TEDxNapaValley Past Presenters-Where Are They Now?

Each year, TEDxNapaValley hosts a lineup of speakers with far-reaching community projects—both local and international. Three past featured presenters with close Napa Valley ties have continued to expand the platforms they described during their TEDx talks, including human rights outreach, public art works, and the development of an international community youth play initiative.

Kimberly Jessica Ramirez Gonzalez (2015)

Minutes after delivering a powerful, personal talk at TEDxNapaValley in 2015, Jessica was approached by fellow TEDx speaker and Napa Sheriff Steve Potter, who offered her an internship with the Napa Police Department. After completing her internship, she went on to UC Merced to pursue a degree in sociology. At UC Merced, Jessica has represented the school at The University of California Students Association, where she lobbied for important legislation pertaining to students’ access to higher education, and at the Undocumented Summits Conference, a forum for issues facing the undocumented student community. She is also in the process of joining a pre-law chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, the largest professional legal fraternity in the world. Currently, Jessica is beginning an internship at Hidden Villa, a nonprofit organization for young activists; her next step will be working as a camp counselor, teaching social justice issues to high school students. In the fall of 2017, she travels to Chile and Argentina to participate in a year-long human rights program.

Mario Chiodo (2012)

In Mario Chiodo’s 2012 TEDxNapaValley talk, he described his passion for the way art connects humanity during disconnected times. He shared his powerful sculpture series, Freedom March of Art, which honors international humanitarians. Since then he has moved to Napa, built a local studio and expanded on his Freedom Series. New works have been installed around the country, including a likeness of Frederick Douglass in Peace Garden in Boston, a statute of Nelson Mandela in Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park in Oakland, and, locally, bigger-than-life statues of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in downtown Napa. For the Chavez and Huerta works, Chiodo partnered with local developer Michael Holcomb, who provided the funding and also a permanent home for the statues at his building on Main Street. Chiodo is also working with fellow TEDx alum Chuck McMinn, Vine Trail Founder and Chair, on bringing art to the 47-mile trail.

Tim Jahnigen (2011)

Tim Jahnigen shared his simple but ever-so-powerful idea of creating an almost indestructible soccer ball to enable play around the world at his TEDxNapaValley Talk in 2011. He described how creating a ball that would survive kicking, barbed wire, and all sorts of elements would be essential to giving youth around the world a chance to play. Jahnigen believes play has the power to enable creativity, inspire leadership, build strength and provide a sense of community and joy. Since then, his organization, One World Futbol, has received funding from Chevrolet that enables them to distribute more than 1 million balls to more than 30 million youth around the world. In 2014, the organization announced a bigger idea–to build tools, resources and services to further enable play. The organization was renamed One World Play Project, and at its helm is local leader and entrepreneur John Heymann. As CEO, Heymann spearheads the overall business strategy and impact of the organization. Locally, Heymann is known for his leadership on the Land Trust of Napa County and as CEO of Motto, Kryla & Fisher, an international financial consulting firm.

The upcoming TEDxNapaValley event takes place on May 1, 2016, at Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center. For the full lineup of speakers at TEDxNapaValley 2016 and online ticket sales, visit www.tedxnapavalley.org.

· General Admission tickets are still available at $95.

· Dinner tickets for the Dinner with the Speakers on April 30 at the CIA at COPIA are $100.