Wake Forest University’s annual TEDxWakeForestU event returns to campus on Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Eight speakers from diverse backgrounds will take the stage for “Playing with Fire,” sharing stories + ideas that fueled positive change in their field.
- Artis Stevens, the CEO and president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, was named TIME’s 100 Most Influential Leaders in Philanthropy in 2025.
- Leanda Cave, a four-time world champion triathlete, became the first woman in history to win both the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in the same year.
- Lenny Stern, strategist and thinker, has helped two of the world’s leading financial institutions transform their business in moments of crisis.
- Meryl Poster, multi-award-winning producer and media executive, has ranked in the top 30 in The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 for five consecutive years.
- Kele Eveland, a former professional athlete and entrepreneur who continues to inspire and mentor collegiate volleyball players.
- David Yamane is a professor of sociology at Wake Forest University and a distinguished scholar when it comes to gun ownership in America.
- Sariah Fischer works on advancing technology within the US Space Force while bridging government and commercial roles.
- Emilio Morgenstern, Wake Forest University student and founder of Student Organ Donation Advocates, is a big advocate for organ donation awareness and transplant education.
Want to go? Registration is requested. The event will be held in Wait Chapel (1834 Wake Forest Rd.).