The Final Rehearsal…

TEDxBeaconStreet Speakers gave a last sneak peek to our community.

by Maura Eggink

Last Friday, Speakers and volunteers gathered at the Cambridge offices of Ernst & Young for the final rehearsal before TEDxBeaconStreet 2016. The day was packed with back-to-back talks by interesting and diverse Speakers, receiving the last remarks and tips to ace their talks next weekend.

Lee Collins shared her moving story about becoming an infertility activist after spending years as a partner in a law firm. Her passion for law was never limited by a glass ceiling, but at a certain point her life did seem to be confined to a glass petri dish. Since one in eight women have trouble becoming pregnant, infertility burdens many more couples around you than you might think. Lee is motivated to break the taboo around infertility and fight for equal opportunities for all women around the country.

Karen Feinstein, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, shared her frustration with the healthcare system in the United States. She showed us how the future of healthcare should be like an Uber ride — consumer-driven, transparent, and leading you in the right direction. After listening to her stories on inspiring women of impact in the field, it is hard not join her Womens Health Activist Movement.

Jeff Saviano is determined to help stop the ever-growing problem of climate change. As a tax innovator at EY in Boston, he shared interesting ideas about how tax can be used as a tool for social change. Cutting carbon emissions and benefitting the community — it almost makes you love taxes!

“Artlifting” should be a new verb in our community. Liz Powers founded Artlifting as an organization to help and provide a platform for artists that are homeless or have disabilities. She reminds us to see the positive side of people and their circumstances and give people the chance to be saved by their own creativity and talent.

These four speakers shared just a fraction of the ideas worth spreading we got to get a glimpse of on Friday. As we move on to our last preparations for the conference, we wish all the speakers luck with their last tweaks and practicing in front of the mirror. And to all participants: get ready to be moved!