Announcing the Ignite Seattle 20 Talks

We’re excited to announce the lineup for Ignite Seattle 20 on May 16th. Join us at Town Hall, talks start promptly at 8pm. Get your tickets here.

Madeline Puckette – 7 Things You Never Knew About the Most Expensive Wines of the World
Wine is no longer just a drink, it has become a commodity like stock. Learn seven of the more interesting facts about the most expensive wines in the world and what ties them together. Never drink wine the same again.

Diana Vergis Vinh – My Life of Poo
Learning kale recipes that don’t make my family gag, thinking my goat was pregnant when she was just plain fat and being surrounded by endless piles of poo – who knew that backyard urban farming could be so darned engaging? Hear from a long time urban farmer the ups and the downs of this manic pursuit.

Jeffrey Hicks – Welcome to the Psych Ward
This is a talk about what it actually feels like to lose your mind. It is an insiders look into madness and recovery.

Nathan Kaiser – From Bits to Booze and Not Quite Back Again
What I learned going from bits to booze and what I hope to bring back with me.

Nicole Steinbok – Everyday Pitches
Learn how to get people to like and trust you, give you time, do boring shit, reply to an email, provide great feedback, buy into plans, hire you and much more!

Sally James – Small words
Why keeping it short, even using shorter words, may help people understand you.

Theresa Harris – I want to teach your child to fail
Kids become less creative as they grow and Theresa Harris, founder of Thrive Art School, says this is due to how they experience failure. She’s on a mission to teach kids to fail enthusiastically.

Dave Zucker – Sir Mix-a-Bot, the Robot Bartender
In October of 2002, I picked up a surplus PUMA robot arm from a local university. I was sad to discover it didn’t work, and have spent the past 10 years bringing it back to life and transforming it into a robot bartender, dubbed Sir Mix-a-Bot.

Whitney Mongé – Busking in Pike Place Market
My talk will be about the basic know how’s of street performing in Pike Place Market. It will also be a short but detailed outline of how to be successful at busking virtually anywhere.

Jack Bennetto – The Moral Clarity of Killing Ivy
In a world of ambiguity and complexity, we can find moral clarity in killing English ivy and other invasive plants. Jack Bennetto outlines his journey as an anti-invasivist and explains how you can achieve peace and happiness through wanton destruction leading to restoration and rebirth.

Nancy White – S#*!, is it time to think about a legacy?
What happens when you wake up and realize you are a certain age,a grandparent, your husband is retiring and people start calling you an “elder” in your field? When you can’t even DESCRIBE your field? Come peer with me over this deliciously scary edge of considering my future. Regardless of our ages, is it time to think about our legacies?

Joe Ludwig – The second coming of Virtual Reality
Back in the early nineties everybody thought that virtual reality would be the next big thing. Now, twenty years later, that might actually be true.

Frank Rogan – How Are You Not Dead?
Everyone has a superpower, and apparently mine is “not getting killed.” I’ve escaped embarrassing death and painful dismemberment several times. It all makes for a great story, and it’s your stories that make you human.

Randy Stewart – How to Pitch Ignite Seattle
After reading and voting on hundreds of Ignite proposals, I can tell you about the ins and outs of what will get you considered before anyone else. I reveal the inner most workings of the secret machinations of the Ignite selection committee.

Carmen Hudson – I Stalk Strangers Online
Software engineers and other highly sought-after talent: you can run, but you can’t hide. Employers will go to great lengths to find in-demand talent; that’s where I come in. Armed with a few search engine commands, tenacity and a telephone, I can find anyone. People like me — known as “sourcers” — use the internet to find contact information, hobbies and interests, and other personal data in order to silver tongue our way into the lives of top talent. I’ll show you how we do it.

Gina Phillips – The Ultimate Mistake
Gina has competed at the highest levels of ultimate frisbee, including US Nationals 7 times. In a talk that has turned into a very different talk than the one she set out to give, she shares a look at identity, shame, and self-worth.