On Stage Host

Mark Powers is no stranger to the TEDx stage. He has spoken at TEDxConcordiaUPortland and TEDxYouthOmaha, and was the onstage host for three previous TEDxMtHood events (2013, 2014, 2015), as well as another at TEDxSalem (2017).

Mark is a percussionist, author, educator, and creative entrepreneur based in the Pacific Northwest. He regularly tours internationally and has recorded and/or performed with a long list of artists, including She & Him, M. Ward, Floater, Three For Silver, and many others.

Endlessly fascinated by how small seeds of ideas in one’s mind can turn into large and very real things out in the world, Mark enjoys collaborating in a wide variety of music, storytelling, and multimedia projects. That curiosity extends to every new TED and TEDx “idea worth spreading” and makes him thrilled to discover what will be shared at TEDxMtHood 2026.