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CAN Talks

CAN Talks is an annual Greenville event featuring local speakers with disabilities who share their stories, experiences, and perspectives.

Inspired by TED Talks, the event broadens perspectives, promotes inclusion, and celebrates the voices and contributions of individuals with disabilities throughout our community. Proceeds support the Barbara Stone Foundation.

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Save the Date! October 20, 2026

Event Details for CAN Talks 2026

Meet the 2026 Speakers

Riley Fincher-Foster joins CAN Talks 2026 as a special celebrity guest, with a live performance.

The six featured speakers for CAN Talks 2026, photographed together against a Greenville skyline backdrop

Riley Fincher-Foster

CELEBRITY GUEST

Riley Fincher-Foster is a Greenville actor and singer who started performing at age six. She has appeared in more than 20 local stage productions. In 2021 she toured the country with A Christmas Story, The Musical as Mary Beth. Her film work includes the young version of Mary-Louise Parker’s character in Omni Loop, which premiered at South by Southwest in 2024, and a feature role in Tulsa. She has trained in voice since she was eight and studies tap, jazz, ballet and modern dance on top of that. Riley was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 4 and has lived with it for almost 13 years. She is a firm advocate for the Type 1 diabetes community.

As a kid, Riley’s favorite night of the year was the Breakthrough T1D Gala, which she attended as a Youth Ambassador. For the past three years she has co-emceed it, and she calls that her proudest moment. She loves how Greenville supports the arts and makes room for people to find their community. Ask her about her sneakers: she owns nine pairs of Converse, including one in bright neon orange.

Riley Fincher-Foster stands with her arms crossed against a bright yellow backdrop and gives a confident smile. Her dark hair is pulled up in a high, wavy ponytail. She wears silver hoop earrings, a blue tank top with cream trim and a few thin bracelets. A small sensor is visible on her upper arm.
Kaitlyn Lengel stands with her arms crossed against a bright yellow backdrop and gives a small smile. Her dark hair is pulled up in a high ponytail, and she wears a blue tank top with white trim and silver hoop earrings.

Kaitlyn Lengel

SPEAKER

Kaitlyn Lengel is a 21-year-old student at USC Upstate, where she is majoring in Sports Management. An athlete, photographer, and advocate, Kaitlyn enjoys playing pickleball, spending time in nature, and capturing the world around her through her love of photography. She also volunteers with Adaptive Pickleball as a peer coach.

Kaitlyn is passionate about helping others see the person before the label and reminding people that disability is only one part of someone’s story.

At CAN Talks, she hopes to inspire others with disabilities to recognize that they are far more capable than the labels others may place on them.

Craig Garrison

SPEAKER

Craig Garrison is a Greenville native, Clemson University graduate, advocate, writer, and creative thinker. He graduated with honors from Clemson with a degree in Marketing and a minor in Management and now works at TD SYNNEX in Digital Renewals & Modernization.

Craig has ADHD and is passionate about increasing awareness and understanding of disability and neurodiversity. He has devoted his time to building community and creating spaces where others feel seen and supported, including helping found the Clemson Club of Neurodiversity and establishing Clemson’s NAACP chapter.

Outside of work and advocacy, he enjoys writing rap and poetry, watching anime, playing video games, and learning about everything from history and neuroscience, to psychology and human behavior.

At CAN Talks, Craig will share his experience with imposter syndrome and self-doubt, and how he has learned to embrace growth, accomplishment, and his authentic self.

Craig Garrison grins wide with one arm resting on a porch railing. He wears a red long-sleeve polo with a striped collar, and hanging ferns and string lights glow behind him.
Landon Barber, a young man with wavy light brown hair, smiles at the camera. He wears a cream button-up shirt and rests his folded arms on a mosaic café table beside a tall potted plant.

Landon Barber

SPEAKER

Landon is a 19-year-old Greenville native and a graduate of Hidden Treasure Christian School in Taylors, South Carolina. He has Autism and a passion for all things automotive—especially sim racing and go-karting. He is also interested in photography and graphic design and hopes to pursue opportunities that allow him to use those creative talents.

Graduating from high school is one of Landon’s proudest accomplishments. He appreciates Greenville for its strong sense of community and the way it combines the energy of a growing city with the feel of a smaller town.

At CAN Talks, Landon wants to share both the struggles and successes he has experienced while living with autism and how he has worked to overcome challenges. His message reflects his determination: when he puts his mind to something and accomplishes it, and he believes others can, too.

