Session 1 / 10:00 – 11:45am
Raphael diLuzio
Claire Hirschmann
Josh Broder
Bill Cumming
Susan Conley

LUNCH

Session 2 / 1:00 – 2:45pm
Andy Happel
Elizabeth Neptune
Daniel Minter
Ned Swain
Bonnie Rukin
Lyn Mikel Brown

Session 3 / 3:30 – 5:00pm
Chellie Pingree
Cathy Plourde
Mohammed Dini
Robin Alden
John Marshall

Reception / 5:00 – 6:00pm

Attendance is by application and invitation only. Applications close at midnight, Thursday, May 17.

Contact:
Ryan Triffitt
TEDxDirigo Marketing Director
207.837.5045
ryan@tedxdirigo.com 

Portland, ME — TEDxDirigo announces Engage, a full day of speakers and performers for a special spring event on Saturday, May 19.

Engage will feature a dynamic range of innovators from across Maine sharing live “TEDx Talks” about how their engagement in ideas is making an impact here and across the globe. The event will be guest curated by Jan Kearce, executive director of the Institute for Civic Leadership. Engage will be held on Saturday, May 19, at the University of Southern Maine’s Hannaford Hall in Portland from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

“After our events we often hear a common question: What do we do now?” said Adam Burk, executive director, TEDxDirigo. “Our answer: Engage. We’ll hear from people who are converting ideas and passion into action and impact. And together we’ll explore how we can collectively and individually Engage in inspiring solutions to our toughest challenges.”

Engage is the first TEDxDirigo event to feature a guest curator to ensure a diversity of perspectives. The Institute for Civic Leadership builds Maine’s civic capacity by training, supporting, engaging, and convening a growing network of skilled leaders, making them a great partner for TEDxDirigo.

The journey begins by applying to attend today. TEDxDirigo is looking for applicants who:

• are curious, passionate, open-minded
• have done something fascinating with their lives or are about to
• show evidence of creativity, innovation, insight, or brilliance
• would be wonderful to sit next to at lunch and have a conversation with
• are well placed to help make a difference in the community and the world
• have made a contribution to the TEDxDirigo community

It is free to apply, and the fee to attend, if selected, is $100. Scholarships are also available.
Attendance is by application and invitation only to ensure a diverse audience representing a wide range of professions and backgrounds; providing for a rich and stimulating exchange of ideas.

To apply visit www.tedxdirigo.com/apply-to-attend.

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Contact:
Ryan Triffitt
TEDxDirigo Marketing Director
207.837.5045
ryan@tedxdirigo.com 

Portland, ME — On February 29, 2012, TEDxDirigo will be hosting a Live Viewing Party of TED2012: Full Spectrum, in conjunction with Speaker Try Outs for a future TEDxDirigo event. The events will be held concurrently at Frontier in Brunswick, Maine. The entire day is sold out.

Speaker Try Outs
The first ever Speaker Try Outs will offer 20 presenters the chance to give the talk of their life in two minutes or less in front of a live audience. The audience will select “the people’s choice,” whom TEDxDirgio will work with and invite back at a main-stage TEDxDirigo event. The TEDxDirigo team will also be looking for speakers for future events. Speaker Try Outs will take place in the Frontier theater from 7:00 – 8:00pm during a break in the TED2012: Full Spectrum schedule.

TED2012: Full Spectrum Live Viewing
Live from Long Beach, California, TED2012: Full Spectrum will celebrate the phenomenon of the reinvention of the ancient art of the spoken word. Full spectrum will focus on the rich use of multiple technologies, formats and approaches for the most powerful possible impact on an audience. Content will span the full spectrum of knowledge TED stands for, from dazzling technology and leading-edge science to the richest veins of human creativity and interconnection taking key next step in the evolution of TED.

A complete speaker schedule can be found at http://conferences.ted.com/TED2012/ 

The TEDxDirigo team was thrilled to see the enthusiasm for this first-ever event in Maine, which sold out within hours of its announcement.

