Theme: Strength in Community

Our TEDxCarrollUniversity speakers will share a variety of stories about how communities can lean on each other for support, in good times and bad. Together, we'll examine how we can unite to find strength in celebration, but also during moments of grief or loss. We notice that things start to shift when we choose to approach them together, as a community.

Shattuck Music Center
218 N East Ave
Waukesha, Wisconsin, 53186
United States

David Crowley

County Executive

As a lifelong Milwaukee resident with a passion for public service, County Executive David Crowley understands the struggle our communities face every day, and he knows the joy of bringing people together to conquer those struggles. The fundamental tenet of Crowley’s administration is to build bridges to bring people together. Sworn into office in May of 2020, Crowley became the youngest county executive in the history of Milwaukee County – and the first Black leader elected to serve in the role. Since then, he has led the implementation of the first county-wide strategic plan in 20 years, focusing the county on a vision of achieving racial equity and to become the healthiest county in the state. Under his leadership, Milwaukee County has diversified positions at the cabinet department level as well as boards and commissions. Crowley is a member of numerous community organizations, including the ACLU, Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals and the Milwaukee NAACP.

Justin Jasniewski

Chief Executive officer of Serve You Rx

Justin Jasniewski is the chief executive officer of Serve You Rx, a pharmacy solutions provider based in Milwaukee. Jasniewski leads the community outreach program at Serve You Rx, which has partnered with Start Healing Now and Mobilize Recovery to spread the New Recovery Advocacy Movement throughout the United States. A big part of this movement involves ensuring that naloxone is available in communities that have a high risk for opioid overdose. Jasniewski first joined Serve You Rx as a financial analyst and has volunteered for several charitable organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Rotary International, the CHAMPS program and Angel on my Shoulder. He has lectured on several topics in the pharmacy benefit management space, including pharmacy data interoperability, outcomes-based contracting and building recovery-friendly communities.

Kwabena Nixon

CEO at Be Inspired Works , Author, Speaker and Educator

Kwabena Antoine Nixon is a nationally known spoken word artist, award-winning author, community educator, organizer and motivational speaker. Born and raised on Chicago’s west side, Nixon lost his father to street violence at the age of 11. He moved to Milwaukee to escape a violent environment and found his voice in art. Since then, Nixon has dedicated his life’s work to spoken word poetry, storytelling, writing exercises and guest speakers. These methods facilitate social-emotional learning in many areas, leading to outcomes like self-efficacy, perseverance, self-management and growth mindset. Nixon is currently the CEO of Be Inspired Works, an arts organization that offers services like conflict resolution training and life coaching, educational consulting and event management. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business development from Malcolm X College & Columbia College in Chicago.

Kyle Johann-Baker

Organizational Leadership & WellBeing Consultant

As a strengths coach, Kyle Johann-Baker ‘14 amplifies the voice of small business owners and helps organizational leaders create a thriving culture. He has worked in higher education and personal development for more than five years and found a special significance in the CliftonStrengths tool by Gallup. Today, Johann-Baker encourages individual employees, groups and workplaces alike through his training as a strengths coach. He is passionate about incorporating well-being practices and helping individuals find their strengths. Johann-Baker earned his master’s degree in college student personnel administration from the University of Central Missouri and a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and sociology from Carroll University in 2014.

Michelle Greene

Leader in the technology industry

Michelle Greene is a top-performing business technology executive with over 20 years of experience. She is a business leader with a track record of delivering projects and building business partnerships with senior executives, business functions and technology teams. Based in Dublin, Ohio, Greene is currently the senior vice president and chief information officer for the pharmaceutical segment at Cardinal Health. Previously, Greene served as the vice president of information technology for Masco Corporation and IT business partner for Global Functions at Johnson Controls, Inc (JCI). Greene earned a master’s degree in higher education with a focus on information sciences from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Valdosta State University.

Pat Miller

Idea Coach

During the pandemic, Pat Miller launched the Idea Collective Small Business Incubator, an international online network to unite the small business community. As the idea coach, he learned just how powerful solopreneurs and new entrepreneurs can be, when united as a collective. The Idea Collective allows small business owners to share their dreams with a community of like-minded people, providing real support, ideation and resource sharing. Now based in Milwaukee, Miller graduated from Bellevue University with a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Illinois State University.

Rebecca Imes

Specializes in relational communication and health communication

Dr. Rebecca Imes is the chair for the Department of Communication and Sociology at Carroll University. In addition to teaching communication, Imes has also served as chair of the General Education and Cross-Cultural Education committee. Specializing in relational communication and health communication, Imes has received grants and has been published several times in scholarly journals. She has also been recognized throughout her tenured career in academia, including Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society induction and the Norman & Louise Allhiser Award for Excellence in Teaching. Imes has a doctorate in communication studies from the The University of Iowa, a master’s degree in health communication from Emerson College and Tufts University School of Medicine (joint program) and a bachelor’s degree in communication from Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Sahara Rose De Vore

Travel Coach

Sahara Rose De Vore is a wellness travel coach and the founder of The Travel Coach Network. After graduating from college, she bought a one-way ticket to Europe and began her global adventures, traveling solo to over 84 countries. De Vore is an entrepreneur reshaping how and why people travel, while also helping companies embrace the value of travel within their company culture. She is a global speaker, published author, and has been featured in over 100 media outlets for her expertise in travel coaching and wellness tourism, including Travel Weekly, Forbes, USA Today and Business Insider. De Vore received her bachelor’s degree in applied science, hospitality and tourism management from Roosevelt University. She was born, raised and still resides in Milwaukee.