Theme: SHINE

It's that time of year again - TEDxSanDiego Main Stage Event! This evening will showcase 9 visionary speakers and 3 vibrant performances from the San Diego community.

Titled "SHINE" this event promises a series of impactful, short talks and performances designed to uplift, inspire, and share powerful ideas that can shape our world. For more Information on Speakers and Performances go to TEDxSanDiego.com. Get your ticket early as we have sold out in the past! See you soon.

David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
4126 Executive Dr
La Jolla, California, 92037
United States

Adam Jones

Singer/Songwriter, Inventor

Adam Jones is a San Diego-based singer/songwriter whose music has captivated audiences for over 16 years. With a style akin to Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, Adam combines poetic storytelling, gritty vocals and expert harmonica playing to deliver powerful, evocative performances. His shows have spanned diverse venues, from bars and concert halls to prisons and charity galas. Adam’s latest EP, "Now and Then" (2024), reflects two decades of his musical journey, featuring songs that critique, celebrate and explore the human condition. Offstage, Adam is a passionate “disciple of sound,” producing records, voiceovers and movie scores from his self-built home studio. He also holds a patent for a unique acoustic treatment panel and runs Siren Collaborative, which designs custom acoustic signage and art that merges form with function. Adam’s work embodies resilience and creativity, making him a vital voice in San Diego’s music scene. Website: yellinginmicrophones.com Instagram: @yellinginmicrophones

Alejandro Soumah

Sustainable Commodities Advocate

Alejandro Soumah leads RISO DATA, transforming West African cocoa through innovative supply chain modeling for transparency and sustainability. Raised on four continents by developmental economist parents, his multicultural background fuels a passion for equitable trade. Alejandro also founded COMPASS Institution, a nonprofit tackling global challenges like food insecurity with data-driven solutions. His work unites data science, agriculture, and sustainability, with research featured at the UCLA AI Conference and in publications on rice auto-sufficiency in Senegal and cocoa transparency in Ivory Coast. A former Quantitative Analyst at Goldman Sachs (FICC), he’s a vocal advocate for ethical supply chains, delivering talks on cocoa trade, data colonialism, and sustainability. Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, Alejandro is completing a Mathematics and Computer Science degree at UC San Diego. Learn more at alejandrosoumah.com.

Bing I. Bush Jr.

Equestrian, Attorney

Bing, originally from Lexington, Kentucky, grew up on a small horse farm, forging a deep bond with horses through daily care and equestrian sports—competitive jumping, foxhunting, polo, roping, trail riding, and breaking yearlings. After earning his law degree, he moved to California in 1987, focusing on personal injury, trusts and estates, and equine law. In 2000, he founded his own firm, representing everyone from local riders to international clients, including Dubai royalty. A licensed racing owner/trainer since 1984, Bing launched Abbondanza Racing in 2012, competing in events like the Breeders’ Cup. He serves on the boards of Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) and CARMA, helping retired racehorses find good homes, and actively supports nonprofits and legal organizations. Learn more at bushlawoffices.com and abbondanzaracing.com.

Dr. Manna Semby

Functional Medicine | Midlife Wellness

Dr. Manna Semby is the founder of Aruna Personalized Medicine and the Center for Cognitive Resilience, dedicated to transforming midlife health through The Aruna Method™, a science-based, multimodal approach focused on hormonal optimization, brain health, and functional medicine. Inspired by her children’s health challenges, she left a career in finance to pursue medicine. Her own battle with breast cancer deepened her commitment to helping others and highlighted the power of functional medicine and resilience.Believing health and wellness are essential for enduring leadership,Dr. Semby collaborates with Corporate Wellness programs & HR teams to develop strategies that foster resilient women leaders, improve retention, and close the gender gap in leadership. Her work empowers individuals to reclaim vitality, build resilience, and thrive during midlife transitions. www.arunamed.com & www.centerforcognitiveresilience.com. Dr. Semby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manna-semby/.

Gregg Ward

Thought Leader: Respect

Gregg Ward is the Founder of the Center for Respectful Leadership. He began his career as a theater professional in New York and the UK using improvisation to train NYPD police officers. From 1988-92 he also served as a journalist in Europe for BBC Radio and other UK media, covering the fall of the Berlin Wall. He now serves as a global thought leader and speaker on respect and is the author of the bestselling, award-winning business fable "The Respectful Leader" (Wiley 2016). Gregg sits on the Advisory Board of the Hyacinth Fellowship, is a Board-Certified Coach, a Master Corporate Executive Coach, and a Certified Management Consultant-Emeritus. In 2024 he was a finalist in the San Diego Business Journal’s CEO of the Year competition; and was named Top Executive Director by the International Association of Top Professionals, and top Executive Coach by Real Leaders Magazine. https://centerforrespectfulleadership.org/

