so many ways, and we’re thrilled with the different expressions that our line-up of speakers brings to the event. The content covers a diverse range of topics. As with years past, we suspect attendees will have a tough time choosing their favorite talk.” Parsons added, “To meet the growing interest in TEDxEvansville, we have moved the event to a larger venue. We can’t wait to bring nearly 300 people to the USI Performance Center for this year’s event. That theater feels like it was designed for giving TED talks.”
TEDxEvansville 2017 Speakers
The speaker selection process is extensive, conducted over several weeks. The TEDxEvansville curatorial team reviewed dozens of speaker applications and conducted in-person auditions as part of selecting this year’s speakers – ruling out any speaker seeking self-promotion or an opportunity to market their business or organization from the stage.
Over the next few weeks, TEDxEvansville will select a handful of TED Talks videos, as well as local artists and performers, who will also be featured in the day’s lineup. While the titles of the talks are still in development, confirmed speakers for the 2017 event include:
Jason Burton
Jason Burton is the creator and host of Evansville Podcast, which spotlights business owners, event organizers and interesting people in the Evansville area. He is also a software developer in the health care industry.
Camea Davis
Camea Davis is a poet, educator and educational researcher with a heart for urban youth and communities. She is a doctoral teaching fellow at Ball State University, where she teaches multicultural education. There, she is also an advanced doctoral candidate, majoring in Critical Educational Policy Studies and minoring in Educational Technology and Curriculum. Her research interests include culturally responsive teaching, youth spoken word and youth civic engagement. As program director and co-founder of Indy Pulse, she works to cultivate critical literacy and develop youth as leaders in Indianapolis.
Christopher DeSchamp
Christopher DeSchamp is Director of Customer Solutions Development at Vectren Corporation, where he focuses on new energy solutions – smart cities, smart homes, smart buildings and smart energy. DeSchamp is a futurist who thinks and acts boldly. He makes what is technically feasible a reality and implements technology solutions that improve lives and positively impact the environment.
Paul K. Doss
Paul K. Doss is Professor of Geology at the University of Southern Indiana, where he teaches courses on environmental geology, environmental science, geology of national parks, and water resources. Doss directs student research on environmental problems, such as impacts of humans on water resources, natural resources management and geological hazards. He has previously held positions with Yellowstone National Park, Indiana Dunes and Everglades National Park.
Sue Ellspermann
Sue Ellspermann is an academic administrator and politician, who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2016 before becoming current President of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. Ellspermann, an Indiana native, has served in the Indiana House of Representatives for the 74th District. She also has classroom experience teaching at the University of Southern Indiana, the University of Evansville and University of Louisville, where she earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering.
Trent Engbers
Trent Engbers is an experienced college educator and nonprofit consultant living in Evansville. Engbers, who holds a Ph.D. in public affairs from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, has taught more than 35 different courses in his 15 years of college teaching. His research on leadership, economic development and social capital has been published widely in journals, including Social Science Quarterly, Public Administration Review and the Journal of Leadership Education. A husband, father of four children and former Peace Corps volunteer in China from 2005-2007, Engbers actively serves on three local nonprofit boards.
Sarah Kluemper
Evansville resident Sarah Kluemper is a Talent Acquisition Sourcer at OneMain Financial. As someone who believes that you should always love what you do, she is passionate about connecting great people with great opportunities.
Ryan Stephen Loehrlein
Ryan Stephen Loehrlein is a student at the University of Southern Indiana, where he is pursuing degrees in mechanical engineering and finance. He is a student trainee at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana, and president of Guardian Aviation Technology LLC.
Mark Logan
Henderson, Ky., native Mark Logan, M.D. is a surgeon with Midwest Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgery, husband and father of three children. Logan is also active in real estate development and acquisition, as well as restaurant development. He is committed to retaining and attracting the talents and energy of Millennials in the tristate and helps them make professional and community connections.
Ben Trockman
Ben Trockman serves as Community Outreach and Employment Specialist for Old National Bank, where he is dedicated to assisting the bank in becoming a leader in disability employment and inclusion. He is active within the disability advocacy community and works with legislators in Indianapolis and Washington D.C., to improve employment opportunities, airline accessibility and health care options for people with disabilities.
Lisa G. Wube
Former Division I college basketball player, Lisa Wube serves as program service director for the City of Evansville’s Department of Parks and Recreation. In her role, she has introduced numerous new athletic and community-based programs for residents and strives to create a high level of awareness about the community’s parks and recreation.
Heather McNabb, a TEDxEvansville Organizing Committee volunteer who also leads the curatorial (speaker selection) team, said, “Holding true to the TED spirit, the curatorial team looked for ideas worth spreading to our community and the larger global community. We have found engaging speakers who will educate, entertain and enlighten the TEDxEvansville community.”
Online ticket sales open Friday, August 18
New this year, TEDxEvansville attendees may purchase tickets online at www.TEDxEvansville.com, starting Friday, August 18. Prices are $50 for standard admission and $25 for students (college and other post-secondary, high school, middle and elementary students). Seats will be assigned by TEDxEvansville, and priority seating consideration may given to those who purchase tickets early. Groups of attendees interested in sitting together are encouraged to purchase tickets in one transaction.