College & Independent Schools
TED Speakers
TED Speakers:
CEO, Citizen University & Civic Evangelist
One of the country’s most sought-after speakers on citizen power, civic health, the future of democracy and American identity, civic evangelist Eric Liu celebrates shared values and challenges Americans to live up to them.
Best-Selling Author, Creator and Host of Podcasts Thanks for Asking & It’s Going To Be OK
How are you? Nora McInerny wants to know the truth. TED speaker known for her viral talk; Nora specializes in making space for emotional honesty and difficult conversations.
Former President of Ireland & Former Chair of The Elders
One of the world’s most respected advocates for human rights and Ireland’s first woman President, Mary Robinson leads the mission of the Mary Robinson Foundation—Climate Justice.
Best-Selling Author of Thrivers, Parenting & Child Expert
Educational psychologist Dr. Michele Borba is as world-renowned for her warm, down-to-earth speaking style as she is for cutting edge insights. Her informative presentations leave audiences with usable strategies.
Social Activist & Contributor to Vanity Fair
Monica Lewinsky is a social activist, consultant and a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. She advocates for a safer social media environment and addresses such topics as digital resilience + reputation and more.
Animal Scientist & Autism Self-Advocate
The most accomplished adult with autism in the world, Grandin inspired the HBO film Temple Grandin (starring Claire Danes). Grandin shares the challenges and successes of her fascinating life.
Inner-City Youth & Education Advocate
Founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone, Canada addresses inner city poverty and violence. His model was featured in Waiting for Superman and has been replicated across the U.S.
Best-Selling Author on Science of High Performance
Best-selling author David Epstein has made it his mission to uncover the keys to achieving high performance in any domain. In his latest book, Range, he examines the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to artists and more.
Greatest Jeopardy! Player of All Time & Jeopardy! Host
Ken Jennings became the stuff of legend when he beat fellow champs “Jeopardy James” Holzhauer and Brad Rutter to win $1 million and be named the “Greatest Jeopardy! Player of All Time.”
Pulitzer Prize-Winning NYT Columnist
How good do you really have to be, to be christened the reporter’s reporter…by other reporters? You have to be Nicholas Kristof – good.
NYT Best-Selling Author & Motivational Leader
Moore energizes audiences with his remarkable personal story of overcoming adversity through education, embracing personal responsibility and emerging as an inspirational leader.
2014 Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Child Rights’ Activist
Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi has been a tireless global advocate of children’s rights for four decades now. He left a lucrative career and started Save the Childhood Movement to rescue children from the shackles of slavery.
Higher Education Thought Leader
Selingo has spent his journalism career covering colleges and universities worldwide. His book, College (Un)Bound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students, explores the college of tomorrow.
Bestselling Author & Creator of the Wildly Popular Blog Wait But Why
Tim Urban is a wildly popular thinker, blogger, illustrator, and speaker beloved for his ability to make sense of our world and humanity in head-spinning, hilarious ways.
Big Data Expert, Professor, Host of Nova Wonders
A popular TED speaker and passionate STEM education advocate, Dr. Williams deploys data in unusual and insightful ways, viewing subjects ranging from health to diversity in a new light.
Bestselling Author, Cancer Survivor, Host of the PBS Series Tell Me More With Kelly Corrigan
Called “the voice of a generation” by O Magazine, Kelly Corrigan is the author of four New York Times bestsellers and host of the PBS primetime interview show Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan and the weekly podcast, Kelly Corrigan Wonders.
Best-Selling Author of The Happiness Advantage
Shawn Achor is the world’s leading expert on the connection between happiness and success whose research has made the cover of Harvard Business Review.
Award-Winning Author & Curator
Samina Ali is an award-winning author, curator, and popular speaker. Her debut novel, Madras on Rainy Days , was the winner of France’s prestigious Prix Premier Roman Etranger Award and a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award in Fiction.
Entrepreneur, Veteran & Bestselling Author
The founder of an NGO and a former Marine, Rye Barcott has the distinction of being both a warrior and a peacemaker, a juxtaposition he explores in the memoir It Happened on the Way to War.
Distinguished Mathematician
Dr. Arthur Benjamin is a distinguished mathematician, professional magician and one of the world’s fastest mental calculators. His TED talks have been viewed over 12 million times.
Science Broadcaster, Decision Making Strategist, Tech/AI Expert, Philanthropist & Poker Champion
Liv Boeree retired from professional poker in 2019 soon after her breakout TED talk (3 Lessons on Decision Making from a Poker Champion) and is now focused on speaking, broadcasting/content creating, philanthropy and her popular podcast, Win-Win.
