TEDxPortland Year 14 - Homecoming
Experience the most educational, inspirational day of the year in the Rose City as TEDxPortland returns for Year 14 with 11 incredible speakers, 3 interviews, and 3 performances in this full-day event.
Main auditorium seating is $249, and for $89 join us at the in-building Studio for a real-time livestream of the Main Stage.
Every ticket (main auditorium & livestream studio) includes reserved seating, an award-winning event book, coffee and tea in the morning, and a happy hour with complimentary drinks and ice cream to wrap up the day.
This year’s theme, Homecoming, marks a return to The Armory, where TEDxPortland began in 2011. It also celebrates coming home to Portland and embracing all our great city has to offer.
SCHEDULE
Doors Open / 8:00am - Complimentary coffee & tea
Session 1 / 9:00am to Noon
Lunch / Noon to 2:00pm - Two hour lunch break to enjoy the Pearl District
Session 2 / 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Happy Hour / 5:00pm to 6:00pm - Happy hour with complimentary drinks & ice cream to wrap up the day
SPEAKERS & INTERVIEWS
Diana Taurasi (interview), the undisputed greatest of all time — a 3× WNBA Champion, 2× WNBA Finals MVP, WNBA MVP, 10× All-WNBA First Team selection, and the league’s all-time leading scorer. A 6× Olympic gold medalist and global icon of women’s basketball, Taurasi redefined excellence, longevity, and competitive fire — setting the standard as Portland prepares to welcome the next era of WNBA basketball.
Sam Balto (speaker), creator of the Bike Bus, builds community and gets kids moving through collaborations ranging from Stranger Things to rides with Justin Timberlake, Benson Boone, and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
Jonathan Hurst (speaker) is the Chief Robot Officer at Agility Robotics and a professor at Oregon State University, pioneering the age of human–humanoid collaboration and redefining how people and intelligent machines work together.
Milky Kohno, PhD (speaker), leads cutting-edge addiction science at the OHSU B.R.A.I.N. Lab, revealing how the brain, our genes, and lived experience interact, and how that knowledge can change health outcomes.
Jenny Nguyen (speaker) is the founder of The Sports Bra, the nation’s only female-led sports bar, where women’s sports take center stage. Belief became a business, and community became a movement.
Ryan Dunlap (speaker) is a former hostage negotiator and founder of Conflictish, bringing lessons from life-and-death negotiations to help leaders turn conflict into their greatest competitive advantage.
Rukaiyah Adams (interview) leads at the intersection of courage and imagination. As CEO of 1803 Fund and steward of the North Albina Vision Trust, she is building a future where generational change is designed—intentionally, equitably, and together.
John Branam (speaker) is the social impact leader and Executive Director of Get Schooled, leveraging cutting-edge technology to help young people access college, launch their first careers, and thrive beyond both.
Keely Cat-Wells (speaker) is the Founder of Making Space and an Obama Foundation USA Leader, reshaping how talent with disabilities accesses opportunity, careers, and power.
Sean McClain (speaker) is the founder and CEO of Absci, pioneering generative AI to design new biologic drugs, dramatically shrinking timelines, slashing costs, and redefining how lifesaving medicines are created.
Aneesh Argwal (speaker) is a junior at Sunset High School and a NASA Payload Design winner, challenging students to elevate their thinking by embracing boredom and doing less, with purpose.
Jessica Elkan (interview) leads the creation of the James Beard Public Market, a bold new public marketplace designed to ignite Portland’s food economy, elevate Oregon’s producers, and build a resilient, inclusive gathering place for community and culinary innovation.
Amy Saltzman, MD (speaker), is a former competitive gymnast and physician who founded Spot a Spider to help families, athletes, and teams recognize grooming behaviors and prevent sexual exploitation in youth sports, creating safer environments where young people can thrive.
PERFORMANCES
The Oregon Symphony is a cornerstone of Portland’s cultural identity, blending over a century of musical excellence with boundary-pushing programming that connects classical tradition to modern life. It is where Portland’s past, present, and creative future come together at full volume.
Lauren Flower, Company Artist with Oregon Ballet Theater, is a singular force of raw athleticism and poetic grace, commanding the stage with a performances that are fearless, magnetic, and impossible to forget.
Ural Thomas and The Pain are living proof that soul never ages, it deepens. With a voice forged over decades and a band that hits like testimony, they will deliver a performance rooted in grit, joy, and the kind of truth you feel in your chest.
HOSTS
(Morning) Karina LeBlanc, a Portland icon and Olympic Gold medalist with Team Canada, Karina serves as EVP of RAJ Sports, living a life of purpose while helping shape the future of women’s sports and professional teams in Portland.
(Afternoon) Luis Vargas is a community builder, founder of Modern Adventure, TEDxPortland alumnus, and Chairman of the Board, dedicated to creating meaningful connection, curiosity, and belonging.
Current & Upcoming
PCS Presents: Not That Late Show
Join us for another iteration of Not That Late Show! Beyond a comedy variety show—Not that Late Show is a satirical exploration of late-stage capitalism, women’s sexuality, and pop culture through a queer/femme lens.
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Foundations of Improvisation class series for Adults with Andy Perkins
Looking to expand your knowledge and skills of improvisation? Whether you did theater in high school and want to jump back in, are looking to find creative connections with others, or are a theater professional looking to deepen your training, this course is perfect for you!
The Play That Goes Wrong
It’s opening night for the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of the 1920s murder mystery Murder of Haversham Manor and from lights up the cast and crew are in an uphill battle to the final curtain. The set isn’t steady and neither are the actors as they trip over their lines, set pieces and a murder victim who has a hard time playing dead. In this uproarious comedy, anything that can go wrong, absolutely will… with fantastic flair! 2015 London’s Olivier Award for Best New Comedy
BIPOC Affinity Night for The Play That Goes Wrong
Join us for The Play That Goes Wrong on BIPOC Affinity Night, with a pre-show performance from Raeamari.
Acting for Adults Level II: Scene Work
Through focused exploration of partner relationships, participants will learn the art of active listening, responsiveness, and ensemble building, essential skills for compelling and authentic scene work.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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