David Ackerman

SPEAKER

David is a Greenville resident who has called the community home for more than 43 years. Born in Greeley, Colorado, David has studied at Greenville Technical College, Franklin University, North Greenville University, and the Corporate Career Development Center at Furman University. Professionally, he is a General Partner with Accessible Building Solutions and serves as Vice President of Dather Builders.

David lives with muscular dystrophy (FSHD Type 1) and brings both personal and professional experience to his passion for accessibility. He enjoys working with leather, hot mat Pilates, cooking, hot yoga, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and son-in-law.

At CAN Talks, David wants to express gratitude for those who have supported him throughout his life while raising awareness of physical disabilities. He hopes his story encourages greater understanding of universal design and physical accessibility so that communities work better for everyone.

David Ackerman sits in his wheelchair beside a white breeze-block wall and looks calmly at the camera. He has long, curly silver hair and a white beard. His reading glasses hang from the front of his denim-blue shirt, and he wears a leather cuff on one wrist.
Val Hincapie stands beside a white breeze-block wall under a hanging fern. She has a long dark braid, wire-rimmed glasses and red lipstick. She's wearing a rust-orange draped vest over a black top, a long pearl necklace with a white flower pendant and a patterned skirt.

Val Hincapie

SPEAKER

Valerie “Val” Garcia was born in Colombia and moved to the United States with her family when she was seven years old. Val was born with Moebius Syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes facial paralysis and affects her ability to make traditional facial expressions. She graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in Communications and a minor in Journalism and now works as a Marketing Specialist for Hope for Greenville.

Val is a writer, poet, photographer, and passionate storyteller. She self-published her poetry book, The Words She Never Said, is working on her debut novel, and owns Infinite Narratives Photography. She also loves movies and dreams of one day writing and producing a short film.

Val is excited to be a CAN Talks speaker because she wants to bring greater awareness and understanding to the experiences of people with disabilities. Her talk, “Face Value,” challenges us to look beyond first impressions and remember that a person’s appearance can never tell their whole story.

Jean Knight (Emcee)

SPEAKER

Jean Knight is a Greenville native and proud graduate of Eastside High School. After completing Project SEARCH, Jean joined Greenville County EMS, where she has worked for the past five years alongside an amazing team. She loves her job and the people she gets to work with each day.

Jean first participated in CAN Talks two years ago, an experience that helped her discover that she loves public speaking! She also developed many new friendships along the way, so she is especially excited to return to CAN Talks this year as Emcee.

Outside of work, Jean enjoys participating in Special Olympics swimming, golf, and pickleball, and loves traveling and spending time with her family. Jean is thrilled to be back on the CAN Talks stage and looks forward to helping make this year’s event one to remember!

Jean Knight sits at a mosaic café table with her hands resting on top and smiles at the camera. She has shoulder-length light brown hair and tortoiseshell glasses and wears a cobalt dress with a white abstract print.
Holden Roberts leans on a porch railing with a closed-mouth smile. He has a full dark beard and wears a brown herringbone flat cap with a charcoal button-up shirt. Ferns and string lights blur in the background.

Holden Roberts (Emcee)

SPEAKER

Holden is an Independent Living Specialist with Able SC, where he works alongside people with disabilities as they pursue goals for greater independence. He is autistic and was homeschooled before moving directly into employment. Holden enjoys cycling, tabletop role-playing games with friends, reading science fiction and history, video games, model aviation, writing, and a wide range of other creative interests.

Holden appreciates Greenville’s culture, architecture, parks, libraries, recreation centers, and trails. Although he may look serious when deep in thought, he wants people to know that he enjoys meeting and talking with others—so don’t be afraid to come up and say hello! A previous CAN Talks speaker, Holden considers the audience reception to his last CAN Talk one of his proudest moments. He especially values hearing from people who connected with his words and found something useful in his message. He looks forward to emceeing the event this year.

Join Us October 20!

On October 20, six speakers will take the stage to share what they’ve learned about living and working in this community. Come find a seat, and bring someone who has never been. If you can’t be there in person, a virtual ticket brings the night to you.

However you show up, you help make CAN Talks possible. We’ll see you on the 20th.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE→

 

Two people on stage under warm lighting at CAN Talks, one seated in a wheelchair and one standing, both smiling toward the audience

CAN Talks 2026 Sponsors

Every sponsorship includes recognition on event marketing materials, event signage, the BSF website, and newsletters and social media, plus an invitation to meet featured speakers and a commemorative sponsor gift. Reserve your sponsorship or request an invoice. Questions? Contact Lara Ceisel at Lara@barbarastonefoundation.org.

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