Our 2025 Speakers
Sarah Beetner
Clean Up on Aisle Confusion
Sarah Beetner is a senior in Secondary Biology Education at Missouri S&T. She is currently teaching Anatomy and Field Ecology at Blue Valley High School. Recently, she led a senior project about college nutrition which was published on the official college website and viewed almost 1000 times in the month after its launch. Around campus, Sarah is a Kummer Vanguard Scholar, a member of the Honors college, a former RA and active in multiple clubs.
Angela Bo
Romanticizing Life: Finding the Small Joys
Angela Bo is currently a high school junior. A romantic at heart, Angela tries her best to live life in the moment. She is always in search of little joys and new opportunities, landing her here at TEDxMissouri S&T!
Alex Elsayegh
How to be as fluent as AI
Alex Elsayegh is an Egypt-born innovation engineer at McCarthy Holdings, Inc., where he deploys AI solutions to streamline complex construction projects. Alex holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Construction Management) from Missouri S&T and formerly served as president of the AGC student chapter. A lifelong advocate for clear, confident speech, Alex founded #theAMRway to coach professionals in communication skills. His journey from international student to industry change-agent fuels his TEDx mission to bridge the gap between AI-polished writing and real-world conversation.
Paige Marsolais-Heitman
Healthcare Is a Conversation — Start Talking
Paige Marsolais-Heitman serves as the Director of Philanthropy at Phelps Health, where she combines a decade of healthcare marketing and communications experience with a passion for advocating for patients. Her TEDx talk is inspired by her IVF and pregnancy journey, during which she discovered the power of being an informed, engaged partner in her own care. Through collaboration with compassionate providers, engaged health systems and a commitment to asking questions, Paige learned that empowered patients can help shape better outcomes. She believes the future of healthcare lies in stronger partnerships between patients and providers — and that when both sides work together, everyone benefits.
Kimberly Johnson-Hatchett
Activate Your Default Mode Network: The Key to Aging Powerfully
Dr. Kimberly Johnson-Hatchett is a wife, mom of two, board certified neurologist, and hospital administrator. Her current role is a Chief Medical Officer at a Veterans hospital. Kimberly’s reason for this topic is that throughout her life she has been using envisioning to achieve the goals she wanted, from being a nontraditional medical student, to having a family later in life. At the same time, seeing that as many age, they evision themselves slowing down, becoming frail and that they should not be active. But if we want to stop the epidemic of aging poorly then we must first start by envisioning ourselves as vibrant, agile and STRONG older humans and that we have this ability by unlocking a part of our brain called the Default Mode Network. Kimberly’s background is in business with an undergraduate degree in Finance and Banking, so her way of explaining concepts to patients and the public is very straightforward and easy to understand. She is passionate about about health and wellness education, in addition to becoming the best version of ourselves as possible. Kimberly lives by the tenant that she has been given many talents and wants to be told that she used them well in the time God has given her.
Betty Rhoades
The Unexpected Career Lessons From Winemaking
Betty Rhoades, The Storytelling Sommelier, is a professional speaker, coach and Certified Sommelier who helps bold professionals and beverage experts speak up, stand out and command the room. With two decades of experience in law, government and nonprofit leadership, she specializes in guiding high-achieving individuals through confident communication and purpose-driven career pivots. Known for her blend of humor, heart and strategic insight, Betty also leads cellar operations and community engagement at San Francisco Wine School, where she brings people together through education, storytelling and a shared love of wine.
Chris Ruth
The Triple Impact of Building Automation: Comfort, Energy and Indoor Air Quality
Chris Ruth is the Mid Missouri Controls Manager at Integrated Facility Services (IFS), leading a team dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions in building automation and energy management. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Chris specializes in systems integration, sustainable projects and designing customized control systems for diverse environments. As the former board chair of the USGBC Chapter in Missouri and currently serving as President-Elect of the ASHRAE Ozark Chapter, Chris is deeply committed to advancing sustainable building practices and promoting industry education. His passion for building automation drives him to help clients achieve optimal system balance, enhancing both efficiency and comfort. Chris actively shares his expertise through conference presentations, publications, podcasts and Continuing Education Unit (CEU) programs, contributing significantly to industry knowledge and innovation.
Daniel B. Shank
The Harm of AI Romance
Dr. Daniel B. Shank is an Associate Professor of Psychological Science at Missouri S&T. He specializes in research on social interactions with and psychological perceptions of artificial intelligence, with a current focus on moral issues related to people’s ongoing relationships with AI. Daniel earned degrees in computer science, artificial intelligence and sociology and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, primarily on the social psychology of AI and smart technology. He recently wrote a book, The Machine Penalty: The Consequences of Seeing Artificial Intelligence as Less Than Human, published by Palgrave-Macmillan in 2025.
Alyece SMITH
Redesigning Success for the Neurodivergent Mind
Alyece Smith is a Certified Master Coach, social media marketing expert, and branding strategist who built her business by breaking the rules that weren’t built for her brain. She’s the founder of Socially Ausome™, where she helps ADHD entrepreneurs streamline their systems and scale with strategies that actually stick. As an Autism mom and founder of Caiden’s Corner, a nonprofit supporting under-resourced families navigating Autism, Alyece brings bold storytelling and deep expertise to every stage she steps on. Her talk challenges the traditional definition of success and reveals the unseen brilliance of neurodivergent minds.
Simoriah Stogner
One Size Does Not Fit All
Simoriah Stogner was never the “right fit", and that became her power. Raised in survival and once a teen mom with no degree, she rose to lead cybersecurity and IT infrastructure operations for a U.S.-based, billion-dollar fintech company listed on the S&P 500. Her TEDx talk reveals what we lose when we measure people by checkboxes instead of capacity. As founder of Simulating Mindsets, she's championing a new way to lead and hire, because one size does not fit all.
Derek Zboran
Innovation Begins With Imperfection
Derek Zboran brings passion for positive psychology to his Student Well-Being role at Missouri S&T. He equips students, staff and faculty with research-backed tools that promote mental well-being, and which empower innovative people to turn their challenges into triumphs! Outside of work he pursues greatness as a Renaissance man by reading, writing, podcasting and teaching.
Will Zwikelmaier
Notes Without Feeling
Dr. Will Zwikelmaier is a creative strategist, educator and relationship-builder who brings together the worlds of academia, industry and art. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Missouri S&T, where he forges partnerships that advance research, workforce development and innovation. Will’s professional path began in the classroom as a high school band director and evolved through leadership roles in career services and institutional advancement. He holds a doctorate in education and is known for his ability to translate complex systems into clear strategies that drive real-world impact. Equal parts analytical and expressive, Will is also an accomplished saxophonist who finds deep connection between music, leadership and learning. His unique blend of technical insight and creative fluency informs everything from strategic pitches to public storytelling. Outside of his work, Will is a father, husband and frequent creator of wildly entertaining bedtime stories.