Theme: Redefine Possible

Possible is the state of being capable or feasible within the constraints of a given set of circumstances. It is the potential for something to happen or exist, based on the available evidence, resources, and conditions. However, this potential is often left stagnant if it is not nurtured or cultivated. The existence of “what is” is more comfortable than “what could be”, leaving us to go about our lives in a bubble of certainty. It is easy to forget that possible is not a fixed or certain outcome; it is not limited to what has been done before or what is considered probable. It is rather a potential that is open to change and influenced by purpose and passion, allowing for new possibilities and innovations. As we search for our own purpose and passion, we must aim to broaden our perspectives and pursue new avenues of exploration and growth. With the second TEDxJeffersonU conference, we are giving speakers the opportunity to articulate what they have redefined as possible in their lives and ignite a passion for entering the realm of possibility in others.

Join us on May 6th, 2023 as we embark on the journey to Redefine Possible.

Connelly Auditorium
1001 Locust St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107
United States

Callie Collins

Callie is an architectural designer with a passion for art and problem solving. Through her academic career at Thomas Jefferson University, she developed additional passion for global service and technology. Callie integrates both herself and her passions into her work. In a recent project, Callie explored the use of machine learning as a tool to aid designers in the production process. Over the course of one hundred days, she not only learned about but experimented with Generative Adversarial Networks. The machine and she produced infinite images of imaginary cities composed from personal photography around the world. Callie’s research in how machines learn led her to learn how she learns. Her talk divulges how her experience during the project and her continuous comparison to the machine provided her with unfaltering self-confidence and self-acceptance.

Dr. Mahesh Krishnan

Mahesh is a passionate advocate for upskilling clinicians to be effective designers, business leaders and implementers to improve the healthcare experience for patients and their providers. He is on a mission to create clinician leaders who use their experience and empathy to create the healthcare systems of tomorrow that delight patients and those who work in healthcare, improving satisfaction and reducing frustration. He believes that a new form of the clinician triple threat, expert in individual patient care, population health and the business of medicine, is the exact specialist needed to treat our ailing healthcare system. Using his own successful healthcare executive experience, Mahesh mentors numerous clinicians to become more effective and is writing a book called “Reclaim: Putting clinicians back in the driver’s seat.”

Dr. Philip Ovadia

After growing up on Long Island, Dr. Philip Ovadia completed an accelerated Pre-Med/Medical School program at The Pennsylvania State University and Jefferson Medical College (now The Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University). He went on to complete a residency in General Surgery followed by a fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery. Dr. Ovadia has been a practicing heart surgeon since 2005. He has been married to his wife Shelly since 2010 and they have two daughters, Eva (12) and Layla (10). Starting in 2016, Philip started a journey to fix his health challenges, a lifelong battle with obesity and pre-diabetes. He successfully lost nearly 100 pounds and maintained that weight loss. Dr. Ovadia is now on a mission to help as many people as possible to avoid the need for heart surgery. He recently authored the book, “Stay Off My Operating Table.” Philip is excited to be returning to Jefferson to Redefine Possible and educate people to Feed Your Heart: The Secrets to Staying Off the Operating Table.

Joey Price

Joey V. Price is an award-winning Human Resources Executive, thought leader, and the Founder and CEO of Jumpstart:HR. The company offers HR outsourcing and consulting for startups and small businesses. Joey also co-hosts the "While We Were Working" weekly podcast for leaders in the workplace who wish to be better at handling people's issues. A seasoned HR professional with hands-on experience in multiple organizations, Joey advocates for businesses to translate their goal into high ROI through happily engaged staff members. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the HR Department at the Forbes School of Business and Technology, the UKG Workforce Institute, and the Ethics in AI Board at Arena Analytics.

Kwangsoo Kim

Kwangsoo is a 55 year old father of two, a husband, personal trainer, gym owner, motivator, life coach, people lover and he loves meeting and helping people achieve their goals. He spent 25 years in Wall Street and finally decided to change his life to something more meaningful and significant. At the age of 52, he left a promising Wall Street career to become an entrepreneur to open his own gym and help people. Knowing your gift and using that to help people is the pathway to leading a meaningful lift.

Kyle Tevlin

Kyle Tevlin is a graphic designer in Chester County by day, and at all other times a crusader for better goodbyes at end of life. She is the founder of ‘I Want a Fun Funeral,’ encouraging people to have uplifting and unforgettable farewells. Coming from a big, humor-filled family in North Jersey, she takes having fun very seriously. She hopes her talk inspires everyone to leave some awesome Last Wishes before their number’s up, doing good in the world and of course having fun in the process.

Leona Lam

Leona Lam is a first-year undergraduate student in the accelerated psychology/community and trauma counseling program at Thomas Jefferson University. In the future, she aspires to be a clinical therapist that specializes in children with mental and behavioral disorders. As a first-generation American, Leona is passionate about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in Asian American communities and inspiring others to receive care. She hopes to work towards bridging gaps between generations and pushing forward a message of empathy and hope.

Michelle Myers

Michelle Myers is an award-winning spoken word poet and educator. Appearing on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam as a founding member of Yellow Rage, Michelle harnesses her experiences as a biracial Korean American woman to create work that raises awareness and builds community. Her writing has been published in Apiary, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Title Magazine, Brevity, and USA Today. Her work also has received recognition from the Leeway Foundation, Loft Literary Center, Asian Arts Initiative, Japanese American National Museum, Smithsonian Channel, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and Dodge Poetry Program. Michelle currently serves on the Advisory Board of The Berrie Center, and her CCPTV show Drop the Mic has been nominated for six Emmys. In 2022, Michelle’s poetry was featured in the NY Times bestseller Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now as well as in the print and audiobook versions of My Life: Growing Up Asian in America; Michelle will appear on the cover of the paperback version of My Life, which will be released in April 2023. Finally, Michelle hosts a podcast called Mind Your Margins, which is produced by her daughter, Myong.

Taylor Matulis

Taylor Matulis is a fourth year Law and Society Major with a minor in Business at Thomas Jefferson University in East Falls. She has been a member of the Student Government Association for all four years and is currently the Student Body President. Taylor grew up in Levittown, PA where her ideology for life was refined. She will soon be moving to Pittsburgh with her cavapoo puppy Chanel, to pursue a career in marketing. Taylor’s philosophy in life is to make the harder choice to discover your purpose and promote confidence and growth.

Young Sheng

Young Sheng is an MD/MPH student at Thomas Jefferson University who intends to specialize in ophthalmology. He majored in Economics at Princeton University, where his senior thesis analyzed whether Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions impacted opioid prescribing rates. Young's passions lay in bridging the gap between mainstream health economic policy-making and the patient-centered realities that healthcare providers stand witness to on a daily basis. He has founded several campaigns and initiatives at Jefferson including a peer-based health economic education group, a campaign that encourages Philadelphia nonprofits to contribute their tax exemptions toward cleaning toxic lead and asbestos out of underfunded public schools, and a financial advocacy initiative that will help eliminate patient hospital debt through free charity care navigation services.Young's talk will integrate health economic principles with a comparison of public and privatized healthcare, with the aim of promoting a health economic language that centers the universal care and wellbeing of patients.