Founder, Homeboy Industries
Father Gregory Boyle is the founder and CEO of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention and re-entry program in Los Angeles County.
Founder of Kanchi & The Ability Awards
A visually impaired social entrepreneur working to enhance the relationship between disability and society, Caroline Casey has received several awards for her work worldwide.
Founder, ZipCar & GoLoco
Speaker Robin Chase is the founder of ZipCar, the largest car-sharing company in the world, and GoLoco, an online ride-sharing community that helps people share car trips.
"Cool Dad" & Foster Care Expert
Derek Clark, the viral "Rapping Dad" sensation, had a life of resilience and redemption. As a speaker, author and singer, Clark has spoken about his history of child abuse with a hopeful message to never give up.
Explorer & Ocean Advocate
Continuing the mission of her grandfather, Jacques and father, Phillipe Cousteau to protect the world’s oceans, Alexandra is a National Geographic "emerging explorer," filmmaker and gifted storyteller.
TED Speaker & Space Exploration Engineer
As a child, Nagin Cox had a dream of exploring space. And through incredible determination, a fighting spirit and a never-quit attitude, she has done just that. Cox has been a spacecraft operations engineer at NASA’s JPL for over 2 decades.
Award-Winning Essayist & Critic
William Deresiewicz is an award-winning essayist and critic, a frequent college speaker, and the best-selling author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life.
Former CEO of X Prize Foundation
Dr. Peter Diamandis formerly headed the X Prize Foundation, which leads the world in designing and launching large incentive prizes to drive breakthroughs that benefit humanity.
Global Storyteller, Trilingual Poet & Thought Leader in Respectful Dialogue & Social Courage
Dr. Omékongo Dibinga is the UPstander. His life’s mission is to inspire all across the globe to take a stand when they witness an injustice, no matter how small or large.
CEO of Not Impossible Labs
Recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the Top 50 World’s Greatest Leaders, Mick Ebeling has sparked a movement of pragmatic, inspirational innovation.
Award-Winning Author & International Consultant
Karen Eber is a captivating force in the world of storytelling and leadership. As an award-winning author, international consultant, and TED Speaker, she has educated and inspired over three million people globally.
Co-founder & CEO of Sprout
Cindy Eckert is a highly regarded entrepreneur, a strong advocate for female entrepreneurship, a pharmaceutical leader and one of the few self-made woman billionaires in history. Associates of hers call her unapologetically pink.
Cyber Security Analyst, Author & Researcher
Keren Elazari is an internationally acclaimed security researcher, author and strategic analyst, with years of experience in the international cyber security industry.
Professor of Science Education & Author
Christopher Emdin teaches STEM classes at Columbia where he serves as Director of Secondary School Initiatives at the Urban Science Education Center. He wrote Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation.
NASA Aerospace Engineer, Defense Tech Strategist, Program Manager & STEM Educator
Named one of the top 50 minority women in science and engineering, Ericsson is the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in engineering from NASA’s Goddard Flight Center.
CEO of Global Citizen/Global Poverty Project
Hugh Evans’ breakthrough brand of action-oriented humanitarianism has mobilized millions to end extreme poverty, climate change and gender inequality around the world.
Inspirational Educator & Author
Erin Gruwell helped students "written off" by the system harness the power of education to graduate high school. Her dedication to her students resulted in the publication of The Freedom Writers Diary.
Photographer & Founder, POSITIVE EXPOSURE
Rick Guidotti has spent the past 25 years collaborating internationally with communities to affect a sea of change in societal attitudes toward individuals living with genetic, physical, behavioral or intellectual differences.
Expert on Strategy, Globalization & Emerging Markets
International business speaker Anil Gupta is widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts on strategy, globalization, and emerging markets.
First Blind Contestant & Winner of MasterChef
The season three winner of Gordon Ramsay’s competitive amateur cooking show, MasterChef, Ha is the author of Recipes from My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food.
Jazz Vibraphonist
Stefon Harris' passionate artistry has propelled him to the forefront of the jazz scene. Harris is a thought leader whose presentations offer leadership development and team empowerment using jazz as a metaphor.
Vice Chairman, Morgan Stanley
Carla Harris is a Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. She is responsible for increasing client connectivity and penetration to enhance revenue generation across the firm.
President of Unleashed Productions
Robin is the director and producer of cause-based documentary films. Robin’s award-winning film, CODE, premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2015, and has caught the attention of the international tech industry and of policy makers and educators.
