2025 TEDxBILLINGS SPEAKER LINEUP
These are the speakers from our upcoming TEDxBillings event.
Alyse Maslonik
Alyse Maslonik is the founder and CEO of RedefinED, an educational consulting company that Alyse created to pursue her life’s purpose of challenging the status quo to bring much needed change to students that need it most. Under her leadership, RedefinED has raised over $30 million in scholarship funds, transforming the lives of more than 15,000 disadvantaged students. From a childhood spent in a domestic abuse shelter to becoming a thriving entrepreneur, Alyse’s journey is a testament to resilience. By letting go of the shame she carried through anger, she transformed it into purpose. She has dedicated her life to ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has access to quality education. Her work with RedefinED is fueled by a deep commitment to breaking barriers and empowering students. A passionate advocate and speaker, Alyse’s story inspires others to overcome adversity—a journey she details in her upcoming memoir, The Anger She Keeps, proving that transformation begins from within.
André is a motivational speaker and change leadership expert who transformed the adversity of losing his sight into an opportunity to inspire others. With years of experience as a successful hotel executive, he understands the importance of resilience and adaptability in leadership. His journey has taught him to reframe challenges as strengths and embrace differences as opportunities. He has delivered impactful talks to corporate leaders, educators, and community groups, empowering them to create inclusive environments that thrive on diversity and acceptance.
Andre van Hall
Anna Kazmierowski
Anna Kazmierowski is a Polish-American entrepreneur, workforce development leader, keynote speaker, and talent strategist with nearly three decades of experience connecting people to careers and businesses to talent. As the owner of A2Z Staffing Solutions and Adroit Employment Resources, she helps companies thrive by building strong workforces and guiding individuals toward meaningful careers.
Born and raised in Poland during a time of political and economic change, she moved to Chicago at 18 with nothing but determination and belief in the American dream. After nearly 25 years in Montana, she’s become a trusted leader in business and workforce strategy.
Specializing in placing on-demand talent and providing workforce development through online education, and HR solutions to industries like government, advanced manufacturing, high tech, and construction. Her curiosity and drive to solve complex workforce challenges have made her a sought-after professional in talent search and placement. Her ability to anticipate client needs and deliver strategic workforce solutions sets her apart as a trusted industry leader.
She is actively involved in advocating for women-owned businesses and has received multiple awards for her volunteer work, including recognition from the SBA Montana WBE and WBENC RPO WBE Advocate. A graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Babson College and the SBA e-200 Emerging Leaders program, she and her husband of 31 years have built a life in Montana, raising two children born in Helena.
And for fun? Her homemade dill pickles have become legendary among friends and clients — a flavorful nod to her Polish roots.
Most of Billings knows Arica as the “Headshot Queen” having followed her journey to becoming a multi-award-winning photographer. However, before she picked up a camera and rose to prominence as one of the top photographers in the country, Arica was a dancer.
She attended BYU-Idaho, where she was part of their competitive ballroom dance tour team, competing and winning numerous awards as a DanceSport athlete. She later became a student instructor, completing several internships teaching ballroom dance to children in elementary and middle schools. Arica’s passion for dance led her to coach high school ballroom teams and eventually open her own studio.
When she first moved to Billings, Arica entered a new chapter of her life, focusing on raising her five children and diving into her photography career. Despite her success, she felt a sense of incompleteness. She missed dancing. And after the challenges of COVID, Arica recognized that Billings needed dance more than ever.
With many people encouraging her to resume teaching, she felt compelled to answer that call. Arica now operates a ballroom dance studio in Billings, where she teaches regular dance classes and performs at live events. But her mission goes beyond just teaching—she is dancing through lives, one heartfelt rhythm at a time.
Arica Lipp
Cam Awesome
Cam F. Awesome is a former Olympic heavyweight boxer turned entrepreneur, and podcast host. Known for his humor and resilience, Cam rose to become the #1 heavyweight boxer in the U.S. and overcame setbacks by embracing positivity and self-belief—eventually legally changing his name to Awesome.
Dr. Carol A. Penn is a board-certified physician, educator, speaker, and wellness leader specializing in Mind-Body Medicine, Family Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. A former dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and School, she integrates movement, mindfulness, and medicine to promote holistic health.
She serves as Director of Tracks and Electives at Rocky Vista University/Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine, Senior Faculty at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, and Clinical Faculty at Rowan University SOM. A Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathic Family Physicians, she is committed to advancing self-care, resilience, and health equity.
A bestselling author, entrepreneur, and thought leader, Dr. Penn is the Chief Visionary Officer of Penn Global Visions and Medical Group and co-founder of the Institute for Community Evolution. She is also a certified coach, QiGong practitioner, and podcaster, inspiring transformation through medicine, movement, and mindfulness.
Carol penn
Jay Abbasi
Jay Abbasi is an international keynote speaker, high performance coach, and resilience expert dedicated to empowering professionals to thrive in high-pressure environments without succumbing to burnout. His journey into personal development began after the sudden loss of his father in 2014, a pivotal event that led him to rebuild his life through mindfulness and self-discovery. This transformation propelled him into leadership roles at Tesla, where he led national training programs and coached thousands of employees across North America. Beyond Tesla, Jay has guided leaders at organizations such as Google, Amazon, and Wells Fargo, helping them cultivate resilience and well-being. As the host of the “Unstuck” podcast, he shares practical tools for navigating stress and building resilient teams. Jay’s expertise in psychological safety, emotional intelligence, and high-stakes leadership empowers individuals and organizations to achieve sustainable success.
