Speaker

Thayer Hirsh is the Executive Director at Summit Economic Partnership, a non-profit committed to enhancing Summit County's economy through innovation and diversification.

Alongside this role, he's the founder and CEO of Knome, a local business in Summit that offers AI-powered advice for home maintenance through a mobile app and desktop platform.

Previously, Thayer has held leadership roles across a diverse set of industries in Colorado, including startups, renewable energy, aerospace and the outdoor industry.

He resides in Frisco with his wife and two daughters and is passionate about supporting entrepreneurship in Summit County and neighboring towns.

Book Recommendation: Startup Communities by Brad Feld

Speaker

Lauren ‘L.P.’ Panasewicz is a passionate advocate for mobility, access to healthcare, and community connection. After earning her master’s degree in Engineering for Developing Communities and working as a civil engineer in Alaska, she moved back to Colorado, where she spent five years teaching adaptive skiing to people with disabilities. Now the Director of Development at the Range of Motion Project (ROMP), L.P. leads high-level fundraising, strategy, partnerships, and storytelling, helping to grow ROMP into a million-dollar nonprofit organization.

Her journey with ROMP is deeply personal, rooted in her belief in the power of mobility and equitable access to care. With a background in sustainable development and social impact, L.P.’s work centers around creating equitable solutions that drive change and expand opportunities for all. In her TEDx talk, L.P. explores the power of mobility, focusing on how access to assistive devices can change lives and communities around the world.

L.P. also enjoys skiing, hiking, trail running, and rafting with her husband, Mark, and dog, Pancake.

Book Recommendation: Mountains Beyond Mountain

Speaker

Patrick Murphy was raised in Broomfield, Colorado, and attended Regis University. Starting his career in the service industry at a young age Patrick has worked in all capacities of a restaurant.

Patrick moved to Breckenridge in November of 2020 to help open Rootstalk, a contemporary American cuisine restaurant.

Patrick currently is the Director of Hospitality for Rootstalk and Radicato located in Breckenridge, Colorado. In this role he leads the service teams at both restaurants to create genuine and welcoming hospitality experiences for his guests.

Patrick believes that hospitality is a noble profession that creates numerous opportunities for connection and acts of kindness in a career.

Restaurants can be more than a place to eat, they can be a place to explore humanity, create new relationships and serve as a space to set aside the stresses of everyday life for a few moments.

Book Recommendation: David Brooks, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen

Speaker

Neuroscience educator, Silicon Valley innovator, former Stanford University instructor, bestselling author, and transformational coach: Ellen Petry Leanse has catalyzed positive change in professional and personal settings across her life’s work.

At Apple, Google, and as an entrepreneur, she cultivated breakthrough ways of elevating success through her changemaking approach to psychology and interpersonal dynamics. An award-winning leader, professional and life coach, former C-level executive, and keynote speaker, Ellen grounds her work in a deep understanding of the brain, a topic she explores as the host of The Brain and Beyond Podcast.

Her knowledge of neuroscience, human history, and wisdom from the past offers unique ways of understanding the high stakes of this moment in time – and new paths to hope for the future.

The parent of three adult sons, she lives in Northern New Mexico, where she savors the rich history of the land and its people. 

Book recommendation: The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist

Speaker

Drew Petersen is a professional skier and ultrarunner who is on a mission to change our culture surrounding mental health. He blends his athletic adventures—ranging from skiing peaks in the backcountry to running 100 miles—with his storytelling as a writer, filmmaker, and speaker in order to bring others along for the ride and to advocate for what he cares most about.

As a skier, he has graced magazine covers and starred in dozens of award-winning ski films. His writing has appeared in Outside Magazine, Powder Magazine, SKI Magazine, and more publications. In 2022, Drew produced, co-directed, and starred in Ups and Downs a mold-breaking film that mirrors the mountains and valleys of ski touring with his own mental health journey.

His newest film Feel It All chronicles running the Leadville 100, one of the most iconic 100-mile ultramarathons in the world, through the peaks he has skied surrounding the course and the deep, mental health goal that drives him to pursue both audacious athletic goals and a full life. 

Book Recommendation: The Anxious Generation (I might want to change which book I choose as I flush out the idea more)

Speaker

I’ve spent 12 years in Summit County pioneering the first cannabis hospitality company in the U.S., emphasizing mindful relationships with cannabis. Now, as Leader of the Rolling Stone Cannabis and Psychedelic Member Group, I’ve testified before the Colorado State Senate & House on NMHA and designed Boulder Wellness Week programs on entheogens. My work, including partnerships with Indigenous leaders & The Fairmont Hotel Group, shows my commitment to integrating plant medicines into society to foster a better relationship with health and Earth.

Recognized by High Times as the 'pioneer of the cannabis hospitality space,' Philip Wolf is your expert guide for an unparalleled cannabis dinner experience through Cultivating Spirits. With a remarkable 15-year tenure in the legal cannabis industry, he crafted the renowned cannabis pairing protocol among other pioneering feats such the CashoM school. 

Philip revolutionized cannabis hospitality and is now taking cannabis consumption a level deeper by educating people on the highest expression of the plant which is to explore one's consciousness and somatics as well as hospitality.

Philip has been featured on CBS and NBC Nightly News, as well as in TIME, Forbes, The New York Times, and many other mainstream publications. 