Academy Award-Winning Actress
One of Hollywood's most beloved actresses, Goldie Hawn is an Academy Award winner, producer, director, best-selling author, and children's advocate.
Biologist & Stress Expert, Author
Dr. Heiss is a stress expert dedicated to transforming our fears into fuel we can use through her T-minus 3 Technique. Her research has been designated “transformative” by the National Science Foundation.
Biomechanics Pioneer
After losing his lower legs during a mountaineering accident, Hugh Herr joined MIT’s Biomechatronics group as the director to seek advancements in technologies that accelerate the merging of body and machine.
Former NBA Player / Addiction Recovery Advocate
A hometown basketball legend, Chris Herren realized his dream of playing for the Celtics only to lose it all to addiction. He shares his story in Basketball Junkie & the ESPN documentary Unguarded.
Founder, Life Edited
As founder and CEO of LifeEdited, environmental speaker Graham Hill helps people design their lives to include more money, health, and happiness with less stuff, space, and energy.
Author & Expert in International Education
Carl Hobert, a leading voice on global education equity, human rights and social justice, reveals how to harness creativity, passion, teamwork, and determination to make the world a better place.
Expert on Fascination
Sally Hogshead is the Chief Fascination Officer of Fascinate, Inc. Using her science-based Fascinate system, she teaches how to instantly persuade and captivate in a world with a 9-second attention span.
President Emeritus of UMBC
Award-winning educator and diversity expert Hrabowski transformed UMBC with his enthusiasm for STEM. Partnering with businesses, UMBC fosters skills to ensure employability.
Best-Selling Author & "Human Guinea Pig"
Known as "the human guinea pig," A.J. Jacobs lived as a biblical subject, followed every bit of medical advice to be the healthiest man alive, and followed other bizarre situations that he documents in his novels.
World’s Foremost Authority on Rejection & Bestselling Author of Rejection Proof
Rising to notoriety with his most-viewed TED Talk (top 200 out of 60,000), What I Learned from 100 Days of Rejection, which became the basis for his bestselling book and #1 audio book, Rejection Proof, Jia Jiang has become the world’s foremost expert on rejection.
Behavioral Economist & Social Entrepreneur
Existing at the intersection of academia and practical implementation is Dean Karlan, a behavioral economist & Yale professor who uses his knowledge to solve problems in the nonprofit arena.
Founder of the Global Soap Project, Executive Director for Clean Production Action & Renowned Human Rights Activist
Derreck Kayongo's remarkable journey exemplifies the power of combining profit with purpose. As a successful entrepreneur, CEO, and renowned human rights activist, Derreck has demonstrated that businesses can thrive while making a positive impact on the world.
Pioneering Advertising Researcher & Filmmaker
Recognized for her work on the image of women in advertising and for her studies of alcohol and tobacco advertising, Jean Kilbourne is renowned for her ability to present provocative topics in a way that unites.
Self-Diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome
Rosie King became well-recognized after accurately diagnosed her own Asperger's Syndrome. After her popular TEDMED talk, she raises awareness about autism and is working towards becoming a professional actress.
Former VC & the Founder of Happier
A leading expert on emotional fitness, Nataly Kogan is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and keynote speaker on a mission to help millions of people embrace their Awesome Human, struggle less and thrive more in work and life!
Associate Professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business
Michal Kosinski, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, where he engages in groundbreaking research on the implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within societal and organizational structures.
Champion NASCAR Driver
Julia Landauer is a NASCAR racer and 2-time champion. With dozens of wins across different series, Julia has set records since she was 10 years old, including becoming the highest finishing female in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series’ 64-year history.
American Astrophysicist & Strategist
Emma Louden is an American astrophysicist, strategist, and speaker. Raised in Park City, UT, she spent many nights outside looking up at the Milky Way through the crisp and clear mountain air.
Astrophysicist & Author of The End of Everything
Dr. Katie Mack is a theoretical astrophysicist exploring a range of questions in cosmology, the study of the universe from beginning to end.
Author& Infographics Expert
An author, data-journalist & information designer, David McCandless champions the use of data visualizations to explore new directions for journalism. He is the author of Information Is Beautiful.
Best-Selling Author & “America’s Historian”
History. Legacy. Character. Great leadership. Brad Meltzer draws upon the themes of his best-selling books and popular television shows, challenging audiences to look at their lives, work and mission through the lens of legacy.
Leading Brain Scientist
Dr. Nicolelis is one of the leading brain scientists in the world, and is author of the acclaimed book Beyond Boundaries: The New Neuroscience of Connecting Brains with Machines—and How It Will Change Our Lives.
