The Speakers of TEDxSiouxFalls 2025
How Identity Influences Adaptation to Sport Retirement
There are over 530,000 student-athletes that compete in college sports every year. Less than 10% of those athletes will have the opportunity to play their sport professionally. Therefore, the vast majority of student-athletes will retire from sports after their college careers are over. During sport retirement, individuals may experience identity crisis, depression, and grief. Following any major life transition, the goal is to adapt to the new identity, routine, and lifestyle. Athletic identity is one major factor that influences the likelihood of successful adaptation. In this talk, Andrea will explore athletic identity and other factors that influence adaptation to sport retirement based on her research and experience as a coach and educator. The stories that will be told are ones everyone can relate to. These principles will also be applied to occupational retirement and other life transitions.
The Stories Crimes Tell: Listening Beyond the Evidence
From the perspective of a detective who uncovered hidden narratives through the art of listening — not just to words, but to silence, body language, and emotion. Evidence can reveal the what, but only listening uncovers the why. A confession may confirm guilt, but the hesitation, the shift in tone, or the unspoken fear reveals the deeper truth. Through years of interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects, Jon learned that his most powerful tools weren’t his badge or authority, but curiosity, empathy, and patience.
During his talk, Jon will take the audience inside the mind of a detective, sharing real stories of how careful listening exposed motives, elicited confessions, and revealed truths that evidence alone could not. He will demonstrate how the same listening techniques used in investigations can help us navigate challenges, strengthen relationships, and better understand the world around us.
Seeing the Unseen: Redefining Healthcare Through Street Medicine
Healthcare doesn’t begin in hospitals—it starts on the streets. In this talk Melissa explores the power of human connection in street medicine, where healing begins with trust, compassion, and meeting people where they are. Through firsthand stories, this piece highlights the harsh realities faced by the unhoused, from untreated infections to survival-driven substance use. It challenges misconceptions, shedding light on systemic barriers that keep people trapped in cycles of poverty, addiction, and trauma. From a man seeking a prosthetic leg to a woman using substances out of fear for her safety, these stories reveal the stark realities of life on the streets—and the profound impact of showing up, listening, and providing care where it is needed most. Street medicine isn’t just about medical care—it’s about dignity, advocacy, and providing basic necessities often overlooked. Focusing on real experiences, this work calls for a redefinition of healthcare, urging society to see and acknowledge those who are too often invisible.
Notes on Survival
The reality of surviving cancer can make celebrating survival a challenge. By the end of the decade, there will be more than 22 million cancer survivors in America. The experience of survivorship can be marked by guilt, fear, anxiety, and pain. It can also be a tremendous opportunity to grow in confidence, resilience, and empathy. Through a series of handwritten notecards and journal entries, Nick discusses the valuable lessons learned as a two-time cancer survivor and the importance of considering the relationship between mental and physical health.
An American Nightmare
The promise of the American Dream goes unfulfilled for over 250,000 documented dreamers. Growing in the United States as dependents of long-term visa holders, documented dreamers are forced to self-deport as soon as they turn 21 despite calling this country home for the majority of their lives. While most Americans are familiar with the term DACA, the stories of documented dreamers remain largely untold. Through Abiah’s story there’s reservation, but there’s hope in sharing the human costs of our imperfect immigration system and how the land of opportunity remains a land of uncertainty for many.
Phones in the Freezer: Finding Joy and Dignity in Alzheimer’s
What if dignity isn’t something we have—but something we give?
When Lisa’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she witnessed how memory loss often leads to loss of dignity. But through her experiences as a caregiver, she discovered a powerful truth: dignity isn’t tied to independence, memory, or productivity—it’s about presence.
In this talk, Lisa shares deeply personal stories that redefine how we think about dementia care. From finding humor in unexpected places to embracing person-centered care, she challenges us to move beyond checklists and corrections and instead create meaningful moments of joy.
Through laughter, honesty, and raw emotion, Lisa invites us to rethink caregiving—not as a burden, but as an opportunity to preserve dignity, deepen connection, and meet people where they are.
Because Alzheimer’s doesn’t take away dignity. We do. But that also means we can give it back.
Dungeons and Dragons as Education and Therapy
Most everyone has heard of the game Dungeons and Dragons, but few understand what it actually is and how it works. Fewer still comprehend the significant impact that D&D has had on our society, and almost no one knows the profound academic and therapeutic benefits contained within the game.
D&D is educational by the nature of its design. The game is played with books! Reading and understanding text are critical to playing the game. D&D is scaffolded, differentiated and gradually released, just as should always be with lessons in school. Kade was among the first to bring to the surface the fact that the game had a very serious academic design and this concept has begun to flourish among academic and game communities as well as families looking for an impactful pastime.
D&D also possesses amazing therapeutic power. It’s been used in studies by many mental health specialists for everything from Autism to Trauma. Kade has seen first hand in the educational setting how all these components work together to form a surprising, but powerful educational and therapeutic tool.
How Esports Are a Parenting Power-up
In a world full of digital-native youth, parents often feel their children slipping away into online spaces they don’t understand. But what if we met them there? When Hannah finally caved to the constant pressure from her children to play Fortnite with them, she discovered more than just a game—she found a new way to connect. Esports offer an inclusive, engaging platform where kids develop problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills. This talk explores the power of gaming to strengthen family bonds, support youth development, and even prepare them for future careers. Join Hannah in redefining quality time—one victory royale at a time.
Photography by: Wes Eisenhauer Photography
.png)