This Isn’t Our First Conversation.

The community behind TEDxHayesValley has spent years creating spaces for people to share what they know and tell the stories that shaped them to connect around ideas that matter.

Through TED, TEDx, LOWKeynotes, and Discovery, members of this community have brought together scientists and storytellers, leaders and learners, experts and curious minds with one goal in mind: to create conversations designed to travel beyond the room.

The best gatherings create connections. They spark new ideas to give people something to carry forward.

We're bringing that spirit to Hayes Valley.

An indoor event with a stage and a seated audience. The stage has a woman speaking, along with a man and a small musical setup. The audience sits in chairs facing the stage, with some people taking notes and others attentively listening. The venue has high ceilings with wooden panels, stained glass windows, and modern lighting fixtures.

Meet the Team

  • A man smiling, wearing glasses and a paisley-patterned shirt, speaking in front of a large screen with a green design.

    JD Schramm

    Organizer & Curator

  • Close-up of a smiling man with short brown hair and a beard, wearing a dark grey shirt, indoors with a blue wall and blurred bookshelf in the background.

    Michael Shehane

    Speaker Coach

  • A smiling woman with curly hair wearing a blazer, necklace, and a patterned blouse.

    Allison Berardi

    Organizer

  • A young man with a beard and afro hairstyle wearing a white collared shirt and a black vest, looking directly at the camera.

    Ryan Chris Harvey

    Producer & Marketing

  • A smiling young woman with shoulder-length brown hair outdoors

    Jackie Utecht

    Support

  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair smiling, wearing a black sleeveless top with a subtle pattern, standing in front of a light-colored background.

    Molly Epstein

    Advisor

  • A portrait of an older man with gray hair and a beard, wearing a suit and tie, against a plain background.

    David Robinson

    Advisor

  • Professional portrait of a man with short, slicked-back hair and a beard, wearing a blue suit, white shirt, and dark tie, with a plain white background.

    Joseph Zehnpfennig

    Advisor

About TED

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of discovering and spreading ideas, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.

TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze $6.6 billion in funding for projects that support bold solutions to the world's most urgent challenges — working to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.

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