Speaker Sessions

TEDx UNLV 2018

Click on a name below to jump directly to the speaker’s session.

Extreme Thinking for Extreme Problems
Jim Marggraff

Jim Marggraff is a serial inventor and entrepreneur who spends much of his time in his head. In his talk, he asks “How do you think?” and proceeds to present novel approaches to thinking and problem solving, with references to developments in brain science.

How do you think?

How do you actively, consciously direct and manage your thoughts to solve extreme problems? The awareness of mental models to solve problems and make intelligent decisions, such as Charlie Munger’s and Warren Buffet’s Farnam Street Lattice of Mental Models, is now intersecting underlying brain science to help us learn why some models are more effective than others.

In “Extreme Thinking for Extreme Problems”, Jim Marggraff presents novel approaches to thinking and problem solving, with references to developments in brain science gleaned from the half-dozen companies he has founded and co-founded.

Jim has created technologies and products that have helped over 100 million people in learning, communication, productivity, and thinking. With MS and SB degrees from MIT in computer science and engineering, and over 40 issued patents, Jim lists the LeapFrog LeapPad, the Livescribe Smartpen, and eye tracking and interaction technologies among his inventions.

Creating Abundance Through Collaboration
Russ Vaagen

Sometimes it takes many minds and an equal number of different points of view to come up with a solution that is beneficial to everyone. After years of experience in business and community collaboration, Russ shares some of the lessons he’s learned. This talk focuses on the differences and power of focusing on interests rather than positions while maintaining an outlook of abundance. There’s always a way for everyone to get more of what they want. He believes that helping others get what they really want is the key to getting more of what you want. He’s gained this experience as the president of the North East Washington Forest Coalition and 15 years as vice president for Vaagen Bros Lumber, Inc. in Colville, WA.

Robots Replacing Human Jobs: UN-Welcome To Las Vegas
Beth Wi

Beth Wi’s graduate studies have taken her into the world of robots where she observes their place in the hospitality industry. Although guests are most often impressed, the other “employees” are skeptical. Ok Kyung, “Beth” Wi, originally from South Korea, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality from UNLV. Upon graduation, she spent five thousand hours in the air as a flight attendant at Cathay Pacific Airways, where she learned the importance of quality service delivery and cultural sensitivity. In fall of 2017, she began pursuing dual degrees at UNLV: a master’s in business administration, and a masters of science in Hotel Administration. Following her passion for making an impact in the hospitality industry, the focus of her research is examining the influence of patron and employee relationships on acceptance of robotics in the workforce and how the level of interactions between customers and service providers can help achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction. She devotes herself to academic growth and development as a leader who can inspire and empower others.

I Am Diversity!
Tim Toterhi

Tim Toterhi believes that each of us adds to the diversity of the world. Here is someone who defines diversity in terms of individuals, not groups. Tim Toterhi offers a far more inclusive concept of inclusion than traditional diversity programs provide. He encourages people to look beyond labels, find meaningful connections, and begin to appreciate the value, beauty, and complexity of the individual.

Not your usual CHRO, Toterhi is passionate about slashing bureaucracy and rethinking old thinking. As an ICF certified coach and Project Management Professional (PMP) who has worked in the trenches with teams in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, he craves results over activity and seeks fewer forms and more function.

Tim is the author of several books including The Introvert’s Guide to Job Hunting: How To Outshine the Competition and The HR Guide to Getting and Crushing the Job of Your Dreams. He has been quoted in several leading publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, and the HuffPost as well as profiled in the book Magnificent Leadership.

Not With A Bang: The Boring Truth That Makes Blockchain So Exciting
Corey Padveen

Corey Padveen, author, cook, writer, and researcher, shares his insights as to how blockchain will come into our lives and impact them greatly. The interesting thing is that we’ll probably never even know it is taking place! Corey Padveen is an industry-leading marketing data expert with extensive experience building strategies and working with brands in a variety of industries. He is a partner at t2 Marketing International, an award-winning marketing consultancy that has worked with some of the largest brands in the world over its 30-year history.

