SAVANNAH, Ga. – TEDxSavannah, an independently organized celebration of ideas, based on the international TED talk phenomenon — is thrilled to announce the line-up of 14 talented, local speakers for TEDxSavannah 2026, which will take place on Friday, May 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fine Arts Auditorium at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus, located at 11935 Abercorn St. in Savannah, Ga. Doors will open at 8 a.m.
The theme for the highly anticipated 15th annual TEDxSavannah event is Shaping the Future. Speakers will address the 2026 theme from a range of perspectives in inspired talks designed to resonate with the greater Savannah community.
TEDxSavannah received a record 296 speaker applications for the 2026 event and invited 30 applicants to pitch their ideas in person before selecting the final 14 speakers.
“We carefully selected a diverse group of local leaders for our landmark 15th annual event and can’t wait for them to share their ideas about the future on the TEDxSavannah stage,” said TEDxSavannah organizing committee member and former TEDxSavannah speaker Mickie McNamara. “We truly believe that ideas change everything and warmly invite members of the Savannah community to join us for an inspiring day defined by insightful talks and ideas worth sharing.”
2026 TEDxSavannah speakers include:
- Kate Blair — Executive Director, Brightside Child & Family Advocacy
- Dr. Maxine Bryant — Award-winning journalist and educator
- Tyler Cobbs — Founder, GoAssistantly
- Steve Curran — CEO, Khaki Consulting
- Jamey Espina — Vice President of Development and Community Services, Hospice Savannah
- Gracen Garceau — Savannah Country Day School student
- Dr. SallyAnn Gray — Transition Specialist, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
- Wade Herring — Partner, HunterMaclean
- Jason Marshall — President and CEO, Goodwill Southeast Georgia
- Kareem McMichael — Award-winning filmmaker, writer and media professional
- Olga Seredyuk — Executive Director, The Whitefield Center
- Geoff Thatcher — Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Creative Principals
- Dominique Treadwell — Founder and Chief Flavor Maker, Spoonlight Ice Cream
- Kimberly Waller — President and CEO, United Way of the Coastal Empire
Full bios for the TEDxSavannah speakers, along with photos, are available at tedxsavannah.com.
TEDxSavannah 2026 will feature thought-provoking talks as well as compelling live performances. Live talks will be filmed and posted on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel, which has more than 40 million subscribers, following the event.
General admission tickets are currently on sale for $70, which include seating, onsite parking, lunch, snacks, coffee and admission to the speaker meet-and-greet immediately following the main TEDxSavannah event. Special discounts are available for educators, students, nonprofits, active-duty military and first responders.
A limited number of VIP/Friends of TEDxSavannah tickets are also available for $125, which include priority seating, priority lunch access, lunch, parking, backstage access and a special VIP badge.
Groups of more than eight attendees can receive a 10% discount on the price of their tickets by contacting tedxsav@gmail.com.
To purchase tickets or learn more about TEDxSavannah, please visit tedxsavannah.com or follow TEDxSavannah on Facebook, X or Instagram.
ABOUT TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.
ABOUT TED
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through The Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze $6.6 billion in funding for projects that support bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges — working to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.
Follow TED on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,TikTok, and X.
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