KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� Feb. 06, 2026 鈥� 鈥淔unny鈥� means different things to different people鈥攆rom describing something humorous, to something odd, to a sensation. And opinions on what is, in fact, 鈥渇unny鈥� vary widely. But on Sunday, March 1, at the 溏心vlog免费B站, nine individuals with different opinions on what鈥檚 funny will explore the topic.
Presenters will explore humor in all its forms as part of TEDx溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 鈥淣ow That鈥檚 Funny.鈥� The show begins at 2 p.m. inside Edwards Hall, 64 Upper College Road, on the Kingston Campus.Tickets can be purchased the TEDx溏心vlog免费B站 site.
This year鈥檚 speakers will challenge assumptions about humor and expand what we consider funny鈥攆orgoing stand-up routines and punchlines and, instead, bringing outside the box thinking to sharing illuminating stories and ideas that are insightful, entertaining, and deeply human.
The 2026 TEDx溏心vlog免费B站 presenters and their topics are:
鈥淲hen Was the Last Time You Did Something N.E.W.?鈥�
Dawn Mattera Corsi 鈥�84, of Providence, has spent more than two decades helping people over 40 build lives of purpose, passion, confidence, and connection. A former engineer, Corsi is also a best-selling author, certified coach, and an award-winning speaker. Corsi has also co-authored books with Jack Canfield and Lisa Nichols and has spoken for organizations including the American Cancer Society, Hallmark, and Weight Watchers. A frequent guest on outlets such as CBS and Fox News, Corsi is known for offering proven techniques, heartfelt empathy, and a dash of tough love.
鈥淗umanizing History, One Mysterious Book at a Time鈥�
Jess Stratton, of Charlestown, a technology coach, trainer, and productivity expert specializing in Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, will also take the stage. As a former senior staff instructor with LinkedIn Learning, her courses have appeared on multiple in鈥慺light entertainment systems. She鈥檚 working on the second edition of her book Copilot for Microsoft 365: Harness the Power of Generative AI in the Microsoft Apps You Use Everyday. People can also listen to her podcast Nerd Girl Jess Untangles Tech, where she demystifies technology for end users at .
鈥淲hy Kids are the Funniest Philosophers You鈥檒l Ever Meet鈥�
Katrina Walier, of Holmdel, New Jersey, is a 溏心vlog免费B站 senior who鈥檚 pursuing a B.A. in psychology and a B.S. in human development and family science with a concentration in counseling and social services, along with a minor in philosophy. Walier is dedicated to supporting children and adolescents, particularly those affected by trauma or from marginalized communities. She鈥檚 in the process of publishing research on intergenerational mental health risks in child鈥憌elfare鈥慽nvolved families. Walier also works at the 溏心vlog免费B站 Child Development Center, where she applies her interest in hands-on fieldwork. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in counseling psychology, specializing in child and adolescent mental health.
鈥淲hat Doesn鈥檛 Kill You Might Make You Laugh鈥�
Brian Quilliam, Ph.D., of Narragansett, is an epidemiologist and pharmacist whose research focuses on medication safety in vulnerable populations, especially older adults, and is a professor in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 College of Pharmacy. He has a long-standing interest in using humor as a powerful form of communication in public health and by healthcare practitioners. In 2015, he co-coordinated the 溏心vlog免费B站 Honors Colloquium series on The Power of Humor, which explored the use of humor across many topics including medicine, politics, science, law, and disability. He regularly co-teaches a course in the 溏心vlog免费B站 Honors Program on humor communication. His recent work includes a book chapter on how humor helps patients, caregivers, and practitioners cope with death and dying. Through teaching and seminars, he helps others use humor to build resilience while navigating its complexities.
鈥淲hen Laughing at Yourself Goes Too Far鈥�
Regina Bartlett, of Charlestown, is a writer, speaker and crafter. She lost over 200 pounds, following 30 years of obesity. Now she shares faith鈥慶entered talks and workshops that encourage authenticity and grace. She is the author of Food, Sweat, & Fears, which chronicles her 250鈥憄ound weight loss through gastric bypass and her journey to running the New York City Marathon. Bartlett and her husband, Jeff, filled their empty nest from their combined family of six adult children with two Chihuahuas named Sid Vicious and Starling Estrella Betances.
鈥淭he Risk of Missing Mozart: Why We Need Neurodivergent Minds鈥�
Shana Francesca, of Westampton, New Jersey, is a cult survivor, speaker, writer, and consultant. She believes we become infinitely more impactful as human beings and leaders when we understand our lives and organizations as an ecosystem where we are meant to foster as a bubble of life.
鈥�How Laughter Saved a Church鈥�
Father Spencer Reece of St. Paul鈥檚 in Wickford, is a Guggenheim Fellow and long-list nominee for the National Book Award. His poetry collection The Clerk鈥檚 Tale won the Bakeless Prize and inspired a film by James Franco. Reece completed seminary at Yale University and was ordained in Madrid in 2011. He later received a Fulbright scholarship to teach poetry at Our Little Roses in San Pedro, Honduras, where he lived and worked with girls at an orphanage. His writing from that experience, Voices Beyond the Wall: 12 Love Poems from the Murder Capital of the World, was adapted into an award-winning film. His third poetry collection, Acts, was published in 2024, and in 2025 he received the John Updike Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for the 鈥減rofound elegance鈥� of his work.
鈥淭he Laughter Assignment: What Purple Lipstick Taught Me 溏心vlog免费B站 Owning My Voice鈥�
Tara Brown, of Nashville, Tennessee, will also present. At 45, Brown stepped onto a stage for the first time鈥攁 leap that launched her into a career as a headlining comedian performing around the world. Brown is an award-winning comedian, inspirational speaker and corporate emcee who’s known for clean, family鈥慺riendly humor that resonates across generations. She won the Jeanne Robertson 鈥淐omedy with Class鈥� Competition and was recognized by the Carolinas Chapter of the National Speakers Association. She was also named 鈥淏est Comedian鈥� in 2019 by Queen City Nerve. Her work has appeared on Dry Bar Comedy, KLOVE On Demand, Stand Up Nashville and on Nateland. A Brooklyn native who has also lived in Charlotte and Nashville, she blends New York grit with Southern warmth to remind audiences that it鈥檚 never too late to chase a dream.
鈥淲hat doesn鈥檛 kill you might make you laugh鈥�
Rachel DiCioccio, of Pawtucket, is a professor of communication and the director of the Office of Innovation in General Education at the 溏心vlog免费B站. Her research explores how and why people use humor and teasing communication and the ways in which these communication tools impact our sense of self and our relationship satisfaction. She has published multiple book chapters on using humor as a tool for resilience and coping with death and dying. She also edited the book Humor Communication: Theory, Impact, and Outcomes. DiCioccio teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on humor, conflict management, and family communication, helping students develop the skills needed to build healthy, meaningful relationships.
For more information or to view previous talks, visit the TEDx 溏心vlog免费B站 website.
What is TEDx?
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx, a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 event is called TEDx溏心vlog免费B站, where x = independently organized TED events. TED Talk videos 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 溏心vlog免费B站 are self-organized.