Corey’s expertise has led to him speaking at conferences, summits, and corporate events all over the world. He contributes regularly to a variety of online and print publications, including Search Engine Journal, Social Media Today, Gambling Insider, iGaming Business, and is the primary author for t2’s corporate blog, as well as his personal blog, He sits on a number of advisory boards, including the global Ampersand Advisory Board for Gaming, thanks to his Millennial expertise, and is the author of “Marketing to Millennials For Dummies.” He is Google AdWords and Analytics certified and studied Economics at McGill University in Montreal.

Post Traumatic Growth: Surviving a Mass Shooting
Karessa Royce

What if one could actually choose the way they heal from a traumatic incident? Speaker Karessa Royce was injured in the October 1, 2017, Route 91 shooting in Las Vegas. In this talk, Karessa shares her life-changing experience and discusses how Post Traumatic Growth has played a role in her life as well as others’.

Karessa is a 23-year-old, college student, who experienced profound trauma in which she now describes as her “life change.” She provides a hopeful message and an inspiring perspective about healing from trauma.

On October 1, 2017, the largest mass shooting in modern U.S history took place on the Las Vegas Strip. Karessa was one of the concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, who was shot and severely injured when someone shot into the crowd from a hotel room window at the Mandalay Bay Resort.

Karessa has proven to be resilient, spunky and transparent throughout her recovery by continuing her education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and through her volunteer efforts alongside a variety of organizations aimed at bringing awareness to public safety issues and the support of fellow trauma survivors.

Let's Change How We Think About Poverty
Ranita Ray, Ph.D.

What if we are approaching the concept of poverty in the wrong way? What if by changing the way we fight poverty we could make more of a difference in peoples’ lives? Dr. Ranity Ray addresses these questions and others, the answers to which are the results of spending three years in an economically marginalized community. Can we eliminate poverty by targeting drugs, gangs, violence, and teen parenthood? Many policy makers, community organizers, and social scientists tend to think so. In this talk highlighting a surprising story about poverty, sociologist and author Ranita Ray explains how these things reinforces racial hierarchies, makes things harder for those growing up in poverty, and strengthens the cycle of poverty instead of breaking it.

Ranita Ray grew up in a boarding school in the foothills of the Himalayas near the India-Nepal border. After spending three years in an economically marginalized community she calls “Port City,” Ranita published The Making of a Teenage Service Class: Poverty and Mobility in an American City—a book that challenges dominant ideas about poor communities and offers novel ways of tackling poverty. Ranita hopes the insights from her research will allow us to shed new light on the social reproduction of poverty.

From The Interrogation Room To The Speaker's Stage
Savvas Trichas

We communicate on many levels. What may being said on one level, may be contradicted by the message on another. Savvas Trichas talks about keeping our messages straight! Dr. Savvas Trichas is a speaker and experienced TEDx presenter, who combines cutting edge research with instruction, creating motivational moments with practical value. Trichas is associated with the FBI National Academy Associates Cyprus Police where he serves as a guest lecturer under the topics of management, communication, and deception detection. In addition, he reviews manuscripts for international scientific journals related with leadership and organizational behavior. His research interests focus on a specific nonverbal area: facial expressions. As a result of his studies, he became certified coder in the facial action coding system (FACS). FACS is a highly valid, widely used tool that combines anatomy with photo or video analysis observation to define exact facial muscle movement and intensity (Ekman, Friesen, & Hager, 2002; Trichas, 2015).

The Next Big Thing!
Kimberly Galbe

Kimberly Galbe, from Caracas, Venezuela, believes that cities should be designed with humans in mind. Kimberly Galbe is a recent graduate of the UNLV School of Architecture Masters program, where she focused on issues of the contemporary built environment. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Kim moved to Las Vegas in 2013 to pursue her undergraduate degree. She has worked as a graduate teaching assistant throughout her two years of graduate school. Her work as part of the UNLV Urban Design Studio has taken Kimberly to various competitions over the last year. Kim was awarded the Michael Alcorn Scholarship for excellence in communication and graphic representation. In November, she participated in the the 2017 UNLV Grad slam 3MT competition where she was shortlisted as a finalist. Currently, Kimberly works as a job captain for Las Vegas-based architecture firm Ed Vance & Associates Architecture. In her free time, Kim enjoys singing, spending time with her family, and walking her dog, Nala. In the near future Kim plans to start taking exams to become a licensed architect.

