TEDx Pacific Avenue: Bold, Provocative Ideas That Will Change the World
Get ready for a full-day experience that will challenge the status quo, stir your soul, and leave you thinking differently about the world — and your role in it.
TEDxPacific Avenue isn’t your average speaker event. Set in the heart of Venice, California, this independently produced TEDx experience is a high-impact gathering of ideas, art, truth-telling, and transformation.
You’ll hear from a powerful mix of voices:
Cultural icons and changemakers like Selma Blair, Billy Baldwin, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Rising stars with provocative, world-shifting ideas chosen through a global open call
Doctors, artists, activists, storytellers, and visionaries with something urgent to say — and the courage to say it
Expect conversations you won’t hear anywhere else. Ideas that shake your assumptions. Stories that stick with you to share with others.
Whether you come to be inspired, challenged, moved, or lit up — you’ll leave with new ideas and ways of thinking.
Speakers:
Selma Blair: Actress, author, and disability advocate known for her roles in Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde, and Hellboy. Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, she has become a powerful voice for those living with chronic illness, sharing her journey publicly through her memoir Mean Baby and the documentary Introducing, Selma Blair.
Billy Baldwin and Dr. Marbut: A political "odd couple" finding common groud Billy Baldwin is a long time liberal activist and Star of "Flatliners", "Backdraft", "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and the narrator of two cutting edge documentaries about the Homelessness Crisis and the Fentanyl Epidemic. Dr. Robert Marbut, Jr. is a Conservative policy maker who has worked in three Presidential Administrations including being a White House Fellow to George H. W. Bush and The Homelessness Czar for Donald Trump.
Congressman Ted Lieu: represents California's 36th Congressional District and is a former U.S. Air Force officer. A member of the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees, he is known for his advocacy on technology, climate action, and civil liberties, and is one of Congress’s most prominent voices on ethical governance and national security.
Liz Kennedy is a democracy and voting rights advocate who has spent her career advancing civic engagement, accountability, and access to the ballot. A former senior policy expert at the Center for American Progress and Demos, she has worked across sectors to strengthen democratic institutions, combat corruption, and empower communities through policy and legal reform.
Congressman Brian Baird: served six terms representing Washington State’s 3rd Congressional District. A clinical psychologist by training, he was known for his focus on science policy, bipartisan cooperation, and constituent engagement. Since leaving office, he has remained active in promoting civic discourse and evidence-based policy making.
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend: KKT was Maryland's first woman's Lt Governor, and has served as Managing Director of Rock Creek, one of the largest women owned asset management firms in the country. She founded a Center on Retirement Security at Georgetown University and just recently served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Navy where she focused on shipyard and shipbuilding, particularly submarines and aircraft carriers.
Teri Weinberg is a former NBC Entertainment Executive Vice President and award-winning producer whose credits include The Office, Ugly Betty, and The Tudors. She launched her production company, Yellow Brick Road, producing acclaimed content for NBC, ABC, SHOWTIME, Netflix, and more. With deep industry roots and a track record of hit-making, Weinberg is a driving force behind culture-defining television.
Oliver English: is a Filmmaker, Chef, & Food Advocate. Oliver is the CEO & Co-Founder of Common Table Creative, an impact-driven production company focused on the future of food. He co-directed and produced the company's award-winning flagship documentary, Feeding Tomorrow, which launched in January 2024 on Apple TV & Amazon Prime. Growing up in his family’s restaurants, he has been intimately involved in the world of food ever since. For the past several years, he led the company’s international development, opening restaurants throughout North America, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. He has learned firsthand the positive and negative effects of globalization and climate change on the world's food system, which have instilled a fierce desire to highlight these issues and inspire real change in the world through visual and experiential storytelling. Oliver is a graduate of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders
Dr. Kelly Sullivan Walden (aka Doctor Dream) is a dream expert, bestselling author, and popular media guest devoted to awakening the world to the power of dreams. From tandem dreaming with her sister as a child to an NDE at age 40, to interpreting dreams for prime time TV hosts of E! Entertainment, Dancing with the Stars, and the Real Housewives, she’s become known as one of America’s premier dream analysts. Her latest book is Dreamifesting: Harnessing the Power of Dreams to Create the Life You Desire. A Los Angeles native (go Dodgers!), Kelly lives in Topanga, California, with her husband, Dana, and yappy Pomeranian puppy, Pearl. www.KellySullivanWalden.com
Elizabeth Blake-Thomas is an award-winning director, keynote speaker, and creativity coach known for empowering storytellers through film, live events, and personal mentorship. With a passion for intentional filmmaking and emotional authenticity, she helps individuals and organizations unlock creative potential and lead with purpose.
