2023 HATCH Europe Bios
Vanessa Castro
Vanessa's focus is on cyclic mentorship for women in business, life, relationships and more (using the menstrual cycle/ menopause to its best effect). Her passion is to support women in feeling the sparkles of life and part of the cycles of nature. She offers practitioner trainings and transformational experiences, personal sessions, workshops and wellness retreats for physical, mental and emotional balance based in the womb, cyclic nature and ancestral principles.
Katherine Milligan
Katherine is a Director at the Collective Change Lab, a think tank that provides practical inspiration, insight, and guidance for attaining systems change. Named a "Top 100 Women in Social Entrepreneurship” by the Euclid Network, Katherine is affiliated with many innovation and entrepreneurship networks. She teaches courses on social innovation and entrepreneurship at the Graduate Institute and Dartmouth College and is the author of 20 publications and articles. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.
Mark Goerner
I thrive when living an artful existence creating solutions for an optimistic future. My work centers around comprehensive design, systems thinking, and the arts. Iv’e contributed concept design-work to the automotive, gaming, theme park, movie and tech. industries for 30 years. It’s my love of nature, experience with manufacturing and interest in bettering humanity that inspired me to found Eqogo, a robust platform to evaluate and rate products on their social, environmental and quality attributes. I seek to make the pursuit of transparency a contagion for irreversible change.
Kenny Andejeski
Kenny is a community builder who is curiously committed to better understanding everything that unites, divides and compels us to participate in this social experiment called life. He sees the world through an entrepreneurial lens that is focused on connecting people with ideas, resources, places, and one another to foster the community required to effectively address the inequities, challenges and opportunities of our time.
Michelle de Bruijn
As the visionary behind Kenshō, a company committed to driving leadership transformation, Michelle firmly advocates that a desirable future is forged from within. Her mission is clear: to construct a bridge between Buddhist psychology and established leaders, addressing the world's plea for extraordinary leadership. By integrating scientific insights and leveraging cutting-edge wellbeing technology, Michelle equips leaders with the tools and understanding to transcend conventional boundaries and become catalysts for transformative change.
Tharald Nustad
Tharald Nustad is a Norwegian serial entrepreneur and investor in the tech sector. He is the founder of Nordic Impact, a company that incubates and invests in social / environmental impact tech startups and impact funds. He is co-founder Katapult Future Fest, an event focusing on technology, impact investing and the future society, Katapult Accelerator, a leading accelerator for impact tech startups and Katapult Ocean, an accelerator helping and investing in ocean impact tech startups. Nordic impact is very active in the future of education, and how we can create the future we want to live in.
Holly Truitt
Holly is the CEO of Holly Truitt Consulting. Designer, federally funded researcher and author, her firm helps institutions co-create solutions with their communities that better the world. Clients include/have included: Harvard Medical School, Fortune 500s, Government of Abu Dhabi, Tribal entities, and others. A presenter at places like HATCH, TEDx and MIT, she has taught at the Stanford d.school. She lives in Missoula, Montana with her boy Finn, husband Reed, and their 12 pound dog named Baguette.
Marie Ekeland
Mathematician & computer scientist from background, entered venture capital at the very early days of the French Tech in 2000. I have been iterating on the VC model since to make it the most valuable possible to founders & investors and contribute to solve the world's problems. After intense learnings within entrepreneurship & advocacy, I have founded 2050 to leverage the power of money to shape a fertile future. By creating the first aligned and ecosystemic VC, I hope to drive systemic change within finance and reconcile financial, environmental & social performances.
Haley Lowry
Haley is a Global Sustainability Director at Dow with 18 years experience creating new circular business models and products that integrate social, environmental and commercial goals across CPG, retail, and plastics sectors. As Dow’s spokesperson on circularity and ESG with external partners, NGOs and investors, she’s found the intersection of business and impact. She is passionate about using business as a force for good to solve social and environmental challenges. Haley was nominated as one of World Economic Forum’s 2021 Young Global Leaders.
