This Years Theme: Voices UniTED
Meet the Speakers!
Megan Galloway
You’re Not Stuck. Your Identity Is Outdated.
The world is changing faster than most of us can keep up. Careers evolve, technology reshapes how we work and live. The paths we once expected our lives to follow can shift almost overnight.
In a world that moves this quickly, it’s easy to feel like we’re constantly trying to catch up.
But what if the real challenge isn’t the pace of change around us, but how quickly we can update the story we tell about who we are?
Drawing on neuroscience and real stories of transformation, Megan Galloway explores why learning to evolve that story of our identity may be the most important personal development skill for navigating a rapidly-changing world.
Luke Karel & Amelia Knopp
'The Little Things: Celebrating the Moments Most People Walk Past'
As two young cancer survivors, we learned lessons before 21 that no classroom could ever teach: to celebrate the little things, to practice gratitude in the face of uncertainty, and to never underestimate the power of small acts of kindness. People often ask us, "How are you so positive?" and the answer is simple: the only way to move forward is to find joy in the everyday moments and privileges most people walk right past. Our talk shares how our cancer experiences shape the ways we live and learn, and challenges others to reframe the hardships that build up their "invisible resumes.” We hope to share our perspectives of gratitude, encouraging the audience to celebrate the small things and step up in small ways for others.
Meg Mill
How to Stop Letting Your Brain Bully Your Gut: What Your Thoughts Are Doing to Your Digestion
Most people believe that digestive problems are caused by what they eat, but the science tells a different story. When we experience stress thoughts, our sympathetic nervous system activates and literally shuts down digestion, a phenomenon I call neurodigestion. After years of struggling with my own debilitating gut issues and working with nearly 1,000 clients, I discovered that the missing first step in healing isn't another supplement or elimination diet, it's learning to Replace Your Thought. In this talk, I walk audiences through the science of the gut-brain connection and teach a simple, seven-second technique that interrupts the stress response and restores the body's ability to heal. Because when you change the thought, you change the neurology, and when you change the neurology, everything else finally works.
Eli Woody
The Elephant in the Classroom
Is the classroom a place of opportunity or a source of inherited fear? Educator Eli Woody examines the non-monolithic nature of public education through the lens of Generational Educational Trauma. This talk reveals how the educational experience of relatives and other support systems are passed down to students, shaping their relationship with learning long before their first school bell rings. Discover how uncovering these generational echoes is the first step toward building a more empathetic and inclusive educational future.
Dr. Yvette Colón, O.D.
The Myth of the Cancer Warrior—The Hidden Cost of Staying Strong
We live in a culture that demands heroism from the suffering. From the moment of diagnosis, patients are handed a "warrior" script—a mandate to stay positive, fight hard, and serve as an inspiration to everyone around them. But what happens when the pressure to be "strong" becomes as exhausting as the disease itself? In this provocative talk, I dismantle the "Superhuman Survivor" narrative to reveal the hidden emotional tax of performing resilience. This isn’t just a talk about surviving a diagnosis; it’s an urgent call to trade toxic positivity for radical honesty, showing us that true healing begins only when we stop hiding the struggle and start embracing our shared humanity.