Meet Our Speakers
We’re excited for you to get to know our TEDxGeorgiaCollege speakers.
Chris Clark
Thought(ful) Leader
Chris Clark is president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He previously served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Economic Development. He is a graduate of Leadership Georgia and has been consistently named one of Georgia Trend magazine’s 100 Most Influential Georgians and one of the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Influential Atlantans. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Georgia College.
Lisa Calvert
Voice Amplifier
Lisa Calvert is preparing for entry into law school. She is a recent graduate of Georgia College and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and baccalaureate certificate in leadership studies.
Melanie DeVore
Serendipitous Songster
Melanie DeVore is professor of biology at Georgia College, where she has taught since 1999. She holds appointments at the Center for Biology & Society and School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University and is Research Associate in Paleobotany at the Burke Museum, University of Washington. She is also Honorary Research Fellow in the Center of Excellence in Biodiversity & Natural Resource Management at the University of Rwanda. DeVore holds a Ph.D. in botany from The Ohio State University.
Jehan El-Jourbagy
Corporate Optimist
Jehan El-Jourbagy is associate professor of business law and ethics at Georgia College, where she has taught since 2013. An attorney by training, she practiced previously at the firm of Haygood Lynch Harris Melton & Watson, LLP. She holds a JD from the University of Georgia School of Law.
Jacob Carter
Motivation Multiplier
Jacob Carter is a Bachelor of Science candidate at Georgia College, where he is studying mathematics. Upon graduating in May 2023, he will begin the Master of Arts in Teaching degree program in the John H. Lounsbury College of Education at Georgia College.
Hasitha Mahabaduge
Chaos Controller
Hasitha Mahabaduge is associate professor of physics at Georgia College, where he has taught since 2016. He has earned multiple awards for his teaching excellence, and was named to the University System of Georgia's Felton Jenkins Jr. Hall of Fame in 2020. Mahabaduge holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Toledo.
Candace Doby
Courage Commissioner
Candace Doby is founder and CEO of the Can-Do Company. She previously served as field marketing manager for Chipotle. Doby is the author of A Cool Girl’s Guide To Courage. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and in English and a Master of Arts degree in technology and communication, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Joanna Schwartz
Pride Purveyor
Joanna Schwartz is professor of marketing at Georgia College, where she designed the first college-level course in LGBTQ+ Marketing. She is a Georgia Governor’s Teaching Fellow and is a member of the University System of Georgia's Felton Jenkins Jr. Hall of Fame. She holds a Ph.D. in marketing from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Nadya Gutierrez
Mindset Messenger
Nadya Gutierrez is marine ecology intern at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Dauphin Island, Alabama. She is previously a Hollings Scholar at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science from Georgia College, where she graduated in 2022.