Nicole Yershon
Nicole is a maverick, inspiration, and original ‘rough diamond’. She is at once an executor, consultant, coach, speaker, judge, mentor, a ‘super-connector’, and Amazon's #1 Best-Selling author. Nicole is one of the Drum’s 25 Women Who Shaped The Digital Industry in the last 25 years. She is also Wired Magazine’s top 100 – first annual survey of Britain’s Digital Power brokers and a Women in IT Finalist. She works on the front line of innovation. Nicole sits at the complex intersection of business, creativity, technology, marketing and the future. She is always turning disruption into advantage
Ryan Tomlinson
Ryan helps visionary founders shape and expand their ideas, and then whispers them into the ears of the right people. A lifelong entrepreneur, he's launched multiple startups, developed and executed award winning brand strategies, and has led early stage growth for dozens more. He has sharpened his skillset and toolkit against solving a wide array of problems across a wide range of industries — entertainment, consumer products, music, aerospace, spirits, fashion, tech, healthcare. He has produced thousands of hours of content, & connects networks across disciplines, industries, and continents.
Joan Havard
Joan is an entrepreneur and former owner of Carson Creek Ranch, which hosted concerts, music festivals and other events over the last ten years in Austin, Texas. Joan has recently sold the ranch and bought a property in Italy but being a sixth generation Texan, she will keep roots in Texas. Recently purchasing another ranch in Lockhart, Texas which is fast becoming the new spot for creatives. Joan is currently her spending time traveling, setting up both properties and looking for her next adventure.
Sindre Østgård
Chief Alignment Officer and MP at 2050.do, Managing Partner of We Are Human; Co-founders of the impact unicorn Kahoot, and a diverse portfolio of people- & planet positive early stage companies, Chair of Katapult Ocean; the most active early stage investor in Ocean Impact Tech with a portfolio of 52 companies so far. Previous; Discovery International; Leading Nordics Digital Transformation and European M&A, CEO of Tinius Trust; largest owner of Schibsted (Media & Marketplaces), Head of Digital at NRK (Norwegian eqv BBC), Education: LAW, MBA, Chaospilot, Conflict Mediation
Lara Reichmann
Lara Reichmann is an ecologist and data scientist dedicated to creating positive social impact. As VP of Data Science at Vibrant Data Labs (VDL), Lara's current focus lies in tackling the urgent issue of the climate crisis, using data science to reveal gaps in climate investments to address and mitigate the effects of climate change. Her diverse experience spans academia and industry. She has a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and has conducted plant, soil, and microbial research in Patagonia, New Mexico, Texas, and California.
Christina Sanders
Founder of the PoliChic Engagement Fund, has led countless local, state and national electoral and public policy advocacy efforts. She's served as Senior Program Manager at The Andrew Goodman Foundation and Director of Texas League of Young Voters, as a Political Science Professor and as a member of the Texas Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission for Civil Rights. Christina is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and holds a Masters in Policy from Georgetown University, and a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of in Political Science from Texas Southern University.
Abdelmoety Elbahrawy
An acclaimed Egyptian Historian, Abdel was born in a small village in a delta of the Nile North of Cairo, where he still lives with his family. In college he studied Egyptology, and Archaeology, to better understand his passion in life: EGYPT. Over the years he has grown into a legendary guide, with special relationships across
the country that allow unique access and discovery. Not many understand the ancient wisdom and secrets of the origins of humanity on the Nile, more than Abdel.
Bret Johnson
Former creator of outdoor lifestyle/sports content as a TV host, fitness expert and talent agent. In 2003, Bret helped start Rockstar Energy Drink and quickly moved to VP of Sales/Marketing PacNW then recruited by Pabst Brewing as VP of Field Marketing. Currently, as a beverage consultant & partner at BeyondBrands, he provides sales & marketing execution strategies. His passions: the CUBAMERA project to support the musical connection between Cuba & USA plus a self-published novel, HEAVENLAND. Positive facilitation- to progress we must “YES!”
Grant Davis
A Hatcher from the beginning. For 25 years Grant has built immersive and large scale projection environments. A VJ since the 90's Grant has toured with some of the biggest names in the music industry and currently touring with John Legend. Performances at multiple Winter Olympics and a resident with Ultra Music Festival Worldwide as their lead visual coordinator and VJ. Grant has received numerous awards and recognition. Voted 10 VJ 3 years in a row by DJ Magazine.
Pablo A Fernandez
Pablo is a community builder passionate about human connection, and founder of Secret Table, a renowned experience design company that connects leaders, innovators, artists, and entrepreneurs. On a mission to share the importance of in-person connection and community, he advises multiple start-ups and serves on the board or leadership team of various nonprofits, including the San Diego Food Systems Alliance. He is also a start-up mentor through the Founder Institute. Pablo has hosted and produced over 300 events, and most recently is advising Experience House, a one-month creative residency.
