Theme: Finding the Truth

Mark Twain is credited with saying, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” And that was more than a hundred years or so before social media.
Today, the truth is running even further behind. Competing ideas of what is the truth – my truth, your truth – battle it out on X, or Facebook, or some other platform.
So how do you find the truth? And how do you know what you find is true?
TEDxURI 2025 will confront some of those questions this spring with “Finding the Truth,” a topic crucial to our survival.

The University of Rhode Island
7 Lippitt Road
Kingston, Rhode Island, 02881
United States

Brenton DeBoef

Professor of Chemistry and the Dean of the Graduate School

Dr. Brenton DeBoef is a Professor of Chemistry and the Dean of the Graduate School at URI. His research focuses on the invention of new chemical reactions and the synthesis of molecular imaging agents. For Brenton, his truth is that he has an unexplained obsession with the element xenon. Outside of the lab, Brenton is an armchair theologian, rocket enthusiast, and avid college football fan. As a practitioner of science and faith, Brenton explores the intersection, or lack thereof of the two fields.

Erin Thorkilsen

educator, innovator, and advocate for children

Erin Thorkilsen is a passionate educator, innovator, and advocate for children. She is the founder of Heart in Education—a program for teachers that brings a fresh, heart-centered approach to professional development. An adjunct professor of education at the University of Rhode Island, Erin is a recognized leader in the fields of well-being and mindfulness, a podcast guest, conference presenter, parent educator, and consultant. With over 20 years as an award-winning elementary classroom teacher, Erin deeply understands the challenges and joys of teaching. She has taught preK, kindergarten, fourth grade, mentored and supervised undergraduate and graduate student teachers, and served in an administrative role as the Director of Associate Teachers. Balancing her professional work with the adventure of raising twin young daughters, Erin lives in Wakefield, RI with her husband, the two girls, and dog, Ruby.

Jarrell Garcia

educator and sports/recreation professional

Dr. Jarrell Garcia is an educator and sports/recreation professional who translates research into practice, promoting development through sports, recreation, and education. His research focuses on the intersection of athletic identity, life skill transfer, and leadership, and he has shared his knowledge and passion through presentations across the country. He is the Associate Director of Campus Recreation at URI, an Assistant Instructor in URI’s College of Education, and an Instructor at Brown University’s Leadership Institute, where he teaches courses on leadership, identity, and social change through sport. A Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Dr. Garcia advocates for the integration of research and real-world experience to promote transferable life skills and a holistic approach to well-being and personal growth.

Leetal Young

Student double majoring in Psychology and Human Development and Family Science (HDF) with a minor in Leadership studies

Leetal Young is a senior at URI, double majoring in Psychology and Human Development and Family Science (HDF) with a minor in Leadership studies. She is passionate about well-being, community, and resilience. At URI, she’s led initiatives focused on mental health, service, and student engagement, striving to create spaces where people feel supported and connected. From serving as student president of Hillel, working for campus recreation and health services, serving as a student leader for the HDF club, and spearheading the Exercise is Medicine on Campus program, she’s enjoyed launching campus-wide programs that bring people together with purpose.

Renae Martin

Health and Longevity Coach

Renae Martin is a Health and Longevity Coach dedicated to empowering busy professionals to cultivate heart-healthy habits for a vibrant future through midlife and beyond. As founder of The Wellness Flame, LLC in Narragansett, RI, she combines expertise in cardiac nursing, cardiac rehabilitation, community health and exercise physiology with board certifications as a Holistic Nurse, Health & Wellness Coach, HeartMath Practitioner and Advanced Reiki provider. Through her unique blend of clinical, physical, and holistic health expertise, Renae inspires individuals to take charge of their health and make sustainable changes that lead to lifelong vitality.

Riley Lenihan

Bachelor Degrees is Biological Sciences and Spanish degrees

Riley Lenihan graduated from the University of Rhode Island in Spring 2024 with degrees in Biological Sciences and Spanish. She has since applied to law schools, motivated by a desire to confront the social and systemic obstacles that hold our communities back. Drawing on her academic background in science, Riley’s perspective adopts the dynamic approach of the scientific method, where each question sparks deeper exploration instead of offering a single, conclusive “truth.” Her talk centers on fostering deeper connections with one another and encouraging curiosity over static notions of right and wrong, emphasizing that while many may seek definite and clear “truth”, the real reward lies in shared dialogue and the empathy cultivated along the way. By inviting audiences to challenge assumptions and embrace an ever-unfolding sense of truth, Riley hopes to empower them to continue these conversations beyond the TED stage, ultimately shaping deeper relationships- and a better world.

Shaplaie Brooks

Community Executive Director, Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth

Most recently coming from the BUILD Program at Roxbury Youthworks, Shaplaie has a wealth of experience working with children and families, including over 10 years in the child welfare system serving multiple states. She assisted in writing the Law Enforcement Guidelines for the BPD, and has trained the DA’s office, DCF and other state agencies. Shaplaie is a fervent advocate of serving the marginalized within the marginalized, and has worked with cisgender boys, transgender, and nonbinary youth who were at high risk and or victims of CSEC (Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children). In 2021, Shaplaie Brooks collaborated with the Commission on a report exposing pervasive threats to safety, wellbeing, and permanency faced by LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system and providing critical recommendations to the Department of Children and Families, and in 2022 became the Commission’s Executive Director.

Sharmin Attaran

Director of the Digital Marketing

As Director of the Digital Marketing program at Bryant University and co-author of “The Little Black Book of Social Media” and “The Little Black Book of Social Selling,” Dr. Sharmin Attaran helps businesses navigate digital transformation through strategic AI integration and innovative marketing solutions. Her expertise spans digital marketing strategy, AI implementation, and consumer behavior, enabling organizations to achieve measurable business outcomes in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. A sought-after expert who combines academic insight with practical application, she empowers businesses to harness cutting-edge technology while maintaining authentic customer connections.

Teddy Lytle

theatre artist and educator

Teddy Lytle is a theatre artist and educator based in Providence Rhode Island. He writes and produces original solo shows to address mental health and to dispel stigma around addiction recovery. More information can be found at www.teddylytle.com.

Tim Chace

Transformative educational leader

Tim Chace is a transformative educational leader and national speaker on school culture and crisis leadership, drawing on his 25 years as a Rhode Island assistant principal. Beyond education, he has emerged as one of Rhode Island’s freshest voices on food culture as Pizza Laureate for RI Food Fights, creator of “The Pizza Principal” Substack, and a decade-long member of the Yelp Elite Squad. A featured subject in the upcoming “RI Docs,” a documentary series exploring the unique people who help shape Rhode Island’s identity, Tim’s journey from self-described “legendarily bad student” to respected educator and cultural commentator exemplifies his core belief that it’s not where you start, but where you end up that matters.