Theme: Illuminate

The TEDxStCloud team warmly invites you to join us on October 9th and the splendid Paramount Theater. We are delighted to present the first St. Cloud exhibit of "The Scroll of the Rule of St. Benedict," featuring 90 pages of letterpress printed text and over 18 hand-carved linoleum block images. The Scroll will be on exhibit in Studio C at the Paramount September 10th until after our event. We explore the many aspects of illumination with speakers, conversations and performance across a broad range of Ideas Worth Spreading. Tickets include a pre-program reception with activities, food and refreshments.

The Paramount Theater
913 West St. Germain St.
St. Cloud, Minnesota, 56301
United States

Chase Larson

Financial Digital Assets leader. Chief Lending Officer and EVP at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union.

Chase Larson is leading the charge into the future of finance as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union. At the helm of the organization’s digital asset strategy, he’s shaping how local institutions adapt to the fast-evolving world of cryptocurrency. Named to the St. Cloud Times “5 Under 40” in 2024, Chase blends innovation with community focus in everything he does.

Clare Richards

Entrepreneur, Business Owner, Community Leader

As CEO and Co-Founder of Impacks, Clare leads a fast-growing startup that bridges gaps in access to school supplies. A community organizer at heart, she’s earned national recognition for her leadership, including the 2023 Junior Chamber International’s “10 Outstanding Young Americans” award, named to the St. Cloud Times’ 5 Under 40 in 2021, and as co-founder of the St. Cloud Rotaract Club in 2015.

Cory Hepola

Director & Host of “My Town” television series. Vice President of Communications, Growth & Strategy at The Brookshire Company.

A three-time Emmy-winning storyteller, Cory Hepola brings small-town America to life through the acclaimed “My Town” documentary series. As Vice President of Communications, Growth, and Strategy at The Brookshire Company, Cory uses narrative to connect people and ideas. Whether on screen or on stage, he is driven by one question: how do we rediscover what matters most in the places we call home?

Debra Leigh

Dance Professor, Higher Ed Administrator, Community Leader

Debra Leigh has spent decades igniting change through the arts, education, and equity. Honored with the 2024 Athena Award and the 2023 Mayor’s Legacy Award in St. Cloud, she’s known for empowering women leaders, advancing anti-racism efforts, and promoting cross-cultural understanding. Her work lives at the intersection of performance and purpose—and she invites others to meet her there.

Jill Blashack Strahan

Founder and CEO, Business Leader

Jill Blashack Strahan transformed 18 easy to prepare food products, packed on a pool table in a shed, into Tastefully Simple, a national brand built on the Jill Blashack Strahan transformed 18 easy to prepare food products, packed on a pool table in a shed, into Tastefully Simple, a national brand built on the power of tasting parties. As Founder and CEO, she grew the company from rural Minnesota roots to over $143 million in sales. Her journey—shaped by bold vision, personal loss, and unshakable grit—inspires others to lead with courage, resilience, and a mindset of abundance. power of tasting parties. As Founder and CEO, she grew the company from rural Minnesota roots to over $143 million in sales. Her journey—shaped by bold vision, personal loss, and unshakable grit—inspires others to lead with courage, resilience, and a mindset of abundance.

Stephen Rider

Small Business Economic Development

Stephen Rider is a serial entrepreneur, published author, and small-business advocate. He co-founded BuzzCare, a rural healthcare logistics startup delivering prescriptions to underserved communities by drone, drawing on years of launching and running ventures. A passionate champion of rural economic development, Stephen also serves as Small Business Coordinator at the Initiative Foundation, where he consults entrepreneurs, tracks evolving regulations, and frequently meets with communities across a 14-county region. Stephen studied environmental science and business at Western Carolina University. He relocated from Raleigh, NC to the St. Cloud area.