Nick Dingwall
I am a former mathematics teacher who switched to work in machine learning & AI seven years ago. That journey has taken me through startups in healthcare and sales automation, and to Amazon. I preferred the startups! I've spent the last 6 months working on my inner growth through meditation, plant medicine and other modalities, and now I'm searching for ways to apply my experience to building products that spark curiosity about the world and promote community.
Laura Anne Edwards
Innovation catalyst, named a 2021 Top 50 Leader in Space Tech. Laura is a NASA Datanaut, a core member of the Oxford Space Initiative, Guest Lecturer Saïd Business School University of Oxford, TED Speaker and TED Resident, as well as a UC Irvine, Living Systems Collaboratory and Buckminster Fuller Design Science Studio Resident. Laura served on the State Department Advisory Committee for Technology and Innovation/Public Private Partnerships and was named in 2019 as a “Woman to Watch in Innovation”. Laura consults and speaks globally on sustainable innovation, systems thinking, and more.
Eric Berlow
Eric is currently an Emerson Collective Climate Fellow and CEO of Vibrant Data Labs, a social-impact, data-science company focusing on mapping the ecosystem of funding for climate change solutions to foster more collaboration and strategic decisions. He has been a TED Fellow, TED Senior Fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, and a National Science Foundation Fellow; was listed among the "Top 100 Creatives" by Origin Magazine, and was named an "Agent of Impact" ImpactAlpha. A recurring theme in Eric's work is to find simplicity that lies on the other side of complexity.
Ayeola Alexander
Financial systems change strategist, most recently as SVP, Operations and Chief Human Resources Officer of the Bank Policy Institute of Washington DC, a research and advocacy group, representing the nation’s leading banks. Currently in transition, and surveying opportunities to scale impact.
Jacqueline Twillie
Jacqueline V. Twillie is a leader who has made contributions to the fields of business, leadership, and gender equality. As the Co-CEO at AIME , Founder of ZeroGap.co, and a best-selling author, she champions diversity, inclusion, and equity of underrepresented leaders in the workplace. Through ZeroGap, she equips organizations with strategies for inclusion at core of operations. As Co-CEO, she finds joy in cultivating and nurturing global partnerships that prioritize the harmonious relationship between nature and the invaluable knowledge of Indigenous Systems.
“Imagination is our path”
Arthur Little
Accomplished leader/change maker with strong cultural values & strong community background. I’m passionate about working with Indigenous Communities. I think local and act global.
Shira Abramowitz
Passionate about learning design and fascinated by the intersection of social cognitive neuroscience, group learning, and moral decision-making.
Founding Executive Director of Summit Impact, building a platform for collective learning and collaborative action. Also a co-founder at Up & Up Creative Agency, and a meditation teacher training with Or HaLev.
Thomas Silverman
Tom is a social impact leader and lifelong learner who is radically amazed by the universe. His career has been dedicated to empowering individuals to reach their full potential and bringing people together to accelerate positive social change. He's worked in refugee camps, led political campaigns, built youth activism programs, implemented large-scale fundraising campaigns, and fostered strategic partnerships that address some of the world's most pressing challenges. Tom currently serves as SVP, Strategic Partnerships at buildOn--an NGO focused on global literacy and poverty alleviation.
Pradeep Sharma
I am working on an Institute of Capable Things - interested in building capabilities for creativity and innovation for the 21st Century, but where the 21st Century is not evenly shared, and relishing the fact that we are all different. Inclusive economies and building capability is needed so that everyone can have a livelihood.
Kelsea Crawford
Kelsea is an American/British entrepreneur living in Paris and the co-founder and CEO of Cutwork, an award-winning architecture and design studio specialized in building new ways to live and work. Cutwork was named among the Top-30 Cleantech companies in Europe and won the FRAME Award for Societal Innovation of the Year in 2020 for their breakout coliving project. Kelsea gave a TEDx on ‘The Future of Shared Architecture’ and was nominated for ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’ in 2017. She is currently the French Ambassador of Co-Liv, the largest global association of coliving professionals.
Jon Morris
Jon Morris is the CEO/co-founder of NOWHERE & The Windmill Factory. He has helped pioneer immersive theatre, the experience economy, and the metaverse by creating award winning experiences at the intersection of art and technology that have excited audiences around the globe including collaborations with Cirque Du Soleil, NIN, Fuerzabruta, Burning Man, Red Bull, AWS, Google to name a few. linktr.ee/yojonmorris
Christine Lai
Christine Lai is a cross-sector collaboration catalyst who connects capital, ideas, opportunities, and people for positive social change. She is a Partner with Together Institute, a collective dedicated to collaborating with purpose-driven communities and networks to sustain and thrive. She also works with several foundations - including the Kauffman Foundation, One Project, and Schmidt Futures - on their community, ecosystem, and network strategies.
