Here Are Your TEDx Providence 2025

Boldly Beyond Videos

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This TEDx Providence video is available directly below:

TEDx Providence - Speaker Announcements -- John Taratino

Speaker: John Tarantino

TEDx Providence 2025 talk title: You Only Have One Life… Until You Have Another.

Note worthy: John Tarantino’s 2023 TEDx Providence talk on Redemption became the #1 TEDx Talk in the world, reaching over 23 million views and counting.

John Tarantino, a lifelong Rhode Island resident and renowned attorney, has built a remarkable career spanning over 40 years. As President Emeritus and Senior Counsel at Adler, Pollock & Sheehan P.C., John has earned numerous accolades, including recognition as one of America’s top lawyers by Best Lawyers of America.

Known for his courtroom prowess, he has successfully handled high-profile cases involving toxic torts, constitutional law, bribery, ethics violations, and voting law, representing prominent clients like the Atlantic Richfield Company and Rhode Island’s government leaders.

Equally committed to pro bono work, John has received numerous awards for his advocacy on behalf of lesser-known clients. His dedication to underserved communities stems from a formative college experience when a conversation with an Indigenous classmate deepened his understanding of cultural sensitivity and justice. This lifelong passion for equality and fairness earned him the RI Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame Award in 2019, cementing his legacy as a legal trailblazer and compassionate advocate.

TEDx Providence - Speaker Announcements -- Lauren Rugani 002

Speaker: Lauren Rugani

TEDx Providence 2025 talk title: Commit Existentially

Lauren is an accomplished marketing and communications executive with nearly 20 years of experience shaping the stories of some of the world’s most iconic science and technology organizations. Currently, Lauren serves as VP of Marketing and Communications at REGENT Craft, leading efforts to redefine the future of coastal transportation with innovative all-electric seagliders.

A physicist by training and communicator by trade, Lauren has led strategic communications projects spanning the discovery of the Higgs boson, flying autonomous internet drones, and launching quantum computers on the cloud. Prior to REGENT, Lauren has held roles leading Marketing and Communications at Rigetti Computing, guiding the company from Series B funding to a successful IPO; driving Technology Communications at Facebook; and holding positions at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and CERN.

Holding a BS in Physics from Syracuse University, an MS in Science Journalism from Boston University, and an Executive Credential in Public Policy and Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School, Lauren blends deep
scientific understanding with the art of storytelling to make complex ideas accessible and engaging for diverse audiences.

TEDx Providence - Speaker Announcements -- Chief Frank Williams

Speaker: Chief Justice Frank Williams

TEDx Providence 2025 talk title: How Abraham Lincoln Would Unite Today’s Polarized America

Frank J. Williams is the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. He was appointed by Governor Lincoln Almond and unanimously confirmed by the state legislature in January 2001, after serving for five years as
Associate Justice of the Superior Court.

On December 30, 2003, the President of the United States, through the Secretary of Defense, invited Chief Justice Williams to be a member of the then Military Commissions Review Panel for tribunals to be held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with the rank of Major General. The Military Commissions Act of 2006 created the Court of Military Commission Review on which Williams serves as Chief Judge.

Chief Justice Williams is also one of the nation’s leading authorities on the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, and one of the country’s most renowned Lincoln collectors, having amassed an unsurpassed private library and archive that ranks among the nation’s largest and finest. In addition, for more than twenty years he has been widely acknowledged as the foremost leader of America’s Lincoln fraternity – the large, nationwide community of Lincoln historians, students, and enthusiasts.

TEDx Providence - Speaker Announcements -- Shannon Shallcross

Speaker: Shannon Shallcross

TEDx Providence 2025 talk title: Gratitude

An executive leader in the insurance and data tech industries for over a decade, Shannon Shallcross is a true believer in the power companies have to use data to make a powerful impact on their bottom line profitability.

Shannon has advised numerous Fortune 500 clients on analytics strategy, first as head of Client Management for a national health tech company, and continuing as the Co-Founder of BetaXAnalytics, a company that pioneers emerging data science techniques using artificial intelligence to remove the barrier to actionable and transparent data for providers, payers and employers. Prior to this, Shallcross spent 12 years running branch sales and service operations across the country for Amica Insurance, a $7 billion insurance company.

Currently, Shannon is the head of Client Services for the Silicon Valley-based InsurTech Pinpoint Predictive. Pinpoint uses big data, deep learning and behavioral economics to quantify unpriceable risks for top P&C insurers.

Shallcross serves as an appointee for the State of Rhode Island’s HIE Advisory Commission which oversees technology that connects data across health care providers throughout the state. She has a Master of Science degree in Insurance Management from Boston University.

A TEDx speaker, Shannon has coached dozens of high potential leaders, data and InsurTech startups as an Advisor, as a judge for the Cox Business Get Started Rhode Island pitch competition, and as an Entrepreneur in Residence for Brown University’s prestigious Breakthrough Lab Accelerator.

