Ignite Asheville 2013 shares speaker lineup

Jason Sandford February 6, 2013

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Ignite Asheville 2013 is looking good. 1000 local fans voted on the ten 5-minute talks that will be part of this year’s event.

Top vote-getters include self-proclaimed geek dad and maker Tom Heck, a talk about large-group brainstorming from downtown entrepreneur Ty Hallock, and a talk from a man who decided to climb 50 mountains in the year of his 50th birthday–and nearly died. And bottle-nose dolphin language.

Adventures of a Geek Dad	Tom Heck
I’m a long-time MAKER (even before there was such as term) and when I had kids I became a “Geek Dad”. I enjoy sharing my passion for technology and Making with my kids and their friends. I hope my fun talk inspires dads to explore tech and make things with their kids. I’m published in MAKE Magazine and the GEEK DAD blog.
Appalachian Trail Wisdom	Leanna Joyner
Fundamental lessons from my thru-hike of the 2,715-mile Appalachian Trail in 2003 are cornerstones of my everyday life. Learn what a 6-month journey from Georgia to Maine has to offer.
Beam Me Up, Ringo: The Fab Four’s Journey Through Rock Music, the Jim Crow South, and Outer Space	Jim MacKenzie
The Beatles are from the future. They changed the culture, they were civil rights advocates, and they were chosen to be Earth’s ambassadors to extraterrestrial life on NASA Spacecraft. I will speak about the Fab Four’s technique that enabled them to navigate tumultuous times. This is why their music and philosophies remain relevant today.
Brainstorming in Large Groups to Find Jewels	Ty Hallock
“Over the last 5 years I’ve studied how to bring large groups of people together and to leave with a ton of good ideas, connections and inspired ppl. This talk is on: >facilitation techniques >tools >best practices >what is possible in the future. This talks is greatly inspired by my mentor Jonathon Flaum author/creator of the Paper Fish Process”
A Community Time Bank	Thomas Beckett
A time bank is a simple tool that allows people to provide their time and skills in service to neighbors. It is a sharing economy: for each hour you contribute, you can draw an hour of someone else’s time for your own projects. Everyone has value to offer; no cash necessary. Time banks build communities and builds local economic independence.
5 Practices for Lasting Peace	Mike Drinkuth
At the age of 8 I underwent a first-of-it’s kind surgery. The doctors say I was clinically dead for 4 minutes. I remember the entire experience. It absolved me from any fear of dying. Nothing ever came closer to killing me than that lack of fear. Mine is a story of overcoming circumstance to finding lasting inner peace.
One Amazing Year	Kevin “Doc” Klein
I want to speak on a quest I undertook in 2008 to climb fifty mountains with fifty friends for my fiftieth year. It was inspired by the book A Year to Live by Steven Levine, which begged the question, “what if you only had a year left to live?”. At the end of the year to live endeavor I got a heart virus and almost died. This is my story!
The Principles of Priority and Habit Change	Matt Ragland
“I believe that what we truly desire is within our grasp, but we need the tools and determination to create habits in line with those priorities. In this short talk, I want to inspire the audience to believe they can take the steps to do the things they love, and suggest a few ways they can begin. Thanks for considering my talk!”
Receive a Present Everyday	Jo Anna Rothman
Everyday, for the last 8 years, I have received a present. In this talk, we will explore the power of receiving. People are excellent givers but often feel empty. The trick is to learn how to receive the gifts that life has to offer. It’s time to let go of all those reasons why you can’t have what you want and open the presents life has to offer.
Rethinking Dolphin Language	Philip Lingle
People are fascinated by bottlenose dolphins because of their large brains, sophisticated behavior, and gentle demeanor. Researchers agree that dolphins have a very complex communication system, but after 60 years of research they still haven’t come close to “cracking the code.” I have a compelling theory as to why this barrier exists.