Sjoerd Bak had a stroke at a young age. In his year long rehabilitation, he realised had he died, he would have left his family in a a very poor financial position. He set about remedying this and explains how he uses Sigmund Freud’s pain-pleasure principle to his modern finance decisions. Sjoerd Bak QFA is a financial coach and founder of Become a Millionaire Ltd, based in Dublin. Originally from the Netherlands, he moved to Ireland in 2006 and transitioned from a successful tech sales career to financial coaching after realizing that high earnings didn't equate to financial security. Now, he empowers young professionals—especially in tech and sales—to escape the "earn-more, spend-more" cycle by teaching practical financial skills. Sjoerd focuses on helping clients grow wealth through low-cost index investing, leveraging workplace benefits, and building financial independence. His coaching is jargon-free, product-agnostic, and centered on simplicity and long-term freedom. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

How food memories and a passion to help people landed Brooke at a farm in Vermont. BROOKE REDMOND ’90 is the Special Gifts Offcer at Shelburne Farms, an education nonproft located on a historic 1,400-acres on the banks of Lake Champlain in Vermont. Shelburne Farms’ mission is to inspire and cultivate learning for a sustainable future and is the home to the Institute for Sustainable Schools.Brooke’s career spans roles in broadcast journalism, education, environmental stewardship, sustainable agriculture, community partnership development, and communications and marketing. She has held positions at ABC News, Lifetime Television, SitesAlive! K-12 Adventure Education, a food and wellness think tank, and Radish Road, a consulting business she started in 2006. Brooke received a B.A. from Skidmore College and an M.A. from Lesley University where she developed a farm-based education program for a 1,000-acre historic working farm as part of her thesis, A Return to the Farm: Educational Theory and Program Development in Learning Environments Beyond the Classroom. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

How not seeing yourself represented on book shelves as a child can make you a very powerful activist. MARIAH C. ‘29 is a 13-year-old author and activist and a member of Walker’s 8th grade class. She wanted to create a book that was not the “common” type of book that you see on the shelves, so she wrote a children’s book with a focus on Black characters, wanting children like herself to see someone that looks like them. Selling Black Lives Matter bookmarks and with additional donations, she was able to raise over $15,000 for her Black Characters Matter movement. She also donated 100 books to all 11 elementary schools in New Britain, CT. Mariah is the recipient of the frst Martin Luther King Award from the New Britain Museum and received acknowledgments from New Britain Mayor and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What if classrooms could nurture not just knowledge, but wisdom? In this powerful talk, Dr. Kavita Sharma outlines five key transformations that education must undergo from content to competencies, personalization to real-world learning. It’s a bold vision for a future where schools become ecosystems of innovation and purpose. Dr. Kavita Sharma is an experienced and passionate educator with over 30 years in teaching and school leadership. She started her career after completing a B.Sc. + B.Ed. at the Regional Institute of Education, Mysore, and holds Master’s degrees in Zoology and Education, as well as a Ph.D. in Education. She has earned multiple awards, including the "Progressive Principal of India 2017" and "Principal of the Year" by Times of India.Dr. Sharma believes in creating learning environments that encourage critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. She introduced nonviolent communication to help students become compassionate leaders. Known for her dedication and innovative teaching methods, Dr. Sharma is committed to helping students grow and succeed. Inspired by the wisdom of Kabir, she lives by the motto: "Awake, arise, and stop not till thy goal is achieved." This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What if your greatest teacher isn’t success, but failure? In this candid and insightful talk, Dr. Shivani Mehta shares why building a "failure résumé" might be the smartest move for lifelong growth. She invites us to stop defending our mistakes—and start learning from them. Across continents and classrooms, Dr. Shivani Mehta has quietly redefined what it means to lead in education for the past 24 years. Her journey spans international schools in Southeast Asia to pioneering a healthy work culture with an international mindset in India, reflecting a lifelong commitment to nurturing wisdom, not just knowledge. With deep roots in cross-cultural pedagogy and academic leadership, she crafts learning environments where curiosity thrives, empathy is central, and learners are empowered to think expansively. A recipient of the state-level Shreshta Shikshak Award and holder of an Organizational Leadership certification from Harvard, she weaves global best practices with soulful purpose. Her work is a testament to the quiet revolutions that unfold in classrooms every day—shaping minds, shifting perspectives, and planting the seeds of a more thoughtful world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What if loss wasn’t just an end—but a beginning?In this deeply personal and transformative TEDx talk, Dr. Sora shares her journey through grief, heartbreak, and profound personal loss. But instead of being consumed by it, she uncovered something unexpected: the alchemy of loss—a process that reshaped her identity, priorities, and sense of purpose.Through vulnerable storytelling and powerful insights, Sora explores how pain, when faced with courage and reflection, can become a catalyst for growth, meaning, and even beauty. Her talk invites us to reframe our darkest moments not as burdens to carry, but as raw materials for transformation.Whether you're navigating your journey of loss or supporting someone who is, this talk offers hope, perspective, and a path towards healing. Dr. Sora Al Rowas, CEO and Co-Founder of Al Sorat Consulting, has a unique global background. After earning her master’s in research from McGill, she completed board certification in internal medicine in the U.S. As an Assistant Professor at Tufts University and Director of Evidence-Based Medicine, she also earned a faculty development diploma from Stanford. Returning to the Gulf, she worked in the UAE and Oman, becoming Head of Risk Management and later Head of the Acute Medicine Unit at Royal Hospital. A Schwartz Award winner for compassionate care, she is passionate about using data to drive excellence in healthcare quality. Her consulting firm specializes in data-driven decision-making, guiding institutions toward excellence through informed, incremental steps. Since entering the business leadership space in 2021, she has received multiple leadership awards, solidifying her impact in the field. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx