Our Team

Organizer, TEDx Tinley Park

Spero Speropoulos is the founder and organizer of TEDx Tinley Park, created from his belief that powerful ideas can transform individuals, strengthen communities, and inspire lasting change.

A Realtor since 1986, Spero has spent nearly four decades helping families achieve the dream of homeownership throughout Chicago's southwest suburbs. His career has always been about more than buying and selling homes—it's about building relationships, educating others, and serving the community.

That same passion has led him to dedicate countless hours to volunteer leadership. He has served in numerous Toastmasters leadership roles, mentoring speakers and helping people develop the confidence to share their stories. He is also active in community organizations and believes that bringing people together is one of the most meaningful ways to create positive change.

The vision for TEDx Tinley Park grew from a simple question: What if our community became a place where local ideas could be shared on a world stage? Under Spero's leadership, TEDx Tinley Park was created to showcase speakers whose ideas challenge assumptions, spark curiosity, and encourage action. His goal is to make the event an annual tradition that celebrates innovation, education, creativity, and the remarkable people who call this region home.

When he isn't organizing TEDx, Spero enjoys spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, studying lifelong learning, playing guitar, and continuing his mission of helping others grow personally and professionally.

His guiding belief is simple:

Ideas change everything. When people come together to share those ideas, communities become stronger, brighter, and more hopeful.

Anna Broccolo is the Marketing and Development Manager at SSSRA in Tinley Park. SSSRA is a non-profit that provides recreational opportunities to children and adults with disabilities or special needs. Anna has worked for SSSRA for 20 years, and she is passionate about inclusion, accessibility, and community partnerships.

She attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, and has a BFA in Graphic Design. Her focus is print design, including logos, brochures and outreach materials. 

Anna enjoys good storytelling though movies and books, hiking, and spending time with her boyfriend, friends and family. 

With fire for her mission and unshakeable faith, Haseena Shaheed-Jackson has known for decades that her purpose is simple: help others find clarity through her Three B's philosophy—Believe, Become, and Belong.

With 30 years in leadership and management, Haseena has mastered the skill of helping others make the invisible visible and turn their dreams into a vision. Through her business, Faith, Hope and Spirit LLC, she offers training, transformational coaching, and speaking in growth, development, communication, and leadership. She is also founder and Executive Director of Ava's Pathways, a nonprofit supporting woman through life's challenges and adversities, one pathway at a time.

A 2025 Marquis Who's Who honoree and Distinguished Toastmaster, Haseena holds dual master's degrees (an MBA and an MA in Human Services Counseling: Life Coaching) and has served Toastmasters International as both Area Director and Division Director. She has published four books, including Created to Soar, Messages from the Spirit, Reflections from Within, and Journey to Sight: Seeing Beyond the Natural—a powerful guide for anyone ready to stop living by others' assumptions and start embracing their true potential.

When she isn't boldly living her purpose, you'll find Haseena volunteering with her church or spending time with her furry babies, Mercedes and Lexus.

Tracey Fabing brings a dynamic blend of technical expertise, community leadership, and a deep commitment to lifelong learning to the TEDx Tinley Park committee. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Information Systems from Illinois State University and has more than eight years of experience as a Computer Consultant.

Guided by a belief that every person she meets and every experience she encounters is placed in her life for a reason.  This perspective fuels her passion for volunteer service, where she connects with new people, embraces fresh opportunities, and finds purpose in mentoring others.  Her dedication to lifelong learning deepens her commitment to mentorship and personal growth.   Together, her networking philosophy and her drive to continually learn shape a leadership style that opens doors to meaningful relationships, fresh insights, and impactful contributions across her professional, creative, and community endeavors.

Tracey is a long-time volunteer with PAWS Tinley Park and has held multiple leadership roles within Toastmasters clubs, where she has strengthened her communication, public speaking, and coaching skills while helping fellow members grow in confidence and capability. She is an active participant in her local library’s non-fiction book club.

Her dedication to service extends to Prairie State College’s English as a Second Language program, where she has tutored students in English and citizenship exam preparation. Within her church community, Tracey serves on the council and has written and delivered sermons for Sunday services. Most recently, she has embarked on learning caricature drawing—an artistic project aimed at creating a “wall of fame” celebrating family and friends in joyful, everyday moments.

Joseph Ficaro is a long time resident of Tinley Park. He is a Life-Time Member of the Bremen VFW Post 2791 Auxiliary, and the current Auxiliary Chaplain. Joe is a Past President of, and active participant with, the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce, representing VFW 2791. Joe studied Business and Psychology at Chgo. Teachers College South, Majored in Voice at the American Conservatory of Music, and received an Assoc. in Arts Degree (With Honors) from MVCC. Joe’s work career focused on Sales & Sales Mgmt, with almost 20 years at MSP (Southtown & Star Newspapers) in Advertising Space Sales for Restaurants and Entertainment Businesses. Joe continues to sing in the St. George Parish Choir, and as soloist for special occasions. Joe has sung the National Anthem for the American Heart Association, Chambers of Commerce, The Odyssey Veterans Golf, Village of Tinley Park, and for the Disabled American Veterans. Joe is Actively Retired and “works” as a Volunteer Co-Organizer for the Inaugural TEDx Tinley Park.

Renee Lenore Oswald is a Certified Hypnotherapist, teacher, author, and speaker who has spent the past 16 years helping people create meaningful change through the power of the mind.

Through her practice, Your Mind Over Matter, Renee works with individuals and groups using hypnotherapy, meditation, and personal-development techniques to help people move beyond limiting beliefs, fears, stress, and patterns that may be holding them back.

Renee has taught classes at Moraine Valley Community College, area libraries, Mind Body Spirit Expos, and The Gathering Lighthouse, where she has led a weekly Monday-night metaphysical and personal-growth gathering for 16 years.

A lifelong Chicago South Sider, Renee believes people often have far more ability to change their lives than they realize.

She is also the author of The Adventures of Cody and Grandma and Questions of a Curious Mind and enjoys sharing ideas that encourage curiosity, possibility, and personal transformation.

Mike is a graduate of Central Michigan University, with a BS in Business Administration. Recently retired, and keeping very busy, he has over five-decades of sales experience, including three President’s Club awards. Mike enjoys backgammon, reading, golf, Toastmasters, and fishing. While he is “Michigan born & raised,” Mike enjoys all that Chicago’s South Suburbs has to offer. His favorite quote is, “With integrity, nothing else matters. Without integrity, nothing else matters.” He is a firm believer in “fighting for fairness.” He’s eager to shake your hand on Sunday, October 4th at the TEDx Tinley Park event.

Garrett Gray headed the Speaker Selection Committee and is the Speech Coach for TEDx Tinley Park. Garrett is Founder of Main Stage Productions LLC (mainstageimprov.com), which produces sold-out improv shows, workshops, and classes for cities, schools, universities, businesses, &  private events. Garrett & his wife Amanda co-teach their popular course “Speak Like a Champion Today!”, helping students become the speaker of their dreams. A 2X TEDx speaker, Garrett has hosted public-access TV, guest-DJ’d on SiriusXM’s Beatles Channel, & performed at the Chicago Theatre with Steve Martin and Martin Short.