Theme: The Power of X

X. It marks the spot. It blows kisses. It’s exponential, experimental...unknown. This Fall, join us as we explore the power of persistence, creativity, and community through The Power of X.

Innovation Hall
716 Stevens Avenue
Portland, Maine, 04103
United States

Anna Siegel

Antonio Rocha

Craig Lapine

Dan Ryder

Success and Innovation Center Director

Idea wrangler, design thinker and head scratcher, Dan Ryder teaches at Mt. Blue Campus in rural college town, Farmington, Maine where he serves as Director of the Success & Innovation Center, a problem solving studio that combines best practices of human centered design, restorative practices and social emotional learning and makerspaces. With 20 years of classroom teaching, recognition from state (WCSH 6/MEA Association Inspiring Educator March 2017) and national organizations (Apple Distinguished Educator 2017, Horace Mann NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence 2018), and experience integrating creativity and design thinking into humanities courses for struggling 9th graders through AP-enrolled 12th graders, Dan has developed a set of skills and body of knowledge he enjoys sharing with others. Co-author of Intention: Critical Creativity in the Classroom from EdTechTeam Press (2017).

David McLain

After the death of his father, David McLain set out to understand how people heal after loss and life changing events. In this talk, David brings many of the people he met to the stage to share their insights with us all. David McLain is a Maine based photographer and filmmaker. Over his career, he has shot seven feature-length assignments for National Geographic Magazine, co-produced and shot Bounce, a feature documentary film that premiered at SXSW, and worked around the world for commercial clients like Sony and Apple David is a founding member of the Sony Artisan program and lives with his wife and two children in a 220-year-old farmhouse on two beautiful acres just outside Portland.

El Malo

Grace Cleaves + Tim Ferrell

Gracia Bareti

Ikirenga cy’Intore

Kevin Hancock

Kings Floyd

Laura Ligouri

Maulian Dana

Melissa Smith

CEO + President

Melissa began with WEX in 1997 as a senior financial analyst for the financial technology service provider. She worked her way through numerous roles, including CFO and president of the Americas, and now holds its most senior position, CEO and President. Melissa served as CFO during the company’s IPO in 2005 and has continued to spearhead WEX’s dramatic growth, both organically and through acquisitions. Born and raised in Maine, Melissa was recognized as Mainebiz’s 2012 Woman to Watch and 2017 Business Leader of the Year. She won the tribute to Women in Industry Award from the Maine Women’s Fund in 2015. Melissa participates in extensive nonprofit work, including co-founding the Executive Women’s Forum as well as sponsoring and participating in Tri for a Cure. In 2010, Melissa co-founded sheJAMS, an all-women training club that allows women to train together in a non-competitive spirit.

Sara Hallie Richardson & Amarantos Quartet

Conceived as a reinvention of the string quartet, Amarantos Quartet joins with singer/songwriter Sara Hallie Richardson to tingle audiences’ spines and expand their aural universe. Amarantos Quartet members, Hannah Schroeder Jackson (cello), Meagan McIntyre (violin), Lauren Hastings Genova (violin), and Anna Maria Amoroso-Noyes (viola) embark on a collaboration with singer and songwriter, Sara Hallie Richardson. This collaboration celebrates not just the mutual respect for one another’s musical talents and work, but also the friendship and life-long relationships that are forged through music making. Since Amarantos came together in Portland, Maine in 2013, the group has performed at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon twice, first with pop artist Halsey and again in December of 2017 with St. Vincent; the TEDxDirigo Mavericks and Misfits; on The Cold River Radio Show; at The Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center; and also regularly throughout Maine. Portland, Maine based singer/songwriter, Richardson performs and writes music through folk, indie, and electronic styles. With influences such as Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, and Bjork, her songs are known for dense vocal harmonies and soaring melodies as well as combining synthetic and acoustic orchestral sounds. A genre-bending and genre-defining project, the Amarantos Quartet applies sounds to Richardson’s unique and vast songwriting and vocal skills. Each player works tirelessly to arrange, promote, and grow this exciting, dream-come-true enterprise.

Tim Wilson

Tom Weis