TEDx Providence - Speaker Announcements -- Carlon Howard

Speaker: Carlon Howard

TEDx Providence 2025 talk title:

From Wounds to Wisdom

Carlon is the Chief Impact Officer and Co-Founder of Equity Institute. He leads organization-wide strategic and operational planning, ensuring EI’s vision is realized through clear prioritization and high-impact operational execution. In addition to helping launch the Equity Institute, he co-founded re*generation (formerly EduLeaders of Color R.I.).

Now an initiative of the Equity Institute, re*generation hosts monthly meetups designed to support education leaders from underrepresented backgrounds. Before entering his current role with Equity Institute,

Carlon was executive director of Breakthrough Providence, served as a City Year AmeriCorps member and Impact Manager, was a classroom teacher, and was a policy fellow for a former Colorado Senator. Outside of his full-time work, Carlon is an adjunct instructor at College Unbound and a leadership coach, primarily serving social impact leaders from historically marginalized backgrounds.

TEDx Providence - Speaker Announcements -- Claudia Cardozo

Speaker: Claudia Cardozo

TEDx Providence 2025 talk title:

How Self-Compassion Transforms the World Around Us

Claudia Cardozo is the author of “Love Is the Path” and the founder of InnateFive, a consultancy firm specializing in corporate coaching and workshop facilitation. Claudia is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Chopra Meditation Instructor, and Diversity & Inclusion specialist. As a first-generation Colombian immigrant to the U.S., she brings a unique perspective to her work, fueled by her passion for creating inclusive cultures.

Claudia champions compassionate leadership, encouraging leaders to cultivate environments that celebrate individual strengths and passions. Through her team-building workshops, she inspires mutual respect and collaboration, nurturing a cohesive and highly productive workplace.

Claudia’s passion for inclusive cultures stems from her personal journey, is guided by her unceasing curiosity, and is rooted in the belief that when people fully embrace who they are, there is nothing they can’t accomplish. She’s a Charter Member of the “A Loving Organization Consortium” and holds a Diversity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.

TEDx Providence - Speaker Announcements -- Julie Owens

Speaker: Julie Owens

TEDx Providence 2025 talk title:

Activating Your Optimism

Julie Sullivan Owens is a relentless optimist on a mission to build a more just, equitable and resilient economy in Rhode Island and beyond.

Julie is CEO of Social Enterprise Greenhouse: a catalyst for the social entrepreneurs creating innovative solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. SEG has supported 2,300+ social entrepreneurs over 15+ years, equipping them with the knowledge, capital and community they need to protect our environment, create better access to health care, and forge new pathways to economic prosperity.

Prior to joining SEG in 2022, Julie spent 25+ years as a consultant who cultivated strategic thinking and created positive impact at health care organizations across the country. Her work focused on both delivery of care (creating innovative programs that improve the patient experience) and financing of care (decreasing barriers that are often experienced by the underinsured).

Julie holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a BS from Stonehill College.

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We announce additional speakers every weekday!

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Where Powerful Ideas Are Woven into Communities

Connect with Changemakers! TEDxProvidence is more than just a series of talks—it’s a hub for meaningful connections. Meet thought leaders, industry pioneers, and like-minded individuals who share a passion for shaping the future. Join us and turn conversations into collaborations.

Hundreds of idea seekers discover ideas worth sharing at TEDx Providence.

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at TEDx Providence a single voice can ripple and echo around the world.

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TEDx Providence: Where one powerful idea was viewed over 23 million times around the world.

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Where communities are found and formed.

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Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.

TEDx Providence, the home of intellectual entanglements.

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Nominate Someone or Become a TEDx Providence Speaker

Are you ready to inspire, challenge, and share bold ideas that push the boundaries of possibility? TEDx Providence 2025 invites passionate visionaries, storytellers, and changemakers to apply as speakers for our theme, Boldly Beyond. This is your chance to captivate an audience with transformative ideas and perspectives that redefine the future.

Whether you’re an innovator, artist, educator, entrepreneur, thought leader, experienced or first time speaker, we welcome voices from all backgrounds to help spark the conversations that matter most. If you have a story, idea, or discovery that aligns with Boldly Beyond, we encourage you to submit your application today by completing the form below.

Together, let’s explore the unknown and inspire Rhode Island and Providence to dream bigger and more boldly than ever before.

Know Someone with Bold Ideas? Help us find visionary voices for TEDxProvidence 2025! Whether it’s an innovator, a storyteller, or a trailblazer, we’re looking for speakers who can inspire audiences to go boldly beyond. Your nomination could bring their ideas to our stage and to the world. Share this link with them today!

Become a Speaker

Here Are Your TEDx Providence 2025

Boldly Beyond Videos

Speaker: John Tarantino

Speaker: Lauren Rugani

Speaker: Chief Justice Frank Williams

Speaker: Shannon Shallcross

Speaker: Carlon Howard

Speaker: Claudia Cardozo

Speaker: Julie Owens

We announce additional speakers every weekday!

Check back again tomorrow!

Where Powerful Ideas Are Woven into Communities

Nominate Someone or Become a TEDx Providence Speaker

Our Stunning Venue

Veterans Memorial Auditorium

1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence, RI 02903

TEDx Providence – Saturday, February 8th | 12 pm