Theme: Ripple Effect

Imagine a place where ideas aren’t just celebrated, they’re amplified.

Welcome to TEDxHobart, a dynamic platform that shines a spotlight on Tasmania’s incredible innovation, inspiration, and big ideas.

TEDx is no ordinary speaking event.

It’s a chance for people to connect, learn, experience, reflect and collaborate though speaking, performances, activities, prizes and activations.

Think of it as a space where conversations run deep and connections are made with trailblazers from all corners of our state, those who are changing the world with their extraordinary projects.

The theme for TEDxHobart 2024 is Ripple Effect and explores how a small shift in one area can have a mighty impact across many others.

So, if you’re excited about the power of ideas, if you’re intrigued by the potential of small actions creating big waves, then TEDxHobart is the place to be. Join us in exploring the incredible stories of how tiny ripples created right here in Tasmania are shaping our world in astonishing ways.

The Odeon Theatre
167 Liverpool St
Hobart, Tasmania, 7000
Australia

Andrew Davies

Founder and CEO

Andrew Davies, Founder and CEO of one of Australia's leading commercial drone companies, is a dynamic leader and self-confessed super-nerd. An avid traveler, Andrew spent nearly a decade working fly-in fly-out on Western Australian mines to fund his travels, visiting over 60 countries. In 2017, he returned to Tasmania to be closer to family and pursue his passion. He founded TDS in late 2017, bootstrapping it with his savings and operating out of a granny flat on his family farm. Seven years later, Andrew has led TDS to the forefront of Australia's drone industry, pioneering customized drone solutions for the Mining, Environmental, Government, and Agricultural sectors. Driven by a mission to solve complex problems and create a better future for humanity, Andrew's leadership exemplifies that with determination and hard work, a cohesive team can build a successful business locally. He was recognized as the Pearcey Foundation’s 2022 Tasmanian Entrepreneur of the Year.

Angela Hucker

Founder and CEO

Angela, CEO and Founder of EPIC, has over 25 years in the construction industry, beginning in her family's commercial landscaping business. She broke barriers by becoming one of the first women in Queensland skilled in locksmithing. Her expertise spans oil and gas, civil engineering, and renewables, with work in Dubai, Singapore, New Zealand, and Pakistan, and features on the US TV series "Mega-Structures." Her experiences as a FIFO worker inspired her to address the challenges women face in construction, leading to the creation of EPIC. Angela is active in the National Association of Women in Construction, focusing on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy. She also volunteers with White Ribbon Australia, Beacon Foundation, Women Building Australia, and Be Hers. Angela is dedicated to making the construction industry more welcoming for women and driving it towards a sustainable future. Her leadership and commitment are paving the way for future generations of women in construction.

Eagranie Yuh

Writer, marketer, Podcaster

Eagranie Yuh (ee-grah-nee yoo) is on her 13th career and counting, a journey that has taken her from music to chemistry, chocolate to journalism. Eagranie runs her own B2B marketing consultancy where she helps enterprise companies align their marketing, thought leadership and content strategy goals. Prior to starting her own consultancy, she was the editorial director in a marketing communications agency where she helped Fortune 500 companies develop and implement content marketing programs. Learn more about her business at eagranie.com. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Eagranie now calls Tasmania home. She's a runner, music geek and word nerd. She is not a minimalist.

Josh Wood

Coach and Educator

Josh Wood, known as 'Coach Josh,' is a Tasmanian-based fitness expert who advocates training to become strong for life. Founder of Strong for Life Online Coaching, Josh leverages his fifteen years of experience as a competitive strength and combat athlete, wilderness guide, and dad to offer a holistic fitness approach grounded in pragmatism and nature. His programs, shaped by his health science and strength and conditioning education, are highly individualized and efficient. He emphasizes that every minute of life is priceless and top-tier coaching helps individuals thrive, whether they are professional athletes, parents, or powerlifters. He has helped thousands of clients worldwide become their best selves through online and in-person coaching. Born in Oregon and raised in the American Midwest, Josh began a global journey at 18, traveling through the UK, Canada, and Asia. Now settled in Hobart, Tasmania, he enjoys exploring the mountains and developing new skills like archery.

Lalita Lowe

Author, Fashion Designer and Educator

Lalita Lowe, author of "It’s Time to Rethink Your Fashion - Creating a Better Future," emphasizes examining our values and understanding the impact of our clothing choices on the planet. She believes education is crucial for advancing sustainable fashion. As a trained fashion designer and sustainability educator, Lalita has worked globally, from Australia to New York and Paris, and has served on the Fashion Advisory Board of RMIT. Lalita runs her own eponymous fashion brand, known for the "From Farm to Fibre to Fashion" campaign, featuring ethical, sustainable wool from Tasmania. This campaign has garnered significant media and industry attention. With a global perspective and a deep understanding of the fashion industry, Lalita is attuned to its current state and future direction. Her fascination with fabrics and textures, along with her appreciation for traditional techniques used by artisans worldwide, underscores her commitment to sustainable fashion.

Paul Matthews

AI Consultant, Teacher and Tech Entrepreneur

Paul is a Tasmanian AI in Education consultant and start-up CEO on a mission to solve the education crisis. He empowers students, teachers, and school communities to excel in a world infused with Artificial Intelligence. Paul collaborates with school communities to integrate AI-driven solutions, enhancing learning experiences. As a sought-after speaker, he inspires educators and students through engaging presentations. His consultancy offers tailored strategies for modern education challenges. Combining speaking, consultancy, coaching, and authorship, Paul drives positive change in education, helping schools embrace the possibilities of AI in education.

