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• TEDxMSJC 2021 - Resilience

TEDxMSJC 2021 - Resilience

During the time of pandemic, it was critical to bring minds together (in a safe environment) and share ideas to bring awareness to the community.

The 2021 TEDxMSJC virtual event hosted by Mt. San Jacinto College took place on October 22, 2021 on YouTube.

Speakers

Brandon Allen

Program Director

Born on January 23, 1987, to a loving mother and father. Brandon was raised in Memphis, TN and learned fast how societal norms affected his self-esteem and relationships.

The effect of addiction and struggles that stem from it, played part into what led to many poor decisions, pride, and continued failures, that eventually ended with homelessness. Feeling muted and discarded he slipped into a dark destitute state. Holding on by a thread he searched for an answer to the hovering question: “why don’t I just give up?” Then in 2009 he had an encounter almost like an awakening. He had an experience with God that was more alive than he could ever imagine, and it pushed him into seeking a relationship he never truly had. From a Father he never really knew. This opened the door into his destiny.

In Brandon's poetic work and profound thoughts about life events and his walk with Christ, you learn exactly what happens "WHEN THUNDER SPEAKS" by gaining insight into a world that is equally balanced with the ugly truth and the beauty of coming out on the other side. His passion for community, Christ, and building up those who come in contact with him are only a few of his gifts.

As the Program Director of Rescue A Generation, founded by Rodriguez, Brandon pushes to motivate a generation through life changing engagement. The vision and fruition of his creative mind can be seen in the works of his clothing line PA APPAREL, SPOKEN WORD, and LIFE's MISSION of being a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves.

Angélica M. Anderson

Master of Business Administration Higher Education

A native of California, Angélica has a Master of Business Administration from California State University San Marcos. She has over 20 years of inspirational teaching and presenting experience.

As the former founder of Anderson's Emergency Shelter Home, Angélica helped shape the lives of over 80 youth within San Diego and Riverside County. Today, she holds the role of a PUENTE mentor, a program that assists the latino/a community in adjusting to college life and preparing for transfer to four-year universities. She is also MSJC's administrative associate support for the Honors Enrichment Program, an academic-based program that assists students in achieving their highest academic potential.

Angélica received the distinguished award of the 2020-2021 Classified Professional of the Year – Award for Outstanding Service and Dedication at Mt. San Jacinto College. Angélica also received an American Association of University Women (AAUW) Scholarship and now serves as the AAUW Scholarship Officer and Cochair Treasurer for the San Jacinto/Hemet Chapter.

Angélica's creative personality has allowed her to work in the music business and production. She was one of the leading organizers on the TEDxMSJC 2020 team. Her current work consists of speaking at this year's TEDxMSJC and co-hosting YouTube videos, "Wine, Women, and Wisdom.” Where women come together to mentor through their life experiences.

Angélica's diverse background as VP of a nonprofit organization, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker has given her the experience needed to do what she loves most: empower others to look at their successes and failures as a step to their next greatest potential.

Julie Falen

Finance Professional

Julie has been a finance professional, production budget master, real estate investor- educator, and an entrepreneur for over 25 years.

A native of Chicago, Julie has an MBA from Columbia College. After 10 years post-grad in the corporate and non-profit worlds, she took a flying leap into the freelance world and has never looked back. Since that jump, Julie has worked in the Music business, and in film, commercials, and TV, taking her from Chicago to Miami, from Rio to Luxembourg, Kansas City and eventually to LA, successfully working on shows for CBS, ABC, PBS, MTV, TV Land, and more.

After getting her fill of the TV/Film business, Julie got her Real Estate license and in 2003 she began doing residential mortgages. Soon she was teaching financial and mortgage education classes to realtors and in the community through the Learning Annex and at area libraries and meetings. As the market changed, Julie became an Investment Advisor Representative holding Series, 6, 63, 65 licenses in a financial planning business, and for many years she has been an active investor in oil and gas royalties the stock market, and real estate, buying, flipping, and holding rental properties including apartment building out of state.

The host for the past 2 years of her own Radio Show “Julie Talks Money” on ABC and NBC Talk Radio, and a Financial Life Coach, Julie’s passion is to help people, especially women, understand how to Make more money, Grow it, Keep it and Use it in smarter ways – and use new knowledge about money, debt and leverage on their way to transforming their financial life, making their visions a reality, and creating wealth and Financial Freedom!

Dr. Kat Kiefer-Newman

Storyteller, Author, and Professor

Newman is a storyteller, author, and professor. She lives with her husband, two silly dogs, a bossy cat, and at least one of her two adult daughters at any given time in the dusty Southern Californian Quail area. You can find more from her on her podcast, Lost in the Rabbit Hole, where she shares and goes into the darker background of folktales and fairytales.

Von Lawson

Dean of Career Education

Currently, Von serves Mt. San Jacinto College as the Dean of Career Education, where he has overall responsibility for providing day-to-day supervision and leadership to the career education programs' instructional personnel, expenditures, and facilities at the San Jacinto campus with program oversight district-wide Von has administrative responsibility for degree programs and the general education curriculum and he is responsible for providing leadership and vision for the assigned campus and programs. Von is responsible for planning and developing new academic programs that respond to student needs, workforce demand, and emerging fields in collaboration with faculty, staff, and other educational institutions and agencies. Summarily, Von brings experience spanning 30+ years in state government, higher and career technical education.

Dr. Lillian Greene Melendrez

Licensed Vocational Nurse Board of Vocational and Psychiatric Technicians

Dr. Lilian Melendrez is a wife, a mother of 3, and a grandmother of 19. She has a MA and Ph.D. in Public Administration with a minor in Health Care law from La Verne University in La Verne, CA. She worked as a Psychiatric Technician at Patton State Hospital, where she also served as the Chief of their Central staffing office until her retirement. Some of her free time is spent helping people as an ordained minister for American Marriage Ministries.

Stephanie Otero

CEO - Feeding America Riverside

Stephanie is a seasoned non-profit leader with over 20+ years of experience in the non-profit and financial/accounting industry. She specializes in non-profit sustainability and growth, including fundraising & development, financial accounting & reporting, team development & recruitment, board engagement, Human Resources and more. Her diverse background as a CPA, life coach, entrepreneur, and CEO allows her to lead and manage the largest, most-efficient hunger relief organization in the Inland Empire from a broad perspective, thus maximizing potential, minimizing risk, increasing employee engagement, and creating innovative solutions that are impactful to the organization’s overall mission.

While holding dual roles as both the CEO and CFO at FARSB, Stephanie has successfully re-structured existing programs, increased board engagement, implemented strategic processes to improve food bank efficiency, developed new and necessary programs, and provided a foundation for future food bank growth. Stephanie holds a BS in Accounting from San Diego State University, and plays a hands-on role in bringing the food bank’s vision to life.

Organizing Teams

This independent TEDx event operated under license from TED

What is TEDx?

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxMSJC, where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDxMSJC event, TED Talks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.