She has a practice of taking life sabbaticals and loves bringing people together to share a delicious meal and meaningful conversation.
Erika Cartagena
Erika is a Latinx-identifying coach passionate about helping leaders embody their full potential by focusing on ei-based change and resilience cultivation. Her methodologies are rooted in neuroscience, her past life as CHRO having started HR at Etsy and Justworks, and embodied movement practices. A lifelong student, she continues to deepen her studies at NYU, Harvard and Nalanda in addition to her work with plant medicine. She is a certified coach through Columbia U and spent time building a healing retreat center for activists in Costa Rica.
Susannah Winkelman
My name is Susannah I'm a proud Wiradjuri (Aboriginal Group) woman from small country town in the Central West of New South Wales in Australia. I'm 23, recently finished my undergraduate degree at the end of 2022 in Criminology, Sociology and Anthropology and work for AIME Mentoring as a Co-Ceo. I'm excited and passionate about systems change and making the world a fairer place.
Addison Strom
Addie is a highschool junior. She is a visual artist (pencil, ink, and digital) and an aspiring writer. In addition to being a trans-rights activist in the challenging environment of Montana politics, Addie is passionate about live music, vinyl albums, and reading quirky and esoteric literature, particularly the “horror” genre.
Shayak Farid Lwanyaaga
Shyaka Farid Lwanyaaga best known for his smile as he fronts it as his best skill and superpower: his smile. Shyaka runs an annual SRHR themed fashion show known as Menstrual Shabang Fashion show in Kampala. In 2017 Shyaka was listed in The New Vision’s Top 40 Under 40 most influential young people in Uganda, the same year he founded the non-profit BWEN. As a student at Cavendish University Uganda, he won AIME’s Golden Ticket making him part of the first group to take the mentoring model out of Australia and been fortunate to one of AIME’s Co-CEOs in 2022z
Waangenga Blanco
Waangenga Blanco is a proud indigenous man who descends from the Pajinka Wik in Cape York and Meriam Mer the furthest eastern island in the Torres Strait. He is an award winning, globally touring performing artist, specialising in contemporary dance, choreography and acting. Waangenga’s classes are centred in a uniting of hearts and bodies away from the thinking mind. Drawing on his indigenous heritage, Waangenga creates an experience connecting you to country and your own inner landscape, anchored in breath, using the dynamism of the human vessel to transcend and integrate embodiment.
Yarrow Kraner
Yarrow is the Founder of HATCH and H360.ai, is an Aspen Institute Fellow, RSA Fellow, and named 2015 top 100 creatives in the U.S. by Origins. He is a pioneer of social networking and has been building communities for twenty years. He’s directed projects with Richard Branson, The Rock, P Diddy, and more. In 1999, Yarrow created an online network – The Hero Project, which grew to 1.5 Million users and was acquired by FOX. In 2004, Yarrow founded HATCH, connecting global influencers to accelerate solutions for the UN’s SDGs. In 2016 Yarrow founded H360.ai, an A.I. driven collaboration platform.
Stephani Beck
Stephani is a Wongathatha, Ngudju woman from Western Australia and unlikely Vice Chancellor of IMAGI-NATION {University}, a lab for humanity to solve the challenges of our time through relational economics. Stephani is an artist, organiser of systems change and storyteller in many forms with puppetry becoming the newest addition to the tool kit. Stephani is a mentor who is known for her imagination and ability to translate complex systems into fun learning opportunities for all to access. You’ll often find her under a tree or by the river looking to learn from and be in relation to nature.
Ignacio Packer
Ignacio Packer leads the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation as ED since 1 May 2023. He served as Executive Director of ICVA, the global consortium of humanitarian NGOs.
He has over 30 years of experience in humanitarian and development issues. He served as CEO of the Terre des Hommes International Federation, and previously with the Terre des Hommes Foundation, the Swiss Tropical Institute, Médecins Sans Frontières, KPMG and the European Bank for Latin America.
He is an expert on human rights and social issues, strongly engaged in global advocacy on protection of migrants and refugees.
Alejandro Manuel Velazquez
I been travelling for the past 10 years finding answers about how we can make this a better world. Using magic as a tool to spread love.
