
WHAT'S NEXT AT TEDXOMAHA?
Before the lights, before the spotlight—there was connection. We recently held our annual Speaker Reveal on Friday, June 27, 2025 at Joslyn Castle & Gardens. This event gives our 2025 TEDx Omaha speakers and their guests a moment to gather, reconnect, and reflect on what comes NEXT.
Our pre-event photos capture the energy, warmth, and spark of conversations that will lead to powerful #ideasworthspreading on our stage this October.
A HUGE thanks to Joslyn Castle & Gardens for once again providing the perfect backdrop for the beginning of this year’s speaker journey.

TEDxOMAHA Salons return to KANEKO for a regular Monthly Salon, starting at 6 p.m.
Join us for a powerful TEDxOmaha Salon on Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 6 p.m. at KANEKO with Janelle Hill as we dive into the critical conversation around prioritizing self-care in an increasingly busy world. Building on the momentum of her compelling 2024 TEDxOmaha main event talk where she courageously explored reclaiming boundaries and breaking the silence around sexual abuse in sports, Janelle now turns her focus to the daily decisions we face about honoring our own needs. In this intimate, discussion-based salon, we’ll explore the tension between productivity and personal well-being, the importance of rest, and how setting boundaries is not just an act of resistance but one of self-respect. Whether you're seeking community, clarity, or courage, this is a space to reflect, connect, and grow.
📅 Date: Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 6 p.m.
📍 Location: KANEKO
🎟️ Secure your spot now!
KANEKO is located at 1111 Jones Street in Downtown Omaha.
PARKING: There are a few metered spots alongside the building on Jones Street. Please enter through the Library entrance.
Special thanks to TEDxOMAHA Salon Director David Gillis for curating these monthly experiences.

Kenneth C. Barrios II
Kenneth C. Barrios II, also known as KB, is a 23-year United States Air Force veteran and the founder of Keybravo LLC, a leadership coaching and training company. Throughout his military career, KB served in Germany, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, and deployed to Iraq, Bosnia, and Qatar. He supported senior leaders in making high-stakes decisions that impacted thousands of lives and managed millions of dollars in resources.
Today, KB empowers executives and business leaders with decision-making frameworks that help them act quickly, confidently, and effectively. He currently lives in Papillion, Nebraska, with his wife, and enjoys keeping up with his daughters and grandchildren.

Dr. DérNecia Phillips
Dr. DérNecia Phillips is the founder and Chief Executive of Identity Preparatory Academy, a forthcoming identity-focused middle school for girls in North Omaha. With two decades of experience in public and non-public education, Dr. Phillips has served as a teacher, principal, mentor, and leadership coach. She is also the founder of DAL Education & Care Solutions, a consulting firm focused on personal, team, and organizational thriving.
A passionate disruptor and advocate for education, support, youth voice, and Black girl identity, Dr. Phillips leads with deep commitment to community and culture. Her work amplifies the importance of culturally fortifying, high-quality education. A keynote speaker, poet, and proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dr. Phillips’ mission is to nurture, challenge, and inspire youth and those who serve them in community.

Gregory Hernandez
Los Angeles native Gregory Hernandez progressed from humble beginnings to guiding hundreds of individuals toward new heights of success. His career began in healthcare, followed by 25 years in the financial services industry. His Fortune 500 experience includes serving as a vice president and division manager for investments.
In 2013, while living in Colorado, Gregory launched an executive coaching practice. His dedication to service led him to volunteer in his community, ultimately serving as a community service officer with the Castle Rock Police Department—an organization nationally recognized for its philosophy of serving the community one-by-one.
Now based in Omaha, Gregory continues his service as a certified celebrant, helping families honor their loved ones during life’s most difficult moments.
He is a speaker and the author of Refining Moments – Shaping Your Successes and Setbacks into Significance.
Gregory and his high school sweetheart, Rebecca, are proud grandparents to eight wonderful grandchildren.

