UNBOUNDED VISION. LIFTED HOPE.

From AI-driven precision medicine in cancer to early childhood intervention to  behavioral science and ethical leadership, this year's TEDxMiami showcases groundbreaking insights to grow, persevere, and challenge the limits we place on ourselves and our communities. 

By Yulia Strokova

TEDxMiami Speakers 2025

How are people going beyond their boundaries—emotionally, physically, and even spiritually?

That guiding question is at the heart of this year’s TEDxMiami, Beyond Boundaries: Ideas That Inspire, set to take place on May 8, at the New World Center in Miami Beach.

Curated by a passionate women-led volunteer team, TEDxMiami 2025 is a vibrant platform for visionary voices and boundary-pushing perspectives. As Jessica Wade Pfeffer, one of the lead organizers, explains, the event is about highlighting stories that challenge limits and uplift.

“While it’s important to stay aware of the serious challenges we face—especially in the United States right now—we also need to find moments of lightness,” Jessica comments.

“We’ve designed the experience to feel like an emotional journey. Not a rollercoaster - I don’t like those, but something that moves you and ultimately lifts you up.”

TEDxMiami 2024

This year's lineup was chosen from hundreds of submissions. The selection process is rigorous, rooted in the core TED mantra: ideas worth spreading. But beyond that, TEDxMiami looks for substance—talks grounded in research, data, and relevance to today’s world.

“It’s really important that it’s not just you talking about how you overcame something—whether in your professional or personal life,” Jessica notes. “It should be grounded in something deeper, supported by what you’ve studied or explored in depth.”

She emphasized that the team intentionally sought out speakers who reflect a wide range of disciplines, identities, and experiences—voices actively pushing forward with resilience, creativity, and purpose.

Dr. Diana Azzam, cancer researcher at FIU, spotlights how AI-driven precision medicine brings hope to patients beyond standard care.

Sheena Franklin, founder of K’ept Health, speaks on closing health equity gaps through ethical AI and data strategy.

Dr. Katie Hart, psychologist and professor, shares early intervention strategies to help young children thrive academically and emotionally.

Beren Millidge, AI and neuroscience expert, unpacks how the brain—and machines—learn through complex feedback systems.

Dr. Sunita Sah, organizational psychologist and bestselling author, explores how behavioral science shapes more ethical, transparent leadership.

Kyle Vowinkel, former FBI negotiator, offers hard-won insights into how trust and communication drive outcomes in crisis situations.

The evening also features a special guest—a  live performance by Kēvens, a Miami-born pioneer of ReggaeEDM known for fusing electronic music with ancestral roots. His mission: to spread messages of peace and unity that transcend cultural boundaries. 

Kēvens’ latest album, Call To Balance, received international acclaim, with OCIMAG (Spain) calling it “one of the most powerful releases of the year.”

“His music is incredibly uplifting, centered around positivity and the power of coming together despite our differences. It’s all about unity and how we can only thrive as a community,” Jessica adds. “I think people will be pleasantly surprised to experience something like this at a TEDxMiami.”