If you're confronted with a situation you know just isn't right, what do YOU do about it?

For TEDxCalgary speaker Alexi Panos, her response to encountering extreme poverty in Africa at age 19 was to start a movement — E. P. I. C. (Everyday People Initiating Change) — focused on helping to provide clean drinking water to local families. Since then, Alexi and E.P.I.C. The Movement co-founder Tennille Amor have raised funds and worked with suppliers to drill a number of sustainable water wells in local African communities. They continue that effort today, combining social entrepreneurship and community-building to try and inspire others to take action.

We think E.P.I.C. The Movement is a great example of how individuals can go about initiating change with little more than a passion to do good and the perseverance to make it happen, combined with the wisdom to listen to others and seek help. Like many of our local non-profits and aid organizations, the movement's founders didn't start with large resources and a fully-developed business plan. Instead, they took time to spend time on the ground with the people whom they wanted to help, and learned some things that changed their original thinking about how to help.

Along they way, they encountered the fundamental human reality that our lives can't exist without water. More specifically, they came to the realization that unsafe drinking water worldwide kills more people annually than all other forms of violence (including war) combined, and that most of the victims are children succumbing to preventable water-borne diseases.

They're not the only people focused on the same issue, or even the largest and best known, but they are part of an authentic leadership story of inspiration and deep human connection. We've asked Alexi to tell her personal story of how (and why) she did what she did, and to remind us that water issues aren't just something dealt with in other countries. Even here in our local communities across Alberta, we face the very real prospect of running low on critical fresh water supplies unless we figure out better ways of curbing our over-consumption of humanity's most precious resource.

Over the last year Thiessen has toured extensively across Canada, most notably on the "Ladies that like to Folk" cross Canada tour alongside Sidney York and Kaley Bird. This year Thiessen has shared the stage with The Sirens of Song, opened for Kate Rusby and been a part of the "Stand up for the DI" campaign. You can catch Thiessen Tuesday nights at Oolong Tea House where she host a community music night.

Check out www.myspace.com/amythiessenband for more information on Thiessen

Amy Thiessen at TEDxCalgary 2010

TEDxCalgary speaker Gena Rotstein brings a relentless entrepreneurial spirit matched with the vision and wisdom to help build a new type of social enterprise organization focused on supporting and educating private philanthropists. Once you meet her, it's easy to see why Gena was one of Avenue Magazine's 2009 "Top 40 Under 40" award recipients.

As Founder and President of Dexterity Consulting, one of Canada's first philantrhopic brokerages, Gena is an accomplished and experienced leader in her own right. She has worked with the non-profit sector in both the U.S. and Canada, and has been at the forefront of trying to find new ways to engage a growing number of private philanthropists who might otherwise fly under the radar screen of bigger institutional and community foundations, but who are a source of new energy and vision for the sector. In many cases, the investors whom Gena works with represent a more agile future for philanthropic giving, able to bring valuable funding and other support to organizations that are exploring important new territory within the broader charitable sector and society.

Gena also is a graduate of Leadership Calgary, and helps to display many of the program's most valuable elements: combining the impulse to do good with the necessity to think deeply about how we can try to address root causes, not just symptoms. She also is representative of a new energy in the entrepreneurial sector, having been selected last year as one of two young entrepreneurs to be part of Canada's delegation to the Young Entrepreneur (YE) G8 summit in Stresa, Italy.

We have asked Gena to share her insights on the future of philanthropy, and her ideas on how to make critical improvements in her particular area of expertise.

Gena Rotstein at TEDxCalgary 2010

A community activist, computer programmer and graphic designer by trades, Grant Neufeld has spent most of his life working for social change. His activism has connected with the wide spectrum of social and environmental issues including peace, bio-diversity, aboriginal rights, feminism, participatory democracy, disability rights, anti-racism, linguistic and cultural survival, education, media and anti-agism, among many others.

Sometimes accused of being unfocused and too diluted across issues and projects, his work has been primarily about breaking down the arbitrary divisions between issues and building communication across divides. Grant practices non-violent action and consensus processes. He is an evangelist for openness and honesty in all communication - from the most personal relationships to the most public of political bodies.