Upcoming Events
Thursday, March 29: Giving the Talk of Your Life Workshop, Location TBD

Saturday, May 19: TEDxDirigo: Engage at Hannaford Hall, USM, Portland. A full-day event, guest curated by Institute for Civic Leadership executive director, Jan Kearce. Event details and applications to attend will be available in February at www.TEDxDirigo.com

Wednesday, June 27: TED Global, Live Stream, Location TBD

Fall 2012: TEDxDirigo: Villages, The signature, annual, full-day event featuring “Maine ideas worth spreading.” Event details and applications to attend will be available in the spring at www.tedxdirigo.com.

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Contact:
Ryan Triffitt
Marketing Director, TEDxDirigo
207-837-5045
ryan@tedxdirigo.com

Adam Burk
Executive Director, TEDxDirigo
207-370-7243
adam@tedxdirigo.com

Portland, ME — TEDxDirigo is preparing a full slate of events for 2012. Following on the success of TEDxDirigo: Latitudes, which was held September 10, 2011 at the Portland Stage Company, TEDxDirigo is thrilled to continue the momentum into the new year.

TEDxDirigo’s events bring together Maine’s brightest innovators and change-makers. The goal is for TEDxDirigo to be a catalyst for positive change in the state and world, where new ideas are funded and supported for the greater good of all.

Here’s a tentative schedule for 2012. More details will be available at www.tedxdirigo.com.

Thursday, January 26: Giving the Talk of Your Life Workshop at PelotonLabs, Portland SOLD OUT

Wednesday, February 29: TED 2012, Live Stream and TEDxDirigo Tryouts at Frontier, Brunswick. FREE. Up to 20 people who pre-register will have the opportunity to give a 1-2 minute talk of their life to a live audience. The audience will vote for “the people’s choice” who TEDxDirigo will work with and feature at a future main-stage TEDxDirigo event.

Thursday, March 29: Giving the Talk of Your Life Workshop, Location TBD

Saturday, May 19: TEDxDirigo: Engage at Hannaford Hall, USM, Portland. A full-day event, guest curated by Institute for Civic Leadership executive director, Jan Kearce. Event details and applications to attend will be available in February at www.TEDxDirigo.com.

Wednesday, June 27: TED Global, Live Stream, Location TBD

Fall 2012: TEDxDirigo: Villages, The signature, annual, full-day event featuring “Maine ideas worth spreading.” Event details and applications to attend will be available in the spring at www.tedxdirigo.com.

Peaceful Mind, Compassionate Heart by Khen Rhinpoche Lobzang Tsetan
Khen Rinpoche Tsetan has spent over 30 years teaching to Western audiences in the USA and gets to the heart of the Buddha’s teaching using wisdom, humor and compassion for our 21st Century lifestyles and challenges we encounter searching for inner peace. No need to be a Buddhist to benefit from the insights and lessons found within these pages!
- suggested by Lisa Blake, 2010 speaker

The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success by Nicholas Lore
There are a lot of books like this, but this one actually did help me change my career and my life. I followed the book’s instructions with diligence and faith, which put me on a path that led directly to the best job I’ve ever had — and it’s written by a Mainer, to boot!
- suggested by Jennifer Boggs, TEDxDirigo

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Though I first read this book as a child, it’s anything but childish. A reminder that life is best lived with curiosity and playfulness.
- suggested by Jennifer Boggs, TEDxDirigo

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
One of the most beautiful portrayals of what a sense of place can yield. Leopold’s reflections are prose inspired by the invisible connections of life–ecology. The call for the adoption of “the land ethic” is ever more pertinent today than ever.
- suggested by Adam Burk, TEDxDirigo

Worldchanging, Edited by Alex Steffan
The problems of today can be vastly overwhelming-hunger, climate change, devastating storms, failing economies…what the heck are we going to do? Here is a comprehensive index of solutions currently being deployed on various scales across the world and can be adapted in your community. Read it, get inspired, get to work.
- suggested by Adam Burk, TEDxDirigo

