In 1804 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery across the continent,
arriving in what is now Astoria, Oregon, in December 1805. Their remarkable journey into
the unknown evokes the pioneering spirit of all Oregonians and is the inspirational platform
for us to spread ideas in search of the new frontier. “Do not go where the path may lead; go
instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Founded 25 years ago, TED (Technology/Entertainment/Design) is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. The annual conference invites the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for no more than 18 minutes. Their “talks” are then made available for free at TED.com.
Established in 2009, in the spirit of ”ideas worth spreading,” TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED.com videos, live speakers and performers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. Over 1,400 TEDx events occur annually around the world.
Twenty-one local artists have donated their time, treasure and talent in support of the first-ever TEDxPortland art show inspired by the theme Uncharted Territory. The exhibit is currently on display at the new One Grand Gallery. All pieces in the exhibit are part of a silent auction benefitting Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP) with every penny matched by the Nike Foundation. The exhibit and silent auction will move to the Armory on April 21 for TEDxPortland event attendees to see and place final bids.
Stop by the gallery for a free pint of delicious, cold Widmer beer and bid on an original TEDxPortland work of art through April 19. Open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 7:00 p.m.
Gene’s design philosophy is simple and inspiring: do more with less, protect our natural resources, elevate craft, enrich the human experience and create delight. He is a partner at ZGF Architects, where he puts his philosophy to work developing award-winning design. Gene was honored as a top “40 under 40” business leader by Oregon Business magazine, and was recently named one of Portland’s most influential people by Portland Monthly magazine.
Joe Whitworth, president, The Freshwater Trust. Informed by his more than 19 years of NGO work, Joe has become focused on the next generation of conservation tools that can leverage technology and finance to accelerate the pace and scale of restoring freshwater ecosystems. A patented inventor, he cochairs the Oregon Global Warming Commission's Water Subcommittee, the Agriculture Water Quality Review Committee and was founding board chair of the Council for Responsible Sport. He holds a JD from Lewis & Clark College, and an AB from Dartmouth College. When not exploring new water, Portland, Oregon, serves as home base for him and his family.
Since he could walk, Jeb wanted to fly. And fly he has. He is a world-renowned BASE jumper and an accomplished wing suit flyer with over a decade of experience in each discipline and thousands of jumps and flights under his belt. It may be fair to say he's flown more out of a plane than most folks have flown in one. In January 2012 Jeb suffered an accident while BASE jumping with a wing suit off Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Sharks and the exhilarating power of fear fascinate him.
Eleven-year-old Gavin started SevenSeven Skateboards three years ago after designing deck art on his dad’s iPad. He loves skateboarding, design and celebrating the positive aspects of the sport. His real passion revolves around building and sustaining futuristic skate parks for youth, and what that means for local skate athletes. An avid Trail Blazers and Timbers fan, Gavin lives in Portland, Oregon, with his parents and older brother, Cameron. He dreams of a world with no math homework.
As the head of strategy at Ziba design, Hideshi uses visual models and frameworks to generate concepts and strategies, and is considered to be a leading mind in creative concept development, strategy building and decision management on both sides of the Pacific. In 1994 he created the first corporate intranet in Japan. In 2000 he led the core concept development for the world’s first USB flash drive. The process of innovation inspires him.
Bassima is a Lebanese American, with roots in West Africa and Canada, who attended Queen's University and received an MBA from Babson College. Experience in the pharmaceutical, agriculture and automotive industries led her to Nike, Inc. in Beaverton, Oregon. Bassima’s passion is supporting nonprofit organizations that focus on the intersection of business innovation and social change. She is living testament of The Girl Effect, a beacon of hope and promise.
Ward is best known as the inventor of wiki technology. Now, as the Nike Open Data Fellow, he has set out to change the world by doing for numbers what he's done for words: use technology to give them depth and meaning that ordinary people can depend on every day.
