Teams

Executive Board

Vikas Rana

Co-President

Vikas is a senior from the Philadelphia area studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology on the pre-med track. Outside of TED, Vikas works on behalf of the admissions office as a tour guide, conducts research on fruit flies in regards to ALS, and is an avid intramural sports participant and former flag football champion. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors, either hiking or spending time at India Point Park.

Nikki Chen

Co-President

Nikki is a senior from Hong Kong studying International and Public Affairs. She joined TEDxBrownU because she believes idea sharing is the key to building a better community and loves helping speakers inspire others! As a Co-President, she looks forward to working with the team to host an impactful and fun event for the Brown community.

Claire Kim

Co-President

Claire is a senior from California studying Neuroscience. She joined TEDxBrownU in her freshman year to help create a platform for speakers from diverse backgrounds to share their stories. As Co-President, Claire hopes to encourage the growth of inspiration within the greater Providence community.

Raghav Kallur

Co-Vice President

Raghav is a junior from Dublin, OH studying Business Economics and Data Fluency. He joined TEDxBrownU his freshman year as a curation associate to encourage contemplation, reflection, and the free exchange of ideas. Now, as Vice President, he hopes to bring these notions to fruition in the greater Brown community.

Derek Czapek

Co-Vice President

Derek is a Junior from San Diego, California studying Environmental Science and Economics. Derek's TEDx journey began in high school as the Vice President of TEDxBonitaVistaHS. At TEDxBrownU, he began as a finance associate, was promoted to finance lead, and now serves as Co-Vice President. Outside of TED, Derek works as a lifeguard at the Nelson Fitness center and enjoys caring for his dorm fish.

Josh Samuel

Co-Vice President

Josh is a junior from Seattle studying IAPA and Behavioral Science. He joined TEDx because he saw it as a way to bring the voices and stories of his community to the forefront of people's minds. Out of TEDx you can find Josh playing soccer or petting dogs around campus.

Finance

Jaeyeon Park

Co-Lead

Jaeyeon is a junior at Brown University studying Applied Mathematics- Economics. She is an international student from Seoul, South Korea, and is one of the finance leads for TEDxBrownU. On campus, she is involved in different finance and culture related organizations.

Kris Lee

Co-Lead

Kris is a sophomore from Wisconsin studying Biochemistry and Science, Technology, and Society. In TEDxBrownU, he currently serve as the co-lead for the finance & outreach team. He has been involved with TEDxBrownU since freshman year because he loves how it facilitates the spread of ideas and stories with one another. Outside of TEDx, Kris conducts research in viral genomics and plays cello.

Maxwell Cozean

Associate

Maxwell (Max) is a junior from Connecticut studying Applied Mathematics-Economics. He became involved with TEDxBrownU during his sophomore year, working with the operations team before transitioning to the finance team. Outside of TED, he leads Brown English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), is a Research Assistant in the Economics Department, and is on the Applied Math DUG E-Board.

Sid Udata

Associate

Sid is a sophomore from San Diego studying Neuroscience. He joined TEDx as a Finance and Research Associate this year. Outside of TEDx, Sid is a part of the Taekwondo team, works as the Chief Operating Officer of The Triple Helix science writing journal, and does clinical research on patients with Parkinson’s disease. Sometimes, you can find him drawing on the Main Green or zipping around on his skateboard!

Matthew Purcell

Associate

Matthew is a first-year from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania intending to concentrate in Social Analysis & Research and Business Economics. This is his first time being involved with a chapter of the TED organization, where he serves as a member of the Finance team. In addition to TEDxBrownU, Matthew is a swimmer on the Brown Men’s Swim & Dive Team.

Operation

Diana Nazari

Co-Lead

Diana is a junior majoring in Business Economics at Brown University. She began her journey at TEDxBrownU as a curation member during her freshman year and rose to the position of co-head of operations in her sophomore year, which she continues to hold. Additionally, she contributes as an analyst at SRIF, serves as a Community Council (CC) member for Reslife, and works as a TA for Macroeconomics.

Emily Sanchez

Co-Lead

Emily is a Senior studying Applied-Math and Economics. This is her third year on the Operations team after a successful two years. She has loved TED and storytelling for her whole life and is passionate about induvidual perspectives.

