TEDx Nebraska Wesleyan University
A Community of ’eXcellence’
True excellence is not achieved in isolation. It is through collective effort, shared values, and a commitment to lifting one another high that excellence is achieved. Excellence is reflective of the power of collaboration, innovation, and integrity across the fields—from education to entrepreneurship, to science, art, and social impact. We invite speakers and attendees alike to explore how this community can strive for excellence. Together, we can create lasting change, inspire growth, and build a brighter, more inclusive future.
We invite you to celebrate a community of excellence with us. Connect with other purpose-driven individuals and work towards something greater at this first-of-its-kind event at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Join us, and enjoy true eXcellence.
Speaker Information
Art Wilson
“Excellence at the Edge of Chaos” shows how communities achieve excellence not by maximizing stability but by operating at the boundary between order and disorder — and how people shaped by instability help maintain that balance. Grounded in complexity science, it views communities as complex adaptive systems and highlights the adaptive capacities forged through instability. The talk also identifies common feedback loops, such as blanket background checks, housing barriers and culture fit, that filter out these strengths and make systems less adaptive.
Wilson brings lived experience from both sides of this edge: from years of homelessness, addiction and incarceration to earning an MBA and taking on leadership roles in nonprofits and business. Drawing on work in shelters, prisons and reentry programs, he offers a clear systems lens for remaining adaptive without losing structure.
Ben Pankonin
Ben Pankonin is a tech entrepreneur, speaker and community advocate based in Lincoln. He is the founder and CEO of Social Assurance and Class Intercom, companies that help financial institutions and schools engage authentically and communicate with trust in a digital world. A graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University, Ben studied computer science and business, blending technical expertise with a passion for leadership. Active on several nonprofit boards in Lincoln, he is dedicated to initiatives that strengthen and connect people. Ben and his wife, Amber, are proud parents of their daughter, Aurora, who inspires his vision for building a more connected future.
Dr. Laura Young
Dr. Laura Young is a strategic communication expert, professor and speaker who helps leaders and professionals cut through the noise, align with their values and lead with clarity. Her TEDx talk, Work-Life Balance Is a Lie: Finding the Clarity Cure in a World on Fire, challenges the outdated ideal of balance and offers a bold, practical framework for integrating work and life in ways that energize rather than exhaust. Drawing on 14 years of experience, Dr. Young brings both academic rigor and deeply personal insight to the stage. Audiences leave with tools to clarify their priorities, communicate boundaries, and build a life and career fueled by purpose, enabling them to thrive in today’s chaotic world.
Greg Harris
Greg Harris is the co-founder of Quantum Workplace, an Omaha-based leader in employee feedback software, where he served as CEO for 18 years. He designed the first city-by-city Best Places to Work list, which has recognized top employers every year since 2004. Harris graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a degree in political science. His obsessive curiosity is focused primarily on the intersection of human capital metrics and economic outcomes. Harris is married, has four children and lives in Omaha.
Harris will issue a call to modern leaders to focus on the true superpower of leadership — honing in on SIGNAL rather than sentiment. He will explore how to rebuild trust, performance and progress not by dialing down empathy, but by pairing it with clarity and direction.
Joshua Berry
Joshua Berry works with leaders to unlock team-led results, where decisions are shared, ownership is deep, and outcomes stick. An author (Dare to Be Naive), global leadership consultant and CEO, he equips leaders to trade the addiction to being right for systems that invite participation, experimentation and aligned autonomy. In his TEDx talk, “Not Saying ‘I Don’t Know’ Is Hurting You,” Joshua demonstrates how courageous curiosity — naming what’s unknown and turning it into fast tests — builds trust and accelerates results. He shares practical scripts that leaders can use immediately to shift teams from compliance to commitment.
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At TEDx Nebraska Wesleyan University, we believe in the power of ideas to spark change. Our sponsors help bring those ideas to life—amplifying voices, inspiring action, and building a stronger, more connected community.
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