Paul Pritchard

Mountaineer, Author and Educator

Paul Pritchard is a disability awareness educator, advocate, and professional climber. He has undertaken global adventures, from Patagonia to the Himalayas. His story is one of acceptance and resilience. While climbing The Totem Pole, a rock dislodged, crushing Paul's skull and causing a massive brain injury. He lost the use of his right side and his ability to talk for a year, enduring months of epileptic seizures. Eighteen years later, Paul returned to The Totem Pole. His talks emphasize the dignity of risk for people with disabilities, showcasing the importance of taking risks to develop courage and a growth mindset. Despite his injury, Paul has continued to lead challenging expeditions, including cycling to Mount Everest, an expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro, and leading a team of people with disabilities to traverse the 232km Larapinta Trail in Australia’s Red Centre. Paul's story highlights the strength and potential within each of us.

Philippa Chong

Evaluator, Data scientist and Consultant

Philippa strives to solve complex organisational challenges and brings an organisation wide view to their work. Their extensive career in public service, highlighted most recently by their role as a Measurement and Evaluation Director, has equipped them with invaluable skills in data analysis, measurement, stakeholder engagement, and project management. They have a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Economics, a Graduate-Diploma in Legal Practice and a Masters in Data Science. Philippa has had a long history of involvement in not-for-profits and is currently on the Rotary Hobart Board and the Economics Society of Tasmania Committee. Philippa is a co-founder Chong & Jones Consulting, a consulting firm specialising in the not-for-profit (for-purpose) sector.

Ryk Goddard

Radio Personality

Ryk Goddard is an anxiety ridden adult orphan father of two, navigating blended family life with his partner Mylinda, her daughters and his two teenagers. Ryk has remained number one (40+) in Hobart’s competitive breakfast radio market for over ten years. He created music and podcasts for Classic FM, Radio National, Unearthed, and across the ABC Local Radio network. He also develops podcasts as a consultant. A leading improviser, he's won story slams from NYC (The Moth) to the Huon Valley (Midwinter Festival) and founded improvisation festival Boiler Room. As AD of Is Theatre he trained a generation of artists and toured contemporary performance around Tasmania for seven years. His award winning course Effective Speaking training has transformed careers of graduates and professionals. Ryk has written and acted for many Tasmanian theatre and TV companies, performed as a stand up comedian and has supported Hoodoo Gurus and Painters and Dockers with the band Gnarlhund.

Second Echo Ensemble

Interdisciplinary art and live performance group

Second Echo Ensemble [SEE] is a contemporary arts organisation based in lutruwita/Tasmania. Our mission is to create Radical Equity through exceptional performance. We develop, make and present work that challenges assumptions, shakes up stereotypes and gives voice to untold stories. At the heart of the organisation are the diverse artists who make and perform the work. Some live with disabilities, and some do not. Our work is not simply about access or equality. We are about new ways of thinking and creating. We are committed to reimagining how art is made, who can make it and where it happens. We challenge the status quo and unconscious bias. We listen. We learn from each other through our artistic practice. We create art that redefines expectations of possibility and challenges assumptions we hold about ourselves and others. Second Echo Ensemble is proudly supported by Arts Tasmania, Creative Australia and the Department of Social Services.

Steven Burgess

Director, Consultant and Author

Steven Burgess is a change agent for Cities. He brings 30+ years’ experience as a transport engineer and urban strategist to reform the balance between car space and people space in towns and cities all over the world. His superpower is enabling a diverse range of stakeholders to expand their potentially myopic view of how cities should be and raise their expectations about what cities, towns, villages and neighbourhoods could be. Our lives depend on a serious re-examination of how our urban places of every size and shape are delivering liveability. Steven is the author of ‘Complete Streets - Guidelines to Urban Street Design’ published in 2010 and was a contributor to two other international street making publications. He is an international keynote speaker on people, places, and liveability having spoken at events all around Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Europe and the UAE.

Tilley (Performer)

Musician and Voice Coach

Tilley’s music offers a dark, mysterious landscape with a vast, star-filled sky. Her voice invites deep emotional exploration, transforming heartbreak into restorative ambrosia and celebrating human joy and love. Originally from Tasmania, Tilley spent 5.5 years in Melbourne’s vibrant arts scene before returning home in 2020. She works as a vocal coach and focuses on building community through arts and expression. Tilley’s 2018 record “close.” features intimate songs in lush, layered landscapes by producer D.A.Calf, reflecting her wide musical influences and unique style. She sang backing vocals for Damon Albarn on his 2014 Australian tour and was a featured soloist with the ARIA-nominated Southern Gospel Choir for 9 years. Tilley studied contemporary voice at the UTAS Conservatorium, specializing in jazz, and has a passion for improvised and experimental music. Her first album, “Songs from a Cold Island” (2012), has a folky feel, while “close.” (2018) is more complex and dark.

Viet Tran

Emergency Physician, Researcher and Advocate

Associate Professor Viet Tran is an emergency physician, researcher, educator and strong patient advocate. He is founder and director of the TASER (Tasmanian Emergency Medicine Research) Institute, chair of the Tasmanian Emergency Departments Network and Discipline lead for Emergency Medicine at the University of Tasmania. Throughout his career, Associate Professor Tran has directly cared for over 30,000 patients, striving to deliver excellence in patient care through a patient-centered, evidence-based and data-driven approach. His care, research, education and advocacy seeks to impact even more people by empowering patients, clinicians and leaders to understand how they can be a positive influence at an individual level, systems level and everywhere in between.