Jason Williams

SG Living & Sober Gangster

The Most "Gangster" Thing I Have Ever Done Was Get Sober

Jason Williams has been living sober for nearly three decades and built Sober Gangster, a lifestyle brand, to flip the script on what recovery looks like. Through his sober living community, SG Living, he creates a culture where accountability meets ambition and where recovery means thriving, not just surviving. His work challenges stereotypes and shows that living sober is more than a choice; it is a powerful lifestyle.

In his TEDx talk, Jason Williams, founder of Sober Gangster and SG Living Sober Living Homes, shares how nearly three decades of sobriety have shaped his mission to redefine recovery as a powerful lifestyle where accountability and ambition create thriving communities.

Wendy Patrick, J.D, Ph.D.

Career Trial Attorney / Legal and Ethical Consultant

The Honeymoon Phase of Artificial Intelligence

As a career prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney, Wendy Patrick has dedicated her professional life to community protection and crime prevention. In today’s world, this includes using new technologies to promote public safety and security, enhance personal wellbeing, and improve quality of life.

In her TEDx talk, Wendy inspires her audience to celebrate the Honeymoon phase of Artificial Intelligence through engaging, practical examples of how to use this new technology legally, effectively, and ethically, within the comfort of established moral boundaries.

Dr. Stacy Cecchet, PhD, ABPP

Forensic & Operational Psychologist | Child Safety & Exploitation Expert

It Started With ‘Hi’: Talking to Your Kids Before the Internet Does

Dr. Stacy Cecchet has spent her career stepping into the shadows - where online predators hide and children are most at risk. She works alongside law enforcement to profile offenders, uncover patterns of manipulation, and has trained thousands of investigators worldwide in the art of interviewing and online undercover techniques. Her mission is as clear as it is urgent: to outthink those who would harm children and to give families the tools they need to keep them safe.

In her TEDx talk, Dr. Cecchet pulls back the curtain on how predators groom, exploit, and extort children online - and shares how parents can become their child’s strongest line of defense.

Brandi M. Mitchell

Soccer Advocate & Connector / Contract Small Business & Nonprofit Administrator

PLAY at Every Age: Older Women in Soccer

When Brandi Mitchell isn’t out on the field playing 40+ recreational women’s soccer at local parks in San Diego, she is bringing together women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s for special events and media opportunities. She creates training sessions and tournaments for them around the world, gently coerces them into group photos, and connects them to a global audience through her online presence and her in-person appearances as “San Diego Soccer Women.”

Brandi Mitchell presents a new perspective on gender and aging, offering a convincing argument that recreational soccer should be promoted to women ages 40 to over 70 for the health and well-being benefits that this physically demanding team sport provides.

Dr. James M. Hyman, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Neuroscientist | UNLV

Lessons From Neuroscience to Make Your Brain Work Better

James Hyman studies how the brain processes and manipulates information important for cognition and memory. His methods utilize skills from psychology, electrical engineering, physics, and computer science, to understand the neural code and how it's affected by neurodegenerative pathology. He's also a professor who's taught dozens of neuroscience courses and regularly speaks to the community about the brain.

In his TEDx talk, Dr. Hyman highlights different insights about how the brain works and ways to hack your own brain for better cognition, happiness, and health. 

Charlie Lin

Brain Health Advocate | Youth Resilience Leader

Where the Brain Ends and the Mind Begins

At 15, Charlie has made a remarkable comeback from a stage two diffuse axonal injury, turning adversity into a source of strength and purpose. His journey has ignited a passion for helping others, raising awareness of the mind’s power to shape our reality after any injury, and inspiring people to see possibility where others see limitation.

In his TEDx talk, Charlie shares how his recovery from a head injury revealed the need to discover where the brain ends and the mind begins.

Colleen Mitchell

Entrepreneur | DoggoWash

The Day Someday Changed

Colleen Mitchell is a former licensed funeral director and corporate culture leader whose work spans retail, technology, and entrepreneurship. Early in her career, she worked closely with grieving families, shaping her perspective on time, choice, and the regrets people most often postpone. In 2024, she left corporate leadership to pursue entrepreneurship full time, co-founding and scaling a self-serve dog wash business in San Diego that now serves tens of thousands of customers across multiple locations.

In her TEDx talk, Colleen explores a powerful reframe drawn from grief, leadership, and entrepreneurship: while time is limited, possibility is not. Through lived experience, Colleen invites audiences to reflect on how they make decisions, what they delay, and what becomes possible when they stop waiting for the right moment.

Hollie Berry

Makeup Artist | Yoga Teacher | Creative Entrepreneur

The Beauty of Connection: What Makeup Taught Me About Seeing Each Other

Hollie Berry is a licensed cosmetologist, educator, and yoga teacher based in San Diego. With over a decade as a professional makeup artist, she’s learned that beauty is less about products and more about presence, trust, and the confidence we feel when we are truly seen. Today, she blends artistry and mindfulness to inspire conversations about authenticity, human connection, and redefining beauty in a world shaped by social media.

In her TEDx talk, Hollie shares how years behind the makeup chair revealed that real beauty isn’t found in filters or perfection. It emerges in moments of connection, vulnerability, and the courage to feel enough in a world shaped by social media.

Dr. Brendan Talwar, Ph.D.

Marine Scientist | Conservation Biologist

Sharks, Reality TV, and The Myth of Insignificance

Brendan Talwar studies fish and fisheries, with a focus on sharks. His research spans biology, ecology, policy, and even toxicology — from tracking silky sharks across the Caribbean to assessing contaminant levels in commercially important species. He combines field science with public engagement, translating technical findings into stories that connect people to marine conservation.

In his TEDx talk, Dr. Talwar draws on his experience as a shark researcher and winner of Netflix's All the Sharks to challenge the myth that smallness and insignificance are the same. He explores how small choices ripple outward to affect ocean health, and why recognizing our connections to marine ecosystems is the first step in protecting them.

Event News and Announcements

Stay in the Loop

Be the first to hear about speaker announcements, talk titles, and event updates as our Elevate lineup comes together. Our upcoming speakers will share ideas that inspire growth, connection, and transformation, and we would love to keep you in the loop.