2019 event features diverse array of speakers bringing stories that tackle challenging subjects, entertain while teaching, and give an opportunity to build deep relationships with the storytellers
SANTA BARBARA — TEDxSantaBarbara hosts their annual conference on Saturday, November 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, at The New Vic, 33 West Victoria St., with a Meet the Speakers Mixer from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for TEDxSantaBarbara’s 2019 conference are $100 on a first-come, first-served basis, and include admission to the Meet the Speaker Mixer (being held at the adjacent Youth Interactive space) with a delicious assortment of local appetizers and drinks. Attended annually by over 300 attendees, more than 2,500 have attended a TEDxSantaBarbara event since it was founded in 2010. The simulcast, provided by GoToWebinar, will attract a global audience. More information and tickets for the event are available at https://TEDxSantaBarbara.com/#tix.
The 2019 event – themed “The Stories We Tell” – will host 13 speakers who shaped their ideas into talks that focus on the stories we tell each other, the ones told to us, and those we tell ourselves. “Culturally, people are more focused on storytelling than ever before,” stated Mark Sylvester, Executive Producer of TEDxSantaBarbara. “Stories bind us together, entertain and inform us. This year’s emphasis on stories will help ideas launch from the Red Circle.”
Noting a deep curation process reviewing ideas from over 200 submissions, Kymberlee Weil, Speaking Strategist of TEDxSantaBarbara shared, “Our Speaker Committee selected the ideas we believe will have the most impact on our community and resonate around the world. After all, a well-told story can change and sometimes even save a life.” After being selected, each of the 2019 speakers engaged in a six-month coaching process to cultivate their ideas into thought-provoking talks.
Since 2010, the 87 talks given locally have been seen by over 16.5M viewers from hundreds of countries. Sylvester’s passion for the annual event stems from this potential to spread good ideas. “Santa Barbara is the birthplace of world change, and we believe talks given at TEDxSantaBarbara add to the many groundbreaking ideas our community is well known for.”
Some of the most influential people to previously grace the TEDxSantaBarbara Red Circle are:
- Jenna McCarthy (2011) over 5M views
- Sheila Kelley (2012) nearly 2M views
- Collins Key (2017) nearly 1.5M views.
A detailed schedule of the speakers will be released the day of the event. The 2019 speakers and their topics are:
Scott Mann, Green Beret, Warrior Storyteller, Connection Coach. “The Generosity of Scars” – In these trust-depleted, distracted times, your darkest struggle can be your greatest gift to those you lead, if…you are willing to pay the price. Scott will give an update on the life-changing events that have happened since his 2017 TEDxSantaBarbara talk.
Erik Talkin, CEO, Santa Barbara Food Bank. “Why Giving People More Food Doesn’t End Hunger” – Emergency food can make little difference to people’s lives. Is there a way we can empower people to make a lifesaving journey from hunger into health?
Julian Reeve, Music Director HAMILTON, Entrepreneur. “Redefining Perfectionism – The Vital Need for Change” – Outdated methods to manage our perfectionism are failing us. A radical new approach empowers us to reset, and realize our potential in healthier ways.
Ben Bergeron, Coach, Business Owner and Author. “Your Mind is a Weapon” – Learn the tactics to unlock your greatest competitive advantage. Ben trains some of the world’s fittest and toughest athletes. He has coached seven world championships, and is considered one of the top coaches in the sport of CrossFit.
Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, Sustainability Strategist. “Trash is Ruining Recycling” – Solving plastic pollution will take more than straws. Rachel will be giving us an update on her original idea presented on our stage in 2017 when she asked the question, Can One Straw Change The World?
Dean McFlicker, TV Producer, Entertainment Marketing. “How to Get What You Want” – Dean presents the producer’s guide to getting great results in any situation. He is an award-winning producer and director at NBCUniversal where he has created marketing campaigns for some of the most successful shows on television, including This Is Us, The Voice, America’s Got Talent and all of NBC’s live musicals.
Darren Ross, CEO, Service Freak Hospitality. “Popsicle Moments: Finding a new flavor of customer service” – When was the last time you experienced truly exceptional customer service? Darren has made it his life’s work to redefine what it means to give the gift of a memory to customers.
Lori Dennis, Interior Designer, Author. “A Comfortable Solution to the Homeless Epidemic” – Millions of dollars have been thrown at the homeless epidemic, with no resolution in sight, until now. Lori shares how this one simple solution will surprise you.
Tami Relph, Interdisciplinary Engineer. “Why We Must Reframe Environmental Security” – Can environmental threats actually become security issues? Tami will explore patterns of conflict and will share how global issues can escalate if left unchecked.
O.P. Almaraz, CEO, Allied Restoration. “Why what we fear can be our strongest ally” – We get stuck in old thought patterns and the only way to succeed is to break loose. O.P. is on a mission to reframe change for people who have the desire to get more out of their lives.
Jude Kadi, Middle School Student. “Our Teachers Deserve Better” – Jude Kadi aligns his own future with the future of education and the vital role that teachers play in his success in school.
Zoë Silverberg, High School Student. “How $14 Can Make Trips to the Doctor Easier” – Many children are terrified of getting shots. A needle-phobe herself, Zoë Silverberg will present a simple, accessible solution to help mitigate this childhood trauma.
John “Revelator” Irving, Creative Arts Innovator. “I am a K.N.I.G.H.T.” – A creative voyage of music, dance, and poetry as John Revelator and the Renaissance K.N.I.G.H.T.S reveal their epic journey from obscurity to notoriety.
In 2019, TEDxSantaBarbara’s Santa Barbara Spotlight partner is the Santa Barbara Foundation. Supporting partners include the City of Santa Barbara and the County Office of Arts and Culture, Kiva CoWork, and Maps.com. Other major sponsors include Alcazar Theater, the Alumni Association of Pacifica Graduate Institute, Anne Towbes, Bourke Wealth Management, Dana White, Davies Public Relations, Fidelity National Title, Jennifer Berger Real Estate, John Glanville, The Lab, Mission Linen Supply, Pacifica Graduate Institute, the Santa Barbara Inn, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, and Tolman and Wiker Risk Insurance Services.
Production partners include Allied Arts, Augmented Traveler, Bailon Music, California Streamin’, David Kafer, Evolve Creative Consulting, GoToWebinar by LogMeIn, Kymberlee.com, La Rouge Salon and Beauty Bar, Oniracom, PXLPOD, Studio 7 Architecture and Write Kinda Girl.
Food and beverage sponsors include Bona Fide Nitro Coffee & Tea, Deux Bakery, Empowered Bakery, Full of Life Flatbread, Health-Ade Kombucha, il Fustino Oils and Vinegars, Jessica Foster Confections, Mesa Salsa Co., Rincon Brewery, Rincon Events, Santa Barbara Popcorn Company, Super Cuca’s, Swell Foods, Taco Works, Tri-County Produce, and Water with Life.
About TEDxSantaBarbara
Since 2010, TEDxSantaBarbara has created space for amazing speakers to deliver ideas worth spreading as part of the larger international TED movement including over 4,000 TEDx locations throughout the world. Through an annual Fall conference in downtown Santa Barbara and monthly small-group experiences throughout the area, we empower individuals to present, learn, and advance ideas into action. These ideas creatively and positively impact the Santa Barbara community and the world at large. Organized by husband and wife team Mark Sylvester (Executive Producer) and Kymberlee Weil (Speaker Strategist and Curator), the annual event is 100% run by volunteers and financed by community partners. For more information, visit TEDxSantaBarbara.com, like us on Facebook.com/TEDxSantaBarbara, and follow us on Instagram at @TEDxSantaBarbara.