Briar Harvey
Briar Harvey is the founder of the Neurodiversity Media Network, where she's pioneering a revolutionary approach to accessible and decentralized media. As a neurodivergent creator and tech philosopher, she explores how artificial intelligence, collaborative systems, and radical business models can create new possibilities for how we tell our stories. Her work challenges traditional power structures by building spaces where neurodivergent creators can thrive, collaborate, and shape what's next.
Through deep conversations, strategic experimentation, and a commitment to ethical innovation, Briar is pioneering new ways of thinking about media, technology, and human connection. Whether she's teaching neurodivergent creators to build with AI, hosting discussions about the future of storytelling, or exploring the intersection of technology and human experience, her focus remains on creating systems that flex rather than break.
Find her leading conversations about what's next at briarharvey.com and neurodiversitymedianetwork.com

Reyes Colón
Reyes Colón was born in Panama and raised in Puerto Rico. Following in his father’s military footsteps, he served in the Air Force for 26 ½ years, retiring in 2018. Since then, he has held government and private sector positions supporting national security missions. He currently works for Collins Aerospace as an associate director of business development. He is passionate about helping others succeed and find solutions. He focuses on interpersonal relationships as a key ingredient and in harnessing the power of being in the present to prepare for what the future might bring next. He holds a doctorate in strategic leadership from Liberty University, a master’s degree in strategic leadership from the Air Force Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in management from Webster University, and a bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Puerto Rico. Reyes lives in Bellevue, Nebraska, with his wife and their two cats.

Dr. Helen Fagan
Dr. Helen Fagan is a leadership scholar and practitioner specializing in Emotional Intelligence, Intercultural Mindset, Psychological Capital, and the Neuroscience of Transformation. She is the founder of Helen Fagan & Associates, a consulting and leadership coaching firm that serves organizations, communities, and executives.
Dr. Fagan is a sought-after speaker and educator who has addressed audiences on four continents.
As an author and educator, she has helped countless leaders create environments where every team member can thrive. The recipient of numerous awards including the 2020 Inspire Leadership-Excellence in Education award and the 2021 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Fulfilling the Dream award, Dr. Fagan excels at developing the potential in leaders to create positive impact.
In the late 1990’s, Dr. Fagan created and led the cultural competence initiatives at Bryan Health in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her approach was considered so innovative that Bryan Health gained national recognition and was featured in a Joint Commission publication.

Ronald Roen
Ron Roen is a retired U.S. Navy submariner and intelligence officer currently navigating the profound impacts of dementia. He served with distinction as both an enlisted sailor and a commissioned LCDR. His military career spanned critical roles aboard the USS George Bancroft, intelligence assignments across the globe, and service in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. Ron began his naval journey in 1987 and transitioned to officer ranks through the Enlisted Commissioning Program, earning a BS in Sociology from the University of South Carolina. He later completed a master’s in security management at Bellevue University and studied Homeland Security and Emergency Management at Kaplan University.
Beyond his service, Ron’s greatest pride is his family. He became a father at 16 and has remained devoted to his wife Shannon since 1988. He is a proud father of two and a grandfather for the past seven years. Ron’s life reflects deep commitment, resilience, and a lifelong dedication to service and family – and a steadfastness that “the show must go on.”

Dr. Rebecca Shively
Dr. Rebecca Shively, Ph.D., is an organizational change practitioner at Farm Credit Services of America, where she helps guide teams and leaders through complex transformations with a focus on people-centered strategies. With a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Nebraska Omaha, her research in goal-setting, motivation, and leadership continues to inform her applied work today.
Her career spans higher education, the nonprofit sector, and a range of private-sector industries, giving her a broad perspective on how organizations evolve and thrive. Outside of work, she plays trumpet in a community concert band and enjoys the creativity and collaboration that music brings. She also loves spending time outdoors, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends. She values curiosity, connection, and continuous learning, principles that guide her approach to both work and life. Whether supporting leaders or guiding teams through transformation, she brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to every challenge.