Producer extraordinaire, Bill Schnitzer, has been a volunteer with TEDxPeachtree for four years and has no plans to quit any time soon! As producer of the conference, Bill runs the show. Organizing and overseeing everything from the logistics of the performances to the smallest details surrounding the event, including the live stream production, presentations in the theater, managing attendees, and even lunch.

When I last spoke with Bill, he was traveling in Vermont for his day job. He is the owner of Quality Fabricators, a manufacturing company that makes rolling garment bags for the fashion industry. Seven years ago Bill decided to leave Corporate America and forge his own path as a small business owner. It is this curiosity, sense of adventure, and entrepreneurial spirit that makes Bill a perfect fit for the TEDx family.

He was introduced to TEDxPeachtree through a colleague and former TEDxPeachtree Board Member, Richard Laber. Once Bill came to the event, he was blown away. When the call for volunteers went out, Bill answered. He began as assistant stage manager which he did for two years before taking over as producer last year. Bill credits his team of co-producers, video production designers and a host of stage managers for the success of the event. When asked about his favorite part of volunteering, Bill says “the event itself is inspiring, but it’s the enthusiasm of the group that keeps me involved.” Bill has big plans for the future of TEDxPeachtree too. His goal is “to see over 1000 attendees attend our event and be THE recognized event for sharing ideas while being supportive and collaborative with other TEDx organizers in the area.”

Bill was familiar with the TED Talks program before his introduction to TEDxPeachtree. He recommends two speakers as “must see” viewing. One is creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson whose 2009 and 2013 TED Talks focus on the crucial role of creativity in learning, education and the economy. And the other is MIT researcher Deb Roy, whose quest to understand how his newborn son learned language led to a massive project of over 90,000 hours of home video, captured and tracked how children learn languages.

A husband, father of two, and a small business owner, Bill doesn’t have a problem filling his days. And yet he somehow manages to find the time to volunteer with the Georgia Aquarium and various community outreach groups. In his spare time, Bill is a foodie, a practitioner of yoga, and an avid bike rider.

Lauren Lynn is a new arrival to Atlanta. She moved from Charleston, SC where she worked in arts management. Lauren lives in Lake Claire and enjoys exploring the neighborhood parks with her dog and children.