San Francisco State University is hosting a TEDx, known for its informational speeches, in the Student Life Events Center at Annex 1 on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 1-5 p.m.
“Seas of Change” is the theme for the event featuring speakers like social innovators, researchers, educators, crisis response leaders and restorative justice advocates. This marks TEDx’s second event at SFSU, following the first in 2017.
Neil Sterud III, a Master of Business Administration student and student ambassador for the Lam Family College of Business, organized the free event.
“It’s actually perfect, because a lot of these people are talking about different changes that they’re trying to make within society,” Sterud said. “I think it aligns pretty well with the culture and with the university, and the sort of drive for positive social changes that a lot of people try to push.”
Nine speakers are scheduled to speak, including three professors from SFSU — John Logan, Theresa Roeder and Gülnur Tumbat. Logan, professor and chair of the labor and employment studies department, will speak about the anti-union industry. Roeder, professor of decision sciences, will discuss artificial intelligence and simulation, while Tumbat, professor of marketing, will speak on risk consumption. The three professors will speak during the first speaker session from 1:30-2:45 p.m.
During Speaker Session II, Eric Johnsen, Katherine Luce, Amy Skoll, Robert Reed, Narges Zohoury Dillon and Janet Wright are scheduled to speak from 3:30-5 p.m. after a networking event and entertainment performance between the sessions.
Johnsen, CEO of R3 – Rehabilitation, Restoration and Respite, a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to developing attainable micro-housing solutions, will be speaking about building modular homes with inmates to address the housing shortage and to provide inmates with job skills.
Luce and Skoll, faculty members at Cal Poly Maritime Academy, will use their respective speeches to address lowering the paywall for academic research and rebel group branding.
Reed, a spokesperson for Recology, will emphasize the need for composting advocacy from community leaders. Dillon, an executive director with the Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, will discuss why community volunteers are key to preventing suicide. Wright, an investigator for the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, will use her time to discuss restorative justice.
What separates TEDx events from traditional TED events is that they are organized by individuals independently under a free license granted by TED. They still follow the traditional TED model, but they are fully controlled by the organizers.
Sterud has been working on organizing a TEDx event for a couple of years, dating back to his time attending the California State University Maritime Academy.
To gain a TEDx license, Sterud had to travel to Vancouver, Canada, by attending an official TED conference. However, due to the integration of Cal Maritime and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2024, his idea was practically thrown away.
“Essentially, when I forwarded the idea to the CSU lawyers… they said no, because of the integration,” Sterud said. “‘We’re not doing this right now.’ So they kind of killed the project… People at the school said, ‘Well, it looks like you got a free trip out of it, you know, enjoy your life.’”
During Spring 2025, Sterud approached Jeff O’Toole, a business analyst at SFSU who works with LFCoB student ambassadors, with his idea, and the plan was in motion.
“The most fun [part] is I’m getting a lot of support from students; people are excited about it,” O’Toole said. “The marketing staff that work in the College of Business, they’re really taking it on. We have a lot of energy from our young people, from our students.”
Alson Cheong, one of the student ambassadors and outreach coordinator for the LFCoB, is helping to organize the event.
“I have been involved with a lot of the event planning, a little bit more on the sponsor side, switching out to different student organizations and the mentorship program. So that’s a big help for us,” Cheong said.
Numerous advertisements, from flyers, yard signs and digital ads for the event, have been set up across the campus, which have caught the eye of some students, including Alexandra Vivas, a marketing student.
“I did see it in the business lounge and [I’m] interested in it,” Vivas said. “It does seem like a cool opportunity.”
Sterud is looking forward to seeing SFSU get the TEDx spotlight, not just because of his personal achievement in making this happen, but because TED has brought him enjoyment.
“I’ve found a lot of value in the TED media,” Sterud said. “I have probably watched about 800 TED talks in my lifetime, and it’s made a big impact on how I view the world. It’s a good opportunity to network and meet people.”
