Speakers & Talks - Nov. 19, 2022

Here's 2022's Complete Speaker Line-Up

We hope you enjoy another great collection of TEDxOshkosh talks from the 2022 event, in the theme, Doorway to Possible.

Table of Contents: This Year's Talks

(Click/tap any speaker's name to scroll down to their bio and talk details)

Rashid Abdullah	How Comedy Creates Community and Builds a Sense of Belonging
Monica Anderson	What Dentistry Teaches us About Curbing Racism
Andrew Campbell	Navigating Toxic Organizational Environments: Healing Through Forgiveness
Ignacio Enriquez Jr.	In Case of Emergency, Listen
Piper Garner	The Power of Struggling with Mental Illness
Justin Hamm	The American Midwest: A Story in Poems
John Harmon	Improvisation: Instant Composing
TJ Hobbs	Community Fridges: An Accessible and Scalable Form of Mutual Aid
Mike McGinley	What Stinks? Odor's Impact in Our World
Tom McInnis	Between-the-Lines: Parking, Parking Lots, and Human Behavior
Scott Sopata	Support-and-Comfort: A New Form of K9 Policing
Steve Toll	What Is An Inch? The Hidden Science of Measurement
Benjamin Weston	Guns, Drugs, and Strokes: Equity in the Ambulance

Rashid Abdullah - How Comedy Creates Community and Builds a Sense of Belonging

Sharing a laugh with friends or strangers builds a sense of shared reality which is integral to creating community, and examples can be found in disparate cultures all around the world. This talk examines the ways comedy and humor affect the brain and ultimately aid in the creation of identity and community.

Rashid Abdullah Biography

Rashid Abdullah is a comedian, world traveler, and people & talent professional. He’s been performing comedy on and off for the last 17 years and has performed alongside national headliners like Kumail Nanjiani, Hannibal Burress and others. He has a Masters Degree from the American University in Cairo in Applied Linguistics and has conducted research related to identity and sociolinguistics. He lives in Chicago and works for an International nonprofit in Evanston, Illinois.

Monica Anderson - What Dentistry Teaches us About Curbing Racism

The speaker, a licensed dentist of 33 years and a Black female, has experienced many forms of discrimination and diagnosed thousands of diseased teeth. Tooth decay is a disease that is preventable through early education before bad habits develop Likewise, racism should be seen not as an attitude, but as a disease that can, and should be addressed at an early age.

This talk discusses approaching racism from the perspective of disease prevention through early education, using what our world has learned about preventing dental disease as a guide.

Monica Anderson Biography

Monica "mOe" Anderson, DDS, DBA aka Dr. mOe is a graduate of Baylor University, the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, and the American Dental Association’s Institute for Diversity in Leadership. A writer since childhood, she has authored eight published books and hundreds of articles on health and lifestyle. Her book “Success Is A Side Effect: Leadership, Relationships, and Selective Amnesia” has been called a “roadmap to self-improvement.”

She has launched numerous successful community initiatives, most recently the 501(c)(3) Drop The Drugs, Inc. While practicing dentistry full-time, raising a family, and hosting a Time Warner Cable television program in Texas, she wrote a weekly lifestyle column for a major daily newspaper for almost a decade. During that period, she recognized her gift for fostering healing through communication. She has conducted workshops in the U.S. and internationally to present her proven strategies for personal growth and wellness. Dr. mOe has also made appearances on regional and national media outlets.

Her commitment to helping others has led to numerous accolades for leadership and community service from organizations like the Texas House of Representatives Congressional Black Caucus, the Junior League, the office of the Secretary of Defense, Altrusa, International, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc, the American Association of Dental Consultants, and others.

Dr. mOe is an ordained minister, licensed dentist, mother of two and grandmother living in Grand Prairie, Texas

Andrew Campbell - Navigating Toxic Organizational Environments: Healing Through Forgiveness

Conflict is inevitable: we are bound to hurt others, and others are bound to hurt us. When hurt by another there may be times when the response could be to become bitter, resentful, or even to seek revenge. Such a response is damaging to all involved.

This talk introduces forgiveness and reconciliation as a key strength in working with others; a shift in how to navigate difficult organizational environments. It is a shift that that will bring individual healing, and add strength to an organization harmed by a toxic environment.

Andrew Campbell Biography

Dr. Andrew Campbell is the Director of the International Peace and Leadership Institute, which provides emerging leadership research on peace leadership development and leadership development and training programs for international, national, and non-governmental organizations.

During his career as a senior military officer, Dr. Campbell worked for the Department of Defense specializing in global experiences in strategic planning and execution, organizational crisis leadership, leading organizations in uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments, and national strategies for learning and leadership development for senior leaders. He is a Global Goodwill Ambassador.

