Meet Our Speakers
We’re excited for you to get to know our TEDxGeorgiaCollege speakers.
Jimmy Childre, Jr.
Compassionate CEO
Though we may not yet know it, we all have a role to play in caring for the health of our neighbors.
Jimmy Childre, Jr. is president and CEO of Childre Ford, Inc. and is a fellow in social innovation at the University of Cambridge. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Georgia Southern University and graduate degrees from Duke University and Cambridge with additional graduate study at Harvard Business School, Oxford, and HEC Paris.
Ashley Copeland
Playful Professional
As adults, we don't play enough.
Ashley Copeland serves as director of community engagement & service at Georgia College, where she has worked since 2017. She holds a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Minnesota, Mankato and a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science from Georgia College.
Isaiah Burks
Reflective Connector
Thanks to algorithmic social media, we are all part of an infinite number of communities we don't yet see.
Isaiah Burks serves as residence life coordinator at Oxford College of Emory University. He is a graduate of Georgia College, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.
Samantha Paton
Connected Commentator
Generation Z is the most politically aware generation in American history, but they've become the most civically disengaged.
Samantha Paton is a Bachelor of Arts candidate at Georgia College, studying political science and criminal justice. She has an interest in public policy and national security policy-making. She will graduate in May 2026.
Kristine White
Microscopic Visionary
Entire ecosystems that humans rely on for many facets of life depend on little studied microscopic organisms.
Kristine White is associate professor of biology at Georgia College, where she teaches courses on ecology and biodiversity of marine amphipod crustaceans. She holds a Ph.D. in coastal sciences from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Rob Sumowski
Teaching Magician
What makes the best teachers great has nothing to do with the delivery of instruction and everything to do with the teacher's ability to connect with human beings.
Rob Sumowski is associate professor of special education at Georgia College and is co-director of GC THRIVE, an inclusive post-secondary education program. Sumowski holds a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia, master's and specialist degrees from Georgia College, and bachelor's degrees in psychology and music from Mercer University.
Cynthia Alby
Enchanting Educator
There is simply no reason why education must be a slog when it could be simply enchanting; we just need to know where to look for inspiration.
Cynthia Alby is professor of teacher education at Georgia College. She serves as lead instructor for the Governor's Teaching Fellows Program at the University of Georgia and is author of Learning that Matters: A Field Guide to Course Design for Transformative Education.
Richa Moses
Rooted Traveler
Despite the pressures of a modern, social media-fueled life, we can still find unshakable sources of identity.
Richa Moses is a Bachelor of Business Administration candidate at Georgia College, studying Management Information Systems. She will begin graduate study at Georgia College in January 2025. She currently works in the IT division at Thiele Kaolin Company in Sandersville.
Libby Cole
Conflict Contrarian
Embracing conflict can be good for us.
Libby Cole is owner and coach of Expand Coaching and Consulting, LLC. She holds a Master of Education degree in counselor education from The Citadel and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and rhetoric from Georgia College.