TEDxGatewayArch, a local TEDx chapter that curates intrinsic connections to the St. Louis region with thought-leadership led events, will host its first event of the year, TEDxGatewayArchSalon: Healthcare Head-On. The signature event centered around healthcare will be held from 5-9 p.m. on May 16, 2019 at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

“Our community is coming together to make big changes, and to learn from some of the brightest minds around,” said Steve Sommers, executive director of TEDxGatewayArch. “Our goal is to really push people to initiate changes and invigorate our community with inspired talks and engaging sessions.”

Healthcare Head-On

Healthcare Head-On will host seven industry leaders for live 18-minute “talks” as casual presentations on their findings in the medical industry, what has been going on, what is coming and how each person can be a part of it.

These speakers come from a variety of experiential backgrounds including the Brown School, Washington University St. Louis, BetterVessel, Missouri Network for Opiate Reform and Recovery, Mercy and Urban Strategies, Inc. The speakers and titles of the talks for May’s Healthcare Head-On are:

• Dr. Michal Grinstein-Weiss – ‘Social determinants of health’
• Reshaunda Thornton RD, LD – ‘Our food is a mirror’
• Chad Sabora – ‘Reforming America’s drug policy with new insights’
• Laurie Punch, MD – ‘Bullets and blessings’
• John Mantovani, MD – ‘Cutting-edge therapies for children with Autism’
• Grace Kyung – ‘Urban planning and its connection to health’
• Sean Gold – ‘Disability advocacy and accommodations’

Refreshments will be available, and music will be provided by singer-songwriter Tonina, NPR’s ‘Top 10 Artists of 2018’ and Barack Obama’s ‘Best of 2018’.

Tickets for the Healthcare Head-On event are available individually $55 or a group of 10 or more at $45 each. To purchase tickets, visit TEDxGatewayArch.

“From the red rug where the speakers stand, we as a community are given a voice; we showcase our neighbors; we share their experiences with our audience, the ever curious,” said Mich Hancock, co-founder and license holder of TEDxGatewayArch. “This is where the cool kids, the innovators, meet.”

TEDxGatewayArch is a regional chapter of the TED program, a nonprofit organization devoted to spreading ideas in small digestible conference bites.