Identifying The Genomic Architecture Of Obesity
Austin McKenna

There is more to being overweight than eating high-calorie foods! Austin McKenna, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas graduate student, takes us into his journey through Dr. Allen Gibbs’ infamous “fat files” as he seeks to understand the evolutionary genomics of obesity.

Austin McKenna is a current graduate student in the UNLV School of Life Sciences Doctoral program, where he focuses on integrative physiology. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Austin pursued his bachelor’s degree at UNLV with an emphasis in the research sector of biology. For the past three years of graduate school Austin has worked as a graduate teaching assistant. His work with the infamous “Fat Flies” in Dr. Allen Gibbs’ lab has afforded Austin many public speaking opportunities over the last year. In November, he participated in the 2017 UNLV Grad slam 3MT competition and was awarded 1st place. This spring, Austin competed in the Western Association of Graduate Schools 3MT competition and the Southwest Showdown 3MT competition representing UNLV. Currently, Austin is focusing on his research on the evolutionary genomics of obesity. In his free time, Austin enjoys adventuring through the desert with his wife and two dogs. Austin plans to graduate in the next two years.

Don't Worry, Be Happy
Radhika Shah

We all understand the power of imagery; a picture can convey a clear, compelling, or even deceptive message. Dr. Larsen talks about how we can all communicate visually, especially if we keep in mind just a few simple concepts.

Teresa Larsen fell in love with data visualization while earning her doctoral degree in Biochemistry at UCLA. Throughout her academic training she noticed the conspicuous absence of guidelines on how to present data and results clearly. This led her to follow an alternative career path pondering ways to communicate complex information in the best way possible. Along the way, she has earned awards for computer graphic animation and has many of her figures displayed as framed artwork. She respects Edward Tufte’s perspective on data visualization but finds his criticism frustrating because he tells us what’s wrong rather than how to do it right. To address this necessity, Dr. Larsen created a curriculum that teaches the process of going from raw data to a clear visual message.

Overcoming The Odds
Raymond Fletcher

The odds were truly against Raymond Fletcher when he was born with Roberts Syndrome, a rare disorder that affects the growth and formation of legs and arms, among other things. Raymond has challenged these odds, by working, learning, and experiencing life at every opportunity. Born and raised in the industrial Midwest, Raymond is a graduate of Indiana University Northwest with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He has spent a combined eight years in the classroom, both in Nevada and Indiana, covering everything from Head Start to welding and automotive. Raymond has Roberts Syndrome, and is one of approximately one hundred fifty people in the world with this disability. He has run for public office, been a radio show host, is a representative member of his leadership class, board member of the transit authority, and chairman of the board of a cannabis non-profit organization. Throughout all this, Raymond has remained a consultant for the last twenty-five years focusing on disability issues, politics, and public transportation.

Preserving Grief: What To Do With Spontaneous Memorials
Cynthia Sanford

Cynthia Sanford has been the registrar at the Clark County Museum in Nevada since 2013. In the six month following the 1 October 2017 shooting in Las Vegas, she has been processing — and preserving — thousands of items left at memorials for the victims. During this process she learned a lot about preserving grief, but perhaps learned even more about herself. What happens to the memorial items that accumulate after a mass shooting or celebrity death? Cynthia Sanford discusses the curating process after the Route 91 shooting in Las Vegas in 2017.

Working as registrar at the Clark County Museum since 2013, Cynthiaz literally processed thousands of items left at memorials for the 1 October shooting in Las Vegas. Prior to 2013, she worked as a registrar and collections manager at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. Cynthia has a master’s degree in anthropology with a certificate in museum studies, and has been working in museums for approximately 20 years.

The Empathy Gap: Why The Future Is Human
Huzaifa Sial

As technology continues to transform and unify, now more than ever we need a path to find our place as a unified humanity. Huzaifa believes that maintaining plurality in thought, expression, and values will become the key to the next stage of human empathy. In time, it may become the deciding factor between the dystopia we fear today, and the utopian world we dream for tomorrow. At work, Huzaifa Sial creates healthcare solutions using artificial intelligence to curate and create knowledge, and predict health events for better patient outcomes. Huzaifa holds patents in A.I. and design, and is currently completing his Masters in Clinical Informatics from Northwestern University.

