TEDx WesternU

Executive Bios

Morzaria

Vivek Morzaria

Co-Chair

Biography: Vivek is a passionate student at the University of Western Ontario's Richard Ivey School of Business who is fascinated by the power of sharing ideas and cares deeply about connecting people to create positive impact. He is incredibly excited to be a part of the 2013 TEDxWesternU conference and looks forward to continue growing the TEDx community.




Linares-Leon

Oscar Linares-Leon

Co-Chair

Biography: Oscar has a strong interest in charity work and has been volunteering non-stop for the last six years. He currently is part of the Ivey Connects Board of Directors, the business school’s philanthropic arm. Oscar finds ideas that challenge views that are usually taken for granted and that is precisely what got him interested in TED and TEDx talks. What excites Oscar the most about organizing TEDxWesternU is giving students the opportunity to be exposed to ideas that will change their way of thinking.




Chong

Kristen Chong

VP Logistics

Biography: Kristen is delighted to be part of the TEDxWesternU team where she may put her obsessive organizational skills to good use. Always seeking interesting and motivating subjects, TED for her was the perfect blend of intrigue and impact. She currently maintains two blogs to keep her updated on the world of fashion and food.




Haider

Samaar Haider

Director of Sponsorship

Biography: A quirky business student with a fascination with everything. Having watched pretty much every TED talk available online, Samaar is thrilled to have the chance to help plan one of his own.




Edwards

Erica Edwards

Director of Communications

Biography: As a creative enthusiast, with a love for stories, Erica instantly fell in love with TED talks. Her education has spanned the range of film to finance, and has given her an appreciation of pushing limits and collaborative involvement. She is extremely excited to help bring the TED experience to Western students and give them the opportunity to expand their knowledge outside of the classroom!




Read

Merrick Read

Programming Director

Biography: Merrick Read is an Economics student at Western University that is fascinated by environmental economics and the costs of direct damage to our natural world. Ted Talks are a part of his daily routine and when the opportunity to get involved presented itself it was an easy decision. Tedx offers the opportunity to share and create new ideas, allowing us to better the world around us. If you have any questions about the speakers feel free to get it touch with Merrick Read.




Connor

Stephanie Connor

Director of Social Media

Biography: Stephanie is energetic, creative, and her world is in constant motion. Full of passion, she is always ready to take on new projects with enthusiasm. As an avid social-media user, Stephanie has a passion for communication in all forms. She is a self-proclaimed foodie, and health nut, and believes in always looking at the bright side of life. TED inspires her because the talks promote the spread of free knowledge, while engaging all viewers, and stimulating their curiosity. She is beyond ecstatic to have the opportunity to be involved with TEDxWesternU, and is looking forward to seeing how it impacts, and inspires the Western community.




Hernden

Dan Hernden

Director of Digital Media

Biography: Dan is an HBA student at the Richard Ivey School of Business with a passion for working at the intersection of art and commerce. A self-proclaimed world traveler, he once hitchhiked on Germany’s autobahn and had lunch with the Prime Minister of Rwanda. If you want to get involved in the digital media department, contact Dan at dhernden.hba2013@ivey.ca




Alarakyia

Kaiz Alarakyia

Volunteer Coordinator

Biography: Kaiz has long-since been driven within his community to improve his surroundings and make the world a better place. First coming across TED talks five years ago, he was struck that such a simple idea could hold such powerful potential. Years later, he is grateful to be planning an event that brings knowledge and inspiration to students who have unlimited capabilities to change the world.




Kalia

Virkam Kalia

Volunteer Coordinator

Biography: Vikram is an aspiring entrepreneur always fascinated with creative ideas that challenge the status quo. As a student at the Richard Ivey School of Business he has developed an interest in how business's can leverage behavioral psychology to reach their target demographic. For the last three years Vikram frequently watches Ted Talks to learn new and interesting insights that have the potential to impact our daily lives. Vikram is very exited to be on the Tedx WesternU team, and hopes this event will inspire students to always push the envelope.