If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Meet the 2024 Team

  • Lem Montero

    FOUNDER/PRESIDENT

    Lem Montero believes interesting stories and ideas live inside of everyone. As a feature writer, marketer, and video producer, Lem specializes in helping other people and organizations share their passions.

  • Carolyn Dougherty

    PROJECT MANAGER

    Carolyn currently is employed at Pfizer as Global CMC Senior Manager. She has held positions in regulatory affairs and/or scientist roles and also taught high school chemistry.

  • Jeremy Marr

    TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR

    Jeremy Marr is a digital consultant, content strategist, writer, photographer, videographer, drone pilot and web designer with over 20 years experience in TV news as an award-winning journalist.

  • Dawn Renshaw

    SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

    Dawn is the owner and CEO of Stoney Creek Social Media. She started the digital marketing agency because of her love for connecting people. She loved that she could help businesses, nonprofits, and individuals build meaningful relationships with their audience and not just market to them.

  • Karina Mirsky, MA

    Karina Mirsky, MA

    LEAD SPEAKER COACH

    A Kalamazoo resident since 1993, Karina grew up on stage, singing and dancing in Ludington, MI. She found a passion for teaching yoga while earning her BBA in Management from Western Michigan University in the 1990’s.

  • Tara Nisenson

    Tara Nisenson

    SPEAKER COACH

    For over two decades, I have been educating and empowering others to fully realize their potential. My goal is to help individuals and teams find their strengths and own their authentic leadership style.

  • Lisa Brannan

    Lisa Brannan

    STAGE MANAGER

    One of Lisa's passions is live theatre and she has been volunteering as a Stage Manager, and in other backstage crew positions, with the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre for over a decade.

  • Jada Thrash

    EVENT MANAGER

    Jada Thrash is currently a senior at Central Michigan University. She is passionate about using her voice for positive change in her community and inspiring others to do the same. 

  • Marin Heinritz

    SPEAKER COACH
    Marin Heinritz is Associate Professor of Journalism and English at Kalamazoo College, where she has taught since 2003. She teaches news writing, feature writing, food and travel writing, arts journalism, introduction to creative writing, creative nonfiction, advanced nonfiction workshop as well as seminars on creativity and embodiment in writing.

  • Malin Andersson

    Malin Andersson

    WRITER

    Malin Andersson is a professional editor, content writer, grant writer, and poet. Originally from Metro Detroit, Malin attended the University of Michigan where she received a B.A. in Creative Writing & Literature with a Sweetland Minor in Writing and a Minor in Music. 

  • Troy Thrash

    Troy Thrash

    ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTANT

    Troy is the CEO of the Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Experience and its most vocal advocate for STEM and STEAM accessibility for Kalamazoo’s youth.

  • Steve Dougherty

    GUEST EXPERIENCE

    Steve enjoys the challenges that each project brings and the success of finding solutions efficiently.

  • And others..

    TEAMMATES TO BE ADDED

This is a labor of love. No TEDxKalamazoo organizer is compensated for their efforts, it is 100% volunteer. We do this to serve our community and help it grow.