Creator of Go! Go! Sports Girls Dolls & Books
An expert in creating change, Jodi Bondi Norgaard shares her entrepreneurial journey of passion. She is the founder and creator of the award-winning Go! Go! Sports Girls line of dolls, books and apps for girls.
Geneticist, Professor, Mentor & TEDx Speaker
Dr. Tiffany Oliver is a dynamic motivational speaker, author, professor, and scientist. For almost 20 years, she has captivated audiences with her research and presentations on leadership, persistence, and excellence.
Geologist / Earth Science Historian
Oreskes, PhD is the author of The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change, which laid to rest the idea that there was significant disagreement in the scientific community about global warming and its human causes.
Social Entrepreneur & Author of Uncharitable
Dan Pallotta is a humanitarian entrepreneur, one of the world’s most forward voices on philanthropy and innovation, reshaping the nonprofit sector at an early age.
Leadership & Happiness Expert
After graduating from Harvard Business School, Neil Pasricha spent a decade as Director of Leadership at Walmart, the world’s largest company. While there he wrote the 50-million-hit, award-winning blog 1000 Awesome Things and NYT bestsellers.
Professor at Stanford & MIT, Advisor Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Lab
If the Big Data revolution has a presiding genius, it's Alex “Sandy” Pentland. Over years of groundbreaking experiments, he has distilled remarkable discoveries that have become the bedrock for social physics.
High Wire Artist & Master of the Impossible
From his legendary 1974 high wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to an Oscar-nominated film and highly viewed TED Talk, Renaissance man Philippe Petit continues to amaze the world with his artistry and eloquence as a speaker.
Emmy-Winning CBS Sunday Morning Correspondent
Whether he’s covering AI, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, the latest consumer tech, a post-robot world, or preparing for climate change, David Pogue is a master communicator who brings even the most non-technical audiences up to speed.
Award-Winning Journalist & Author of The Family Roe
For more than twenty years, Joshua Prager, a former senior writer for The Wall Street Journal, has written about historical secrets. His work has shed new light on our cultural touchstones.
Founder of Green Bronx Machine
Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx educator/administrator who believes that students shouldn't have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn in a better one.
Creator of the 5 Second Rule
Mel Robbins is the co-founder of Inspire52 and an award-winning CNN commentator and legal analyst. In her motivational presentations, Robbins speaks at events around the world on human behavior and leadership.
Award-Winning Producer, Transgender Fashion Model & Activist
Geena Rocero, born and raised in Manila, Philippines, is an Award Winning Producer, Writer, Director, Model, Public Speaker, Trans Rights Advocate and co-host of the Webby Awards honoree TV Show ASPIREist, broadcasted on HLN/CNN.
Founder & Artistic Director of National Disability Theatre
Mickey Rowe is on the autism spectrum. He was the epicenter of significant publicity when he became the first autistic actor to play Christopher Boone, the lead role in the Tony Award-winning play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”
Female Empowerment Expert
A modern multi-hyphenate, Wendy Sachs is a documentary filmmaker, Emmy-award winning television producer, author, writer and sought-after speaker. She is an expert on female empowerment, taking risks, embracing failure and growing confidence.
Former Editor & Managing Director, Fast Company
As the former Editor & Managing Director of Fast Company, Robert Safian is known for highlighting the “new” in business while keeping reverence for the “tried and true.”
Renowned Finnish Educator & Scholar
Pasi Sahlberg is a Finnish educator and scholar. Known as the international “school improvement activist,” he shares his experiences in classroom teaching, teacher education, and global educational change.
Former Education Correspondent, NPR
A former elementary and middle school teacher, Sanchez was the education correspondent for NPR. His reports air on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition.
Founder of Trend Mastery
Patrick Schwerdtfeger is a leading authority on technology trends including big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain. He’s the founder of Trend Mastery and the host of the Strategic Business Insights video blog (with over 25,000 subscribers and five million views on YouTube).
Former President of PepsiCo & CEO of Apple
John Sculley is known for turning PepsiCo into one of the most successful American brands in history. He also steered the direction of Apple as its CEO.
Co-Founder & CEO of Magpi
A practicing physician, TED speaker, futurist and emergency responder, Dr. Selanikio bridges the worlds of healthcare, global health and technology to illustrate opportunities in the application of AI, big data, and more to social challenges.
LinkedIn Top Voice in Tech & STEM Educator
Justin Shaifer, award-winning Science & Technology TV Presenter & Producer, uses cutting-edge tech to revolutionize science education. Through his company Fascinate Media, Justin creates immersive educational experiences with 3D animation, volumetric capture robotics, and more.