Jack Manning Bancroft
Jack Manning Bancroft is the Founder & CEO of AIME. He is a graduate of The University of Sydney and Stanford University, a former NSW Young Australian of the Year, and an author of books for children and adults. Jack has received a Human Rights Medal, an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Western Sydney and is the youngest person in Australian history to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate, which he received from the University of South Australia. He is currently an Honorary Fellow at Deakin University with the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab.
Leia Alex
Leia is the daughter of an artist and an ornithologist (and yes, named after Princess Leia from Star Wars). She is a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service where she designed a course on Art & Diplomacy. Leia previously served as Executive Director for Paintbrush Diplomacy and Festival Manager for the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival in Melbourne. She currently works for AIME Mentoring, wearing many hats and producing live shows with our touring theatre troupe. Some of Leia's other passions include technical theatre, living archives, and learning how to weave.
Irmin Durand
Irmin Durand is a strategist, communicator, connector and mentor working with people and organisations focused on social change, equality and fairness. Whether they work within communities or across regions, her goal is to help them build relationships, share ideas, exchange knowledge, and create opportunities for greater impact. Irmin has worked with organisations, networks and media houses operating across the world, including AIME, UNESCO, African Development Bank, Amnesty International, Rockefeller Foundation, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Sarineh Garapetian
Sarineh Garapetian is a Paris-based creative producer, strategist, and storyteller. She graduated with honors in acting and recently received a Masters from ESCP. After working for prestigious film festivals she co-founded Bliss Films in LA, . Sarineh is now a Co-CEO at AIME, bringing systems change while also excelling in short-form content production.
Vanessa Ellis
Vanessa works with and for AIME mentoring as the head of Puppetry. She designs, constructs, and wrangles the Professors ( Our Puppet faculty ) and their puppeteers. Fondly known as the puppetry overlord. She has worked in theatre, film, and television as a Puppeteer, Choreographer, Designer, and fabricator specialising in Puppet design. With a passion for visual theatre and storytelling, Vanessa segued from dance to puppetry in 1998 and has been devising, constructing, and performing puppetry for the last 25 years.
Parul Punjabi Jagdish
A leader fashioned along the lines of Mandela & Gandhi, my purpose in life is to 'trust life fully, live fearlessly & serve all beings around me, human and non-human'. I bring perspective with varied educational background in commerce, international relations, media and community development (all on prestigious scholarships) along with years of professional experience in providing strategic evidence-based advice to top global private corporations and policy makers in India and Europe.
I currently lead change as the CEO of AIME Inc. (US), a global movement to create a fairer world!
Candice Mama
Candice Mama’s story has been listened to by the Dalai Lama
She is one of Vogue Magazine’s top 33 most inspiring women in the world alongside: Nicole Kidman, Michelle Obama, Malala
She was named in the Top 20 African Women by the African Union and United Nations celebrating women who have contributed in building peace in Africa presented by UN Secretary General António Guterres and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg
In 2020 as the United Nations celebrated 75 years they chose 75 people to celebrate and honour and Candice was chosen as one of the #UN75 People; 75 Stories.
Ryan Jiang
I am a student at Boston College studying Economics. Coming from Silicon Valley, I grew up among the innovation-first fast-moving ethos that the area is known for, but after getting interested in global economics and public policy surrounding green tech, I became interested in how to best use government policy to harness the innovative power of the private sector. Also, as Chinese Japanese American, I consider myself as a global citizen and believe that any effort to combat climate change must include cross-cultural aspects of politics, environmental impact, and innovation.
Marek Wallenfels
Marek Wallenfels joined the Bertelsmann Stiftung on September 1th, 2022, as a director in the Education and Next Generation program. He is committed to the issues of educational equity and contemporary education. Wallenfels is an economist with more than 20 years of experience in the areas of political communications and nonprofit leadership. He comes to the Stiftung from the educational organization EDUCATION Y, where he is currently executive director. Previously, he served as secretary general of the Mercator Institute on Global Commons (MCC) and as managing director of Stiftung 2°.
Stacy Whittle
Stacy is an actor, producer, entrepreneur, Co-founder of Block of Love and Teatro del Corazón, and the proud mom of two sons. She is focused on integrating emerging technologies to make this, and the digital world, a better place.
Stacy has lived and worked in more than a dozen countries and is most proud of her work producing two highly lauded short docs about the joint NASA | USAID program, SERVIR. Stacy recently co-produced and directed the first 360 video for the USDA Forest Service and is working on a new 2D and VR video series in LA, New Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest.
