Pittsburgh-based, Nairobi will perform the final act of IDEAfest 2017, with her spoken word poem, Where has the Love Gone?"

The 19-year-old singer, actress, writer, designer, poet, and artist first started singing as a soloist in church at the age of 7 and has continued to develop her talent ever since.  She has performed with Centers for the Musically Talented at Capa High school, The River City Music Band, Obama Drama Theater as Evilene in The Wiz and many other roles, and The Afro-American Music Institute.She is the 2016 recipient of the regional August Wilson Monologue Competition as well as the youngest recipient of the Most Valuable Person(s) in Pittsburgh Award. 

Join us for a special conversation on the Creative Industries, and how they are growing world-wide. We are delighted to bring together a national panel of Creative Industry experts to discuss the impact the Creative Industries are making on the world.

MODERATOR: James V. Denova, The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
PANEL: Harley Baldwin, VP, Schell Games; Bonnie Fahoome, Detroit Creative Corridor Center; Dr. Patrick Fuery, Dean, Chapman University, Orange, CA; Germaine Williams, CEO, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts/Pittsburgh Filmmakers; Michael Soileau, Vice President, Planing + Strategy, Comcast.

Techvibe Radio presents insights from a group of amazing Creative Entrepreneurs who tell their stories about how risks and potential failures have lead them to entrepreneurial success. 

Emmai Alaquiva, Emmy Award-winning Film Director, Composer and Mentor
Once homeless, Alaquiva shifted the trajectory of his life's path to become one of the most multifarious trailblazers in the arena of creative arts. A five-time Telly Award-winner, Emmai has been recognized as Pittsburgh Magazine’s “40 under 40”, The New Pittsburgh Courier’s “FAB 40”, WHIRL Magazines “50 Finest” along with a proclamation from City of Pittsburgh Mayor, William Peduto. Alaquiva was recently awarded as a 2016 national BMe Community Leader and recognized by President Barack Obama.

Nina Barbuto, Founding Director, Assemble + Co-Founder of I Made it! Market
Nina's passion for art, new media and social learning led her to found Assemble, a community space for arts + technology, in 2011. Nina co-founded I Made It! Market in 2007. An idea based on urban acupuncture, this nomadic market partners with community, arts and non-profit organizations to raise funds and awareness to assist in improving their communities while allowing local artists and crafters to sell their wares.

Phil Laboon, Entrepreneur, Eyeflow, WUDN
As an entrepreneur, Phil started his first company in his parent’s basement in 2001. Now, alongside his handpicked team of industry experts, Eyeflow provides hundreds of clients with consulting and digital marketing services that help their business stand up and be heard by audiences both on and off the web.  As an avid investor into tech start ups, Phil  is involved in the day to day operation for several rapid growing companies such as into the Young Entrepreneurial Council (YEC), WUDN, Visibl, YAERD Group, and Tres Bonitas Holdings).

Dan Alarik, known far and wide to vets around the nation, comes to Pittsburgh to share his story of his post-deployment venture: starting one of the coolest apparel companies for Americans.

To accommodate his family and his fellow veterans, Alarik, a former Army drill sergeant, came up with a unique idea that eventually became Grunt Style, a military-themed clothing and apparel company of which 75 percent of employees are veterans. In addition to providing a place where veterans can work together, Alarik also operates Grunt Style much the way a military infantry unit is run, with headquarters, sergeants and platoons.. www.gruntstyle.com  Reserve your free seat now!

by DeVaughn Robinson
Trial$ is  an all encompassing theatrical piece that combines video and theatre, it is a reflection of the black experience, a micro analysis of the emotional tolls of racism that permeate and exist within the culture. DeVaughn is a a winner of the honorable Shyne Award, and he won 1st place in the Regional August Wilson Monologue Competition in Pittsburgh.

Cool ideas in 10 minutes or less, at the intersection of creativity and technology, featuring talks and performances by:

ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE: THE ULTIMATE FUSION OF CREATIVE, DATA & TECHNOLOGY IS HERE
by Rick Gardinier, Partner & Chief Digital Officer, BRUNNER, PITTSBURGH, PA

With movies like Her, and voice interfaces like Amazon’s Alexa, Artificial Intelligence has recently dominated the pop-culture scene.   In this session, we’ll look beyond WATSON and discuss how you can make AI accessible.  We will take a rapid-fire view of current trends, where the future is headed, and how you can take advantage of AI today.  For the past 18 years, Rick has led BRUNNER’s digital practice and has helped to position BRUNNER as a top independent technology, creative and analytics driven firm.  Five years ago, Rick spearheaded the launch of BRUNNER’s innovation lab, BHiveLab.  

THE ART OF SCIENCE / THE SCIENCE OF ART
by Ashley Cecil, Artist & Matt Webb, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, PITTSBURGH, PA

It’s estimated that up to 1 billion birds die annually in the US from colliding with windows, a enormous problem with direct consequences to our own health. In Pittsburgh, concerned artist Ashley Cecil and BirdSafe Pittsburgh coordinator Matt Webb have come together from seemingly disparate fields of art and science to collaboratively address the conservation problem through creative solutions.

THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER: Jon Moore, Chief Software Architect, Comcast
The story of Comcast's ongoing evolution from a cable operator to an innovative technology and product company

Join us as we start up festival day with music, talks, performances, poetry, film screenings and so much more!

OPENING MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: Byron Nash, PITTSBURGH, PA
Byron Nash is an experimental guitarist who has performed with the Dave Matthews Band, Soulive, Pharrell Williams and N.E.R.D., Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, De La Soul, Fantasia, Musiq Soulchild, George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadlic and many more. 

KICK-OFF KEYNOTE: Lisa Song Sutton, LAS VEGAS, NV
Entrepreneur | Forbes Business Writer | TV Host | Miss Nevada US 2014
"How to Utilize Your Personal Brand to Reach (and Make) Millions"
Lisa Song Sutton was recently named a 2017 Top 10 Social Entrepreneur to Watch by Inc. Magazine and was a nominee in the 2016 Las Vegas Women in Tech Awards. Lisa's work and writing has been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Fast Company and other business publications. Lisa is actively involved in her community as a former Miss Las Vegas (2013), Miss Nevada (2014) and serves on the executive board of the Asian Community Development Council. 

THE POWER OF CREATIVITY, by Jamin Olivencia, LOUISEVILLE, KY
Poet, Spiritual Motivator + Professional Wrestler
Jamin Olivencia is an American professional wrestler, actor, poet and spiritual motivator. Currently working for Global Force Wrestling, he is a former OVW Heavyweight Champion, and WWE television personality. Jamin performed stuntwork in the Dukes of Hazzard film, and, as an actor, appeared in The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity at the Actor's Theatre of Louisville. Jamin performs his poetry and motivational speaking all around the USA.