ABOUT
About
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All great things have a common ancestor: an idea. TED is a global nonprofit community of inspired thinkers who passionately share great ideas by eloquently exchanging stories and fervently advocating for change. Ultimately, these ideas foster a better world by improving awareness, changing perceptions, and enriching lives.
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TEDx is a locally planned, independent program organized in the spirit of TED. TEDxSLU aims to capture and share the ideas of local thinkers, innovators, and visionaries with the SLU community, the St. Louis community, and the world. By providing a platform for a diverse group of influential speakers and encouraging the SLU community to participate, we hope to nullify the idea of an out-group and instead bridge the disconnect between different disciplines, cultures, and communities.
Executive Board
Birju Patel
Lead Organizer
I am Junior at Saint Louis University.
Lina Jacob
Event Director
I am a Health Management major in the College for Public Health & Social Justice. I am also involved in Astha A Cappella, SLU's premier fusion A Cappella group, as the secretary. I enjoy being in TEDx because I get to work with wonderful individuals who desire to create a platform for good conversation and the exchange of innovative ideas.
Samiksha Mailarpwar
Event Director
I am a Junior at Saint Louis University.
Erin Heathman
Communications and Marketing Director
I enjoy spending time with my dog Trixie and my human friends and family too. I am also the president of pre-vet & AVP of Gamma Phi Beta at SLU. I’m really passionate about animal and human rights, so ted was a cool way to help bring those kinds of topics to school.
Ben Love
Sponsorship and Budgets Manager
James Sykes
Curator
I am a junior health sciences major on the pre-med path here at St. Louis University. In addition to taking part in TedX as the director of finance and sponsorship, I like to work out and play baseball. I am the president of the club baseball team at SLU where we travel to universities all over the country to compete. I love taking part in TedX because of the collaboration necessary to put on a privately funded TedX event, as well as the satisfaction I find in seeing it all come together.
As a Junior at Saint Louis University pursuing a B.A. in Biochemistry, I've had the pleasure of getting involved in a number of organizations on and off campus including Rotaract and SLU TEDx. Whenever I'm not working at my three jobs - Teach for America, PASE Cadaver Lab, and Varsity Tutors - you can find me playing ball with my nine year old Little through Big Brothers Big Sisters. SLU TEDx represents a microcosm of disruptive ideas occurring within the Saint Louis area. By providing a platform for these ideas to be heard, we establish tangibility for change.
Nikith Rao
Executive Producer
I am currently a junior at Saint Louis University where I working to complete my B.S. in Neuroscience along the Pre-med track. I am involved with many different organizations on and off campus along with TEDx. Outside of school, I enjoy volunteering, spending time with my family, and following sports. I believe that TEDxSLU offers a platform for people who otherwise would not be given a chance to showcase their passions.