Tupper Lake

Natural Connections

Exploring the Interconnectedness of Nature and Humanity

October 26, 2024 | Tupper Lake, NY

Natural Connections

Exploring the Interconnectedness of Nature and Humanity

October 26, 2024 | Tupper Lake, NY

About TEDxTupper Lake

TEDxTupper Lake is an independently organized event focusing on the natural connections between humans and the world around us. Like the symbiotic relationship seen in the subterranean root networks of trees, TEDxTupper Lake will illuminate the interconnectedness between all of us and inspire local discussion around both local and global ideas.

 

Nestled within the heart of the Adirondack Park in northern New York state, TEDxTupper Lake finds its home at The Wild Center, an acclaimed natural history museum, science center, aquarium, and interconnected trail system situated in Tupper Lake, New York. The Wild Center is the first LEED-certified museum in New York State and in 2024, was named best science museum in the country by USA Today.

 

Join us at TEDxTupper Lake 2024, an inspiring event set in the beautiful Adirondacks. Discover how the natural world connects us all and how these connections shape our lives and communities.

Sponsorship Opportunities for TEDxTupper Lake

We invite you to become a partner in TEDxTupper Lake 2024, where your support will help bring groundbreaking ideas to life and highlight the interconnectedness of nature within the Adirondacks. Join us in fostering connections and inspiring action within our vibrant community. Email us to get involved!

Meet Our Speakers

Prepare to be inspired by 13 dynamic speakers at TEDxTupper Lake 2024, each delivering thought-provoking talks centered on the theme of Natural Connections. Hosted in the stunning Flammer Theater at The Wild Center, these live presentations will be interspersed with engaging interludes designed to ignite conversation and deepen connections within our community. Don’t miss this chance to explore how the threads of nature, ideas, and humanity intertwine to shape our world.

Cammy Sheridan TEDxTupper Lake

Cammy Sheridan

Professor of Social Science

Cammy is a professor and disabilities specialist for North Country Community College. A native of the region, Cammy has a special interest in promoting the well-being of the people who reside in the Adirondacks and finding symbiosis between the natural environment and those who call the Adirondack Mountains home. Cammy has served and continues to serve on various boards such as Lake Placid Board of Education, Essex County Community Services Board, JohnBrownLives! and ADKAction, with focuses on education, mental health, environmental and social issues that impact the Park and its residents. Cammy splits her time between Lake Placid and Upper Saranac Lake, where she skis, paddles, hikes and enjoys the outdoors with her family and friends.

Curt Stager TEDxTupper Lake

Curt Stager

Scientist, Educator, and Author

Curt Stager is a scientist, educator, and author whose research and outreach deals with climate change, human connections to the natural world, and environmental history in Africa, the Adirondacks, and elsewhere. His work has been published in prominent journals, including Science and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, his writings for the public have appeared in periodicals such as National Geographic and The New York Times, and he co-hosted Natural Selections, a weekly science program on North Country Public Radio, for 30 years. Curt is also the author of four books, most recently “Still Waters: The Secret World of Lakes.” He currently teaches natural sciences at Paul Smith’s College, where he holds the Draper-Lussi endowed Chair in Paleoecology and Lake Ecology. In 2013, the Carnegie-Case Foundation named him Science Professor of the Year for New York State. Learn more about Curt.

Echo TEDxTupper Lake

Echo

Artist, Creator, Learner

Echo is the co-founder of The Station in Onchiota, New York. The Station is an experimental art space dedicated to amplifying and supporting creative culture. The Station exists to broaden people’s perspectives by introducing them to new experiences, people, and art forms.

Echo has a college degree. However, his primary education comes from a lifetime of participation in DIY culture and various music scenes across America in military bases, suburban wastelands, urban centers, artist communities, off-grid homesteads, and small towns. Raising two amazing teenage boys with his partner probably qualifies him for some kind of Doctorate.