Joe Risser MD, MPH

Grit, Professor, Thought Leader

Dr. Joe Risser is a Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego and a board-certified physician in Preventive Medicine. With over 40 years of research experience, Joe has pioneered studies on therapies, diagnostics, and behavior change strategies. He chairs the first Department of Clinical Research in one of over 15,000 community clinics in the U.S., serving vulnerable populations. Joe also holds a master’s in Biostatistics, completing his education and residencies at the University of Hawaii and UC San Diego. His lifelong passion lies in studying mental toughness, or "grit," and its profound connection to the protein Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Joe unveils groundbreaking research on BDNF, sharing the life-saving stories of two extraordinary individuals who embody extreme mental and physical resilience. Joe reveals how anyone can strengthen their mental toughness, making a tangible difference in their lives. http://teamhoodworldrecords.com

Matthew Quitoriano

Youth Organizer

Matthew Quitoriano (he/him) is a first-generation American and a current student at San Diego High School. He is a leader in his community, founding his school's mock trial club, and a founding member of the school newspaper and garden club. He formerly served two terms on the San Diego Unified school board representing nearly 100,000 students. , improving students’ civic engagement, and mental health, and creating the long-term vision of the second-largest school district in California. Matthew now works for Welfie, a startup building health equity tools to help mental health workers dismantle systemic prejudice. He works with Rhizome, Project Superbloom, and the Working Families Party to create collective power with young people and get youth civically engaged in untraditional ways.

Misti Cain

Startup Investor & Strategist

Misti Cain is currently an investor and Venture Partner for a global investment accelerator. Previously, she was the founder of a strategy agency helping startups going through a merger or acquisition create and implement people and process action plans. In addition, Misti was the host of the business reality show 'Werrrk" where she helped business owners overcome strategic challenges. Her latest project, PleaseStop.co helps founders go from blocked and ghosted to being sought after and funded. Misti's passion is helping entrepreneurs succeed.

Pantea Khodami

Precision Medicine Leader

Pantea Khodami is a visionary leader with over fifteen years of experience in genomics, precision medicine, and cloud technologies. An MIT graduate with a foundation in biomaterials science and engineering, she has driven over 30 product launches in the precision medicine space. Notably, she played a pivotal role in the development of the groundbreaking HiSeq X Ten sequencing platform in 2014, which made the $1,000 genome a reality. After finishing her graduate studies at MIT, Pantea began her career at Illumina, where she helped shape the future of genomic sequencing. Today, she leads the Precision Medicine and Genomics industry vertical at Amazon Web Services, where she harnesses the power of cloud technologies to accelerate precision medicine, advance diagnostics, and revolutionize drug discovery and development. Her work is fueled by an unrelenting passion for pushing the boundaries of what's possible, driving rapid advancements that promise to redefine the future of healthcare.

San Diego Gay Men's Chorus

Queer Choral Movement

LGBTQ+ choruses in the U.S., performing three major shows each year. The chorus has sung at the White House, the Super Bowl, and Lincoln Center, using music to inspire, connect, and drive social change. Tonight, they perform “Stronger Together” composed by Enrique Dunn—a piece first performed in Mexico City with Coro Gai Ciudad de México. Its powerful lyrics speak of breaking down walls and building international solidarity—because we are, indeed, stronger together. www.sdgmc.org

Tamara Rodriguez

Music and movement

Tamara Rodriguez, born in Monterrey, Mexico, is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer currently based in San Diego. She began her artistic career starring in the popular Telemundo reality show Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista and Univision’s Buscando a Timbiriche, La Nueva Banda. She earned a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she graduated cum laude with a dual major in Voice and Songwriting. Her career spans more than 50 theatrical productions across Southern California. Tamara’s film credits include Sugar Silence and Everyday Violence, Cholo Zombies, and Tazmania. As a concert artist, she has performed at the Nokia Theatre Live with Shakhar Binespajooh alongside the L.A. Philharmonic. Tamara has achieved success as a recording artist,with album credits including Infinite Energy and Radiance (Buddha Music Group).Her songwriting talents have been internationally recognized, earning her an award for her original composition,"I Talked to Italiano."

Victoria Lakers

Business Builder or Growth Strategist

Victoria is a Partner at Calibre One, a transatlantic executive search firm, where she helps private equity-backed software companies build high-performing leadership teams. Previously, she was a Partner at a boutique search firm, and led their diversity practice. Victoria previously held interim executive roles for investor-backed sustainability-focused tech start-ups. She also owned and sold two businesses: a FASTSIGNS franchise and an e-commerce business. Before that, Victoria spent six years in private equity at Water Asset Management and Apollo Global Management, working with some of the country's largest institutional investors. She graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and Finance. Victoria is a frequent speaker on investing and entrepreneurship and has served as a mentor for multiple accelerators. She is on the board of the San Diego Air & Space and NuFund Venture Group (formerly TCA), one of the largest angel groups in the country.