Theme: Push & Pull

Life pulls us down many paths that we simply could never predict. Being able to push back against hardships and adversities helps us to continue and prosper on our unique life journeys. Join us to hear ten speakers talk about out our theme Push & Pull on April 5th. Our speakers will share stories of defeat, perseverance, and growth.

Glenn Miller Ballroom, University Memorial Center
1669 Euclid Ave
Boulder, Colorado, 80309
United States

Brent Cary

Gun Control Advocate

Brent is a current undergraduate at the University of Colorado Boulder studying Economics. At the young age of fourteen, he became the victim of a tragic gun violence incident at his school. With a passion for knowledge, he devotes himself to furthering the discussion surrounding the anomaly of school shootings. In his free time, Brent has a passion for reading and fostering success in his school work. He wishes to promote healthy discussion on otherwise controversial issues, hoping to gain fruitful progress in a manner that encourages the viewpoints of everyone.

Elizabeth Skewes

Former Journalist and Chairperson of the Department of Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder

Elizabeth researches news practices and the media’s role in electoral politics. She is working on two new areas, one involving media coverage of mass tragedies, and the other on the efficacy of immersive storytelling. She is the author of Message Control: How News Is Made on the Presidential Campaign Trail. She was a reporter for newspapers in West Virginia, Florida, New York and Colorado. She has an undergraduate degree in political science from UCLA, a master’s in journalism from Ohio State, a doctorate in public communication from Syracuse University, and is chair of CU Boulder’s Department of Journalism.

Hillary Allen

Professional Trail Runner

Hillary grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado catching bugs and playing in the rocky mountains. Her parents, both scientists at Colorado State University, encouraged her to pursue her curiosity in Chemistry. She earned an undergraduate degree in Chemistry at a small liberal arts college while also playing collegiate tennis. After college, Hillary attended graduate school at UC Denver where she earned a masters degree in Neuroscience and Structural biology. It was during graduate school that she discovered running, specifically trail running and ultra running. Now, Hillary is a professional trail runner for The North Face.

Katharine Suding

Professor of Ecology at the University of Colorado Boulder

Katharine is a Professor of Ecology at University of Colorado Boulder. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a highly-cited author who has written extensively in the areas of ecosystem dynamics and management, ecological restoration, biodiversity, and conservation. Her current research focuses on managing ecosystems in a rapidly changing world. At CU, she leads the Niwot Ridge Long-term Ecological Research Program, a large multidisciplinary project aimed at understanding high-elevation mountain systems; the Rangeland Resilience Project involving researchers and ranchers across the Western US; and the Boulder Apple Tree Project, focusing on discovering and preserving historic apple trees. In 2018, she received the Robert H. MacArthur Award from the Ecological Society of America, a biennial prize given by the Ecological Society of America to an ecologist for their pivotal contributions to the field.

Leanne Jewell

Actress & Comedian

Leanne is a comedian, television, commercial and film actress and can be seen regularly performing improv in Denver. She is also the CEO of leannejewell.com/ The Giggling Guinea Pig®, a blog website which offers coaching packages, as well as motivational retreats and workshops that are focused on empowerment, living in the moment and being your authentic self. In addition, she is the founder and CEO of Jewell Event Design, a wedding planning and design company. Leanne is a single mom to an amazing 13 year old young man. She is certified in Reiki and Yin Yoga and is enthusiastic about all things health and wellness.

MAIGH KAUR JAMMU

Student

Maigh is a first-year student at the University of Colorado Boulder where she is a double-major studying Integrative Physiology and Computer Science with an emphasis in Public Health. She hopes to attend graduate school and one day hopes to work with the CDC. On campus, Maigh is involved with the Honors Residential Academic Program and the Miramontes Arts and Sciences Program. Maigh takes inspiration from her Sikh heritage and wants to use her voice to spark small scale change in her community. In her free time, she enjoys drinking chai, reading good books, hiking, writing, and spending quality time with those she loves.

Patrick Devenny

Mental Health and Eating Disorder Advocate

Patrick is a former football player who attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where he graduated with a degree in business. Patrick has struggled his entire life with disordered eating and restrictive eating. Looking back, he believes that given the pressures of trying to do whatever was necessary to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL, food became an issue. His eating disorder really became evident once his career was over, and in 2015 he realized just how overwhelmed his life was. He has developed a passion for raising awareness for mental health and eating disorders.

Ross Taylor

Photojournalist and Assistant Professor of Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder

Ross is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and works as a photojournalist and filmmaker. Previously, he was a visiting professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the creator of the industry resource: www.imagedeconstructed.com, an interview blog that deconstructs the mental approach behind a photo or scene. Taylor has won numerous national and international awards, including Photojournalist of the Year (Large Markets) for the National Press Photographers Association. His work in a trauma hospital in Afghanistan was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He’s also been named Northern Photographer of the Year, New England Photographer of the Year, Virginia Photographer of the Year and North Carolina Photographer of the Year (twice).

Will Day

Fine Artist, Speaker & Philanthropist

Will Day’s art—like his personality—is bold. His use of large-scale canvases, rich textures, and multiple layers create a style that is as captivating as it is authentic. Limits have no place in the Will Day Art Studio. Self-taught and constantly evolving, Will puts a contemporary spin on the impressionistic tradition. His work is free flowing and gestural, emotional and timeless. It’s a whole-hearted pursuit that involves nontraditional tools and a variety of settings: outside, inside, on the floor, on the wall. Whether commissioned by the NFL or a private collector, Will’s unconventional background and worldview shine through every piece he creates. A native New Yorker, Will lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two kids. His art is featured in public and private collections across the world, from London to Rio de Janeiro to Hong Kong. In addition to his TEDxCU talk, Will’s speaking engagements have ranged from corporate fundraisers to a commencement address.

Yuko Munakata

Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder

Yuko is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her work investigates child development and environmental influences on children’s thinking, using behavioral, neuroimaging, and computational approaches. She is an elected fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and the American Psychological Association. Her work on child development has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1998, and has been published in top scientific journals and featured in The Atlantic, The Today Show, and Parents Magazine. She co-edited two books on brain and cognitive development, and co-authored a computational cognitive neuroscience textbook. She has received awards for research, teaching, and mentoring.