Theme: AWE

Welcome to the TEDxHartlandHill Conference 2024! This year, our theme is AWE. Get ready to be amazed, inspired, and awestruck by our lineup of speakers and performers. Join us in person at the Billings Farm & Museum for a day filled with mind-blowing talks, interactive sessions, and unforgettable moments.

In 2024, TEDxHartlandHill will provide a moment of respite… a moment of AWE. Even in the midst of difficult times, there is so much wonder in our world—so much for which to stand in awe. This fall, join us and appreciate our world and all its magnificent mysteries.

Billings Farm & Museum / The Woodstock Village Green
69 Old River Road
Woodstock, Vermont, 05091
United States

James McLeary

Forensic Psychologist, Executive Producer

James is an expert group facilitator and program creator serving on the Elder Council of Inside Circle, an organization leading groundbreaking men’s circles comprised of both heads of industry and incarcerated violent offenders, taking place in both Folsom State Prison and San Quentin State Prison. The program provides opportunities for men to heal and serve both themselves and others, reducing recidivism and all forms of violence in our prisons and communities.

Jessie Ong

Stanford Undergraduate Majoring in Biomedical Computations, Researcher at Stanford's Heller Lab, Down Syndrome Activist

Jessie Ong is a rising sophomore at Stanford University majoring in Biomedical Computations with a focus on Cellular/Molecular Systems. She is researching Quinolinic Acid Dysregulation in Down syndrome at Stanford's Heller Lab, seeking therapeutics to improve the quality of life for those with Down syndrome, alongside Dr. Elsa Pittaras and Professor H. Craig Heller. Jessie is working alongside Professor Chris Lemons to establish Stanford's first inclusive education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She co-founded Food for Thought, an inclusive chemistry program that introduces young adults with Down syndrome to both research and independent living skills through kitchen chemistry experiments. Additionally, she serves as a program director for the Stanford Down Syndrome Research Center, working to connect the Stanford and Down syndrome communities.

Kim Nolan

Buddhist Chaplain, Director of Sustainable MBA Program, Lifelong Activist

Kim Nolan holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University and a M.Ed. from Boston University in Counseling Psychology. Her undergraduate years were spent at University of Vermont – designing her own major and being the school mascot. Kim is an ordained Buddhist chaplain and a lifelong advocate for social justice and human rights. She served as an appointed member of the Vermont Commission on Women and as board member on several national and local non-profit organizations. Recognized as an effective and compassionate leader, Kim facilitates training, provides coaching, and guides diverse teams through strategic vision and action planning. Kim is the Founder and Director of the Dignity Foundation, working at the intersection of cultural transformation, leadership & change management, and contemplative science. Kim’s interdisciplinary approach creates safe space to explore innovative pathways toward personal development, organizational change and enhanced systems thinking.

Melodie Winawer

Neuroscientist, Neurologist, Epidemiologist, Associate Professor of Neurology at Columbia University, Novelist

Melodie Winawer is a neuroscientist, neurologist, and associate professor at Columbia University, specializing in epilepsy, genetics, and the neuroscience of empathy. She has published over sixty scientific articles and authored novels including “The Scribe of Siena” and “Anticipation,” both highly praised. Melodie contributed to “We All Fall Down: Stories of Plague and Resilience” and is working on her third book. She lives in Woodstock, Vermont, with her spouse and three children.

Michelle Hogle Accivatti

Natural Deathworker, Founder of Vermont Forest Cemetery

Michelle, a licensed death doula, specializes in funeral directing, end-of-life support, and natural burial education. She helped legalize natural burial in Vermont, adding sections to seven cemeteries from 2017 to 2020. Co-founding Spirit Sanctuary in New York, she plans to create a similar site in Vermont. With diverse training, including mortuary practices and advocacy, she co-founded The Collective for Radical Death Studies and has extensive experience working with diverse populations, including those facing pregnancy loss. She works at various settings, from forests to hospital rooms.

Nori Pepe

Former Circus Performer, Aerial, Photographer, U.S. Freestyle Ski Team Member

Nori Pepe, passionate and adventurous, has held intriguing roles such as Circus Performer, Aerial Photographer, U.S. Freestyle Ski Team Member, and Artist. For the past seven years, she has lived in Woodstock and worked as PR & Marketing Manager at Billings Farm & Museum. Her travels and adventurous spirit deeply influence her art.

Story Smith

Educator, Physical Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant

Story Smith grew up in northern Virginia and first came to New England to attend Dartmouth College. She was an educator for 30+ years, teaching at the elementary and high school level in Vermont, Maine, and Ohio. Story Smith has spent most of her career working with at-risk teenagers, supporting them to maintain engagement in their education through tutoring, mentoring, counseling, “doing whatever it takes.” In 2015 Story returned to the Upper Valley to establish a home in Hartland with her wife. In 2021 Story decided to go back to school. She graduated from River Valley Community College as a physical therapist assistant in August 2023 and as an occupational therapy assistant in March 2024. She is currently practicing in both disciplines as an inpatient and outpatient therapist. Story is a mother of two sons and has two young granddaughters. She loves to be outdoors, be it in the garden, on her recumbent trike or a pair of skis, or walking/hiking the paths and dirt roads of Vermont.

Trina Merry

NYC Bodypainter

Trina Merry paints on the human body, creating the illusion that our reality is a two-dimensional space. Her artwork, created around the world, defies conventional boundaries as she merges the human form seamlessly with landscapes, architecture, and cultural symbols, exploring themes of identity, unity, and activism. Through meticulous attention to detail and expert use of light and shadow, her body painting and photography create a visual tapestry that challenges societal norms, prompts viewers to reflect on their authentic selves and their relationship with the environment. By blending art and activism, Trina Merry’s transformative creations inspire us to embrace diversity, question societal expectations, and confront pressing social and environmental issues.

Tuck and Patti Andress

Genre-Crossing Vocal/Guitar Duo

For over 45 years, this genre-crossing vocal/guitar duo has captivated audiences worldwide, earning admiration from lovers, jazz enthusiasts, and musicians. Their breakthrough came with 1988's Tears of Joy. Now, with 13 albums, they've toured globally, sometimes alongside legends like Miles Davis, Count Basie, and Herbie Hancock. Musicians and critics hold them as the standard for improvising duos. Their music covers Duke Ellington to Jimi Hendrix, spanning rock, pop, jazz, gospel, blues, folk, world, and classical—always uniquely Tuck & Patti. Married for 42 years, Tuck Andress and Patti Cathcart's minimalist arrangements highlight Tuck's virtuosity and Patti's rich mezzo-soprano. Patti, the writer, arranger, and producer, complements Tuck, who humbly calls himself "the orchestra." When not touring, they teach and help other artists in their studio near San Francisco. They are dedicated to helping others realize their dreams.