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
A manifesto for making communication more effective. For there to be hope for grassroots movements, these lessons need to be learned and shared.
- suggested by John Paul Caponigro, 2010 speaker

Slideology … and Resonance by Nancy Duarte
Both volumes are essential manuals for making audio/visual presentations more effective. She helped Al Gore with An Inconvenient Truth. She can help you.
- suggested by John Paul Caponigro, 2010 speaker

MAINE Deepwater Offshore Wind Report by University of Maine and James W.
Sewall Company
This report presents a comprehensive overview of all the environmental,
geographic, economic and permitting issues associated with the development
of deepwater offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. The study represents four
years of data collection on everything from where right whales migrate, to what piers can handle heavy construction equipment.
- suggested by Dr. Habib Dagher, 2011 presenter

The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Why: If we can love, we can create. If we can create, we live. If we live, we have meaning.
- suggested by Kerem Durdag, 2011 presenter

A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander
- suggested by Michael “Gil” Gilroy, TEDxDirigo

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
- suggested by Michael “Gil” Gilroy, TEDxDirigo

Fruitless Fall by Rowan Jacobsen
Rowan did a wonderful job of introducing Colony Collapse Disorder (“that problem with the bees that everybody’s heard about”), and relating it to the much larger agricultural and environmental crises heralded by the bees’ health issues. A real eye-opener and attitude changer – one that goes a long way toward making the connection between bees, our callous treatment of our only planet, and food.
- suggested by Christy Hemenway, 2011 speaker

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Pollan makes very real the connection between our broken food system and our current state of health and “food-angst.” Very revealing and a must-read for anyone the least bit curious about where food actually comes from, how it gets on your plate, and how much the government has to do with it!
- suggested by Christy Hemenway, 2011 speaker

Improvising Real Life: Personal Story in Playback Theatre by Jo Salas
A great “nuts and bolts” book for anyone interested in doing playback.
- suggested by David LaGraffe, 2011 presenter

Acts of Service: Spontaneity, Commitment, Tradition in the Nonscripted Theatre by Jonathan Fox
This is a “digging deeper” book for developing a full philosophical appreciation of the nature of playback theatre.
- suggested by David LaGraffe, 2011 presenter

The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
This book is amazingly inspirational. It exemplifies the unity of the human society through the discussion of mythology. As a filmmaker, I find that this book contains all the essential ingredients to create a successful narrative story.
- suggested by Dean Merrill, TEDxDirigo

Depth Psychology And A New Ethic by Erich Neumann
Neumann provides a profound discussion of the current state of the human condition. He offers a holistic solution for the next evolution of our society. This is not light reading, but it is profoundly inspirational and enlightening.
- suggested by Dean Merrill, TEDxDirigo

Start with Why by Simon Sinek
A book that reminds us as leaders to begin with belief, purpose and passion and inspire those around us to take action. To bring this purpose into our communication, our decisions, our strategy.
- suggested by Janice O’Rourke, TEDxDirigo

Small is Beautiful by E.F. Schumacher
This book has inspired me to look differently at the world and how I can influence it. So much so, that I have dedicated my life to trying to build the beautiful society that Schumacher discusses. Practically, it has also helped me to start this process, in particular the section where he describes the steps he would take if given control of a large community in the Global South. This is a must-read for any aspiring world-changer.
- suggested by Alex Petroff, TEDxDirigo

Simulacra and Simulation (The Body, In Theory: Histories of Cultural Materialism) by Jean Baudrillard
This book explores the difference between what is real and what is made to appear real. It might as well be the literary soundtrack to The Matrix. Once you see the simulacrum, you realize that it is all around you. A frightening read.
- suggested by John Rooks, 2011 speaker

First as Tragedy, Then as Farce by Slavoy Zizek
Zizek dissects traditional Capitalism and Cause Capitalism with a razor sharp scalpel. He demonstrates how the rules of Capitalism permit consumers to continue the same behaviors (over consumption) that created environmental degradation, while thinking that they are part of the solution.
- suggested by John Rooks, 2011 speaker

Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal
Mcgonigal explores how the mechanics found in online gaming — engagement, meaning, optimism, and collaboration — can unleash the great potential of our society to solve its most intractable problems.
- suggested by Eli Stefanski, 2011 speaker

Sorcerers and Their Apprentices by Frank Moss
Moss showcases the anti-disciplinary thinking and creativity that is producing transformative solutions to today’s “wicked problems.”
- suggested by Eli Stefanski, 2011 speaker

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way we Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
This book offers a visionary, exciting, positive, and practical approach to solving environmental challenges by focusing on new technologies and ideas for producing what we need and want in ways that are restorative and healthy. Going beyond just doing “better,” this book offers an approach that is 100% good.
- suggested by Zoe Weil, 2010 speaker

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
Here is a soul-searching, jam-packed, beautifully written, painstakingly researched and captivating read about one of the most important daily choices each of us makes regarding food. Neither a diet book nor a polemic, Foer’s book unfolds richly and meaningfully and leaves readers with important decisions to make for their own sake and the sake of animals and the environment.
- suggested by Zoe Weil, 2010 speaker

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
It is a book that is read by many of us as teenagers. I think it should be read again as a adult (or me, more than once). It is a book about race in America. But it is also a book about ordinary people who are faced with difficult decisions. And finally, for me, it is a book about courage.
- suggested by Steve Wessler, 2011 speaker

Books by TEDxDirigo Speakers

Fambul Tok by Libby Hoffman
More Than Promote – A monkeywrencher’s guide to authentic marketing by John Rooks

Most Good, Least Harm by Zoe Weil
The Respectful School by Steve Wessler

SESSION 1 9:00 – 10:30am
Habib Dagher
Steve Wessler
Elizabeth Stefanski
Olas

SESSION 2 11:05am – 12:15pm
Emilia Dahlin
John Rooks
Jeff Thaler
Christy Hemenway

LUNCH 12:20-1:40pm

SESSION 3 1:45 – 3:15pm
Figures of Speech Theatre
Kerem Durdag
Alan Lishness
Jodie Hittle
Libby Hoffman

SESSION 4 3:45 – 5:15pm
Ryan Baird
Rafael Grossmann Zamora
Elizabeth McLellan
Roger Doiron
Portland Playback Theatre

RECEPTION 5:15-6:15pm

If you’ve received an invitation and haven’t yet purchased your ticket, please do. You won’t want to miss a minute of this celebration of Maine ideas worth spreading.

August 3, 2011 (Portland, ME) – Today, TEDxDirigo announces a full program of speakers and performers for its second annual independently organized event on Saturday, September 10th at Portland Stage Company. Latitudes will feature Mainers sharing live “TEDx Talks” about social, economic and environmental ideas that are making an impact here and abroad.

“The name Latitudes evokes Maine’s respected tradition of trade and discovery, but in this case, in the marketplace of ideas,” said Adam Burk, TEDxDirigo’s Executive Director. “It can also mean ‘freedom from limitation,’ and we hope the conference will give the speakers and guests wide berth to exchange ideas.”

Local presenters of “Maine ideas worth spreading” include:

• Libby Hoffman of Falmouth founded the private foundation Catalyst for Peace. Since 2007, the foundation has run Fambul Tok (“family talk” in Krio), an international program which brings victims and perpetrators from Sierra Leone’s civil war together in village-level, tradition-based ceremonies of truth-telling, apology and forgiveness. Fambul Tok helps heal the wounds of war and build the foundations for sustainable peace and development. http://www.fambultok.org
• Roger Doiron is the founder and director of Kitchen Gardeners International (KGI), a Maine-based nonprofit network of more than 20,000 people from 100 countries who are taking a hands-on approach to re-localizing the global food supply. His grand prize-winning proposal and petition campaign to replant a kitchen garden at the White House attracted over 100,000 signatures and broad international media coverage. http://www.kitchengardeners.org
• Emilia Dahlin is a Portland-based singer-songwriter who, at the peak of a booming music career, went on a yearlong global journey of service and learning. She and an intergenerational group visited places around the world that are experimenting with ecologically compatible technologies and societal models that combine modern innovation with the wisdom of old-world communities. Dahlin traveled to the favelas of Sao Paolo where she began a collaborative music project that inspired her to use music within her own community to foster cross-cultural exchange though a common medium. http://www.emiliadahlin.com
• Steve Wessler of Litchfield is the Executive Director for the Center for Preventing Hate, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and responding to bias, harassment and violence. The Center provides education and advocacy in schools, colleges, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and communities. http://www.preventinghate.org

See the full roster of speakers: http://tedxdirigo.com/category/speakers/2011/.

