2019 Speakers
the co-founder of Diversity Talks, a business that provides student-led professional development for teachers that utilizes restorative justice practices and provides the tools necessary to engage in culturally relevant conversation within the classroom. She is a former delegate for the Providence Student Union. In this role, Taiwo assisted in the development and implementation of an ethnic studies curriculum and educated community stakeholders about the issues impacting Providence high school students. As a member of the Nellie Mae Foundation speaker’s bureau, Taiwo has been able to educate audiences outside of Rhode Island about the importance of empowering young people to be agents of change. Taiwo is currently a sophomore at Mount Holyoke College and remains committed to inspiring and uplifting people through honest dialogue and narrative sharing.
Sebastian Ruth
a musician, educator, and organizer whose work explores new roles for music making in contemporary society. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Community MusicWorks, a nationally-recognized organization that connects professional musicians with urban youth and families in Providence, Rhode Island. CMW’s programming includes a full season of chamber music performances and commissions by its twelve musicians in residence and guest artists; a free, robust music education program for 150 neighborhood young people; workshops, student concerts, and community dinners that involve families and the wider community; and fellowships and training programs that prepare a next generation of musicians to pursue socially-engaged music making.
Sebastian is a Visiting Lecturer at the Yale School of Music and an Assistant Professor of the Practice of Music at Brown University. He serves on the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture’s cabinet, with a title of Secretary of Music and Society, and the advisory board of the Sphinx Organization.
In 2010, Sebastian received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from First Lady Michele Obama on behalf of Community MusicWorks. He received an honorary doctorate in music from Brown University (2012) and was named by Strings Magazine as among the 25 most influential people in the string music world (2012). Sebastian is a recipient of a 2010 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship for “forging a new, multifaceted role beyond the concert hall for the twenty-first-century musician.”
A 1997 graduate of Brown University, Sebastian lives in Providence, is married to violinist Minna Choi, and is a father of two awesome daughters.
Jose R. Rosario
is A speaker, author and above all, an advocate. As a member of many diverse identity groups, Jose recognizes that common experiences bring people together and that taking stock of who we are gives us power. Jose wants to inspire others to acknowledge their identities, share their stories and empower those who are underrepresented to rise. As a mental health professional, Jose understands that this empowerment, and the creation of a space to be vulnerable, can lead to individual and group growth, awakening agents for change.
Jose is a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at Clark University and CEO of The Phoenix Empowered, an organization focused on mental health disparities in marginalized groups. In addition, he is an Expressive Arts Facilitator through the PeaceLove Studios.
Dr. Megan Ranney
An Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital/Alpert Medical School of Brown University; Director and Founder of the Brown Emergency Digital Health Innovation program (www.brownedhi.org). Dr. Ranney’s career focus is on developing, testing, and disseminating digital health interventions to prevent violence and mental illness.
She is currently Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on 9 federally funded grants and has over 100 peer-reviewed publications. She holds numerous national positions, including serving as an elected member of the Board of Directors of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Chair of the Rhode Island Governor’s Task Force for Gun Safety, and editor for Annals of Emergency Medicine. She is also Chief Research Officer and co-founder of AFFIRM, the country’s only non-profit committed to ending the gun violence epidemic through a public health approach. She has received numerous awards for technology innovation, public health, and research, including Rhode Island Woman Physician of the Year and the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Policy Pioneer Award. Megan is also a Fellow of the fifth class of the Health Innovators Fellowship Program and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in History of Science, graduating summa cum laude, from Harvard University; her medical doctorate, graduating Alpha Omega Alpha, from Columbia University; and her master’s in public health from Brown University. She was previously a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cote d’Ivoire. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two children. She is active on Twitter @meganranney.
Brian Boyle
A training designer/technologist, founder of CrossTrainer® eLearning, and Co-Founder of CrossTrainer Mixed Reality. With nearly 20 years in design and 15 years as a Rhode Island business owner, Brian combines his wealth of experience with a wide range of technologies to disrupt the training industry. In 2018 CrossTrainer was awarded Most Innovative Professional Services Company by Providence Business News.
In recent years Brian has focused on freeing learners from their desks through mobile learning and gamification. He has designed innovative mixed reality training solutions that engage learners and bolster retention. The next frontier goes beyond training, toward building rich user experiences with the goal of improving quality of life. Brian continues to educate audiences on the vast potential of these emerging technologies, while working with his team to blur the boundaries of the physical and virtual worlds.
Brian is an Alumni of Geneseo State University in NY, and Goldmann Sachs 10kSB program in RI. CrossTrainer Mixed Reality work has included: The History Channel, FM Global, John Paul II Center, Dunkin Brands, The Equity Institute, and Metropolitan Edison.
Julian Jacobs
A recent graduate of Brown University and a Fulbright Scholar whose research has focused on the effects of artificial intelligence on income inequality, the future of work, and American democracy. He is the author of 35 articles and essays in 15 different publications, including interviews with Bernie Sanders, David Cameron, Noam Chomsky, Peter Hitchens, Tom Perez, and Reza Aslan. He is the Founding Editor-In-Chief of the Brown University Journal of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Julian previously worked at The Brookings Institution and in President Barack Obama’s post-presidency office, where he supported the 44th President’s correspondence, communications, and speechwriting teams.
