2023 Speakers
Greg Funderburg
The Awakening Power of Kitchen Table Conversations
Greg Funderburg is an award-winning journalist and podcast host. He most recently spent nine years as morning/noon anchor in Chattanooga, TN helping viewers start their day. Aside from his civic duties in media, Greg enjoys speaking to youth about the importance of getting an education, setting goals and remaining optimistic. In his free time, Greg loves watching scary movies, likes to travel, enjoys working out at the gym and appreciates spending quality time with family and friends.
Christine DiPietro
Awakening to the Natural World
Christine is a startup veteran who has scaled companies from $0 - $400 million and managed projects around the world. Previously she was program manager at Tech Stars in Austin, TX, and entrepreneur in residence at The Company Lab supporting Chattanooga based startups. Christine earned an MBA from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and a bachelor degree in political science from North Carolina State University. Christine lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband, her dog, and a yard full of native plants.
Hudson Brock
There You Are — How Allocentrism Awakens Your Calling and Community
Relevant Dad. Awkward Homeschooler. Champion for Chattanooga. Advocate for Allocentrism. Hudson likes big ideas with practical applications that empower people.
Jon Jon Wesolowski
Awakening Community Through Tactical Urbanism
Jon Jon is an avid urbanist who enjoys decoding what makes a space great. Across his two TikTok channels, his videos discussing urbanism and Chattanooga have garnered more than 3.2 million likes and 180k followers. He recently returned from spending eight months abroad, exploring cities and documenting what makes spaces great. He is excited to bring those ideas back to Chattanooga in tactical ways. (Full TEDx YouTube video coming soon.)
DeJuan S. Jordan
Awaken to the Power of Your Words
DeJuan is a life and business navigator, consultant, speaker, trainer, and author. As Co-CEO of Launch CHA and Founder/CEO of The DS Firm, she is a resilient leader molded by her life's journey. Through heart-centered transformational coaching and training, DeJuan empowers entrepreneurs and leaders to discover and fulfill their purpose by embracing their own life experiences and defining moments as valuable lessons and stepping-stones.
Briana Garza
Briana returned as our host and emcee. She is the co-founder and owner of Chatt Taste which exists for people to tour and experience multiple restaurant options in Chattanooga. Tours take guests to 4-5 establishments, sharing information regarding the culinary renaissance of Downtown Chattanooga. She’s also a mom, foodie, gardener, and disability advocate.