Emilia Pantigoso

Senior Associate

Emilia Pantigoso is a sophomore at Brown concentrating in biomedical engineering with a certificate in entrepreneurship. Although originally born in Mexico City, Mexico, she was raised in NY. She joined TEDxBrownU because she wanted to be a part of the spreading of inspiring and insightful ideas through powerful storytelling. Also, she has always loved TED and still recalls certain talks that completely changed her perspective.

Owen Dahlkamp

Senior Associate

Owen is a sophomore from San Diego, CA studying cognitive neuroscience and political science. This is his second year in TEDxBrownU. Owen is also a reporter for The Brown Daily Herald, a research assistant in a neuroscience lab, and he serves on the communications team of various political offices.

Mitsuki Jiang

Associate

Mitsuki is a freshman from Houston, TX who is planning on studying Economics and Music. This is her first year in TEDxBrownU and she is excited to be a member of the Operations Team! Outside of TED, she is a violinist in the Brown University Orchestra, a staff writer and media associate for the Brown Political Review, and a member of the Japanese Cultural Association and Chinese Students Association.

Brandon Ulin

Associate

Brandon is a junior from California studying Biology. He has previously worked on the Stage Design Team and is now on the operations team. Brandon's motivation for joining TEDxBrownU is to showcase diverse and unique stories within the community. Outside of TED, he is involved with the Brown Center for Students of Color as a minority peer counselor and conducts research with the Center for Computational Biology.

Curation

Michael Wang

Lead

Michael is a Sophomore from California studying East Asian Studies, CS, and Economics. He loves the TEDx storytelling process of and has been part of the process since Freshman year of highschool. During the day, he always finds time for Boba or tennis with friends on the team. He wishes to study abroad at some point during college.

Maggie Jiang

Senior Associate

Maggie Jiang is a junior studying Economics and Psychology. She joined TEDxBrownU because she believes in the power of stories and how they can act as connective tissue among people. As a Curation member, she hopes to meet, work with, and amplify the voices of members in the diverse Providence community.

Matthew Shabino

Senior Associate

Matthew is a junior from Chicago studying IAPA and History. He joined TEDxBrownU because he is passionate about storytelling and the importance of expanding perspectives.

Sofia Kassalow

Associate

Sofia is an Environmental Science and pre-veterinary student from New York City in her second year. She joined TEDxBrownU to uplift stories that promote positive action and encourage peers to seek out their own stage. In pursuit of her own stories, she writes fiction, goes backpacking, and never turns down spontaneous adventures.

Mai Richmond

Associate

Mai Richmond is a first year from Concord, Massachusetts studying IAPA and Education on the Curation Team. She joined TEDx to promote a diversity of opinions and experiences in TEDx speakers, and she hopes to help share unique stories in order to foster more connection and understanding within the community.

Mustapha Kharbouch

Associate

Mustapha (he/they) is a freshman from Palestine and Lebanon considering concentrating in International & Public Affairs. He comes with two years of TEDx organizing experience after leading in curation and communications in TEDxUWCMaastricht; he was also the host! His focus lies in incorporating DEIJ efforts to use spaces such as TEDx to empower the often silenced voices of the marginalized.

Alexa Theodoropoulos

Associate

Alexa is a freshman from Manila, Philippines planning to study Environmental Studies and either English or Literary Arts. She is part of Curations at TEDx and is a long-time dancer, foodie, shower-singer, and cinephile.

Kathy He

Associate

Kathy is a freshman from San Antonio, Texas. She is still undecided in terms of concentration but is interested in Neuroscience, Architecture, and the Classics. She is passionate about spreading and gaining different perspectives through storytelling and excited for what this year entails.

Alyssa Feinberg

Associate

Alyssa is a first-year from the Boston area studying Computer Science and Linguistics. She is passionate about public speaking and is excited to work on the Curation Team to help speakers tell their unique stories. Outside of TEDx, Alyssa is a member of Hack@Brown, Women in Computer Science, and the Brown Public Speaking Initiative.

Lucia Dahn

Associate

Lucia is a first-year student from Miami, Florida interested in Literary Arts and East Asian Studies. After giving a TEDx talk in 2021 and assisting with organizing her high school’s TEDx event for two years, she is excited to join TEDxBrownU as an associate on the curation team. Outside of TEDx, Lucia is a member of The Round Literary Magazine and an english editor for the SOMOS Latinx Literary Magazine.

