2015 2015: Two UMass Dartmouth alumni part of TEDx New Bedford: uNBound Conference

Dr. Michael Rocha ’97 and Joshua Encarnacion ’14 to speak on rethinking health and human potential during TEDx New Bedford

The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center and TEDx New Bedford have come together to transform the theater into a day-long happening filled with inspiring speakers, TED TALK videos, and places to discuss ideas with fellow TEDx goers. TEDx New Bedford: uNBound will showcase speakers who will introduce attendees to a world where ideas are put into action to radically transform companies, communities, people, and the way we live.

Two UMass Dartmouth alumni, Dr. Michael Rocha ’97 and Joshua Encarnacion ’14, will be part of the conference taking place this Friday, November 6, at the Zeiterion in New Bedford.

Dr. Michael Rocha

Rethinking Health, 4-5 p.m.

Michael Rocha is a cardiologist with Hawthorn Medical Associates, LLC and is the Director of Heart Failure Services at New Bedford’s St. Luke’s Hospital where he is working to change to the perception from Heart Failure to Heart Wellness. After seeing patients with preventable heart disease in his community, he seized the opportunity to help improve the health and well­being of his hometown of New Bedford beyond prescriptions. He started the New Bedford Wellness Initiative as a monthly wellness walk that has quickly grown. Dr. Rocha attended New Bedford High School and was a 1997 graduate of the Chemistry program at UMass Dartmouth. He earned his medical degree at UMass Medical School and completed his post­graduate medical training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

Joshua Encarnacion

Human Potential, 6-7:30 p.m.

Joshua Encarnacion is a 2014 UMass Dartmouth graduate. His class collectively endowed the DREAM Scholarship which is presented annually to a student who has a compelling vision for the betterment of the UMass Dartmouth community. After graduating, Joshua joined Google’s staffing department where he was first exposed to technical recruitment NS development programs in San Francisco’s Bay Area. He is now managing technical recruitment in various development programs at the finance tech startup, Earnest Inc., – an organization aimed at building the bank of the future that focuses on realizing people’s hopes and dreams by putting them in control.

For the full schedule and ticket information www.zeiterion.org/tedx-newbedford/ or www.tedxnewbedford.com.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxNewBedford, where x = independently organized TED event. At the TEDxNewBedford event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including TEDxNewBedford are self-organized.