Theme: Please Do Disturb

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).

The Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre
800 21st Street NW
Washington, District of Columbia, 20052
United States

Andy Garrett

EMS Physician

Andy is the Academic Section Chief and Medical Director for Emergency Health Operations at The George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Andy is a board-certified EMS Physician, Pediatrician, and a Nationally Registered Paramedic. He has served in a variety of responder and medical director roles for fire, law enforcement, flight medicine, and EMS services for three decades. While at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), he then served a detail assignment at the White House National Security Council during the Obama administration, working as the Director for Medical and Biodefense Preparedness Policy. Now at GW since 2018, he is an Associate Professor and the operational medical director for GW’s campus EMS system as well as a federal law enforcement agency. He oversees the Minor in Emergency Health Service and teaches several undergraduate courses in EHS.

Bismah Ahmed

Vice President of Government Affairs for the Apartment and Office Building Association

As Vice President of Government Affairs for the Apartment and Office Building Association, Bismah Ahmed champions pro-business policies, shapes economic development, and amplifies the voices of entrepreneurs and industry leaders. In 2026, she will be the first woman of color to chair the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. Bismah began her career in politics, working for Virginia’s Governor and Attorney General, before diving into lobbying, where she established herself in legislative advocacy. In 2022, she became the first South Asian, Muslim, and Pakistani woman to be crowned Miss DC for America, using her platform to challenge stereotypes and encourage women to embrace their multifaceted identities. Additionally, she is a regular commentator on FOX5 and NBC12 and was a contestant on the reality TV show The Anonymous on USA Network & Peacock.

Chuck Todd

Political Analyst & Former Meet the Press Host

Chuck Todd is a political analyst and host of The ChuckToddCast, a weekly podcast offering in-depth interviews with political figures and experts. A six-time Emmy® Award-winner, Todd was NBC News’s chief Political Analyst and moderator of Meet the Press from 2014 to 2023. He also hosted Meet the Press NOW, a daily show on NBC News NOW, bringing timely political analysis to a digital audience. Known for his sharp insight and encyclopedic knowledge of politics, Todd has co-moderated multiple presidential debates, including the record-breaking 2019 and 2020 Democratic debates. He previously served as NBC News’s chief White House Correspondent and hosted The Daily Rundown on MSNBC. Todd is the author of two books and has contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Todd resides in Arlington, VA, with his wife, Kristian, and their two children.

Dan Simons

Entrepreneur & Co-Founder of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group

Dan Simons has extensive experience in the industry, demonstrating expertise in team leadership, communication, and the development of profitable operational systems. Simons prioritizes responsible industry standards, sustainability, and community engagement. He is a Co-Owner of the Founding Farmers Restaurant Group in partnership with the North Dakota Farmers Union. Their goal is to generate profits for American family farmers, earn farmers a larger share of the food dollar, and influence the sourcing decisions of suppliers and others in the hospitality industry. They operate eight sustainably run restaurants, one DC-based distillery, and a full service catering and event design company. He teaches courses at George Washington University and sits on the advisory boards of the DC chapter of Conscious Capitalism, OpenTable, and the Health Action Alliance Women's Health at Work Program. He blogs at www.DanSimonsSays.com and can be found across most social channels @DanSimonsSays.

Jake Levenson

Marine Biologist & Non-Profit Founder

Jake is a marine biologist in the Environmental Studies Program at the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Co-founder and Executive Director of the conservation organization, Oceans Forward. Over the past two decades, Jake’s work has taken him around the world. His projects have included capacity-building among fishermen for whale disentanglement in Zanzibar, large sharks off the US Atlantic coast, and the spatial ecology of large whales in Iceland. Additionally, he is the co-founder of Flukebook.org, a global effort that unites marine mammal scientists with the public aimed at increasing our understanding of whale migrations. He is particularly proud of his volunteer work on the island of Dominica, helping local ocean conservation initiatives. Faced with a shortage in grant opportunities, Jake established a non-profit rum distillery whose goal is to support ocean conservation for the long run.

