TEDxClevelandStateUniversity Brings 12 Speakers to Campus This Friday to Explore “Untangling Wonder”

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TEDxClevelandStateUniversity, an independently organized TEDx event, returns this Friday, Oct. 23, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Waetjen Auditorium in Cleveland State University’s Music and Communications Building, 2001 Euclid Ave. Doors open at 2 p.m. 

This year’s theme, “Untangling Wonder,” invites attendees to step into the unknown with curiosity, courage and imagination. Twelve speakers from Greater Cleveland, including researchers, entrepreneurs, artists, educators, community leaders and a CSU student, will share ideas drawn from their work and lives. Eleanor Hayes will moderate.

The 2026 speakers are:

  • Richard Austin, Ph.D., director of Ignatian Community and Belonging, Saint Ignatius High School
  • Stacey Diane Arañez Litam, Ph.D., professor of Counselor Education, Cleveland State University
  • Camilo A. Ferro, president, RAWS Americas
  • Jessica Gallagher-Steuver, Ph.D., artistic director, Windsong Cleveland
  • Mandi Goodsett, Performing Arts and Humanities librarian, Cleveland State University
  • Sabine Kretzschmar, director of the Education Art Collection, Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Christa Laser, J.D., associate professor of Law, Cleveland State University
  • Samantha Martin, director of communications and engagement, Cleveland Water Alliance
  • Claudio Milstein, Ph.D., speech-language pathology scientist, Cleveland Clinic
  • Charlie Mosbrook, singer-songwriter, Charlie Mosbrook Music, and vice president, Folk Alliance International
  • Lidiia Reviakina, student, Cleveland State University
  • Sharon Sobol Jordan, president and CEO, United Way Cleveland

“Wonder is easy to lose in the rush of everyday life, and Friday is a chance to get some of it back. Our speakers take ideas that can feel tangled or out of reach, from Cleveland’s future in water innovation to art, music, law and community, and make them personal. We hope every guest leaves Waetjen Auditorium with at least one new question they can’t stop thinking about,” said Colette Hart, senior director of the Centers for Outreach and Engagement in the CSU Monte Ahuja College of Business and a lead organizer of the event. 

“TEDxClevelandStateUniversity is an opportunity to bring together curious minds and bold thinkers whose ideas challenge us to see the world differently,” said CSU President Dr. Laura Bloomberg. “We’re proud to welcome these exceptional speakers to our campus and provide a platform for ideas that inspire innovation and meaningful dialogue.”

Talks will later be published on the TEDx YouTube channel. Tickets and speaker biographies are available at csuohio.edu/tedxclevelandstateuniversity.

Note to media: Journalists are welcome to attend. Under TEDx rules, filming or recording of talks is not permitted; speaker interviews are available before doors open and during breaks, and official event photos will be provided. To RSVP, contact Kristin Broka at pr@csuohio.edu.