Theme: Making It Work

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

4 The One Studio
950 Farm to Market 1960 Rd E
Suite A
Houston, Texas, 77073
United States

Ashish Kothari

Founder of Happiness Squad

Ashish Kothari is an executive coach, author, and founder of Happiness Squad, a company focused on helping individuals and organizations unleash the power of happiness and well-being to achieve their full potential. Ashish is a deep expert on the topic of happiness and human flourishing having read over 650 books and trained under masters across the disparate fields of spiritual wisdom traditions, psychology, and neuroscience. In his book “Hardwired for Happiness” Ashish outlines an easy-to follow recipe that can help anyone increase joy, health, love, and meaning in their lives. His transformational approach is secular, interdisciplinary and integrates learnings and best practices across the fields of science and spirituality.

Bill Canady

Business Leader

Bill Canady is a global business leader, author, and creator of the Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS). As CEO of Arrowhead Engineered Products and Chairman of OTC Industrial Technologies, he has led complex transformations across multiple industries, creating over $3 billion in shareholder value. He is the founder of The 80/20 Institute, which provides tools, training, and certification to help leaders drive profitable growth through focus and simplicity. Over his career, he has trained hundreds of companies and more than 100,000 employees worldwide. Bill is the author of The 80/20 CEO and From Panic to Profit, which deliver actionable frameworks for eliminating complexity, aligning teams, and accelerating results. A U.S. Navy veteran and a summa cum laude graduate of Elmhurst University, he also holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Bill brings discipline, clarity, and executional rigor to every level of business leadership.

Dr. Danielle Griffin

Educator

Dr. Danielle Griffin is an educator, coach, certified yoga practitioner, and is a thought leader in somatic exercise therapy. She empowers individuals and organizations to enhance well-being and performance by blending ancient wisdom and modern science to alleviate pain, stress, anxiety, and trauma. Her expertise includes somatic exercise therapy for pain and stress, hypnotherapy for anxiety and trauma, mindfulness, overcoming limiting beliefs, and the mind-body connection for peak performance.

Dr. Nwando Anyaoku

Physician & Consultant

Dr. Nwando Anyaoku is a physician executive and consultant based in Seattle, Washington. A board-certified pediatrician, Dr Anyaoku serves as GVP and Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer for Providence. Dr. Anyaoku also serves as adjunct faculty at Carnegie Mellon University Master of Medical Management program and on the advisory board of WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Master’s in Healthcare Leadership program. As a strategic advisor and consultant, she not only specializes in health equity, but also provides leadership development and supports physicians and executives in every aspect of their leadership journeys. Dr. Anyaoku is a proud mother of two young men and an avid reader and traveler.

Dr. Saba Syed

Advocate

A relentless advocate, lifelong learner, and healthcare innovator, Dr. Saba Syed drives transformation in healthcare services. Her 16+ year journey through diverse pharmacy, healthcare technology, and leadership roles at multiple start-ups, combined with her profound personal experiences as a mother navigating the complexities of raising an autistic child, has instilled a deep empathy and unique perspective on resilience and inclusion. This lived experience is the cornerstone of her insights on unacknowledged grief.

Dr. Tiffany Brandreth

Organizational Psychologist

Dr. Tiffany Brandreth is an Organizational Psychologist and Transformation Consultant. Through NDA-bound partnerships, she works privately with C-suite teams to uncover the power dynamics, trust gaps, and behavioral patterns that quietly shape culture, decision-making, and performance. Her research uncovered why 90% of culture change efforts fail, leading to the development of the Transformation Formula - now used by senior teams to restore trust, revolutionize culture, and drive lasting change. Her mission is to turn the 10% of Transformative Leaders into the new standard—leaders who lead with truth, act on principles that serve purpose, and leave a lasting impact.

Kim Rittberg

Entrepreneur

Kim Rittberg is an award-winning media executive turned entrepreneur who helps professionals grow their visibility and confidence through content. With 15 years at top media outlets like Netflix and PEOPLE, she built Us Weekly’s video unit and helped drive its $100 million sale. A national speaker and Fast Company contributor, Kim had a wake-up call during childbirth that pushed her to redefine success. Today, she teaches others how to craft standout video, podcast, and social media content to build impactful, fulfilling careers.

Nate Payne

IT Expert

For nearly 30 years, Nate Payne has supported, advised, and led high-performing IT teams across Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and nonprofits. But after years of watching even the most talented leaders burn out, he started asking a different question: What if the real problem isn’t leadership itself, but how we define it? That question changed everything. Today, Nate helps leaders achieve clarity, make better decisions, and build healthier teams by focusing on the four critical levers of leadership: time, budget, team, and tools. His unique approach is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: organizations function more like living systems than they do machines. They’re complex. They’re dynamic. And they adapt, evolve, and survive or thrive, based on how people, resources, and decisions, connect and interact. The result? Sustainable success without sacrificing well-being.

Neha Naik

Entrepreneur

Neha Naik is the Founder and CEO of 3 successful businesses including a successful recruitment agency, sleep consultant company, and a data analytics company. She’s an official member of Forbes Business Council, an invitation-only organization for successful small and mid-sized business owners. Her training includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry and Psychology, Master’s in Medical Sciences and a Sleep Consultant Certification from the Institute of Pediatric Sleep. Neha has also completed a Diversity and Inclusion Certification program through Cornell University. In her free time, Neha is actively involved in her community, working with charities that support STEM in local schools. In addition, Neha believes in empowering women and investing in her community, a portion of her business profits are directed to her local Houston Area Women’s Center to help families escape abusive environments.