Marketing

Steven Liao

Co-Lead

Steven is a junior from Massachusetts studying Neuroscience and Computer Science. He joined TEDxBrownU to make eye-catching and engaging content that would help the club to expand their reach to more and more speakers.

Jennie Lee

Co-Lead

Jennie is a sophomore at Brown, concentrating in Religious Studies with a passion for early medieval ceramics and brush painting. In her free time, Jennie enjoys long drives around New England, walks around Providence, and izakaya/cafe hopping. She joined TEDx because of her love for storytelling in all mediations.

Sua Kim

Design & Illustration (Senior Associate)

Sua is a senior at Rhode Island School of Design, working toward a BFA in Graphic Design. She is passionate in exploring the relation of design and human interaction through combination of physical and digital space including motion graphics and brand identity.

Gianamarie DeCiccio

Design & Illustration (Senior Associate)

Senior at Rhode Island School of Design

Sejal Gupta

Design & Illustration (Senior Associate)

Sejal is a junior at RISD from India and Dubai, studying Graphic Design and Theory and History of Art and Design. This is her second year at TEDxBrownU!

Rachel Shin

Design & Illustration (Associate)

Junior at Rhode Island School of Design

Max Boyang

Design & Illustration (Associate)

Max is a freshman at Brown University from Michigan who plans to study Economics and Applied Mathematics. In his free time, he loves to make snowmen, watch war movies, and live inside his head.

Johnny Chen

Videography & Animations (Senior Associate)

Johnny is a senior from Macomb, Michigan studying Science, Technology, and Society. He works as part of the videography team to deliver quality recordings of speakers and promotional motion media for our conferences.

Brando Babini

Videography & Animations (Associate)

Brando Babini is a first-year studying Economics and Modern Culture & Media. After beginning his media journey with Andrew Yang and NYCFC, he is now a videographer for TEDxBrownU.

Tech and Web Design

John Wilkinson

Co-Lead

John is a junior from Dedham, MA studying CS and Archaeology. In the summers he is a sailing instructor, and in his free time he loves windsurfing!

Alex Zhou

Co-Lead

Alex is a junior studying Computer Science and Applied Math-Economics from St. Louis, MO. He joined TEDxBrownU in order to continue growing the impact of TEDx talks in the Brown/RISD and Providence community as part of the Tech and Web Design Team.

Bella Antoniuk

Senior Associate

Bella is a junior from Long Island, NY studying Computer Science. She joined TedxBrownU because she is passionate about helping give speakers a voice and opportunity to share their unique ideas and experiences to the surrounding community and beyond.

Griffin Taylor

Associate

Griffin is a freshman at Brown Univeristy from Warwick, RI studying CS and Applied Mathematics. Griffin also plays for the Men's Squash team, and enjoys skiing and all Boston sports!

Kelvin Jiang

Associate

Kelvin is a sophomore from Palo Alto studying Math-CS and Applied Math. He is currently on the Tech & Web Development team at TED and enjoys playing piano, writing for the Herald, and traveling. He also has a black cat named Barry.

Grace Jeong

Associate

Grace is a senior from Korea studying graphic design. Grace joined TEDxBrownU because she is captivated by the idea of immersing herself in the stories and revelations shared by fellow community members, in search of those moments of enlightenment and discovery.

Stage Design

Meg Sweeney

Co-Lead

Meg is a senior in RISD’s B.Arch program. This is her third year on the stage design team, and second year serving as the team lead. She is excited to be back, and looking forward to working with the team to design and build this year’s set.

Yana Tsyvis

Co-Lead

Yana, a third-year Architecture student at RISD, became a member of TEDxBrownU last year. She now serves as a co-lead stage designer, drawing upon her background in architecture studios, technical theatre, and her roles as a lighting designer and Production Workshop board member at Brown University.

Michael Earle

Associate

Michael is a third-year architecture student at the Rhode Island School of Design. His practice takes him across the disciplines of architecture, painting, and sculpture. When not holed up in the BEB, you can find Michael walking around Providence or hanging out with friends!