TEDxBillings DEMOCRACY EVENT
July 19th, 2024
Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist, called a “security guru” by the Economist. He is the New York Times best-selling author of 14 books — including A Hacker’s Mind — as well as hundreds of articles, essays, and academic papers. His influential newsletter Crypto-Gram and blog Schneier on Security are read by over 250,000 people. Schneier is a fellow at the Berkman-Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, a Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, a board member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and AccessNow, and an advisory board member of EPIC and VerifiedVoting.org. He is the Chief of Security Architecture at Inrupt, Inc.
Dallas Knight, an Army combat veteran at 19, seamlessly transitioned to civilian life, excelling as an Intelligence Analyst at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and exclusively appointed to the DEA. For nearly a decade, she disrupted narcotic operations, dismantling criminal syndicates. Transitioning to the corporate realm, she became an executive in a tech company, leading the creation of a patented technology.
Beyond corporate success, Dallas is a dedicated advocate for justice. In collaboration with the non profit, Skull Games, she actively pursues human traffickers and mentors survivors turned analysts. Recently, she authored ‘Shattered Reflections,’ a poignant memoir offering an unfiltered view of her military service and a reflective journey 20 years later. Dallas extends her narrative through the ‘(not so) Average Jane’ podcast, which serves as a haven for fellow female combat veterans to share their own experiences, fostering a sense of healing throughout the journey. More recently, Dallas is passionately pursuing the execution of a transformative retreat for female combat veterans through the (not so) Average Jane LLC, providing a safe space for healing, growth, and connection – set to commence in June 2025.
Dallas Knight’s story is one of unwavering commitment, from the battlefield to the boardroom, from combating crime to championing justice, and now, as an author and podcaster, she continues to inspire and empower others through her remarkable journey.
Dr. Erwin Garcia’s impact as the superintendent of Billings Public Schools (BPS) is marked by a dedication to enhancing opportunities for students across diverse backgrounds. During his tenure, BPS has pioneered the establishment of three public charter schools: the Billings Early College School, the Opportunity School, and the Multilingual Academy. These institutions are strategically designed to broaden access to college, career, and military pathways, ensuring that all 17,000 students have the resources they need to succeed.
Additionally, Dr. Garcia spearheaded the implementation of the KindeREADy program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at equipping preschoolers in economically disadvantaged areas with the foundational skills necessary for academic readiness. This proactive approach reflects his commitment to addressing educational disparities and fostering early childhood development.
Before his role in Billings, Dr. Garcia served as Area Superintendent in the Houston Independent School District, where he navigated the complexities of multiculturalism, poverty, and academic challenges across 54 schools and 24,000 students. Under his transformative leadership, thirty schools achieved an esteemed A rating, with over 125 academic distinctions recognized by the Texas Education Agency. His exemplary schools garnered accolades from esteemed organizations such as Children At-Risk, The Houston Chronicle, and the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST), receiving both state and national recognition for their outstanding performance.
Dr. Garcia’s illustrious career spans various roles within the educational landscape, including principal supervisor, principal, teacher, and adjunct professor at esteemed universities in Texas. He holds a doctorate in education from Houston Baptist University, complemented by master’s degrees in bilingual/dual language education from the University of St. Thomas and educational leadership from Lamar University. His foundational bachelor’s in education from UNAC in Colombia underscores his global perspective and commitment to the educational excellence of all students served.
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Kari Boiter is an award-winning advocate, community organizer, and campaign strategist. With a
wealth of experience in public policy, Boiter is a prominent expert on civic engagement, helping
author and pass historic reforms at the local, state, and federal level. She demonstrates a
remarkable ability to navigate complex political landscapes while amplifying the voices of
marginalized communities. Boiter’s strategic approach has produced tangible results in several
areas, from civil rights to criminal justice reform. She’s also a formidable, yet effective ally for
unhoused neighbors statewide.
Kari began in broadcast journalism, carving a path that took her from newsrooms in Billings, MT
to Seattle, WA, earning Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Awards along the way. Boiter eventually
transitioned to political leadership, making history with Representative Mary Lou Dickerson as
they worked together to introduce the country’s first-ever legislative proposal to tax and
regulate cannabis. Not long after, Boiter was recruited to conduct policy analysis for a patient
advocacy organization in Washington D.C., traveling the country in pursuit of equitable access to healthcare.
Since returning to Montana, Kari has co-authored two local Resolutions passed by City Council,
helped launch the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub, raised several million dollars for charitable
causes, spearheaded two seasonal sheltering efforts, founded a nonprofit, and once ran for
political office. All while addressing disabling medical conditions, and doing her best to raise a 5-
year-old son.
Kari will be speaking at TEDxDemocracy about the importance of community engagement,
particularly as it relates to the idea of representative democracy. She will share strategies for
making an impact in a highly-charged political environment by identifying common ground and
shared goals, establishing and solidifying the relationships necessary to drive lasting change.