Kim Jenkins

Founder & Director of The Fashion and Race Database

Kimberly M. Jenkins has spent over twelve years studying the impact of our clothes and how we express ourselves, with a mission to help us think more deeply about dress. Kim is the Founder and Director of Artis Solomon, a fashion academia company that powers platforms teaching fashion history and cultural awareness. The company’s most effective platform is The Fashion and Race Database®️, the first and most trusted online resource that reveals how the construct of race has shaped aesthetics, worldviews and industry practices. Kim’s work in bridging fashion academia with positive impact in the fashion industry has led to partnerships with Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Holt Renfrew, Instagram Design, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among others. Kim formerly held the position of Assistant Professor of Fashion Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University, Part-time Lecturer at Parsons School of Design and Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute.

Michael Scott Moore

Journalist

Michael Scott Moore is a journalist, novelist, and author of a comic novel about L.A., Too Much of Nothing, as well as a travel book about surfing, Sweetness and Blood, which was named a best book of 2010 by The Economist. He worked for several years as an editor and writer at Spiegel Online in Berlin, and he was kidnapped in early 2012 on a reporting trip to Somalia and held hostage by pirates for 32 months. The Desert and the Sea, a memoir about that ordeal, became an international bestseller. He’s written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Paris Review, and he currently hosts a podcast called Radio Free Mike. https://michaelscottmoore.substack.com/

Radha Rajkotia

CEO of Building Markets

Dr. Radha Rajkotia is an entrepreneurial leader known for her unwavering commitment to driving innovation, impact, evidence, and positive change in international and economic development. As CEO of Building Markets, she champions market-based solutions for small businesses in economically vulnerable communities, facilitating their entry into sustainable and profitable supply chain opportunities. In her previous role as Chief Research and Policy Officer at Innovations for Poverty Action, she spearheaded the execution of IPA's strategy across 22 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, translating evidence into impactful practice and policy. Dr. Rajkotia spent eleven years as the Senior Director of Economic Recovery and Development at the International Rescue Committee, applying her creative thinking in delivering humanitarian aid and testing groundbreaking ideas on the ground, from cash-based relief to job creation in conflict settings.

Randy Clarke

General Manager & CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro)

Randy Clarke, General Manager & CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro), is a visionary leader dedicated to transforming America’s Metro System. Clarke has been relentless in continuous improvements and delivering service excellence, which has led to two consecutive years in ridership growth and recovery. He is focused on being fiscally responsible while working with the WMATA Board to deliver a balanced budget and reduce management costs. The Strategic Transformation Plan, Metro’s guiding priorities, focuses on making Metro a world-class system. Prior to Metro, Clarke led Capital Metro in Austin, securing one of the largest transit referendums in U.S. history. He also held key roles at APTA and MBTA, shaping public transit nationwide. Originally from Nova Scotia, he earned degrees from Acadia University and the University of Southern Maine. Clarke and his wife, both transit enthusiasts, love exploring the region alongside their two dogs, Pepper and Jelly.

Sheena Franklin

Healthcare Advocate and Founder & CEO of K’ept Health

Sheena Franklin is a pioneering force in women's health technology, data strategy, and healthcare innovation. A former federal healthcare lobbyist, she has spent her career shaping policy at the highest levels and advocating for transformative changes in healthcare. As the Founder & CEO of K’ept Health, Sheena is revolutionizing healthcare delivery through federated machine learning and women’s health informatics, bridging critical data gaps in research, diagnosis, and treatment. Through K’ept Health’s advocacy arm, Ethos, she empowers women to harness health technology, data, and self-advocacy tools to take control of their well-being. As a sought-after industry expert and advisor, Sheena actively contributes to major conversations on women’s health, AI, and data ethics. Her insights have influenced pharmaceutical companies, life sciences leaders, and consumer health brands, all working toward more inclusive, data-driven healthcare solutions.