Steve Patzkowski
A Social Impact Entrepreneur, deeply committed to my spiritual path and practice, equally committed to health and fitness. In business, the creative process is “the juice” for me, I’ll never stop doing that. I have been blessed to have been born and lived in the US, in a place with peace, access and opportunity, as such I feel strongly there is a stewardship responsibility to do good work and give back. My philosophy in business and in life is: True Abundance is the realization and embodiment of the more we give away, the more we have.
Amber Strother
Amber Strother is a singer, songwriter and member of We Are KING alongside twin sister Paris. As a duo, the sisters have contributed to award winning albums by artists including Coldplay, Aviici, Corinne Bailey Rae, Leon Bridges, Jill Scott, Nicolas Godin, and Robert Glasper, and their own self-produced and released debut album We Are KING earned them a GRAMMY nomination and was widely acclaimed in publications including Rolling Stone, TIME, NPR, Glamour, NYT, and Billboard among others. The twins are currently recording their second album.
Paris Strother
Paris Strother is a pianist, producer, and member of We Are KING alongside twin sister Amber. As a duo, the sisters have contributed to award winning albums by artists including Coldplay, Aviici, Corinne Bailey Rae, Leon Bridges, Jill Scott, Nicolas Godin, and Robert Glasper, and their own self-produced and released debut album We Are KING earned them a GRAMMY nomination and was widely acclaimed in publications including Rolling Stone, TIME, NPR, Glamour, NYT, and Billboard among others. The twins are currently recording their second album.
Bristol Baughan
Bristol Baughan is a Board Member of the Guild of Future Architects, an Emmy-winning and Oscar-Nominated film producer, and founded Inner Astronauts to help leaders embody the shift from ego to eco-centered consciousness. She coaches individuals and groups, speaks, writes, and facilitates healing experiences at Esalen and TED about the inner work of culture change. She spent a decade in the film business making films for HBO, Paramount, and Showtime. Bristol holds a B.A. in International Studies and an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica.
Valentine Stockdale
Impact investment, investment readiness and commercial strategy consulting for SDG-focused impact scale-ups | Investment Services | Venture Due Diligence | Founder Coaching | Venture Matchmaking | Investor Communications | Global Investor Network | Investment-Grade Financial Models | 15 years in finance services | Advised 100+ start-ups, SMEs and AIM and NASDAQ listed clients including regulated businesses | Founding Member, House of Balance | CEO, Impact World | Founder, Impact Angel | Co-Founder, World Indigenous Forum | Co-Founder, White Bird Agency | Focused on SDGs 5, 10, 13 and 17
Steff Rosalez
Steff lives and works in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA as an artist, musician, and community organizer. As CEO of Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities, she leads local change work through programs for youth and families with a focus on art, libraries, and schools. She sets out each day to smash white supremacy and systems of oppression. She dreams of liberated futures.
Along with her community work, she finds joy through her own art and music. She co-owns Synthusiast, sharing enthusiasm for synthesizers through synth repair, workshops, and performing as synth-pop duo, How To Live Together.
Kyle Megrue
Kyle is a conscious entrepreneur and start-up consultant with over a decade of experience innovating, building, and propelling cutting-edge concepts into impactful organizations. With a strong finance background in venture-backed start-ups, coupled with exceptional operational and management skills, Kyle is an attuned leader, dynamic problem solver, and adept team builder. His experience spans diverse sectors such as non-profits, ecommerce, media, AI, health & wellness, and cannabis.
Sheryl Winarick
Sheryl finds meaning in her work to facilitate freedom and unlock possibilities for her clients - and in helping people see the beauty in themselves, others, and the world around them. She has over 20 years of experience as a U.S. immigration lawyer, and now works mostly with migrants who have "Extraordinary Ability" in the arts, business, science, education or athletics (O1 and EB1). Her legal career is consistent with her greater life purpose - building bridges and deepening relationships to create connection, spark joy, and model the possibility of living together in harmony.
Fabienne Durand
Political scientist, consultant on sustainability and regeneration and a public relations expert. Decades in communication in institutional and influence communication. Lobbying, public policies, decisions- makers, strategies, development and activation of an international network is my field and playground. Green, sustainable, and regenerative communication, worked for the State, and SmartNations as Vice President, Board of Curate Tomorrow, Founder of 10R4D, Sr Environmental Advisor International leadership & Impact at Green Cross France et Territoires.