Boiter’s dedication to community engagement has been instrumental in dismantling stigmas
and misconceptions, fostering empathy and understanding among diverse audiences. Her
unwavering commitment serves as an inspiration to activists and changemakers worldwide, as she strives to create a more just and equitable society.
Lisa is the co-founder of BEONDTV a world-wide digital streaming platform for cool curated content and is also the co-host of “Carlos & Lisa,” a Los Angeles based talk show.
Through her company ProMedia Coaching, she uses her storytelling abilities and on-camera expertise to teach entrepreneurs, business owners and aspiring journalists how to tell their own stories effectively on camera so they can communicate with their ideal audiences.
Social:
TikTok: @lisaremillard “The News Girl”
Instagram: @lisa.remillard Twitter: @lisaremillard
Website: www.lisaremillard.com
His research interests are at the intersection of political behavior and linguistics. Dr. Pope has studied the dynamics of political and policy narratives, political discourse, and political semiotics as a method of analyzing and understanding political behavior and cognition. His research on January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol led to the development of his political behavioral theory, the Hero Fallacy Paradox.
Dr. Crichlow has lived and worked in both rural and urban environments. She and her family lived for six years in Red Lodge, Montana when Dr. Crichlow was seeing patients and teaching Family Medicine at a federally qualified community health center in Billings, Montana.
Dr. Crichlow was next at the University of Minnesota as the director of advocacy and policy in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and the inaugural holder of the Mac Baird Endowed Chair for Family Medicine Advocacy and Policy.
Dr. Crichlow’s Fellowships include a Fellowship in Health Policy through the Dept of Health and Human Services. She is a Commissioner for Federal and State Policy for the American Academy of Family Physician, and is also on the national Board of Directors and the Immediate Past President of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and the founder of The Ladder, a mentorship program for kids interested in health careers.
Ronnie Jo, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation in South Dakota and a descendant of the Northern Cheyenne Nation in Montana, serves as the Executive Director for various organizations, including the Western Native Voice Education Project, Western Native Voice Inc., Western Native Voice Action Fund, Western Native Voice Votes, and Western Native Voice LLC.
She holds an Associate Degree in General Studies from Chief Dull Knife College, a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Montana State University- Bozeman, a Master’s Degree in Legal Studies with a focus on Tribal Policy, Law, and Government from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and a Masters of Public Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Administration at the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University. Ronnie Jo is also the 2023 USA Today’s Montana Women of the Year. Ronnie Jo enjoys traveling, sewing, and helping in her communities.
Sharon believes every person can make a difference, and focuses her time on teaching and encouraging everyone to do their part to make the world a better place.
This work started in 2020 after she became frustrated by misinformation she saw on social media. Sharon decided to use her background as a government, history, and law teacher, to begin educating her followers online, and quickly amassed an audience of more than 1 million people where she is known as “Sharon Says So.”
Her followers dubbed her “America’s Government Teacher,” and call themselves Governerds.
Sharon also hosts the podcast Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, which is downloaded by more than 1.2 million people a month, and is ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts.
Along with her community, Sharon has raised more than $9 million for a number of important causes including helping people struggling to pay off medical debt, feeding refugees in war zones, and providing teachers with much needed supplies.
Her book, The Small and the Mighty, follows the lives of several unsung heroes: regular people who went on to do great things that changed the course of history. It releases in September 2024, and went to number one out of 30 million books on Amazon in its first day of pre-sales.
Sharon is a mother of four, and lives in Minnesota with her husband and two adorable dogs.
Yuliya Johnson was born on January 3, 1987, in Prague, Czech Republic. Fun fact, due to weather conditions, her dad brought her mom on top of a tank to the hospital. Her dad was an officer, which is why they were stationed in several different countries: Czech Republic, Germany, Kazakhstan, Germany again, Russia, and Ukraine. Both of her parents are Ukrainians. As a kid, she was in love with Gorbachev and enjoyed watching politics. She also dreamed of becoming a journalist or diplomat. She started her career in journalism at the age of 12 when she became a member of a local school for young journalists.
Through the journalist club, Yuliya became a host of kids’ TV shows. Later, she also started to write articles for newspapers and magazines. She was a journalist for 18 years, interviewing many people: soldiers, officers, politicians, artists, scientists, and even the wife of the ex-president of Ukraine Yushchenko, and the current President of Ukraine Zelenskyy (when he was still a comedian). She also wrote and published three documentary books about soldiers and volunteers who were killed during the conflict in the East of Ukraine.
She invented yearly exhibitions for homeless dogs in her city, which helped more than 200 dogs find new homes. Yuliya left Ukraine seven years ago, and this exhibition is still held every year. She graduated with a Master of Arts in History and has a Bachelor in Psychology and Veterinary Medicine. For the last seven years, she has been working as a counselor in a youth detention facility and is now interning at South Central Treatment Associates. She will graduate this October from Southern New Hampshire University with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Her next step is a Ph.D. in forensic psychology.
Yuliya used to live in different countries around Europe and Asia, spending more than three years in Rome, Italy. But now her heart is stolen by Billings, MT, and she tries to do her best to serve the community.