Latitudes will take place on Saturday, September 10th, from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. There will be two morning sessions and two afternoon sessions, with breaks in between for further open discussion among attendees. Following the event, guests and speakers will be encouraged to unwind at the SPACE Block Party, a celebration of the arts that will stretch along Congress Street, from Casco Street to Forest Avenue. Participants will experience interactive art installations, musical performances, theater, and activities for kids.

Applications to attend Latitudes are still being accepted. Selections are made based on a broad set of criteria. The TEDxDirigo team will curate a diverse audience representing a wide range of professions and backgrounds, to ensure a rich and stimulating exchange of ideas. It is free to apply, and the fee to attend, if selected, is $100. To apply, go to http://tedxdirigo.com/apply-to-attend/.

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Press Contact
Jennifer Boggs
207-482-3767 / jen@tedxdirigo.com

Scope of work:

• Brainstorm several options for set design in line with our event and TED style
• Assemble a set crew as needed
• Build the winning design off-site to be reassembled on stage the day prior to the event (Sept. 9, 2011)
• Organize the breakdown and recycling of the set the day after the event (Sept. 11, 2011)

The Ideal candidate will have:

• Passion about “Maine Ideas Worth Spreading” and TED Talks
• Professional experience in stage design and project management
• A solid understanding of contemporary design trends
• A resourceful mindset in order to minimize costs
• Strong work ethic and respect for deadlines
• A team player who can also work on their own
• A professional, friendly attitude

Expectations

• Work closely with the TEDxDirigo team
• Compliment the 2011 event theme and its associated visual system into set design.
• Meet with the TEDxDirigo team as needed leading up to the 9/10/11 event.

Benefits

• Work on a unique and high profile project
• Complimentary VIP admission to the event

Please submit a cover letter expressing why you would like to work on TEDxDirigo, a resume, and a link to your portfolio or examples of your work. Please submit these to adam@tedxdirigo.com by 12 midnight, Saturday, June 25, 2011. Follow-ups will occur promptly and be complete by Friday, July 8.

Scope of Work

• Brainstorm several options for the centerpiece TEDxDirigo 2011 graphic which will be the foundation of multiple branding pieces across several media
• Adapt the winning graphic consistently across said media: printed collateral, web graphics, environmental graphics and video/interstitial animations
• Art direct materials for our event including large scale posters, program books, name tags, and posters.
• Review final pieces after production and prior to release of piece to print vendors as needed.

The Ideal Candidate will have:

• Passion for “Maine Ideas Worth Spreading” and TED Talks
• 4+ years of relevant experience
• A strong portfolio that will WOW the viewer
• Fluent knowledge of all professional software (CS3 up)
• Strong work ethic and respect for deadlines
• A team player who can also work on their own
• A professional, friendly attitude

Expectations

• Work closely with Executive Director and Marketing Director
• Err on the side of over communication
• Meet with the TEDxDirigo team as needed leading up to the 9/10/11 event.
• Study up on TED branding rules

Benefits

• Work on a unique and high profile project
• Complimentary VIP admission to the event

Please submit a cover letter expressing why you would like to work on TEDxDirigo, a resume, and a link to your portfolio or examples of your work. Please submit these to adam@tedxdirigo.com by 12midnight, Saturday, June 25, 2011. Follow-ups will occur promptly and be complete by Friday, July 8.

Attorney Jeff Thaler, a proponent of “uncomfortable learning,” and musician Ryan Baird, whose new multimedia piece examines “contemplative education,” will address new directions in education.