Dr. Campbell holds a Doctorate of Global Leadership from the Indiana Institute of Technology, Fort Wayne, IN. and a Master of Diplomacy in International Conflict Management from Norwich University. As an adjunct instructor, at Yale University, Leading through a Global Crisis. Air Force Global Center for Professional Military Education, Leadership Research and Application, Norwich University, Emotional Intelligence and Strategic Leadership at Norwich University, and the US Office of Professional Management at the Federal Executive Institute Crisis Leadership Management. He is Certified Ken Blanchard Situational Leadership and Global DISc certified.

Dr. Campbell is a recognized national and international speaker on character-based leadership, NeuroLeadership, and organizational conflict management and resolution. Past presentations have included International Leadership Association 2011-2021, keynote speaker for Digital Defense: The Next Generation Cyber Minds Conference 2021 Malaysia, 2021 keynote speaker for the Rochston Conference on Reinvent: Character Leadership in Times of Crisis New Delhi India, and a keynote for the Governmental and Political Leadership Conference 2019-2020 Bangkok Thailand.

He is widely published in national, and international journals. His recently published book, Chaos is a Gift: Leading Oneself in Uncertain and Complex Environments (2020), examines the challenges of organizational leadership during times of crisis, unpredictability, and ambiguity. His other books include Peace Leadership: Self-Transformation toward Peace (2019) exploring the intersection of leadership practice as well as conflict management and Global Leadership Initiatives for Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (2018).

Ignacio Enriquez Jr. - In Case of Emergency, Listen

The speaker, both a crisis negotiator, and a mental health clinician, will share his experience that, when facing a crisis – or just in normal day-to-day interaction -- appropriately slowing down, delaying overt action, and starting with focused, critical listening is a much more effective way to resolve a crisis or problem.

Ignacio Enriquez Jr. Biography

Ignacio Enriquez is a fourteen-year veteran police officer in the State of Wisconsin, and has four years of experience as a Juvenile Corrections Officer in the State of California. Ignacio has served as a patrol officer, school resource officer, and is currently the Behavioral Health Officer. As a Behavioral Health Officer, Ignacio is responsible for conducting crisis interventions, safety planning, and connecting citizens to mental health services. He is a trained hostage crisis negotiator and has peacefully negotiated multiple incidents involving armed suicidal subjects, and other high safety-risk incidents. Furthermore, he has served as the department’s main resource of mental health and substance abuse information and training and is a founding member of the Officer Wellness Committee.

Ignacio earned a master’s degree in Professional Counseling from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and founder of Ascent Consulting, LLC.

In his private practice, Ignacio has trained various government, corporate, and nonprofit organizations on crisis communication skills, suicide risk assessments, and emotional wellbeing for leaders. Moreover, Ignacio has supported individuals and organizations through critical incidents by providing mental health support.

Piper Garner - The Power of Struggling with Mental Illness

(NOTE: This talk contains a discussion of suicidal ideation. If you are struggling, please seek professional help.) In the arena of mental health care, standard approaches do not always work. The speaker, who has endured more than a half-decade of mental health challenges and institutionalization, proposes adding self-acceptance, including acceptance of one’s current mental health state; self-trust; and other inward-focused attitudes to mental health therapy.

Piper Garner Biography

Piper is a young adult who has just graduated from high school, and is now into her freshman year of college, where she is studying nursing. She is a co-author of the book “Unconditional” where she shares her story going through mental health struggles as an adolescent. In her free time she likes to travel, go to concerts, write music, and swim.

Justin Hamm - The American Midwest: A Story in Poems

This talk asks the question, "Is 'flyover country' an appropriate moniker for the region?" then sets out to answer that question through inspection of the overlooked or the avoided: rust; thunderstorms; work; everyday people doing everyday things; politics; social class; et cetera.

This talk performance will encourage the audience to consider that the value or interest of any place depends on how we go about looking at it.

Justin Hamm Biography

A lifelong Midwesterner, Justin Hamm is the author of four poetry collections, two poetry chapbooks, and a book of photographs. His most recent book is Drinking Guinness With the Dead: Poems 2007-2021 (Spartan Press 2022). His work, visual and written, has appeared in Nimrod International Journal, River Styx, Sugar House Review, Southern Indiana Review, Midwest Quarterly, New Poetry from the Midwest, and many other journals and anthologies.Justin’s photography/poetry show, Midwestern, traveled galleries extensively in the Midwest from 2019-2021

He was selected as a 2022 Woody Guthrie Poet and in the past received the Stanley Hanks Memorial Poetry Prize from the St. Louis Poetry Center. In 2019 his poem ""Goodbye, Sancho Panza"" was studied by 50,000 students worldwide as a part of the World Scholar's Cup curriculum. Later, the WSC flew Justin to Manila, Philippines, to deliver the keynote address for the Global Round there.