Sophia Hendos
My name is Sophia Hendos. I’m a qualified fitness trainer, wellness trainer, systemic consultant and state approved hotel business administrator. The last few years I was able to gain experience in very different areas. However, the work in the hospitality & health care sector has shaped me the most. For the last 3 years I have been focusing on mental health and preventive health care. Through my education and my professional experiences I realized how much influence our lifestyle has on our health. With my concepts and ideas I want to help people to a healthier and more sustainable life.
Ishraq Abdalla
Ishraq is a Sudanese climate justice advocate working in philanthropy for climate resilience building. She has previously initiated multiple programs strengthening the promotion of sustainability and climate literacy in the Arab region's higher education system. Her environmental science background has kept her well-grounded in the urgency to research the impacts of climate on both biodiversity and social issues. As a climate justice activist, Ishraq currently works to innovate newer models of fearless trials to finance consistent support flows from the GN empowering youth resilience building.
Tiffany Harnsongkram
Founder of House of Balance Global events, Co-Founder of Phoenix Acceleration Services, a team of impact investment experts dedicated to helping conscious founders access mission-suitable investment at scale. We work to build stronger businesses that get funded, thrive and scale.Tiffany is a recognized leader in Family Office/ Impact Investing conferences and impactful communities.
Marco Bollinger
Afro-Latino filmmaker, photographer and social entrepreneur Marco Ríos Bollinger has directed projects for the UN Refugee Agency and National Geographic, worked with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and photographed Beyoncé and Obama. He’s produced award-winning social issue documentaries on subjects such as the plight of refugee kids (SAFE ZONE), the healing power of dance (Dance Is My Gun) and the impacts of tourism (2.5%). More recently he has moved to scale his empathy-building advocacy work by co-founding social enterprises Lokal Travel and Uprise Institute.
Montserrat de Muller
Montserrat believes in the pursuit of humanity's core values and potential. She dedicates herself to family, to community and to global citizenry, promoting and validating differing approaches and perspectives with integrity, compassion, authenticity, grace and collaboration. She engages in service to others and hugely values individuals, stories and culture. Her heart lies in supporting those less fortunate, those experiencing homelessness or relocation, those who have been trafficked/exploited/abused; and also in animal care/welfare as well as our environmental impact and health.
B. Monét
B. Monét grew up in the Maryland area and graduated with a BA in English from
Spelman College. She graduated with an MFA in Film and Television in 2017 from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In her films, she poses questions about identity, society, race, and culture. It is vital to her that under-represented people are shown in film, media, and television.
Serida Lucrezia Catalano
As the Program Director at World Enabled, I strive to design inclusive environments for people of all abilities and backgrounds. Over the past decade, I have undertaken managerial responsibilities for programs in both non-profit and academic contexts, promoting social innovation and cutting-edge educational models. As a scholar, seasoned researcher, and public policy expert, I have led interdisciplinary projects and contributed to several important studies. My personal quest for knowledge is driven by a profound thirst to constantly explore new perspectives and contribute to meaningful change.
Ari Horie
Founded women focus accelerator in Silicon Valley based 10 yrs ago and has been received numerous awards for her work, with uniquely designed residential & transformative programs for women. In recent year, she was one of the 100 most powerful women by Entrepreneur magazine and also became a Barbie doll in 2022, as one of the Mattel’s role model for girls. She and her team continue to provide profound impact through their NPO’s entrepreneurial leadership Prog. to # of governments. We believe the innovation can democratize and mobilize women’s advancement and freedom for the better world.
Eli Ovits
As we reacted to a global pandemic I founded Altruists - connecting people with meaningful causes - leveraging experience across sectors, having serves as a CEO of a global conferencing organization.
Andini Makosinski
Andini Makosinski is a 25 year old Renaissance Woman: writer, inventor & presenter. She is most known for her invention of a flashlight that runs off the heat of the human hand. Andini is one of Time Magazines 30 Under 30, Forbes 30 Under 30, Entrepreneur Magazine's Young Millionaires & Popular Science's Young Inventor of the Year. She is currently finalizing her book 'The Inventing Mindset', set to be published by Knopf in Spring 2024. In May, Andini officially stepped into the world of hosting with the release of her show on financial literacy, produced by Million Stories and Experian.