Eli Stefanski, a self-proclaimed “impatient social innovation junkie” will also present, as will cutting-edge beekeeper Christy Hemenway.

These are just five of the seventeen speakers (and performers) we have planned. Stay tuned to find out who else will be joining us. With a variety of talks and topics throughout the day, some of the fun will be in the links we make between them— and the connections we make with each other.

TEDxDIRIGO LIVE EVENT SLATED FOR 09/10/11
DESIGNER JOHN BIELENBERG AND OTHERS TO PRESENT

April 19, 2011(Portland, ME) – Only one Maine event takes as much care to curate its audience as it does its speakers. On Saturday, September 10th, TEDxDirigo will hold a live event at Portland Stage Company, featuring local change-makers and innovators presenting “Maine ideas worth spreading.”

Among the diverse speakers scheduled to present are Aruna Kenyi, a student, author and activist from Sudan. Though only 22 years old, Kenyi has published a memoir of his journey from being forced to leave Sudan, to his life in the United States. This summer, he will go back to his village to set up a school lunch program – and see his parents for the first time since he was five.

Elizabeth McLellan is a Registered Nurse with a graduate degree in health care administration and public health from Boston University. A native of Maine, McLellan has traveled extensively and witnessed poverty and health care at its worst. Inspired by many trips to Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East, she single-handedly started Partners for World Health, an organization that funnels discarded medical supplies to hospitals and clinics in third world countries. The group also disseminates information on global health and develops community service learning opportunities for Portland high school and college students.

“The point of TEDxDirigo isn’t merely to assemble impressive speakers – though the program is shaping up to be a fascinating group of Mainers,” said TEDxDirigo Executive Director Adam Burk. “Our aim is to create an atmosphere where ideas can be exchanged and expanded, so who’s in the audience is as important as who’s on stage.”

Applications to register for TEDxDirigo 2011 are now being accepted at www.tedxdirigo.com. Only a limited number of registrations are available and will be selected based on a broad set of criteria. The TEDxDirigo team will curate a diverse audience representing a wide range of professions and backgrounds, to ensure a rich and stimulating exchange of ideas. To apply, go to www.tedxdirigo.com. It is free to apply. The fee to attend is $100. (A small number of scholarships are available, primarily for students.) All applications received before May 15 will be given equal consideration. After that applications will be accepted per available registrations.

TEDxDirigo 2011 will take place on Saturday, September 10th, from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. There will be two morning sessions and two afternoon sessions, with breaks in between for further open discussion among attendees. TEDxDirigo is partnering with businesses in downtown Portland to provide lunch and an after-party for all event attendees, so the conversation can continue.

# # #
Press Contact:
Jennifer Boggs
207.482.3767 / jen@tedxdirigo.com

View Photos from Our Visit on Facebook or Flickr

General
Post-Production
Branding and Community

If you know someone great, please do send them our way!

We’re always interested in seeing resumes from prospective interns. To intern with us, you must be:
+ a college senior or above
+ able to work in our Manhattan office for at least 20 hours per week in 5-hour blocks.
+ sincerely interested in TED and passionate about helping to share Ideas Worth Spreading

Internships are available in many departments, and we rely on your cover letter and resume to figure out where to place you. So be specific about your skills, experience and interests. Also be specific about when you would like to work—if you can start anytime, or if you can work during a particular semester. Internships are paid, or college credit can be arranged with your advisor. Send your resume and cover letter to jobs@ted.com with the subject line INTERNSHIP.

We have just posted some new videos on YouTube from the 2010 Frontier event, with more to follow soon.
VISIT THE TEDXDIRIGO YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Susan Grisanti, editor-in-chief, says kindly, “the event was so carefully choreographed that every moment was filled with energy and inspiration and–somehow simultaneously–with enough space to contemplate…I was not alone in thinking: It really is possible to change the world. The experience was truly a gift.” Thank you Susan, and thank you everyone who is a part of the TEDxDirigo community.