Author, Professor at UCL and MIT & Expert on Human Behavior
Award-winning author and acclaimed Professor, Tali Sharot is a leading expert on decision-making, emotion, influence, motivation and mental health.
Founder of because I said I would
Alex Sheen is a four-time TEDx speaker and the Founder of because I said I would, an international social movement and nonprofit dedicated to the betterment of humanity through promises made and kept.
Best-Selling Author & Leadership Educator
Rachel Simmons is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Odd Girl Out and The Curse of the Good Girl, and Enough As She Is.
Founder of LiberatED
Dr. Dena Simmons is the founder of LiberatED, a liberatory approach to social and emotional learning, racial justice, and healing. She is also the inaugural scholar-in-residence at the Institute for Racial Justice at Loyola University of Chicago.
Father, Founder & Futurist
Alan Smithson is a father, founder and futurist. His purpose in life is to inspire and educate people to think and act in a socially, economically and environmentally responsible way.
Photographer & Big Data Expert
Rick Smolan is a former Time, Life & National Geographic photographer and the CEO of Against All Odds Productions, which combines storytelling with state-of-the-art technology.
Innovative Educational Consultant
Speaker David Sousa is the author of How the Brain Learns, in which he translates discoveries on brain research into practical and effective classroom strategies.
Motivational Speaker, Musician, Author, Veteran & Entrepreneur
Sleeping in a homeless shelter. Bouncing between foster homes. Losing his mother to suicide. And that’s just the beginning. Ryan Stream’s story didn’t start in the spotlight, it started in survival mode.
Cultural Scientist & Author
A cultural scientist, passionate traveler and science journalist, Sukel has no problem tackling interesting (and often taboo) subjects spanning love, sex, risk taking, neuroscience, travel and politics.
Internationally Recognized Futurist/Visionary/Inventor
Kevin Surace is a Silicon Valley innovator, serial entrepreneur, and CEO. While he has a deep technical background, he is known as a very dynamic public speaker who is a true entertainer that excites, educates and energizes audiences to action.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist, Author
The author of Life, Animated (inspiration for the Academy Award nominated film of the same name) shares his journey of connecting with his son, who has autism, through Disney movies.
Neuroanatomist, Stroke Survivor & Author
Speaker Jill Bolte Taylor spent eight years rebuilding her brain after having experienced a severe hemorrhage. She shares her journey in My Stroke of Insight.
Inspirational Principal
Being driven by a purpose larger than the self is the theme of I Choose to Stay, a memoir written by the award-winning school principal and speaker Salome Thomas-EL.
Technology & Innovation Expert, Futurist
Called “Silicon Valley’s most provocative voice” for his ideas on technology trends and the future, Vivek Wadhwa’s work puts him at the heart of where innovations—technological and otherwise—are being developed.
Human Rights Activist & Advocacy Educator
Natalie Warne is an activist who at the age of 17 decided to work for the humanitarian aid organization, Invisible Children. What began as a 5 month internship resulted in Natalie producing award-winning international human rights awareness campaigns.
Public Intellectual, Author & CNN Commentator
Theo Wilson is a founding member of the Denver Slam Nuba team, who won the 2011 National Poetry Slam. Wilson is the executive director of Shop Talk Live, Inc. The organization uses the barbershop as a staging ground for community dialogue and healing.
Culture Evangelist
Jon uses his life experience and nine years in the Zappos Family to speak with a focus on culture, customer experiences, branding and their importance in business today.
Author & Journalist
After ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff was wounded in Iraq, he and his wife, speaker Lee Woodruff, penned the best-selling In an Instant to help others cope with crisis.
Co-Founder, Apple Computer, Inc.
Speaker Steve Wozniak changed the computer world when he designed Apple's first product line: Apple I and II. He is also a philanthropist focusing on computer use in schools.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist
Sheryl WuDunn, the first Asian-American reporter to win a Pulitzer Prize, is a business executive and best-selling author. She co-founded FullSky Partners, a consulting firm focusing on double-bottom line ventures in new media, technology and health.
Award-Winning Medical Journalist & CNN Analyst
Seema Yasmin is an Emmy Award-winning medical journalist, public health physician, CNN analyst and author. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news reporting in 2017 for her reporting on a mass shooting.
Globalization & Education Expert
Speaker Yong Zhao is the presidential chair and associate dean for global education at the University of Oregon. He covers everything from policy to innovation and technology.