Shaun Monson: Probably the most respected Animal Rights Documentary Film Director in the world with credits that include "Earthlings", "Unity" and "Liberty" with Joaquin Phoenix, Shaun pushes the envelope to open the eyes of humans about animal cruelty, especially on factory farms.
Brooke Baldwin is a TV host, award-winning journalist and bestselling author. Brooke most recently published a bombshell first person essay in Vanity Fair entitled: “Leaving CNN Was How I Found My Voice.” She’s now the author of a weekly Substack entitled “Unraveling, with Brooke Baldwin.” For more than a decade, Brooke anchored her own live daily news show on CNN and was renowned for her versatility, authenticity, and humanity at the news desk. After CNN, Brooke hosted a popular social experiment show on Netflix called The Trust. Brooke is the author of the bestselling book Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power.
Dmitri Leonov is a serial entrepreneur and wellness futurist pioneering a global movement in Frequency Medicine. His work has transformed tens of thousands of lives—from helping chronic illness patients live pain-free, to enabling biohackers, elite athletes, and high-performing leaders to heal, optimize, and transform their bodies and minds. His mission: to empower a billion people to thrive by uniting ancient healing wisdom with cutting-edge technology.
Nina Bergman is an actor, rockstar and animal activist whose journey from meat-loving kid to fierce plant-based warrior breaks every stereotype. With roots in science, performance, and frontline activism, she spent two decades testing and teaching what it really takes to thrive. From undercover rescues to global stages, Nina’s living proof that vegans are anything but weak—they’re fierce warriors for change.
Stanley Bishop is a machine learning scientist who works in precision oncology, and he’s teaching teenagers to read the ocean's vital signs using AI and nano-technology adapted from cancer diagnostics. Precision medicine tools designed for human biology work equally well on ocean ecosystems, and Stanley has architected a program to put these tools in the hands of students so they can take action on behalf of their communities as citizen scientists. Our urgent message: we're giving kids the tools to practice medicine on the ocean, because the ocean can't wait for them to grow up.
Alice Frank is a Poet, Performance Artist, and Rabbi of the Mystical Tradition whose work chronicles spiritual awakening. She is the author of My Real Name is You (praised by Eckhart Tolle), creator of the upcoming short film God Porn, and the founder of Grateful Already Spiritual Center in Quebec.
Sebastian Siegel is a British-American director, author, and acclaimed therapist specializing in couples and depth psychology. His first book, The Consciousness Revolution was published by Giger/Verlag for the German market. Sebastian wrote, produced and directed the feature film Grace and Grit (adapted from the book by Ken Wilber) which premiered at The Chinese Theatre IMAX and now streams on Apple and Amazon. Sebastian’s "The Eight Questions series” is also now streaming 51 episodes on YouTube.
Dr. Iza Correll is a Doctor of Medical Science specializing in global health and the founder of OVI Children’s Hospital in Kenya. She established a nonprofit pediatric hospital providing free, comprehensive care to abandoned and medically fragile children. Recognized as the youngest recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Global Citizenship, Dr. Correll is a leading voice in child health equity and innovative care models
Matthew Missimer: Co Founder and CEO of The Motion of Gratitude, is married to Shannon. They have three children Madelyn (9), Quinn (7) and Grayson (6). The Missimer family resides in Chester Springs, PA. Matthew was in the financial services industry for 18 years. In 2020 the family made a big shift when they moved onto an RV and traveled all over the United States. This led to a 4 year journey living in Utah and Costa Rica before moving back to the east coast in 2024 to grow their roots. Matthew and Shannon are on a mission to help people to Feel the Impact of having an intentional gratitude practice and find the power in the present moment.
Jeffrey Chernick is a former Wall Street wealth manager turned three-time founder, advisor, and angel investor whose ventures have reached over 20 million users and take millions of cars off the road each year. Featured in over 30 media outlets, he holds 21 U.S. patents and is the upcoming author of High Five Energy: A Different Kind of Founder, releasing in 2026.
Alix Elizabeth Gitter is an actress, writer, and producer whose work includes films like Blue Lagoon: The Awakening and The Bling Ring, and series such as GCB, Longmire, and Bones. A storyteller driven by curiosity and collaboration, she is the upcoming co-author of High Five Energy: A Different Kind of Founder, releasing in 2026.