Book Recommendation: Braiding Sweetgrass

Speaker

Melanie’s passion for beauty and wellness is grounded in the belief that true beauty is deeply connected to inner well-being. From her start as a stylist to becoming a Senior Artistic Director, where she developed stylists and educators, she created and conducted hair training programs while also working on high-profile projects, including styling for commercials, photo shoots, and TV appearances.

As an award-winning stylist and business owner, Melanie built her company on the principle that inner wellness and outer beauty are intertwined. She is dedicated to creating personalized, luxury experiences that enhance both appearance and well-being.

Rooted in her community and committed to supporting local wellness initiatives, Melanie brings a global perspective shaped by her background in corporate education. Her unique approach integrates artistry, education, and holistic beauty, helping each client feel their best—inside and out.

Speaker

Andy began his journey in customer communication at just 9 years old, working in his family's printing business.

At 25, he founded Emerge, a pioneer in Adobe Acrobat and PDF technologies, which was later sold to IKON (now Ricoh USA). His career spans decades of innovation, from developing an e-commerce platform for artist merchandise in streaming music to key global roles at Ricoh Ltd and Keypoint Intelligence.

Now leading Treeline Research, named in honor of his oldest son who loved the mountains and being "Above the Treeline" before passing away from fentanyl poisoning in 2021, Andy helps businesses navigate the evolving landscape of digital and printed customer communications.

He lives near Fort Collins with his wife Bridget, their dog Lilah, and has two grown children. He enjoys travel, cooking, and the smell of the pine trees on a crisp powder day.

Book Recommendation: The Innovators Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail, By: Clayton Christensen

Speaker

Starting life as a refugee taught me resilience and sharpened my perspective on systems, opportunity, and inclusion. I was a shy child, often observing from the sidelines, which gave me an eye for the unseen details that can make or break progress. My journey took me from law school to senior consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers Coopers and IBM and then executive roles, where I had the privilege of working across sectors—from high-stakes international trade negotiations to launching investment initiatives that supported regional growth in Africa.

In many ways, my career has followed the spirit of Stone Soup. Like the travelers who began with just a stone but ultimately created a feast by inspiring others to contribute, I’ve learned that lasting impact comes from building something together. Over 20 years, I’ve helped create organizations from the ground up, including establishing Invest Ontario, a new government investment attraction agency that brought billions into local economies. I’ve also led a consortium of companies in Africa under the Aga Khan Development Network, where we secured critical resources for healthcare, education, and infrastructure, bringing sustainable development to underserved communities.

Every project I lead—from guiding public policy to managing complex investment strategies—is a chance to build pathways that elevate people’s lives., I work closely with organizations to forge partnerships, tackle challenges, and develop strategies that extend beyond short-term gains. Like in Stone Soup, each project is about finding that initial spark and inviting others to contribute, turning an idea into something much greater than it could be alone. By reminding others of gifts they didn’t realize they had.

As a widow raising two children with the help of a close-knit family and community, I’m especially driven to create environments where people feel empowered, respected, and genuinely connected to the work they do. My work is about building resilient, high-performing teams and creating systems that don’t just support goals but resonate with purpose. I believe that true impact is measured by how we leave individuals and communities stronger, with more opportunity and dignity than they began.

Speaker

Keila is a Summit High School student whose journey is defined by resilience and the courage of her family.

Through poetry, she finds a voice to share the complexities of her immigrant experience, hoping to shift perspectives and humanize the label often placed on those like her.

Keila’s poem "We Are Stories" offers a raw and honest portrayal of her metamorphosis, weaving personal and collective narratives of sacrifice, hope, and identity.

She is proud to share her story with the world, using her words to inspire empathy and understanding.

Book Recommendation: Living Beyond Borders: Growing up Mexican in America by Margarita Longoria

Speaker

Walker Robinson, an 18-year-old Ski Cross athlete from Frisco, Colorado, is already making history on the global stage. In 2024, he captured the silver medal in the Mixed Team Ski Cross and placed 4th in the Men's Ski Cross at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea. As the youngest American to debut in the World Cup, Walker’s rise in the sport is extraordinary.

Beyond his athletic achievements, Walker is deeply committed to his community and personal growth. A five-time "Pay it Forward" Volunteer of the Year, he’s as passionate about giving back as he is about winning. Walker's diverse interests—from surfing to entrepreneurship and volunteering—shape his holistic approach to life.

Walker’s ultimate vision is to become a multi-gold Olympic champion and the greatest Ski Cross racer ever. He strives for improvement daily, on and off the slopes, while inspiring others to do the same. He was named the 2024 Team Summit Freeski Athlete of the Year; Walker continues to redefine what it means to be a young athlete driven by purpose, resilience, and community impact.

Speaker

Gabriella Zheleznyak,  a 14-year-old girl from Summit County, Colorado recently won the TED-X contest at Summit Middle School, with the motive of educating her peers and community about peer pressure. She finds that helping others overcome peer pressure and face daily challenges brings her joy. With her family and friends supporting her every step of the way, she feels unstoppable in helping teens find their places and authentic selves throughout life, and she hopes to bring that motivation to others.

Speaker

Grace Klein is a 14-year-old 8th grader at Summit Middle School in Summit County, where she was born and raised. Passionate about both academics and athletics, Grace actively participates in volleyball, basketball, and track. Outside of school and sports, she enjoys expressing her creativity through painting and drawing, exploring the outdoors on hikes, and giving back to her community by volunteering at her mother’s workplace. Grace is excited to share her unique perspective and experiences at TEDx.