Jessica—aka “Thumper Biscuit” in roller derby circles—is a professor at both the University of Oregon and the Santa Fe Institute. She's a TED Fellow whose current goal is to help people visualize the invisible world of microorganisms to foster a world full of buildings that limit infectious disease and maximize energy.
A first-generation American, Aithan is a cubist artist who believes today's act of “looking” involves simultaneously seeing and knowing all we are not seeing, because in looking we are able to be inside and outside, in history and the present. He believes it is important to understand why something is being made—specifically, what the urgency and necessity for its making are. Internationally recognized, exhibited and collected worldwide, Aithan challenges contemporaries across disciplines with the responsibility to engage—not to simply aim for making the interesting or the new but to be interested—as the essence of creativity and progress.
Portland’s mayor since 2008, Sam has embraced collaboration and innovation as core tools to fuel economic development. He’s been the commissioner in charge of the city's transportation, planning and sustainability, and police bureaus, as well as liaison to the Regional Arts & Culture Council. It will be uncharted territory for Sam when he leaves office in 2012 after over two decades of public service.
David was born in Texas. He tells his three kids that he made a lot of bad decisions but that coming to Oregon, moving the family from Brooklyn and working for Wieden+Kennedy as the director of strategic planning kind of makes up for all the years of being a dumbass.
No project is too daunting for John and Ben, also known as Uncage the Soul Productions, an innovative video production studio that explores the art of storytelling across photography, adventure films and documentaries. Their most recent work took them across the state of Oregon, traveling over 1,600 miles and packing 700-plus pounds of camera gear, to remote locations. The result, Finding Oregon, comprising over six months of time-lapse photography, has received critical acclaim. TEDxPortland has inspired an encore production.
No project is too daunting for John and Ben, also known as Uncage the Soul Productions, an innovative video production studio that explores the art of storytelling across photography, adventure films and documentaries. Their most recent work took them across the state of Oregon, traveling over 1,600 miles and packing 700-plus pounds of camera gear, to remote locations. The result, Finding Oregon, comprising over six months of time-lapse photography, has received critical acclaim. TEDxPortland has inspired an encore production.
Bill was most recently the creative director at Simple, a financial start-up company aiming to reboot personal banking through design, technology and service. Previously he directed interaction design for products ranging from patient monitors to satellite radios to air conditioners. He loves tackling problems that seem mundane but are actually rich with complexity and can help people in their everyday lives.
As Mercy Corps' global gender advisor, Sahar seeks ideas that can break down gender barriers around the world. She is a development professional and gender specialist with years of experience supporting programs in conflict and post-conflict settings.
Founded in 1924, the Portland Youth Philharmonic is America's oldest youth orchestra. Led by Conductor and Music Director David Hattner, and chosen by audition, PYP musicians range in age from 7 to 22 and represent 100 different schools. Members must commit to an intensive, professional orchestra grade level of rehearsals and performances. PYP programs serve 30,000 people annually.
Most Fridays and Saturdays downtown, the nationally recognized, uniquely Portland institution known as the “bucket drummer” performs at the corner of Southwest Fourth and Morrison. At the age of five, Thomas was inspired by the music of his grandfather's church to begin a journey to redefine music using rhythm and five-gallon buckets.
Raised in West Linn, Oregon, and currently living in New York City, this gifted bassist and vocalist performs in a variety of styles and has produced three CDs in the last five years. Nationally recognized for her selection to the GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble, and by the National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts, DownBeat Magazine and the Brubeck Jazz Colony, this trailblazing talent is on a mission to preserve the last century’s great American songs.
Rose City Trombones is a group of passionate musicians dedicated to showcasing the majestic “Trombone.” Our goal is to provide both concerts and educational outreach to unravel the mysteries of this shiny machine. Our members' musical pedigree includes being part of well-established music organizations across the Northwest and music schools around the country. We are thrilled to partner with TEDxPortland to help add a little flair.
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