Some of Echo’s regional creations include the Carnival of Light projection art festival, The Invisible Creatures Petting Zoo, and Summer Sessions. In previous versions of his life Echo has worked as a team building facilitator, a construction worker, a DJ, a wilderness trip leader for at-risk youth, a stagehand, a barista, and other odd occupations.

Jenna Audlin TEDxTupper Lake

Jenna Audlin

Author, Student

Jenna Audlin is a high school student and author of The Explore More Challenge, an activity book for kids and families. They are passionate about encouraging children to explore nature and are pursuing a career in environmental education. Audlin’s work has already sparked the interest of young readers and outdoor enthusiasts, and they continue to develop new projects aimed at inspiring future generations to connect with the environment in meaningful ways.

Justin Oliver TEDxTupper Lake

Justin Oliver

Outdoor Enthusiast, Cyclist, Entrepreneur

Justin Oliver is a dedicated cyclist and the founder of Silver Birch Cycles in Saranac Lake, New York. Raised on a small beef cattle farm in central New York, Justin developed a deep connection to the outdoors early in life. His passion for mountain biking and trail running began as a child, and over time, these pursuits became central to his identity.

 

In 2003, Justin relocated to the Adirondacks to immerse himself in the mountainous terrain he had long been drawn to. The region’s vast networks of trails and rugged landscapes provided the perfect environment for him to deepen his love for outdoor exploration.

 

Driven by a desire to share this passion with others, Justin opened Silver Birch Cycles in 2024. His vision for the shop is to create a space where cyclists of all backgrounds can access quality gear, expert advice, and a supportive community. Silver Birch Cycles reflects Justin’s commitment to fostering a love for adventure and encouraging people to explore the natural world on two wheels.

Katsitsionni Fox TEDxTupper Lake

Katsitsionni Fox

Artist, Filmmaker, and Educator

Katsitsionni Fox is an artist, filmmaker and educator from the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne. Her films are focused on empowering stories of resilient Indigenous women. Her award-winning documentary films include Ohero: Kon Under the Husk (2016) and Without a Whisper – Konnon: Kwe (2020). She directed the Indigenous Women’s Voices Series focused on the healing and empowerment of Native women, released in 2020. Her most recent film is Kanenon:we – Original Seeds, a documentary following three Haudenosaunee women reclaiming their ancient role as seed keepers, regenerating, protecting and rematriating sacred and endangered heirloom seeds for the future generations.

Keeley Jock TEDxTupper Lake

Keeley Jock

Environmentalist, Climate Justice Fellow

Keeley Jock grew up in Akwesasne, as a enrolled member of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. From her strong belief in the Seven Generations philosophy taught to them at a young age, it moved them to obtaining a B.S. in Environmental Science from Paul Smith’s College, with the dream of doing something bigger than herself in this world. With a keen interest in wetland ecology and botany, Keeley wrote their undergraduate thesis on Indigenous Knowledge informing EPA standard wetland assessments to help improve regulations for highly impacted/less pristine wetlands. As a recent graduate, she is starting off her future with beginning work at ANCA beginning in 2024, as a Climate Justice Fellow through a NYSERDA grant program. Out of the office you may find them skiing, reading, drinking coffee, or picking up any other random hobby.

Michale Glennon TEDxTupper Lake

Michale Glennon

Wildlife Ecologist, Fiber Artist

​​Michale Glennon is a wildlife ecologist, fiber artist, and director of Wool and Water, a project of the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith’s College. Wool and Water is a collaborative project that blends fiber art with scientific information to create visual representations of changing water quality conditions in the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain Basin. Knitting, crochet, weaving and other fiber arts are used to illustrate concepts and trends related to our waterways, and to provide inspiration for their protection. As a Senior Research Scientist at the Adirondack Watershed Institute, Dr. Glennon uses wildlife as a tool for understanding threats to ecological integrity and watershed health. She helps provide leadership to AWI’s scientific research program, support high quality research opportunities for students, and advocate for science in support of the management and stewardship of the natural resources of the Adirondack Park. Michale serves on the boards of the Adirondack Council and TAUNY (Traditional Arts in Upstate New York). She grew up in Lake Placid, NY and lives in Ray Brook with her husband, Scott, 2 kids, 1 horse, 1 goat, and 1 housecat.