John Harmon - Improvisation: Instant Composing

In music, as in life, when improvisation is desired or required, we don’t always have all the notes we might wish for, yet the creative process can still produce a beautiful, functional, positive outcome. This talk demonstrates that flexibility through the power of instant, impromptu composition at the piano.

John Harmon Biography

A native of Oshkosh, WI and graduate of Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), John Harmon studied in New York with jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson and Belgian composer, Henri Pousseur. Earning his Master of Arts in Composition at State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY), he worked out east until he was hired in 1971 to create a jazz studies program at Lawrence University. With a core of LU graduates, he founded Matrix, an award-winning jazz nonet which toured the country for nearly 6 years. He recently wrote a book: From the Heart: The Story of Matrix and expects it to be released in spring 2023. Harmon serves as Composer-in-Residence for the Red Lodge Music Festival, artistic director for Fox Jazz Fest, teaches in Door County at a jazz fantasy camp for adults and, since 1982, has served as music director/composer-in-residence for the First Presbyterian Church in Winneconne, WI.

John’s deep interest in nature, environmental issues, and Native Americans¬ provides inspiration for much of his work. His compelling need to raise awareness of Native American culture has inspired him to write six symphonies: Crazy Horse, Wounded Knee, The Legend of SuAnne Big Crow, Standing Rock, Echoes of the Great Plains and Sweetgrass. He has recently begun his seventh symphony to honor the people of Ukraine.

Notable recognition includes a Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters Fellowship; two honorary doctorates (Lawrence University and Ripon College); Distinguished Service Awards from the Wisconsin School Music Association (MSA) and the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE). John was featured in Leonard Feather’s prestigious Blindfold Test for Downbeat Magazine, and appeared as a guest performer on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz series.

John’s work combines elements of classical, romantic, and modern music, infusing them with jazz harmonies to create a unique, evocative, distinctly American style. A tireless performer and highly prolific composer, Harmon has been dubbed “Wisconsin’s gentle poet of jazz.

TJ Hobbs - Community Fridges: An Accessible and Scalable Form of Mutual Aid

If you came across a refrigerator in an outdoor public space with the words, "Comida Gratis - Free Food", what would you think? This talk explores the nature of mutual aid in a community, manifested via the concept of "community fridges" - working outside of governmental systems to provide both food and hygiene supplies without limitation or paperwork.

TJ Hobbs Biography

TJ Hobbs is an activist, small-business owner, musician, artist, and graduate of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh class of 2013, with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they co-founded the Hope Fridge mutual aid project in 2021 by asking if anyone in their neighborhood wanted to host a community fridge. This mutual aid project has since grown to three community fridges in two cities, and fed countless people.

When TJ was a child, they moved around southern Wisconsin many times with their parents and 2 siblings. This included living out of a bus, living with 3 other family members in a one-bedroom apartment, and living on a small farm with goats, chickens, and one very enthusiastic peacock. TJ’s family eventually settled down and TJ graduated from high school in a small rural Wisconsin town where their classmates would occasionally drive tractors to school.

TJ is non-binary/gender non-conforming/queer and they are married to their husband Bowen Hobbs with two dogs, Carl and Libby. TJ and Bowen lived in Southern California for 5 years and have since returned to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to establish roots here. They love nature, Pokemon, playing guitar, making art, learning new things, and helping others.

Mike McGinley - What Stinks? Odor's Impact in Our World

Everyone has an odor story. It may be about a scent that is good; a scent that is bad; one that is beautiful; or one that is profoundly noxious. Beyond those stories of individual scent experience and memories lies the reality that scent can have wide-reaching and profound impact in our world.

This talk explores scent in our environment: from appreciations we're born with; cultural influences on perception; it's impact on where people live and work; government regulation (or not); and other aspects of how smell is a little-considered part of our surroundings.

Mike McGinley Biography

Michael is a second-generation owner of St. Croix Sensory. He received his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota (1995) and a Master of Health Sciences degree in Environmental Health Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health (1997). Since 1997, Michael has directed product and material testing at St. Croix Sensory. His leadership in the field of odor assessment, including contributions to ASTM standards and industry publications has earned him international recognition in the advancement of sensory science.

Tom McInnis - Between-the-Lines: Parking, Parking Lots, and Human Behavior

People just park straight, centered between the lines, right? Were that it were true: results are not always between, not always straight, and not always centered. Then there's the question of where in the lot to leave the vehicle: for quick access; or to prevent door dings. Let’s also not forget the decision to about going in forward, backing-in, or pulling-through to the other side.

