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 2023 TEDx Team

Lead Organizer, Event Manager, and Licensee: Jeannine McKnight

Curation Committee: Greg Potter, Mary Allen, 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): Amanda Rappa

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: Jennifer Reinwald
• Student co-director: Amanda Johnson (Amanda is also our moderator for the live event!)

Communications

The Communications team handles press releases, media inquiries, and social media.

• Staff co-directors: Mary Allen and Hilary Bentman
• Student co-directors: Amanda Rappa

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, manages the finances, assembles goody bags, and maintains records and accounting. The team also recruits and manages sponsors.

• Staff co-director: Jeannine McKnight
• Student co-director: Catie Sengstock

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: Greg Potter
• Student co-directors: Finnegan Dominguez, Autumn Yoder, and Ivana Brock

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, coordinates with Housekeeping, and are ushers. They manage front-of-house volunteers. They also recruit and oversee community partnership tables related to our "Metamorphosis" theme.

• Staff co-directors: Jeanine Snow-Gephart
• Student co-director: Taiyana (Ty) Thompson-Martin
• Student volunteers: Valleri Freibauer, Jourdan Murray, Felicia Nwachy, Hailey Richmond, Gio Stanfa

Community Table—Active Minds

We have a nonprofit organization Community Table at our reception. This year's Community Table features the Active Minds organization. Active Minds is an organization that works to spread awareness about mental health and suicide prevention by prioritizing student health and well-being. The club benefits its members through education, and the campus as a whole by making small changes to promote positivity. Stop by the table to learn more about Active Minds and enjoy a snack. Active Minds members at our 2023 event: Valleri Freibauer, Jourdan Murray, Felicia Nwachy, Hailey Richmond, and Gio Stanfa.

Photography

The Photography team takes pictures at the live event and the dress rehearsal. They manage the Flickr account and provide photos for social media and promotion.

• Staff co-director: Jeannine McKnight
• Student co-director: Amanda Rappa