Ray Friedlander is an activist and community organizer for the Sitka Conservation Society. She has spent the last six years working with people for positive change within their communities, on campuses and in our country's capital. Her background in organizing originated at Santa Fe College in Florida and has evolved over the years through events like Powershift 2007 and 2009, the student protests during the University of California budget cuts and tuition hikes, as well as training programs with the Midwest Academy, Training Resources for the Environmental Community (TREC) and New Organizing Institute (NOI). "When you have people together who believe in something very strongly - whether it's religion or politics or unions - things happen," said Cesar Chavez.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)