Using and designing parking lots is not nearly as straight-forward as we might think, yet it’s something most of us take for granted nearly every day. This talk, by a multi-decade observer of the parking lot dance, will delve into human behavior expressed through parking an automobile, and examine the subtleties that go into the design of parking lots to accommodate not only vehicles, but the interesting ways people use them.

Tom McInnis Biography

Tom McInnis is a facilities and parks manger for Winnebago County, Wisconsin for over 30 years, and holds degree in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

He is a woodworker, artist, astronomer, cyclist and avid outdoor explorer. He has traveled to all 50 States and 11 of the 13 Canadian Providences. He has been known to spend extended vacations exploring the Wilderness of the West.

Tom grew up in Wisconsin and currently resides in Oshkosh with his wife of 31 years.

Scott Sopata - Support-and-Comfort: A New Form of K9 Policing

What do we think about when contemplating working police dogs? A drug or bomb sniffing K9 officer? A dog trained to apprehend dangerous suspects? Newly-added to those well-known canine policing specialties, is the K9 officer who is a therapy dog: for community members in a crisis that might devolve into something dangerous or deadly; for human police officers suffering from the stress of their profession; and for outreach in the community, to bring citizens and police together in a positive way.

This talk will explore the benefits of this new form of policing, using "man's best friend."

Scott Sopata Biography

Scott grew up in the Wisconsin's Fox Cities and earned his B.S. Degree in 2010, having majored in criminal justice. He has served with the Oshkosh Wisconsin Police Department since 2012. Scott joined the police force because he wanted to serve the community, make a difference in people's lives, with an original goal to become a School Resource Officer in one of the community's schools.

Being on patrol he quickly found that he had an ability to build a positive connection with people who were experiencing mental health crises. With continued experience he also became a member of multiple special teams including Bike Patrol, Mobile Field Force, Field Training Officer, and Crisis
Negotiations.

When the new Behavioral Health Officer position was announced, he promptly applied, was accepted, and on his very first day in that role, was approached with another new opportunity and was asked if he would consider being a K9 handler for a trained therapy dog that would assist him on behavioral health related calls. He has been partnered with K9 Magic ever since.

Steve Toll - What Is An Inch? The Hidden Science of Measurement

What is an inch? Everyone can give a rough idea of it, but who can actually define what it is? The science of measurement is all around us and used in almost every facet of life, however, few know the underlying science behind it, and fewer still pause to appreciate how important accurate measurement is in our world.

This talk uncovers some of the basic principles of measurement; how they came to be; what can go right and wrong if measurement is inexact; and look at the impact technology is having on the world of measurement today and into the future.

And, of course, we will answer what, exactly, is an inch.

Steve Toll Biography

A graduate of the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2012, Steve has been the Vice President of Sales for Fox Valley Metrology, in Oshkosh Wisconsin, since 2014. Fox Valley Metrology is a family business, founded by his father, Mark, when Steve was only 6 years old. Steve's lifelong immersion in the industry has given him a wealth of knowledge in the calibration and metrology world.

While not working he can be found running, enjoying the outdoors while hunting and backpacking or spending his time with his beautiful family.

Benjamin Weston - Guns, Drugs, and Strokes: Equity in the Ambulance

It's reasonable to expect that all health care providers would say, "I treat all of my patients the same," and yet quite often the data shows the reality is something else. Differences in gender, socio-economic status, and race all produce variability in provided health care.

In 2019, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin was the first in the U.S.A. to declare racism a public health crisis. With that came a stepwise approach to achieving a higher level of equity in medical care and beyond.

This talk, by an emergency physician who is the Chief Health Policy Advisor for Milwaukee County, explores how a focus on equity is measurably improving community health.

Benjamin Weston Biography

Dr. Weston is an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He serves as Chief Health Policy Advisor for Milwaukee County working to enhance the health of one million citizens. In addition, Dr. Weston is the Director of Medical Services for the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, overseeing medical services for the 15 fire departments throughout the county. He practices clinically in the emergency department at Froedtert Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Dr. Weston served as the Medical Director for the Milwaukee County/City/Municipality COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center. He has been featured on MSNBC, CNN, BBC, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, and in Politico and The New York Times. He has provided medical direction and oversight for events including NFL, NBA, MLB, Indycar, and USA Triathlon. He has been selected as Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 under 40, named the Public Health Leader of the Year, and listed as “Best of Milwaukee” in Milwaukee Magazine.

Dr. Weston received his baccalaureate degree at Lawrence University, his medical degree and master of public health from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and completed his emergency medicine residency at Hennepin County Medical Center. Dr. Weston is dual board-certified in Emergency Medicine as well as Emergency Medical Services by the American Board of Emergency Medicine after completing his Emergency Medical Services Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Weston’s research interests include prehospital care, resuscitation, health equity, and public health surveillance.