In Bellevue, TEDxBellevue Women has become more than an annual event. It is a gathering place for ideas, conversation, and connection, a space where women’s voices are elevated and community is strengthened.

Founded in 2019 by neighbors Kelly Suter, Terri Fujinaga, and Lia Mancuso, TEDxBellevue Women began as a local passion project rooted in a simple but powerful belief: that real women sharing real ideas could spark thoughtful dialogue, deeper listening, and meaningful connection. Over the past six years, that vision has grown into a distinctive community platform, expanding from an audience of 100 to almost 400 attendees at each gathering, with talks reaching viewers far beyond Bellevue.

Now, the event is entering a new chapter. Helping guide that transition is Dele Downs Kooley, whose connection to TEDxBellevue Women has evolved over time. She first attended as an audience member, later stepped into the roles of speaker coach and emcee, and eventually joined the organizing team. For Dele, taking on greater leadership is both an honor and a responsibility. “I’m taking on something that has already been established at a level of excellence,” she says. “My goal is to continue creating spaces where women can come together, share ideas, and feel connected to something meaningful.”

Her path into the work was shaped not only by her belief in the event, but by her admiration for the women who built it. “When they first brought me in to help, I felt fortunate to witness the beautiful friendship between these three high-achieving women,” she says. “My first thought was, ‘Oh wow, I get to be part of this group, and learn from them at the same time.’” That sense of gratitude grew into something deeper: a desire to help preserve the care and excellence that have defined TEDxBellevue Women from the beginning. “I’ve had the privilege of watching their friendship in action and seeing firsthand the level of excellence they each bring to the table,” Dele says. “My goal is to carry that legacy forward by continuing to create a high-quality experience for everyone involved.”

That commitment is also personal. Over time, Bellevue has become more than the place where she lives; it has become her community. “When I first moved to Bellevue, I knew one person,” she says. “But over time, Bellevue has truly become my community.” That feeling is especially tangible during the event itself. “Each year, when I come out from backstage and mingle with everyone, I realize how many women in the audience have been part of my Bellevue journey,” she says. “We’re raising our kids together, participating in local activities, and building lives here. That’s really meaningful.”

For Dele, that community dimension is part of what gives TEDxBellevue Women its staying power. The event is not only about what happens onstage, but about what happens when people gather around ideas and leave feeling more connected to one another. Looking ahead, her vision is rooted in continuity as much as possibility, building on the strong foundation established by the founders while exploring thoughtful ways to deepen the event’s relationship with the broader Bellevue community.

“Going forward, we’d love to deepen engagement with our Bellevue community in meaningful ways,” she says. “We’re thinking about how to create more opportunities for connection and exploring thoughtful partnerships that align with the spirit of the event.” At the center of that vision is a desire to sustain the sense of connection TEDxBellevue Women has cultivated over the years, not only during the annual event, but in the spaces between. “One of the questions I’m asking is, ‘How do we create meaningful touchpoints that keep our community connected between events?’”

She is equally committed to preserving another hallmark of TEDxBellevue Women: the care given to the speaker experience. “One thing I really appreciate is the bar that was set when it comes to the speaker experience,” Dele says. “That’s something I absolutely want to carry forward. You can’t have a quality event without thoughtful support for the people who step onto that stage, so that care has to remain central to everything we do.”

That intentionality has helped TEDxBellevue Women talks resonate far beyond the room. In recent years, speakers from the event have reached audiences well beyond Bellevue, including Montana von Fliss’s talk, How to Be Confident (Even If You’re Not), which became the most-watched TEDx talk of 2025 at over 4 million views and counting! “I think that level of care is part of what shows up on the back end,” she says. “It’s reflected in the quality of the talks and in the way the event continues to resonate with people.”

As TEDxBellevue Women enters its next season, the heart of the event remains unchanged: bringing people together through ideas that inspire, challenge, and connect. For those who want to revisit the ideas that have shaped TEDxBellevue Women so far, past talks remain available online, with more updates to come through the organization’s LinkedIn and Instagram channels.

The next chapter is in good hands.