What is TED?
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.
The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia. TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.
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Meet The Team
CAROLINE ZUBA
Organizer / Licensee
Caroline is a senior at Macaulay Honors College (CUNY BA), majoring in Comparative Labor Studies. She is passionate about socioeconomic justice and labor history. She hopes to be a public defense lawyer one day.
INGRID GENDLER
Director of Speakers & Programming
Ingrid is a junior at Macaulay at Baruch College double-majoring in Political Science and Communication Studies. She loves to get coffee with friends, re-watch episodes of the Great British Bake-off, and visit her sister in Boston. Ingrid believes that effective/ethical communication can help build a more equitable world.
MEGAN JEAN LOUIS
Director of Budgeting & Finance
Megan Jean Louis is a senior at Brooklyn College (CUNY BA), studying Biomedical Ethics and Multicultural Psychology. She is a Thomas W. Smith Academic Fellow, ELLA Fellow (Sadie Nash Leadership Project) and an Emerging Leader at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. She loves to read, write and break Snapchat streaks.
NACHAMA STERN
Director of Logistics & Engagement
Nachama Stern is a Junior at Macaulay Honors at Brooklyn College studying Applied Mathematics. She loves pottery, winning games of Settlers of Catan, and spending time with her friends and family, particularly her adorable baby niece, lil nug.
JACK GRAZIANO
Speakers & Programming Curator
Jack is a freshman at Hunter College, pursuing a double major in Environmental Science and Chinese. He is very excited to be a part of TEDx and help to develop talks and new ideas. Jack has experience in journalism, politics, media, and acting. He has a passion for information and education accessibility.
KATIERA DICKINSON
Head of Community Partnerships
Katiera is a freshman at John Jay College, where she is studying Forensic Psychology. She has been a fan of TED for a long time, and was thrilled to become a part of this team. During her free time, she enjoys listening to music and watching movies with friends. Katiera is looking forward to a wonderful 2020 TEDxCUNY conference!
NICHOLAS COCOZZELLI
Head of Community Partnerships
Nick is a current Sophomore at Baruch College studying Economics. In addition to TEDxCUNY, he is a very active member in the Macaulay community as a whole, where he is also a member of the Macaulay Scholars Council, Macaulay Business Club, and Macaulay Pre-Law.
GABRIELLA MOCHENIAT
Creative Strategist
Gabriella is a junior at CCNY pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in studio art. She is passionate about the arts, advocacy, and mental health. In her free time she also loves to write poetry, read books, spend time with her friends, family, and boyfriend, and go to shows and museums.
BRYAN VALENZUELA
Visual Designer
Bryan is currently a sophomore at Baruch College majoring in Marketing Management. He has a passion for learning, and it shows every time he Googles something he doesn't know about. He hopes to share his positive energy with current, and future, members of the TEDxCUNY community.
MARIAM JOHN-SANDY
Logistics & Engagement Curator
Mariam is a Marketing Management major at Baruch College, minoring in Communications and Data Analytics. She enjoys various forms of visual art such as: Conceptual, New Media and Ceramic. In her free time she loves to read psychology books along with journaling her life experiences.
KAITLYN ALDORANDO
Organizer
Kaitlyn is a junior at Macaulay at Hunter majoring in English. TEDxCUNY is the perfect outlet to combine her love of stories with her commitment to building communities. She hopes to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing in the near future and to eventually open her own book store.
JORDAN WILLIAMS
Director of Speakers & Programming
Jordan is a senior at Macaulay Honors at Brooklyn College double majoring in Political Science and Economics and minoring in Spanish. She enjoys running/hiking, watching documentaries, and trying new recipes. Interested in development economics, Jordan plans on pursuing a career in law to contribute to sustainable policymaking reforms.
AMYRI WILLIAMS
Director of Media & Marketing
Amyri Williams is a junior at Baruch College pursuing a degree in Marketing Management. Amyri is passionate about education reform, learning theory, and music production. In the future he plans on using his degree to launch a production company.
GILLIAN OCHOA
Art Director
Gillian is a junior at Hunter College studying Studio Art. She is a Muse Scholar and an Arts Ambassador in Hunter’s Office of the Arts. In their artistic practice, they are interested in arts accessibility and exploring how political discourses influence self-identification. They’ll giggle at almost anything, but especially at dogs with eyebrows.
MAYA MESH
Speakers & Programming Curator
Maya is a Macaulay Honors Freshman attending Baruch College. She is passionate about public speaking, community activism, and working on political campaigns. When she is not working at TEDxCUNY, she is spending her time in Theater Club. She likes to read Fanfiction and sing along to her favorite karaoke songs.
LOIDA STELLI TAVERA
Head of Community Partnerships
Stelli is a freshman at Macaulay Honors College at Baruch College double majoring in Economics and Philosophy and minoring in Journalism. She is interested in prison abolition and sex liberation as integral to the elimination of socioeconomic inequality. Stelli enjoys binging The West Wing on Netflix and tweeting the minute details of her life.
TERESA METTELA
Engagement Strategist
Teresa Mettela is a sophomore at Macaulay Honors College at CCNY. She intends to major in International Studies and minor in Journalism and Economics. She is obsessed with writings by Bell Hooks, Audre Lorde, and Silvia Federici. She is involved with Girls Write Now and is a fellow with the Futures Initiative.
ROSSELLA LAENG
Creative Strategist / Videographer
Rossella is an independent filmmaker and media professional pursuing a BFA in Film at CCNY. Her award-winning documentary work has appeared on The Huffington Post, The Guardian and The Establishment. Originally from Milan (Italy), she has also lived in India, Texas and Australia.
SAMANTHA FANG
Logistics & Engagement Curator
Samantha is a Macaulay Honors freshman at Hunter College with a major in Statistics (Quantitative Biology) and minor in Asian American Studies. She is passionate about creative expression and women in STEM. She enjoys scrapbooking, stationery shopping, reading, and listening to music.
CHAYA AKSELROD
Logistics & Engagement Curator
Chayale has spent hours of middle school watching TED videos, and is honored that this year she had the privilege to help create even more content. Chayale is a film student at Brooklyn College, and hopes to be a director and tell stories for a living one day.