Randi Renate TEDxTupper Lake

Randi Renate

Artist, Sculptor, Naturalist

Randi Renate was born ‘en caul,’ intact inside the amniotic sac, in San Antonio, TX. Her artwork choreographs bodies within a sculptural framework to investigate how the ‘micro’ of the individual weaves into the ‘macro’ of the collective whole. Randi received her BFA in Studio Art and BA in Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. She is a 2020 MFA graduate of the Sculpture Department at the Yale School of Art. She is the recipient of numerous fellowships, including Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, NY; Lighthouse Works on Fishers Island, NY; Bemis Center for Contemporary Art in Omaha, NE; Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT; Santa Fe Art Institute, NM; and Sculpture Space in Utica, NY. Her 2021 permanent public sculpture, “blue is the atmospheric refraction I see you through,” was made in part by a NYS Council of the Arts Grant and featured in Interior Design Magazine, while her 2022 Socrates Sculpture Park commission was featured in Sculpture Magazine.

Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp TEDxTupper Lake

Rose Beauchamp

Dance Artist, Improviser, Filmmaker, Activist, Educator

Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp — dancer, educator, and activist — centers her research somatics, social justice, dance as change agent and the embodiment of activism. Her choreographic work has been featured internationally for the past 17 years. She has been selected for residencies and projects including the NYS Dance Force Western NY Choreographers’ Initiative. Rose co-founded Artists Coalition for Change Together (ACCT), an organization active from 2016-2020, as a way to engage dancer-citizens in Rochester. She has received multiple grants from the Center for Community Engagement and serves as a Faculty Fellow with a focus on creative work in community-engaged settings. As of late, her creative work has centered on site specific, interdisciplinary work that unearths invisible histories through embodiment. Rose continues to perform and present with a focus on the relationship between the body and the environment, the role the body plays in environmental justice, and climate change.

Stephanie Ashenfelder TEDxTupper Lake

Stephanie Ashenfelder

Storyteller, Educator, and Artist

Stephanie’s work centers on socially conscious, interdisciplinary, collaborative projects that integrate art, design, and community building. She co-directs Watershed Movements, which earned a $50K award to fund a yearlong exploration of how storytelling and art might enhance our connection to watersheds. In 2022, her collaboration with students and the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, NY, secured a $100K grant from Verizon and NYC Media Labs for innovative edtech. Her ongoing work on ADKClimateStories.org, aims to promote climate action by highlighting our humanity, sharing and reflecting on the local consequences of climate change. At the University of Rochester, Stephanie teaches experiential, project-based design courses and serves as the Director of Digital Media Studies.

Talking Wings TEDxTupper Lake

Talking Wings

Storytellers, Movement Weavers

Blake and Tzintzun (both they/them) are two storytellers and movement weavers currently living in the Kaniatarowanénhne/ Upper St. Lawrence River Valley, at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Haudenosaunee Territory. Through their work with the environmental storytelling group Talking Wings, they have organized numerous conferences, curated in person and virtual art exhibitions, and produced visual storytelling pieces that share the voices of Land and Water. The story-making duo also helped found the nonprofit Talking Rivers, Inc., an organization that educates human communities about the Rights and Rites of rivers and their ecosystems. In collaboration with Talking Rivers, they are currently working with humans across the Adirondack Watersheds to create ecocentric governance systems that meet Nature’s needs.

Tyler Dezago TEDxTupper Lake

Tyler Dezago

Musician, Educator, Storyteller

Tyler Dezago is a fiddler, guitarist, music educator and songwriter rooted in American Traditional Music. As a songwriter, Tyler’s brings new repertoire to the genre, continuing the tradition of sharing stories centered around place, people, and the adversities they faced.

