Innovate: Uncertainty
SHERYL CONNELLY
How to think like a “futurist”.
Speaker Bio: Sheryl Connelly has led Ford Motor Company’s Global Consumer Trends and Futuring activities for seven years. As the in-house Futurist, she is responsible for identifying and tracking trends that will shape consumers’ value s , attitudes and beliefs in the future. This unique position requires that she focus on all things non-automotive by reaching out to thought-leaders in social, technology, economic, environment and political arenas. Prior to joining the Trends team, Sheryl held a variety of positions within Ford related to franchising, customer satisfaction programs and field assignments interfacing with the dealer network.
Before working for Ford, she practiced law for a small civil litigation firm. She has her Juris Doctorate and Master in Business Administration degrees from the University of Detroit and a Bachelors degree in Finance from Michigan State University. She has been a guest lecturer at numerous universities including Massachusetts Institute for Technology, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI and Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Her viewpoints and opinions have been published in the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNN, USA Today and Car & Driver. She lives in Birmingham, Michigan with her husband and two daughters.
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 TEDxGrandRapids, where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDxGrandRapids 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 ours, are self-organized.
