Theme: Mind Moves Matter

"Mind Moves Matter" encapsulates a dynamic interplay between ideas, actions, and tangible outcomes, fostering innovation and continuous improvement across diverse domains. At its core lies the recognition that profound change originates from the fertile grounds of the mind, where ideas are conceived and nurtured. These ideas, propelled by deliberate actions, undergo application of realistic approaches, shaping and reshaping the world around us. From scientific breakthroughs to artistic masterpieces, from technological advancements to social movements, the theme illuminates the transformative power of human imagination and endeavor. It emphasizes the notion that every significant leap forward begins with a spark of intuition, followed by the relentless pursuit of turning vision into reality, ultimately leaving a mark on the course of history.

Our mind shall make, make moves to create, create change that matters.

Join us on August 31st as we embark on a journey to explore the nuance of Mind Moves Matter.

Please direct any inquiries to tedxjefferson@gmail.com

Connelly Auditorium
1001 Locust St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107
United States

Allison Carmen

Author, Podcaster & Attorney

Allison Carmen is a passionate advocate for embracing uncertainty to unlock life's possibilities. Her journey—as an author, podcaster, and Chief Financial Officer and Attorney at The Motherhood Center of New York—demonstrates how adopting a mindset of "Maybe" can lead to unexpected and transformative outcomes. Through her books, including "The Gift of Maybe," and her podcast "10 Minutes to Less Suffering," Allison shares insights on how the Maybe mindset helps transform uncertainty into an ally, reminding us that we always live in the unknown; we just fail to see its beautiful side filled with opportunities. Allison's Maybe mindset supports us in accepting things as they are while believing in the potential of the unknown—the miracles and good events we can't predict. She teaches that no one knows the future, and that’s a hopeful thing!

Chris Mannino

Author

Christopher Mannino is no stranger to feelings of doubt and despair, yet has embraced radical optimism in his life. As both a writer and parent, Mannino focuses on positivity. The anchor technique is an original concept, created during the Covid pandemic and inspired by his training as an actor and director. Focusing on positivity and gratitude are pillars to how Mannino approaches life now. He expands on this with a theatre and optimism-based approach to parenting, which is at the center of his upcoming parenting book Making it Up, releasing next fall.

Manuel Gonzamonte

Entrepreneur

Manuel Gonzamonte is a coach, investor, and entrepreneur. Hungry to overcome his anxiety, stress, and ADHD caused by a broken home, he studied Clinical Psychology and gave his first seminar on his learnings about how the brain works at just 19. His mission is to help people discover the immense power of the brain and the capacity it has to help us dominate any challenge and achieve any goal, when given the right tools.

Monroe Mann

Author & Entrepreneur

Dr. Monroe Mann (PhD, Attorney, MBA, LLM, ME, AS, PMP, Bronze-Star Nominee) is the modern definition of a renaissance man. He is the founder of BreakDiving.io, a global, close-knit, not-for-profit personal growth community where the focus is mentorship, meetups, motivation, and mutual support. He is also the founder of Intertect Global, an international private investigation firm. Mann’s eclectic background includes his nomination for a bronze star for his service in Iraq, his multiple adventures as an expat living in Shanghai, his earning of his freefall skydiving license, his production of the successful SAG feature film, “You Can’t Kill Stephen King”, his starting of a real estate investment company called Windermere Lodge, and giving inspirational talks around the world. Mann speaks French & Italian, and is also the author or co-author of 10 published books, including, “Guerrilla Networking”, which became a BN.com #1 bestseller and resulted in numerous tv appearances.

Nicholas Gentry

Mentalist & Illusionist

Nicholas Gentry, “The Intellectual’s Illusionist,” is a mentalist and illusionist who specializes in entertaining intelligent adults. Gentry takes a stand against the dumbing down of entertainment by asking himself one simple question: “If someone already knew all of my secrets and methods, what else beyond the trick would make my performances worth that person's attention?” In addition to teaching English and philosophy, Gentry is also an accomplished musician and tarot reader, a returned Peace Corps volunteer (Ghana), a former Americorps spokesperson for the American Red Cross of Alaska, and a former high school English teacher in Japan. A favorite amongst private clients and event planners, Gentry specializes in making a big impression on discerning adults, not as a mere novelty act, but as a true artist who actually has something to say.

Nick Cherukuri

CEO of ThirdEye

Nick Cherukuri is CEO of ThirdEye, a leader in AR/AI products. He was awarded Forbes 30 Under 30 for enterprise technology, a finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, has spoken at CES & AWE & holds multiple patents. One of his main goals is to find ways to use AR/AI to help humanity, especially in healthcare. As CEO, he led ThirdEye to a Unicorn valuation with its technology used by the US Department of Defense, and hospitals worldwide. In his spare time, Nick also enjoys heavyweight rowing, golfing, running & doing charity work.

Raja Vaidya

Cancer Scientist

Master Raja Vaidya is an innovative Cancer Scientist over 26 years, 40 years in martial arts and black belt hall of fame, and an opera singer. Combining these eclectic skills he developed a system of “Black Belt Confidence'' that empowers leaders to launch their effective leadership style and promote buy-in with their employees. Because of his lifelong stutter his mission in life is to normalize this “invisible disability” and add it to the “Americans with disabilities Act” (ADA). His mission is to raise more awareness and understanding to community and HR who have a blind spot on the subject. Vaidya hopes that raising awareness of PWS “People with Stutter” will empower anyone to finally find their voice.

Victor Dubeux

CEO & Co-founder of Ambulis; Student at University of Pennsylvania

Victor Dubeux is a Brazilian health-tech entrepreneur who is revolutionizing cancer care in Latin America as CEO of Ambulis. Raised on the outskirts of Recife, Brazil, Victor is passionate about healthcare accessibility and technological innovation. He is a rising Senior in the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Jerome Fisher M&T Program, majoring in Bioengineering and Business Management. Motivated by the disproportional death toll of cancer in his community, Victor's mission is to make high-quality advanced cancer therapies available to patients worldwide.

Yuva Ghambir

Student at University of Pennsylvania

Yuva Gambhir is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in cognitive science and computation. Residing in Philadelphia with his family, Yuva embraces a dynamic academic and personal life. Cognitive science, an interdisciplinary field blending neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, and computer science, captures his wide array of interests. Whether predicting market behavior at his part-time finance job, engaging the crowd’s energy while DJing, playing chess, meditating, or fostering meaningful conversations, Yuva finds cognitive science deeply relevant. Living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, an aggressive muscle-wasting condition requiring the use of a wheelchair, Yuva has navigated numerous existential crises, leading him to explore life’s profound questions. His philosophical studies and travels to meditation monasteries around the world have significantly influenced his journey.