Yarrow Thorne
Founder and Executive Director of The Avenue Concept, developed his passion for art and design in urban spaces growing up in a design-based family in Northampton, Massachusetts. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). While a student, Yarrow established RISD’s first public art policy to create revolving walls for artists to showcase their work. In 2012, Yarrow was selected to receive one of twenty SEED Grants from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, which he used to found The Avenue Concept, a platform for a scalable and sustainable public art programming in Providence, Rhode Island. Yarrow’s vision for The Avenue Concept is a private organization that leverages support for public art projects to get off the ground, to jump-start excitement and recognition for art and its value in Providence and everyday life. Yarrow believes his dyslexia is his greatest asset. Through it he has developed his ability to work outside the box in many venues, particularly in finding creative solutions to urban challenges using public art. Yarrow has installed over 150 pieces of public art since 2012.
Naomi Osemedua
Founder of The Women With Stories International, an organization that empowers women to find and own their unique stories, discover their cure, and serve others. Naomi uses her knowledge and expertise as a Global Media Strategist to coach personal and corporate brands on how to go from invisible to visible and local to global by leveraging digital media platforms. An alumna of the Dale Carnegie Institute and the Myles Munroe Leadership Mentoring Program, Naomi also serves on the Board of Directors of four non-profits: Hive Africa, Church on the Street, Kiyeseni Foundation and Salt Talks Africa. She is the recipient of the Woman of Excellence Award by the Women’s Economic Forum in New Delhi, India. Her mission is to ‘die empty’ and SPARKLE the world like only she can.
Monika Sattler
A strategy consultant, keynote speaker and author. She consults professionals, athletes, leaders and corporations on goal & change strategy, women empowerment and mastery of mental barriers. Her recent inspirational work includes setting a seemingly impossible world record cycling as the first female in history every mile of the 2000 mi Tour of Spain at the same day as the professionals. Monika has previously worked for the World Bank, IBM and the International Monetary Fund, has lived in five countries and speaks three languages. Originally from Germany, she holds degrees from Bryant University, Georgetown University and University of Minnesota.
Emily Quinn
An artist, author, and intersex activist. She received her BFA in Animation in 2012 and worked at Cartoon Network on the Emmy Award winning show, Adventure Time. While there she partnered with interACT and MTV to develop the first intersex main character in television history. She came out publicly as intersex in a PSA alongside the character’s debut, which launched her into the national spotlight as an intersex person. She has since been featured in an array of media, including Teen Vogue, the Washington Post, Buzzfeed, Vice, Huffington Post, PopSugar, and many more.
Emily worked as the Youth Coordinator for interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth before branching off on her own as a freelance activist and artist. She has experience speaking to a myriad of diverse audiences including the American Academy of Pediatrics, San Diego Comic-Con, Harvard University, GLAAD, South by Southwest, the Council of Europe, and, in 2018 she gave a TED talk.
Steve Ahlquist
A Rhode Island based reporter that runs the independent progressive news site UpriseRI.com. A writer, photographer and videographer, Steve has been honored with awards and recognition from RI Pride, DARE, the RI Homeless Coalition and the Red Bandana Fund, among others. His online publication is entirely supported by the communities he serves.
Hannah Chung
The Co-founder and Head of Design of Sproutel, an award-winning company creating products that make meaningful health impact in the lives of patients. She has been recognized by various organizations – including “Top 15 Women to Watch in Tech” by Inc Magazine in 2012, and one of 50 honored makers by the White House in 2014. She has also spoken at numerous conferences like Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, IDSA, Creative Mornings, and SXSW. Before co-founding Sproutel, Hannah co-founded Design for America, a national student organization that helps students solve local, social problems through human-centered design. Hannah studied Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University and enjoys challenging herself through working on various illustration projects.
Ted Fischer
Co-Founder and CEO of Ageless Innovation and the Joy for All brand. Inspired by his relationship with his grandmother, Claire, who lived gracefully with progressive dementia, Ageless Innovation is focused on reimagining how we live and age by unleashing the power of play.
Ted has spent his career building, working with and leading collaborative teams that strive to achieve meaningful financial and social impact. After a 25 year career founding or working with early stage companies, in 2015, he joined Hasbro as VP, Business Development and led the launch of the Joy for All brand, Hasbro’s first ever property focused on older adults. Three years later, he and his former Hasbro team founded Ageless Innovation and acquired the Joy for All brand in a friendly management spin-out.
In 2019 Ted was the recipient of the Leadership Longevity Award for Vision and Technology at the 16th annual What’s Next Boomer Business Summit.
Ted holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College and is a graduate of the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. He serves on numerous nonprofit boards and as Board Chair of Year Up RI. His greatest accomplishments are his 29-year marriage to his wife Lisa and their three adult children.
Elisa Celis
An Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science at Yale University. Elisa’s research focuses on problems that arise at the interface of computation and machine learning and its societal ramifications. Specifically, she studies the manifestation of social and economic biases in our online lives via the algorithms that encode and perpetuate them. Her work spans multiple areas including social computing and crowdsourcing, data science, and algorithm design with a current emphasis on fairness and diversity in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Elisa received her B.Sci. from Harvey Mudd College in 2006 in computer science & mathematics, a M.Sci in mathematics from the University of Washington in 2008, and a Ph.D. in computer science & engineering from the University of Washington in 2012. She was a research scientist at Xerox Research India where she managed the crowdsourcing research thrust worldwide, and then was a senior research scientist at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland in computer and information sciences, where she was also a program advisor for the Digital Humanities doctoral program and a co-founder of the Computation Nature and Society Think Tank.