Roger Wolfson: has written for five TV series, including Law and Order: SVU, Century City (starring Viola Davis), Saving Grace (starring Holly Hunter), and The Closer, where one of his episodes earned Kyra Sedgwick an Emmy nomination. He has written and sold eleven TV pilots with producers like Charlize Theron, Tim King, Denis Leary, and Neal Moritz, and sold his first feature film last year. As an attorney and speechwriter he’s staffed four U.S.Senators (including Ted Kennedy), several Members of Congress, and written speeches for presidential candidates. In the field of Animal Rights, he’s served as Commissioner of Animal Services for Los Angeles and as Special Counsel for the non-Human Rights Project (co-founded by Steven Wise and Jane Goodall).
Kate Starr is a Certified Nervous System Regulation Practitioner with a master's degree in public health specializing in behavior change in women's health from George Washington University. As a Nervous System Coach, she helps ambitious, driven women overcome burnout and chronic stress through holistic nervous system regulation techniques and her unique approach, SomaNeuro Alignment, which combines both psychological and physiological modalities into one powerful practice. Through her signature program, Nervous System Reset, which offers a mix of small group and one-on-one coaching to each client, Kate has helped hundreds of women relocate safety, peace and presence.
Paul Vincent: With over 20 years in health, fitness, and human behavior, a background as an expedition racer, a Masters in Human Performance, a PhD in psychedelic therapy in progress—alongside years of immersion in indigenous and Taoist wisdom—Paul guides world leaders, top performers, and visionaries through what matters most: a clear path to fulfillment during life’s defining transitions.
Kayla Elderkin is a single mother who refused to choose between raising her children and providing for them. While on maternity leave, she started building a business from scratch—determined to create a life that allowed her to be both present and financially secure. Today, she’s grown a community of over 600,000 across her platforms and is on a mission to help other women do the same: stay home with their babies and still provide boldly.
Melissa Dishell is a Los Angeles-based creative executive with over 20 years of experience in branding and marketing, renowned for her innovative strategies that bring ideas to life for talent and brands like Dita Von Teese, Christian Louboutin, Barbie and Pharrell Williams. Her dynamic approach to event design and creative production, coupled with her ability to inspire and motivate, has solidified her reputation as a visionary leader in the industry.
Kat Marenzi is a spiritual life coach and bioenergy healer who guides others to unmask, align, and live in their truth. Through her transformational work ~ including plant journeys, retreats, and energy clearing ~ she helps people reclaim their presence, magnetize their purpose, and experience deep synchronicity. Her TEDx talk reveals how personal unmasking leads to collective evolution ~ how courageously living in our truth is not only healing, but necessary for the future of humanity.
Sepideh Eivazi is an Iranian immigrant, event curator, and founder of Dawn of the Earth, blending somatic breathwork, plant medicine, and custom tea blends to support mental health and nervous system regulation. A member of the Global Wellness Institute’s Breathe Initiative, she brings a trauma-informed lens to global wellness and the events industry. She’s a 2025 Smart Meetings Hall of Fame awardee, 40 Under 40 honoree, and a bold voice for conscious leadership and collective healing.
Eileen Greene: Eileen Greene will be 96 in June of 2025 and she is an inspiration to EVERYONE who is "aging", whether they be in the 80s or 90s, or even their 20s or 30s!
Ian Slade is an entrepreneur, media producer, and philanthropist dedicated to driving positive social impact through storytelling and innovation. With ventures spanning entertainment, technology, and advocacy, Ian works to amplify causes related to justice, equality, and sustainability through cross-sector collaboration and creative leadership.
Lisa Haisha is a life coach, author, and transformational speaker known for her work in human potential and personal growth. Creator of the “SoulBlazing” method, she has worked with celebrities, CEOs, and changemakers globally, helping people discover their authentic selves and live more purposeful lives. Her insights have been featured in media worldwide.
Rabbi Sharon Brous is the founding rabbi of IKAR, a leading-edge Jewish community based in Los Angeles. Recognized nationally for her work bridging faith and social justice, she has been named one of the most influential rabbis in America. Her leadership inspires activism grounded in spiritual courage, equity, and collective belonging.
Pearly Montague is a community builder, healer, and advocate for youth empowerment and mental wellness. With a background in grassroots organizing and holistic practices, she creates spaces for intergenerational healing, storytelling, and personal transformation. Her work centers on inclusion, authenticity, and the power of collective care.
🎫 Tickets are now available - Space is limited.
*Limited spots for friends and family Ticket to TEDx + Saturday Cocktail reception at 6pm