He sees the ways in which we communicate, and what we include or exclude from our communication, as critical in determining the outcomes of our efforts to make change in the world. Grant will share what he has learned about communicating to be heard (or not) from his experiences ranging from angry protest rallies to formal government committees and stereotype-breaking knit-ins.

Learn more about Grant on his personal website.

Grant Neufeld at TEDxCalgary 2010

He is interested in the Philosophy of Science, History and Literature. He believes any narrative must withstand the challenges of doubt and investigation and that we can not just receive our opinions on the front step each morning or in the evening news — but rather must actively form them. A firm believer that we must begin with the belief that all ideas are built on potentially fallible assumptions, logic, observations and perspective. Only relying on internal consistency could lead to some inaccurate ways of looking at the world.

Greg Hunter at TEDxCalgary 2010

James came to Canada as a refugee on September, 2001, fifteen years after he was forced to leave Sudan at the age of seven. His story provides a psychological, social, political and cultural context for the understanding of the refugee experiences and the impact of conflict on human populations. From Sudan to Calgary, he has endured and overcome incredible hardship that is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Escaping death narrowly, James lost his father, stepmother and four siblings within the span of a few hours that saw him transformed into a refugee. As a result of war, he has endured unspeakable conditions in the Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya, burying friends at the age of seven, resorting to eating leaves for survival, witnessing friends collapsing and then falling prey to wild animals when he and his fellow lost children could not protect them.

James was orphaned by war and lived alone for twenty years without knowing whether any of his family was alive. In 2005, he learned that his mother was alive and recently reconnected with her only to discover that she was going blind from Trachoma, a disease that could be prevented by access to clean water. All this has prompted him to work tirelessly in helping others by advocating for the Sudanese refugee population in Calgary, provide safe drinking water to villages in South Sudan and contribute to the expanding the thoughtscapes of all that meet him.

James Nguen at TEDxCalgary 2010

We're very pleased to make our first speaker announcement for TEDxCalgary... Jay Baydala of UEnd!

If Jay and UEnd aren't immediately familiar, that's because he — and the wider UEnd team of staff,board, community partners and the growing base of volunteers — are out to do something extremely different to help end extreme poverty. How they go about it brings together some leading-edge examples of social entrepreneurship, technology, and mobilizing people from all levels of society. If the number of votes we received for Jay during our open speaker nominations say anything about the viral impact of UEnd, it's clear that they're destined for great things under Jay's mix of inspiration and hard work as Executive Director.

 We're not going to tell you about UEnd in detail, as it's best to go and experience it for yourself. It's radical enough that it might not make sense at first, which is part of what makes it such a fascinating and important idea worth spreading. Visit the UEnd.org website, and especially their projects page.

What difference can an online gift card of as little as $5 really make to help address extreme poverty? We had that question, too, and Jay's powerful story of what a new type of micro-level philanthropy can do, both for donor and recipient, is what we've asked him to talk about at TEDxCalgary.

Jay Baydala at TEDxCalgary 2010

Action Studies provides the curriculum and support for Leadership Calgary and Leadership Edmonton. Ken is currently working on developing a web-based global network to support initiatives on a human venture path. Ken is a former Director of Life Skills education and Action Studies research team for the Calgary Board of Education, Co-founder of the Calgary Council of Advanced Technology, Co-founder of the Calgary Crisis Center & Vice-chairman of A.A.D.A.C. [Alberta Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Commission] at its inception, Author of the national training manual on addictions prevention for Canadian Health & Welfare, Chief writer and researcher for the Alberta Commission on Tolerance and Understanding and Chief researcher and writer for the Nunavik Education Task Force [Inuit of Arctic Québec] assessing their education and manpower training systems. Ken currently lives in Calgary with his wife and 2 sons.

Ken Low at TEDxCalgary 2010

Mariette Sluyter is the founding director of The Foundation Lab, as well as the past Artistic Director of both All Nations Theatre and Spinstergirl Productions. She has been a respected professional in Calgary for over 20 years. Most recently she was commissioned to write the Centennial Play (Sandstone Cowboys) for the Epcor Centre for Performing Arts, her script Funeral Ladies commissioned by Vertigo was a tremendous success with 98% houses (second only to Agatha Christie) as well she has written and performed her own work to tremendous acclaim throughout Canada with Peter Gzowski calling her "one of Canada's finest young talents".