His current work focuses on the lives of Adirondack people from the last 200 years. His songwriting is detail-rich and brings listeners back in time to the days before the Adirondacks were a vacationland.

He is a member of High on the Hog Stringband and Strawberry Wine Trio and performs regularly across the Adirondacks and Upstate New York.

Event Schedule for TEDxTupper Lake 2024

Get ready for an exciting day at TEDxTupper Lake 2024! Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of each inspiring moment.

Time

Description

1:00 – 1:45 PM

Guest Arrival and Registration

1:45 – 2:00 PM

All Guests Seated in Auditorium

2:00 – 3:30 PM

Speaker Block #1

3:30 – 4:00 PM

Intermission

4:00 – 5:30 PM

Speaker Block #2

5:30 – 6:45 PM

Evening Reception

6:45 – 7:00 PM

All Guests Seated in Auditorium

7:00 – 8:00 PM

Speaker Block #3

Meet Your TEDxTupper Lake Hosts

Leanne Favreau TEDxTupper Lake

Leanne Favreau

Interpretive Programs Manager

Leanne Favreau is the Interpretive Programs Manager at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, New York, where she crafts and oversees educational programs that help visitors forge deeper connections with nature. Whether it’s leading a naturalist walk, canoe trips, hosting animal presentations, or facilitating hands-on art or STEM workshops, Leanne thrives on creating meaningful and memorable experiences for people of all ages. As a Certified Interpretive Guide Trainer and New York State Licensed Guide Leanne is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of environmental educators. She also helps to design and manage exhibits like Wild Lights and organizes conferences/events, including most recently the Adirondack Building Conference and the Total Solar Eclipse Festival.

Leanne earned her B.A. in Integrated Studies from Paul Smith’s College, focusing on Environmental Studies, Natural Resource Sustainability, and Hospitality. Her varied career path includes teaching molecular biology and draft horse management at Paul Smith’s, conducting research on climate change mitigation through silvopastures, working with the Horticulture for the Handicap Occupational Training and Therapy Center and Vermont State Parks. These roles highlight her commitment to blending environmental stewardship with accessible education. Outside of work, Leanne’s enthusiasm for the outdoors shines through in her love of paddling, camping, downhill and cross-country skiing, painting, yoga, and stargazing. She’s always on the lookout for new ways to connect with nature and inspire others to do the same.

Nick Gunn TEDxTupper Lake

Nick Gunn

Marketing Director

Originally from Oswego, NY, Nick Gunn spent every summer camping at Rollins Pond in Saranac Lake. After starting his career in New York City, the mountains came calling. Now, as Marketing Director, Nick tells the stories that shine a light on the work around The Wild Center’s Tupper Lake campus. In his free time, you can find him listening to podcasts while searching for the best bahn mi sandwich in the North Country. Nick lives in Saranac Lake with his wife, two daughters, and dog.

About The Wild Center

The Wild Center’s mission is to ignite an enduring passion for nature that inspires action to ensure a thriving natural world. The Wild Center is committed to a future where people and the natural world thrive together. They invite you to discover the story of the Adirondacks, and to explore new ways that people and nature can thrive in the same place.

The Wild Center

Embracing the Adirondacks

The Adirondacks are an exceptionally rare ecosystem and arguably the only place on Earth where nature has recovered over such a large area over such a long time. They are also a place where people live. Some will argue that the Adirondacks are imperfect – that people and nature have not found an ideal way to coexist here. The Wild Center believes that key pieces of the puzzle are in place in the Adirondacks and that there is a special opportunity here to both examine and optimize how people and nature can thrive together.

This event is supported by a grant awarded to The Wild Center by New York State’s Empire State Development and the I LOVE NY Division of Tourism.

The Wild Center’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

TEDxTupper Lake 2024: Natural Connections

October 26, 2024
1:00pm – 8:00pm EDT
(UTC -4hrs)

The Wild Center

45 Museum Drive
Tupper Lake, New York, 12986
United States

Join Us

This event is open to the public.
Tickets are available. Click here to register.

This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED.