On Friday, November 6, 2026, the historic crossroads of downtown Manhattan becomes the launchpad for a major new forum of ideas, civic momentum, and cultural reinvention. Gathering at New York University’s Kimmel Center for University Life (occupying the 4th Floor Eisner & Lubin Auditorium at 60 Washington Square South), the inaugural TEDxAstorPlace convenes under the galvanizing theme: This Is How We Rise.
Conceived not merely as a single-day conference, but as the cornerstone of an ongoing New York platform for public discourse, the event explores how communities, individuals, and complex systems move forward with elevated courage, intellect, responsibility, and imagination in an era of rapid disruption.
The Vision, Venue & Architecture of the Day
Set against Washington Square Park, the venue architecture is structured to bridge mainstage focus with community activation:
- Curated Mainstage (Eisner & Lubin Auditorium, 4th Floor): A 100-seat mainstage environment hosting 15 concentrated talks and live performances designed to challenge conventional wisdom and advance the public conversation.
- Digital Reach: A concurrent digital program broadcasting the ideas to international audiences in real time.
The four thematic threads anchoring the event’s programming focus on Identity & Belonging, Leadership & Resilience, Systems & Economic Mobility, and AI, Work, and the Future of Possibility.
The Leadership & Production Team
TEDxAstorPlace is steered by a cross-disciplinary team uniting community leadership, executive strategy, and veteran theatrical production:
- Glenyss Puentevella (License Holder & Co-Founder): Brings decades of international entrepreneurial leadership, cross-cultural diplomacy, and strategic relationship-building to anchor the TEDx charter.
- Alvin Puentevella (Founder & Organizer): Drawing on deep roots across downtown Manhattan and civic organizing, Puentevella has spearheaded the platform to convert neighborhood dialogue into measurable societal momentum.
- Jay Michaels (Executive Producer): Leading production logistics, technical run-of-show orchestration, and public relations through Jay Michaels Global Communications (JMGC), ensuring high-caliber staging and broadcast execution.
- Stella Song (Leadership & Strategic Operations): Playing a key executive role in guiding event operations, curation strategy, and community partnerships to expand the platform’s long-term institutional footprint.
The 2026 Mainstage Lineup: 15 Voices on Stage
Culled from an initial pool of over 650 applicant submissions, the fifteen selected speakers represent a dynamic cross-section of enterprise leadership, clinical medicine, technological innovation, civic advocacy, and the performing arts:
- Keith Ferrazzi — Founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, globally recognized executive coach, and #1 New York Times bestselling author (Never Eat Alone, Leading Without Authority).
- Natalie Monbiot — Pioneer in generative digital media and artificial intelligence; Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Hour One.
- Kaihan Krippendorff — Renowned business strategist, author, and founder of Outthinker, specializing in growth strategy and agile transformation.
- Alana Stott, MBE — Global humanitarian, human trafficking prevention advocate, author, and founder of the Blue Rose Alliance.
- T. Alexander Puutio — Scholar and Professor of Leadership at Harvard University, examining institutional ethics, public policy, and administrative trust.
- Lily Xu — Global Program Lead at Amazon Web Services (AWS), driving scalable cloud ecosystems, infrastructure resilience, and enterprise tech adoption.
- Nicholas Spiro — Chief Commercial Officer at Viral Nation, addressing digital culture, creator economies, and viral social ecosystems.
- Dr. Briana DeNeal-Findley — Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Doctor of Public Administration, analyzing public safety, systemic trauma, and social equity.
- Donald Summers — Managing Director and founder of Altruist Partners, social venture architect, and author of Scaling Altruism.
- Assata Thomas — Systems strategist, criminal justice reform advocate, author, and leader in social reintegration models.
- Dr. Jennifer Roelands — Double board-certified OB-GYN, integrative medicine practitioner, and health equity advocate.
- Gregg Schoenberg — Financial technology investor, venture consultant, and executive performance coach.
- Taylor Hughes — Acclaimed keynote speaker, author, and master illusionist using the art of storytelling and magic to explore vulnerability and wonder.
- Abigail Doran-Novak — Student researcher, community dialogue advocate, and youth organizer fostering cross-generational debate.
- Sandip Singh & Aarav Singh — Collaborative presentation pairing civic leadership and generational perspective: Sandip Singh (entrepreneur and community organizer) and Aarav Singh (student, writer, and aspiring educator) examining legacy, fatherhood, and shared community stewardship.
Event Summary & Access Coordinates
- Official Event: TEDxAstorPlace 2026 — This Is How We Rise
- Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
- Location: NYU Kimmel Center for University LifeEisner & Lubin Auditorium (4th Fl.) 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012
- Official Digital Hub: tedxastorplace.com
- Media & Production Desk: Jay Michaels Global Communications (info@jaymichaelsarts.com)