Her focus with in the last decade has been on culling out the voices in disenfranchised communities so that they can be heard by the mainstream. She has worked with Dr Lindsay Crowshoe, at the University of Calgary on presenting the medical issues of Racism and Stereotyping of Aboriginal Peoples in a theatrical and educational format.

Her work with the Seniors Action Group developed intergenerational theatre original bringing together youth and seniors. Jewish Family Services has hired her to work with New Immigrant Seniors on issues affecting their well being in the community and that original production "A Cup Full of Life" debuted in Spring 2008 with tremendous success.

As well she has brought new immigrant youth to the forefront through theatre processes with the Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, evoked conversation and ideas on 100 year visioning for ImagineCalgary and developed an ethical recruitment strategy for Calgary Family Services.

Most recently she facilitated a landmark forum Theatre commission to play at the Calgary International Children's Festival. The production of "Sn@p"highlighted the local and system issues that play into the power struggles that are at the root of violence and aggression in our schools.

Mariette Sluyter at TEDxCalgary 2010

Beyond merely helping books to sell well, however, Michael Drew works with authors to expand their reach and build their platforms to become even more effective entrepreneurs and thought leaders for today's idea-hungry marketplace.

Michael Drew has observed up close the shifting dynamics of the publishing industry and how content reaches today's varied audiences. As a result, he has expanded Promote A Book's services to include consulting and planning on everything from Internet distribution and website building, to video creation, book trailers, podcasting and more. He is also involved in the creation of a groundbreaking new venture, Be., which promises to help interact with audiences to provide content in a way that no company ever has.

Michael is also an accomplished and sought-after speaker. In addition to discussions on the state of the publishing industry and the way forward in a sometimes-chaotic digital age, Michael's acclaimed Pendulum presentation examines how entrepreneurs and thought leaders can capitalize on society's alternating cycles of civic and idealistic attitudes.

Visit Michael's professional sites at Promoteabook.com and BeneathTheCover.com for more background.

Michael Drew at TEDxCalgary 2010

Naheed Nenshi is one of the most recognizable personalities in Calgary, and increasingly globally, following his election as Calgary's 36th mayor.

Prior to his election in 2010, Naheed was an Associate Professor of Nonprofit Management at the Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University, who also lectured on Marketing, Strategy, and Globalization. Also the managing director of the Ascend Group, Naheed has gained a reputation as "one of the nation's top thinkers on the future of cities."

Community involvement includes having been chair of the EPCOR Centre for Performing Arts and founder of the Better Calgary Campaign. He is a much sought after media commentator on the nonprofit sector, urban issues, and retail businesses, and has had a regular column in the Calgary Herald and CBC Radio's Wildrose, He also has a long piece in the most recent edition of the Alberta Views magazine.

A graduate of the University of Calgary and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government with a Masters In Public Policy, which he attended as a Kennedy Fellow, Naheed is a leading voice in the civic life of this city as well as deeply involved in municipal governance issues.

Learn more at www.nenshi.ca

Naheed Nenshi at TEDxCalgary 2010

How you view the world — either as a set of infinite possibilities or one full of insurmountable constraints — will fundamentally impact the way you lead yourself and others around you.

Our latest TEDxCalgary speaker,  Dr. Nick Nissley, is a self-proclaimed "possibilitarian", which is an outlook we think should be celebrated. It's not to be confused with being a blind optimist, as Dr. Nissley's own personal story might have given him little reason for optimism after early childhood experiences with being in and out of emergency foster care.

Since 2006, Dr. Nissley has been Executive Director of the Banff Centre's Leadership Development programs, leading a talented team of faculty members at one of the world's most recognized centres of excellence in arts-based leadership and management training. These are highly creative people working on helping program participants acquire skills and perspectives to address some of today's biggest leadership challenges in the business, governmental, and non-profit sectors.

