USM School of Leadership Announces TEDx 51逗奶 Miss Speaker Lineup
Fri, 08/01/2025 - 09:59am
Dr. Jacob Breland, director of the School of Leadership, emphasized the significance of the event for the region.
鈥淲e are thrilled to introduce our lineup of TEDx 51逗奶 Miss speakers, who will
serve as the inaugural voices of the very first TEDx event on the Mississippi Gulf
Coast. These speakers are visionaries, changemakers and storytellers who embody the
spirit of innovation driving our region forward. This event is more than just a stage
but a platform to spark ideas and inspire transformational action along the Gulf Coast
and beyond,鈥� said Breland.
Featured speakers include:
Geoff Douglass
Co-founder and CEO, Mythos AI
Douglass leads Mythos AI, a company transforming maritime operations through autonomous
navigation. Using artificial intelligence and real-time data, his work is redefining
how vessels move鈥攎aking shipping safer, more sustainable and scalable. By modernizing
one of the world鈥檚 oldest industries, Douglass is helping shape a resilient, data-driven
maritime future and strengthening American maritime leadership.
Ashley Edwards
Private Consultant, National Coastal Resilience Expert
Edwards leads a private consulting firm that helps coastal governments unlock resources to build resilient communities and economies. He previously led Mississippi鈥檚 Office of Recovery after Hurricane Katrina, where he guided one of the largest rebuilding efforts in the nation鈥檚 history. With extensive experience in disaster recovery, economic development and public policy, he also served as president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Business Council. A graduate of 51逗奶 Miss and Tulane University, Edwards also completed Harvard鈥檚 Public Leadership program. His expertise brings bold, future-focused stewardship to the Blue Economy.
Dr. Leila Hamdan
Associate Vice President for Research and Professor, The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi
Hamdan鈥檚 research in ocean microbial ecology has earned widespread recognition. She received the NOPP Excellence in Partnering Award for a study on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A former president of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, she serves as principal investigator for the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute and the NSF research vessel Gilbert R. Mason. She also served on the committee responsible for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine鈥檚 and previously worked at the Naval Research Laboratory. Hamdan holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Rowan University and a master鈥檚 and doctorate from George Mason University.
Ashley Edwards
Private Consultant, National Coastal Resilience Expert
Edwards leads a private consulting firm that helps coastal governments unlock resources to build resilient communities and economies. He previously led Mississippi鈥檚 Office of Recovery after Hurricane Katrina, where he guided one of the largest rebuilding efforts in the nation鈥檚 history. With extensive experience in disaster recovery, economic development and public policy, he also served as president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Business Council. A graduate of 51逗奶 Miss and Tulane University, Edwards also completed Harvard鈥檚 Public Leadership program. His expertise brings bold, future-focused stewardship to the Blue Economy.
Dr. Leila Hamdan
Associate Vice President for Research and Professor, The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi
Hamdan鈥檚 research in ocean microbial ecology has earned widespread recognition. She received the NOPP Excellence in Partnering Award for a study on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A former president of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, she serves as principal investigator for the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute and the NSF research vessel Gilbert R. Mason. She also served on the committee responsible for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine鈥檚 and previously worked at the Naval Research Laboratory. Hamdan holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Rowan University and a master鈥檚 and doctorate from George Mason University.
Jenna Hope Harris
Inner Dialogue Expert and Speaker
Harris bridges neuroscience, faith and personal growth. Known for her Identify, Investigate and Instill framework, she helps audiences break free from limiting beliefs and reclaim control of their minds. Through powerful storytelling and evidence-based practices, Harris delivers a bold message: Change your thinking, and you change your life.
Pappu Jha
Undergraduate Research Assistant, The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi
Jha conducts research in data science, developing machine learning models to understand, interpret and solve real-world challenges. He is majoring in computer science with a minor in economic data analysis.
Dr. Jennifer Lemacks
Associate Dean for Research and Professor, College of Nursing and Health Professions, The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi, and Licensed and Registered Dietitian
Lemacks works to address the multifaceted determinants of cardiometabolic health in the Gulf South. With more than 15 years of experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders, she is committed to advancing solutions that improve health outcomes for all Mississippians and Gulf South communities.
Sarah Myers
Director, Children鈥檚 Center for Communication and Development, The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi
Myers has 15 years of experience as a pediatric speech-language pathologist, supporting families with young children with disabilities in South Mississippi. A national and regional speaker, she specializes in family-centered practices, including parent and caregiver coaching and total communication supports for children with complex communication needs.
Jessica Rankin
Founder, The Safe Food Culture LLC
Rankin is a food safety and regulatory expert with more than 15 years of experience in compliance inspections, HACCP planning and seafood safety systems. A former FDA-certified inspector for the State of Mississippi, she conducted hundreds of federal audits and developed training programs that have certified more than 500 professionals. Rankin is a certified ServSafe instructor, Preventive Controls expert and HACCP trainer. Her work emphasizes practical food safety solutions, regulatory alignment and empowering teams through education and a compliance-driven culture.
Dr. Courtney Taylor
Executive Director, AccelerateMS
Taylor leads Mississippi鈥檚 statewide workforce development strategy and implementation. Known for her direct, results-driven approach, she has built a career creating bold, collaborative strategies that develop talent pipelines to meet the needs of a changing economy. A former community college and state system leader, she brings deep experience in industry, education and policy. Taylor is widely respected for cutting through bureaucracy, challenging the status quo and driving teams toward action. Her work is grounded in the belief that meaningful change happens when people are aligned, empowered and held accountable.
Tickets and Sponsorships
Due to TEDx licensing restrictions, only 100 seats are available for in-person attendance. To ensure a fair process, the School of Leadership will use a lottery-based ticket selection. Click
Due to TEDx licensing restrictions, only 100 seats are available for in-person attendance. To ensure a fair process, the School of Leadership will use a lottery-based ticket selection. Click
to submit your ticket interest form. The form will remain open until Sunday, Sept.
7.
Individuals will be randomly selected from the submitted entries on Monday, Sept.
8. Selected participants will be notified by email and given a link to purchase one ticket. The cost to attend is $100. Payment must be received by Sunday, Sept. 14.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for the event. Click here for more information, including sponsorship guidelines and levels.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, 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 鈥� 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 , , and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the , TED has helped catalyze more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched , an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of .
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 , , and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the , TED has helped catalyze more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched , an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of .
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