The speaker lineup for TEDxStanleyPark 2017 included Green Party leader Elizabeth May and restaurateur Vikram Vij, plus 11 other inspirational presenters.
2017 Vancouver TEDx Speakers
TEDxStanleyPark took place at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Saturday, March 4th, and, as expected, was a memorable, impactful and life changing event.
For bios and information about the speakers in 2017, see below.
For information about the event in 2018, click TEDxStanleyPark 2018.
Note: 2018 was the final year for TEDxStanleyPark. It was a fabulous 6 years!
2017 TEDxStanleyPark Speakers
Below is a list of scheduled speakers for the 2017 event along with short introductory video clips of some of them. (Note: speakers and their topics are subject to change.)
Elizabeth May – “Making Every Vote Count”
Elizabeth May is the Leader of the Green Party of Canada, a Member of Parliament and an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is a highly respected politician and environmental activist.
Ashley Zahabian – “Get Ready, Set Stuck”
Ashley Zahabian is an accomplished young speaker from the US with expertise and personal experience in the area of emotional intelligence.
Vikram Vij – “A Toxic Pairing”
Vikram Vij is the owner of Vancouver’s very popular Vij’s East Indian restaurant. He’s also famous for being a star on the CBC Dragon’s Den program.
In his talk at TEDxStanleyPark he spoke about social media and the problems of cell phone usage at restaurants. His pet peeve is when people focus on their devices instead of on their delicious food and the people they are sharing it with. As Vikram Vij points out, using social media while dining out with friends is actually very anti-social!
Bill Stainton – “Crack Your Cocoon”
Bill Stainton is an Emmy Award-winning TV producer who has worked closely with people like Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, and Jay Leno. The goal in his talk at TEDxStanleyPark was to help people unlock their own creativity.
At TEDxStanleyPark 2017 Bill Stainton talked about the importance of being open to people that are different and to engage people as much as possible. After all, you never know who that person sitting beside you might really be or how meeting them could change your life and the world.
Jill Prescott – “Let Me Tell You a Secret”
Jill Prescott is an author and intuitive healer who has dedicated her life to helping others move from trauma to freedom with love. Jill Prescott believes that answers lie within each person and she specializes in helping people access their inner wisdom.
In her talk Jill Prescott shared her stories about being abused and keeping secrets, and how important it is not to keep “bad secrets” and the damage they can cause.
Steve Gill – “Escape Addiction”
Steve Gill is a coach, counsellor and expert in the area of peak performance results and both drug and alcohol addiction. His mission is to empower others to find their meaning and change.
Steve Gill is a recovered addict himself, and he shared his story, experiences and how he managed to turn his life around.
Melissa Haynes – “Playing with a Lion’s Testicles”
Melissa Haynes is also the author of the book Learning to Play with a Lion’s Testicles which is a South African saying about “learning to take chances.” Her talk at TEDxStanleyPark was about the importance of going outside one’s comfort zone and pursuing one’s goals. It was also about “having the courage to have courage.”
Jonathan X. Cote – “The Future of Cities”
Jonathan X. Cote is the Mayor of the municipality of New Westminster and his talk at TEDxStanleyPark was about the future, driverless cars and the sharing economy. As the mayor pointed out, driverless cars that can be shared will mean smaller highways, less need for parking lots and more space devoted to people. The future looks promising!
Jacqueline Way – “The 365Give Challenge”
Jacqueline Way is a North Shore resident and founder of 356give, a not-for-profit organization that changes the world one child, one give, one day at a time.
As she points out, doing a small thing every day can and will make a difference.
Tamer Mohamed – “Bio Printing Human Tissues”
Tamer Mohamed has a background in Biomedical Engineering and both computer and electrical engineering. He is also the co-founder of Aspect Biosystems, a biotechnology company specializing in 3D printing of human tissue. His talk on March 4th was about 3D bio printing and its future benefits on health and health research.
Mike Shaw – “Grief Happens”
Mike Shaw is an accomplished freestyle skier and ski-coach who was in a life-changing accident at a young age. His talk was about grief, healthy grieving and overcoming challenges.
Shaun Frankson – “Yes, You can be a Change Agent”
Shaun Frankson is a social entrepreneur and co-founder of The Plastic Bank, an organization that uses plastic waste to help lift people out of poverty. His talk was about the Plastic Bank and how every individual can be a change agent.
Stephen O’Keefe – “The Lost Art of Listening”
Stephen O’Keefe is a recovering lawyer, entrepreneur and investor. The doctors told his parents that he’d never be able to speak and Stephen has since devoted his life to proving them wrong.
For information about the conference, click TEDxStanleyPark.