Jennifer Reiser is a dynamic and creative leader known for her innovative approach to leadership development, network-building, and organizational strategy. Passionate about unlocking potential, she helps individuals, teams, and organizations reimagine possibilities, embrace new ideas, and build sustainable success.
As the Director of Operations for Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy and CEO of Jennifer Reiser Consulting, she blends analytical expertise with a visionary mindset to inspire change. With a background in nonprofit management and Environmental Public Health, she holds a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry, a Certificate in Public Health, and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management.
A Certified Chamber Executive and nationally recognized expert in leadership, workforce development, and change management, Jennifer brings a fresh perspective to problem-solving and system design. As an author and speaker, she channeled her creativity into Leading in Color – Leadership Lessons from the Animal World, a series of workbooks that explore the intersection of nature and leadership.
Jennifer Reiser
John roberts
John Roberts began playing the piano at the age of 5 while living on an isolated ranch in Southeastern Montana. There was no TV, but there was a piano. From age 11-18, in Malta, MT, he was in band (trombone) and choir in the Malta, MT schools. After graduating in 1996 from Montana State University-Billings with a BA in Music Performance, John moved to Los Angeles to earn his Master of Fine Arts in Western Orchestral Performance from California Institute of the Arts.
Feeling equally comfortable in orchestral and commercial music realms, he has performed in all 50 of the United States and around the world, including; Mexico, South America, Israel, Cuba, India, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia and Africa. Notable venues include the Lincoln Center in New York, Pantages Theatre, Kodak Theatre, Roskilde, House of Blues, Blue Note, Apollo and Apollo London. Tours include his own band, John Roberts y Pan Blanco (Afro-Latin Soul), Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca (Congolese/Cuban), Bobby Womack (Soul), Los Pinguos (Argentina), The Temptations, Chaka Khan, The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, and more. Other performances and recordings include multiple Grammy and Emmy Award Shows, Chris Botti, LA Philharmonic, Feist, Sting, Dr. Dre, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Fallout Boy, Burt Bacharach, Bill Holman, The Ojays, Jill Scott, Christina Aguilera, The Today Show, NPR, PBS, Disney, and more.
Roberts is a Professor of Low Brass at MSU Billings, teaching Music Theory, Aural Perception, Jazz Ensemble, Commercial Ensemble, World Music courses and more. He is active in the Montana and Los Angeles performing and studio scenes as a bandleader, studio musician and composer/arranger. John is currently recording and composing for his next album, part of which was recorded in Santiago de Cuba and Los Angeles. This record will be a collaboration between Cuban, Congolese, Los Angeles and Montana artists.
Born in the Bronx, NY, Mary Beth learned early that if you want to be heard you need to talk fast and loud, and you get bonus points if you make people laugh. Sarcasm became an art form, and if the joke was at someone else’s expense, so be it. When she moved to Montana as a teen, she found herself in a community where she was welcomed with a warmth she had not experienced before. She saw a new way to be and wanted more of that for herself.
In her 30+ year career in financial services, she was drawn to support leaders who found themselves in difficult situations and relationships. Leading from behind in this way, she saw first-hand, how the instinct to harshly judge self, others and situations created barriers to building relationships and achieving outcomes personally as well as professionally.
Her goal, her passion, her work is bringing people closer together, lifting and hearing all voices. Finding more of what we have in common, rather than what pulls us apart. More understanding. More compassion. More generosity. For self, as well as for others.
Mary Beth Beaulieu
mehmet casey
Mehmet Casey thrives on networking with people, inviting conversations, and seeking solutions to local community issues. He started his career journey in government work, then worked mostly in higher education, dabbled in retail and hospitality, and currently works in the nonprofit sector. Mehmet serves on and volunteers for local nonprofits, events, boards, associations, conferences, panels, forums, focus groups, and DEI initiatives.
Mitch Bohn is a sports podcaster, storyteller, and advocate for better disability representation. As the host of Wide Left Sports, he highlights underrepresented voices in sports while challenging stereotypes about disability. Mitch is passionate about breaking the assumption that physical disabilities automatically mean cognitive impairments, using personal experience and media analysis to shift perspectives. Whether discussing sports or social issues, he aims to spark real conversations that inspire change.
mitch bohn
Onnie michalsky
Onnie Michalsky is a licensed therapist, consultant, and host of the Moms Without Capes Podcast. She’s passionate about helping women who feel lost under the weight of motherhood shed the do-it-all mindset, break through self-limiting beliefs, and make room for self-care and growth. As an advocate for mental health, Onnie has also joined forces with Upstream Strategy Partners to make mental health care more accessible in the workplace. Beyond her work, she leads a Faith-Driven Entrepreneur group, runs the Billings Mental Health Providers Alliance, and is an active Toastmasters member. Through therapy, advocacy, and community leadership, Onnie is dedicated to improving mental health, fostering personal growth, and helping individuals and organizations create lives and workplaces that are balanced, fulfilling, and mentally strong.
Will Maurer is an award-winning media executive, global speaker, and social entrepreneur. Over the past 20 years, Will has built and scaled companies across the U.S., China, India, and Hong Kong, leading strategy, production, operations, and finance.
As a leading voice in children’s media reform, Will is pioneering evidence-based guidelines and solutions that bridge scientific research with real-world execution. His work challenges industry norms, prioritizes early childhood learning, and champions equitable, enriching content for the next generation. Through advocacy, research, and leadership, he is reshaping the future of children’s media – driving systemic change and setting new standards for quality, impact, and accessibility on a global scale.