Beyond work, Huzaifa spends time creating and appreciating art and traveling across the country for deep conversations on human behavior, society and global citizenship.

Huzaifa was born in Pakistan, raised in Nepal, grew up in Canada and is currently working in the US. Adapting every few years to various cultures became the inspiration for his natural curiosity to explore different societies and human behaviors. As technology continues to transform and unify, now more than ever we need a path to find our place as a unified humanity. Huzaifa believes that maintaining plurality in thought, expression, and values will become the key to the next stage of human empathy.

The "Millennial" You Hate Hearing About Does Not Exist
Roberto Coppola

Roberto Coppola — futurist and marketing expert — examines the definition of “millennial” and offers some alternative descriptions. “Millennials” are the most studied cohort in history. Ironically, they are also the least understood. Perhaps it is because they don’t really exist at all.

Futurist, researcher and storyteller Roberto Coppola shares insights on a modern approach to generational segmentation that could help you tap into a deeper connection with today’s young adults, particularly if you happen to be one. Contact Roberto at linkedin.com/in/robertocoppola.

In(car)nation Of The Self: An Ethnography Of Las Vegas' Street Car Scene
Celine Ayala

The street car scene is alive and well in Las Vegas. Celine Ayala, a first generation college graduate, spent 18 months attending car meets, car shows, and street races. Here she discovered what actions and interactions make the street car phenomenon so popular. Although she won’t say “yea” or “nay,” she may have done some street racing herself.

In this three-minute research presentation on an ethnography of the Las Vegas street car scene, you’ll learn about the impacts this phenomenon can have on large cosmopolitan communities.

Celine Ayala is a first-generation college student who received her master’s degree in sociology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In her research, she focused on the ways in which communal relations were formed in Las Vegas through participation in social scenes. Celine spent eighteen months with the Las Vegas street car scene attending car meets, car shows, and street racing events. Here she discovered what actions and interactions make the street car scene a definable phenomenon for both long-time participants and newcomers.

Her work concludes that the Las Vegas street car scene allows individuals to have a sense of accomplished affiliation that serves as a proxy for communal relations in Las Vegas.

Comics Can Change The World
Ben Morse

Benjamin Morse has met many of the world’s superheroes — they’ve been in his office, and he’s taken them to lunch. Working for ten years at Marvel Comics, Ben worked with many of the real people who portrayed these bigger-than-life characters and realized how valuable comics are to our culture and values. A Visiting Lecturer at UNLV’s Greenspun College of Journalism and Media Studies teaching Social Media Strategies and Public Relations, Benjamin Morse moved to Las Vegas at the start of 2018. Born in Boston, Morse attended Connecticut College before relocating to the New York/New Jersey area where a lifelong love of super heroes and the comic book medium led him to a decade working at Marvel Entertainment in various capacities, including Editorial Director of Digital Media. He currently lives in Henderson with his wife, Megan, their 10-month-old daughter, and their puppy, Gypsy. He can be reached on Twitter @benjmorse.

Storytelling In The Modern Age: Tradition And Technology In Filmmaking
Todd Fisher

Todd Fisher — son of Debbie Reynolds and brother of Carrie Fisher — is an actor in his own right, plus a director, videographer and writer. He talks about telling a story that is close to your heart with honesty and respect, and discusses the challenging choices one makes about what to share and what to leave unsaid. Born into Hollywood royalty–son to Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds and brother to Carrie Fisher–Todd Fisher is a veteran of the entertainment industry who has thrived under the media spotlight his entire life.

His 2018 book My Girls: A Lifetime With Carrie and Debbie (Harper Collins) gave a firsthand account of the years he spent as a companion to the pair of iconic women in his life. It also shed light on the personal sides of fame, addiction, and mental illness that followed the family for decades.

Unlike his parents and sister, Todd is best known for his work behind the camera. He produced and co-starred in the 2017 HBO documentary Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. He has also served as a producer and director on dozens of prominent films and specials. He has also served as president and archivist for Hollywood Motion Picture Museum.

In addition, he is a pilot, an ordained minister, a competitive golfer and an avid collector of classic film equipment.