2026 TEDx Kean University Speakers
Shion Mabuchi (Student)
Title: Genki (元気): The Energy That Unites
Description: “Genki” is a Japanese word meaning vitality, positive energy, and spirit. In this talk, Shion Mabuchi shares how they transformed childhood pain, identity struggles, and bullying into energy that builds connection, belonging, and unity, showing how the energy we bring into the world can create meaningful change.
Emeral Neloms (Student)
Title: From Pain to Purpose: The Impact of Drunk Driving
Description: Emeral Nelom’s TEDx story explores how a single split-second decision can alter the course of a life, while also revealing the human capacity to transform pain into purpose. After surviving a drunk driving accident, Emeral was forced to rebuild physically, mentally, and emotionally. Through this journey, they examine the power of decision-making, the role of empathy, and how adversity can reshape perspective. At its core, the talk demonstrates that our most difficult experiences do not have to define us -in Emeral’s case, they became the foundation for growth, advocacy, and meaningful change.
Dr. Michael Salvatore (Executive Vice President for Academic and Administrative Operations)
Title: “Empathy Wisdom: Knowing Your Emotional Limits as a Leader”
Description: What if the very quality that makes a great educator or leader could also be their undoing? Through the stories of real leaders who shut down their empathy to survive and those who surrendered to it completely, this talk maps the hidden fault line between emotional wisdom and emotional paralysis. The most transformational leaders are not the most empathetic. They are the ones who know exactly when to feel deeply, when to step back, and when holding a boundary is not coldness but leadership. Drawing on real stories from educators and leaders across schools and institutions, this talk makes the case that empathy without self-awareness is a risk. Empathy wisdom is the capacity to connect fully with the people you lead while maintaining emotional clarity.
Danielle Ford (Assistant Director for Digital Content Strategy, Office of University Relations)
Title: “Be Kind to Your Chatbot”
Description: There is a significant volume of research supporting a positive correlation between courtesy and an improvement in the quality of AI chatbot responses. As many lament the decline of a civil society, courtesy is more important now than ever before. This talk will explore how digital interactions impact and shape social connections and society as a whole.
Dr. John Lee (Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions and Human Services)
Title: “Why We Hurt Differently”
Description: What if the greatest barrier to healing is not pain itself, but the way we misunderstand how others carry it? In “Why We Hurt Differently,” physical therapy professor, Dr. John Jonghyun Lee explores how pain is not expressed, interpreted, or responded to in the same way across cultures. While the body may register injury similarly, the meaning of suffering, the choice to hide or share it, and the expectation of care are shaped by culture. Through insights from healthcare, education, and everyday relationships, this talk invites audiences to rethink empathy beyond symptoms and assumptions. Listeners will leave with a deeper understanding of cultural competence as a practical tool for connection, and as a powerful act of love.
Laren Rouse: John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research (Community Partner)
Title: “You can’t automate compassion”
Description: Drawing from real-world experiences in community engagement, this talk explores the limits of AI technology in meeting deep human needs and why, especially in moments of vulnerability, the ability to truly connect, listen, and respond remains irreplaceable.