Round Three of TEDxOrcasIsland: This IS America Announced

Saturday, November 8, Orcas Center

TEDxOrcasIsland to feature 15 local and national speakers

This Saturday, November 8, Orcas Island will host TEDxOrcasIsland – a day-long conference featuring 15 speakers of diverse backgrounds, 3 musical performances, and a theater full of engaged community members. If you haven’t already purchased your ticket you’d better jump on it, as ticket sales have been brisk for this thought-provoking event. TEDxOrcasIsland will take place at Orcas Center, with morning and afternoon programs bisected with an-on site lunch provided by the New Leaf Café.

This venture is a long-time dream of Adam Farish, who has been cultivating his vision of bringing thought leaders together here on Orcas in a conference-style capacity. After attending the annual TED Conference (which is a feat in and of itself – the guest list for that event is highly selective), Adam thought, “why not host this on Orcas? We’ve got some of the most talented and accomplished people living right here. Let’s put them in a room together with some amazing minds from around the country and see what happens.”

With the theme “This IS America”, TEDxOrcasIsland will explore the relationship between our island’s individualism and its place within the larger collective American experiment. The event is curated by Adam and supported by a team of collaborators. Here is a sampling of the speakers.

Nic Askew is a self-proclaimed ‘disruptive influence’. A former managing director, he took a u-turn to become a filmmaker and poet. He has spent the last decade exploring the capturing of the human soul on film. His Soul Biographies series is followed faithfully by many around the world. His insight on what it is that happens between the lens, the subject, and the viewer has profound implications for all.

Mike Bosworth has been a thought leader within the field of sales over the last several decades. He is a best-selling author, speaker, entrepreneur, and story seeker. His interest and research into how the very best sales professionals connect and build trust with buyers led him to build a framework around how to connect with, inspire and influence others. By using the power of storytelling and story tending he shows how folks can gain trust and influence without authority.

Jean Brittingham has been at the helm of organizations ranging in size as diverse as 20,000 employees to tiny start-ups. With her eye trained on developing sustainable solutions, she has worked with multinational companies, state government, and even the Olympics. Her project, SmartGirls Way, focused on helping “entrepreneurs and business leaders understand and leverage the core intelligence that is women’s wisdom.” Her current passion is applying the intelligence of diversity, innovation and culture for sustainable and resilient solutions.

Donna Gerardi Riordan is generating a bridge connecting impactful place-based science with policy and decision makers. Drawing on her professional background in science and education policy as well as communications, Donna explored how scientific evidence and technical information was being used to inform local policy and permitting decisions. Or rather, not being used. The gaps she found inspired her to create Research Now, a non-profit organization with the goal to crowd funding location-specific research to inform policymakers.

Andrew Himes is Executive Director of the Charter for Compassion. Launched in 2008 by TED.com and Karen Armstrong, the Charter’s mission to support the emergence of a global compassion movement has connected organizers and leaders from around the world. Born into an influential fundamentalist family, Andrew set his sights on his own unique path – introducing a fresh perspective in the tech industry, authoring a tome on his family’s fundamentalist roots, and helping launch Seeds of Compassion. He offers keen insight into how we as a collective can build compassion in our communities.

Eric Morris is the founder of Orbis World Globes, the world’s premier creator of photorealistic globes depicting the Earth as it appears from space. Thirty years ago, inspired by the photographs of the whole Earth taken by the Apollo astronauts during their lunar missions, Eric developed the first visually authentic replicas of our home planet. A lifelong explorer, he greatly appreciates the many diverse environments of our wondrous Planet Earth.

When Benjamin Nuñez was 21, he left his home near Acapulco to come to the United States. He came directly to Orcas Island where he has worked for the West Sound Lumber Company as its sawyer for the past 15 years. In 2008, Ben was taking an elderly friend to the hospital in Anacortes when he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has been fighting his deportation since that occasion. His story has gained national attention, being told in the Seattle Times and the Huffington Post.

In 2000, John Vechey co-founded PopCap Games – a pioneer in the world’s gaming industry, with popular titles like Bejeweled and Plants vs. Zombies. Spanning fifteen years, PopCap grew from three founders to over 600 employees after being acquired by Electronic Arts in 2011. John is currently exploring “What’s next?” while enjoying his time as a new father, and engaging in his community as a board member for environmental non-profit Grist.org, and a member of the Quaker community.

Attendees will also be treated to the musical talents of Matt Helms, Christine Anderson, and Kellen Comrie.

Early bird tickets have sold out but a limited number of discounted tier 2 tickets are on sale via Orcas Center’s Box Office, and online at www.TEDxOrcasIsland.com.