Dr. Nissley's own story of possibilities started with the Milton Hershey School, founded in 1909 to help children from orphaned and later other under-priviledged families. Built on the philanthropy of Milton Hershey and his wife (yes, think chocolate!), who left his entire personal fortune to the school upon his death in 1918, the school has since helped countless thousands of youth to get the basics of education and hope that help to open future doors. For Dr. Nissley, that act of visionary philanthropy and the possibilities it created, helped to open a door to university and a journey of ongoing professional achievement that led him to his current work with the Banff Centre.

We're excited to have Dr. Nissley share his story, and his own creative talents, with us on April 29th!

Read more on Dr. Nissley in his Banff Centre biography.

 Dr. Nick Nissley at TEDxCalgary 2010

Best known as "Mama of Dada" and once voted the "Canadian writer who would make the best lover" by Geist Magazine, Sheri-D Wilson is an internationally recognized spoken word artist and poet with an impressive list of achievements, nominations and awards. This includes recognition as one of the top ten Poets in Canada 2009, Best Poet in Calgary 2007/2008 (FFWD Magazine), and many more.

Sheri-D Wilson has seven collections of poetry. Her most recent collection, Autopsy of a Turvy World (2008, Frontenac House) was launched last April and her last collection Re: Zoom won the 2006 Stephan G Stephansson Award for Poetry and was shortlisted for the Canlit award. She also has 2 Spoken word CD's and 4 award winning video poems. Other impressive acheivements include Global TV's Woman of Vision for 2006.

Currently she is the Director of the Spoken word Program at the Banff Centre. She is a founder of the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival and has been credited for making it one of the most respected Spoken Word festivals in Canada. With a passion to connect people, voices and ideas she also founded and organized SWAN (Spoken Words Arts Network).

Read more about Sheri-D Wilson on her official website.

Sheri-D Wilson at TEDxCalgary 2010

Motivated by the journey rather than the destination, Dr. Stuart Hutchison is a highly successful cardiologist, professor, medical researcher and very accomplished amateur climber. He possesses a mind that is constantly checking for causal patterns and errors in judgment, and he has managed to combine climbing with leading-edge work in cardiac sciences, medicine, and diagnostic imaging. His ability to discern patterns has allowed him to make decisions that are adaptive in many different contexts, and has allowed him to excel in his personal and professional endeavors.

Dr. Hutchison's incredible accomplishments in mountaineering and in the field of cardiology make him a person we need to get to know. He has been able to reach the elite level in two incredibly challenging and different fields of endeavor. In both medicine and climbing, he has encountered physical challenges and has had to make life-and-death decisions in circumstances that very few humans have seen or even know about. Throughout his career, he has brought his passions and talents to bear on improving the way he and his colleagues approach their highly disciplined and challenging work.

An avid sportsman, Hutchison has run twenty marathons, cycled through Europe and climbed the tallest peaks in the world across three continents. Having scaled the likes of K2 and having been within a few hundred feet of the summit of Mount Everest on his second expedition there, he points to the some of the tallest in North America as his favourites and the scaling of Cho Oyo, the sixth tallest world-wide, as the most satisfying.

Dr. Hutchison is a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the department of Cardiac Sciences and Medicine at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary. He is also Director of Echo-Cardiography for the Calgary Zone of Alberta Health Services. Dr. Hutchison is an avid photographer and continues to explore the high places in this world.

For more background, see "Adventurer in Cardiology" in the latest edition of Libin Life - click here.

Dr. Tom Keenan is a man who is on the go, and a living testimony that it is indeed possible to be both deeply and broadly engaged, two seemingly irreconcilable things and characteristic of any renaissance man!

An award-winning Professor, futurist, researcher, science journalist, and public speaker, Tom led the Shad Valley Program for 24 years here in Calgary and focused on developing some of the brightest young minds in our city. Tom is currently a professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design and the director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, an innovative Masters and PhD program that draws on the best traditions of frontier edge learning. He also writes regular columns for the Calgary Herald and the Business Edge news magazine, and appears frequently on radio and television.

Deeply interested and engaged on a number of complex fields, Tom is focused on getting deep level understandings and is particularly interested in the nature of learning and what sort of learning the world needs now. Tom is a graduate of Columbia University in New York where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree, two Masters degress, and a Doctorate in Education.

Dr. Tom Keenan at TEDxCalgary 2010