(GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.) – Author Simon Winchester, publisher Ty Allan Jackson, restaurateur Nancy Thomas, and theater impresario Sara Katzoff are among a half dozen Berkshire trendsetters who will take part in the 2nd Annual BerkshireSPEAKS at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire on Sunday, October 18, at 1:30pm. Using the TED Talks model, the afternoon will feature brief presentations in which the feature guests will discuss their work, their passions and their visions for the future.

The other presenters are Howard Levin, M.D., chief medical officer and VP of LympheDIVAS, a Pittsfield company that makes specially designed compression sleeves, gloves, and gauntlets for women at risk for lymphedema after breast cancer treatment, and Eleanore Velez, coordinator of the Multicultural Center at Berkshire Community College.

 

The event, sponsored by Hevreh, is open to the community and will be followed by a reception with the speakers.

Ty Allan Jackson is an author and founder and president of Big Head Books. He was honored in 2012 with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Content of Character Award. His focus is to provide books for young people, with characters and content that entertain, inspire and educate.
Simon Winchester is a New York Times bestselling author. His books include “The Professor and the Madman,” “Atlantic,” “Krakatoa,” “A Crack in the Edge of the World,” and “The Men Who United the States.” Winchester was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty the Queen for his work in journalism and literature.

Nancy Thomas is cofounder and proprietor of the Mezze Restaurant Group. Thomas is an advocate for shaping a community of sustainable agriculture with a commitment to the local food movement.  She has co-authored books on food and beverages and was an initiator of the Berkshire Grown’s Holiday Farmers’ Market events.

Sara Katzoff is a theater maker, writer and actress. She is the co-artistic director of the Berkshire Fringe and Bazaar Productions. She is a founding company member of Kickwheel Ensemble Theater and is a teaching artist for the Playwright Mentorship Project at Barrington Stage.

 

Registration online at BerkshireSPEAKS $15, online registration closes at noon Oct. 16, or at the door at 270 State Road, Great Barrington, $18, check or cash. 413 528-6378.