Meet the TEDxWidenerUniversity Team
About Our TEDx Team
Our TEDx team is made up of Widener University students, faculty, staff, and alumni. We have a hybrid leadership model in which every director position is co-led by a student paired with a Widener faculty or staff member expert. This enables students to gain valuable experience while providing successful continuity from year to year.
Volunteer at TEDxWidenerUniversity
Would you like to get involved? We are putting together our 2023 team now. TEDxWidenerUniversity is a volunteer-run event, and we have several areas that could use your help. Check out the team descriptions that follow, and contact Jeannine McKnight at tedxwidener@widener.edu to learn more about volunteer opportunities for our TEDxWidenerUniversity event.
Meet Our 2022 TEDx Team
Lead Organizer, Event Manager, and Licensee: Jeannine McKnight
Curation Committee: Greg Potter, Mary Allen, Sally Lawrence, and Jeannine McKnight
Film Production
The Film Production team hires, contracts, and manages the professional film crew and arranges for photography. They work with the lead organizer and co-directors on all aspects of filming the event. They follow the “TEDx Shooting, Production, and Editing Guidelines”
- Executive Co-Producer (staff): Greg Potter
- Executive Co-Producer (student): Kendall Gordon
Speaker Preparation and Coaching
The Speaker Preparation and Coaching team reviews the speakers’ outlines, scripts, and audiovisual materials, including fact-checking. The team coaches the speakers and helps them hone their talks. They manage rehearsals and provide constructive feedback to the speakers.
- Staff co-director: Amy Franzini
- Student co-directors: Anthony Pompilli and Kaitlyn Lathrop
- Student Coaches: Zora DeSeignora, Kendall Gordon
Communications
The Communications team handles press releases, media inquiries, and social media.
- Staff co-directors: Mary Allen and Hilary Bentman
- Student co-directors: Zora DeSeignora and Gabrielle Norris
Website and Data Management
The Website and Data Management team manages our website, as well as any data collection via the website.
- Staff co-director: Heather Zankman
- Student co-director: Kyle Korthaus
Sponsorship and Budget
The Sponsorship and Budget team works with directors to create a budget, manage the finances, and maintain records and accounting. The team also recruits and manages sponsors.
- Staff co-director: Jeannine McKnight
- Student co-director: Amaka Oduah
Set Design and Logistics
The Set Design and Logistics team creates the logo prop for the stage and decorates the stage and event space. They handle the spotlights, lighting, curtains, and audiovisual equipment. The manage the back-of-house volunteers and also help as ushers.
- Staff co-director: Rob Reutter
- Student co-directors: Ciana Bowers and Christine Dzikunu
Student Volunteer: Mary Darrah
Check-In & Reception
The Check-In and Reception team reserves the venue space for rehearsals and the event, manages the setup and teardown crews, staffs the registration and info tables, arranges for catering, assembles goody bags, coordinates with Housekeeping, and are ushers. They manage front-of-house volunteers. They also recruit and oversee community partnership tables related to our "Brainstorm" theme.
- Staff co-directors: Jeanine Snow-Gephart
- Student co-director: Oli Zimmerman
- Student Volunteers: Saleeth Ulloa Lasso