Royce Mann
Royce Mann is a student, poet, activist, and political organizer from Atlanta, GA. His poetry has been featured in publications such as CNN, Esquire, and the Huffington Post. As an activist, Royce was a lead organizer of the Atlanta March for Our Lives and currently serves as the Deputy Director of The People’s Uprising’s Young Atlanta Leaders program. In 2021, Royce ran for the Atlanta Board of Education, coming up short but receiving support from across the city. He most recently worked as a Digital Consultant for Stacey Abrams and as the Youth Engagement Coordinator for Raphael Warnock.
Shazia Ali
A collaborator and conversationalist having worked in the world of insight for over 25 years. Organisations consulted for span a range of sectors from the world of commercial consumer goods, fintech to sports/social organisations driving health & wellbeing. Core focus of the work is on giving voice to lesser heard communties through creating studies which challenge mainstream approaches & ensure research is genuine and inclusive. Shazia is also a Trustee for a sports charity, board member for the research industry body, social inclusion steering group volunteer and a women in research mentor.
Megan Bentley
Megan Bentley is a dynamic leader driven by her passion for entrepreneurship, human connection, and positive impact. She’s currently VP of Marketing at 2Gether International, the leading accelerator for founders with disabilities. She's also on the board of the Pineda Foundation, advisor to Tender Food, and runs Conservation Club, a new movement fostering belonging and conservation. She has 15+ years of global strategy, leadership, and customer experience with companies, like: Disney, Media.Monks, TechSoup, The Oscars, Charles Schwab, Google, Publicis, Expedia, World Economic Forum and more.
Charlee Sue Dreisbach
I am a junior at Lone Peak High School in Big Sky, Montana, currently completing the IB diploma. I am participating in a science research course, of which my current research pertains to thermoelectric generation and radiative sky cooling technology. I have grown up outdoors, hiking, biking, rafting, camping, and more, all of which have given me a respect for our natural environment and the ecosystems that contribute to its beauty. In the future I hope to engineer clean technology systems that will aid in lowering emissions that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
D K
DK is a Creative Producer, Speaker Coach, and Author who 'crafts delicious learning experiences' and helps people communicate powerfully and purposefully. He has designed courses on storytelling and advised Gates Foundation, UNICEF, BBC, Ubisoft, Hasbro, the Welsh Assembly, IBI Group, and more on digital strategies. He spent nearly a decade leading TEDxWellington and TEDxWellingtonWomen, he founded the annual Creative Leadership NZ conference, he hosted over 300 podcasts to uplift voices of bold innovators, and he has shared his own voice on four TEDx stages. Now hungry to collaborate.
Craig Allen
Craig Allen is the Chief Strategy Officer of Arrivant — creating social games to help people make new friends. Previously, Mr. Allen was the CCO of Embodied developing a robot for teaching children life skills beyond academics and recognized as one of the best inventions of 2020 by TIME magazine. Mr. Allen's career includes being part of the team that established Disney Interactive in the early 1990s, serving as SVP of Jim Henson Interactive, and becoming the co-founder and CEO of Spark Unlimited - a studio most known for creating the first Call of Duty game for consoles in 2004.
Kim Koeman
Kim is a Korean American with dual citizenship in the US and the UK. As a transracial adoptee, Kim learned to navigate her racial identity, which has given her a unique perspective on cultural differences and the importance of inclusion. Kim has lived in South Korea, the UK, and the US. Through these global experiences, she has explored diverse cultures and strives to be a catalyst for positive change in the spaces she occupies. She believes the small actions of many can make a big impact and is dedicated to using her unique perspective to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable world.
Sophie Jonke
Named one of the most inspiring women by Süddeutsche Zeitung, Sophie founded the ReDI School of Digital Integration in Munich in response to over 1M refugees arriving in Germany. The non-profit school offers migrants and under-resourced locals from the ages of 11 to 60+ years free and equitable access to digital education in combination with career and mentorship programs that bridge students with digital industry leaders. She previously worked in communications and project management in Shanghai, Dublin, and Berlin. Sophie is a startup mentor at Techstars, and a member of the Münchner Kreis.
Mary Poffenroth
A biopsychologist, & fear/courage researcher, Mary's career began in astrobiology at NASA Ames Moffett Field, supporting the 28th flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. Mary’s book, The Courageous Mind (2024) explores innovative solutions for moving past everyday fear and into a life filled with brave choices resulting in transformational outcomes. Mary has a PHD in psychology and three master's degrees (biology, psychology, and science communication) and teaches at San Jose State University. A Salzburg Global Fellow, her work has been featured in TIME, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Nat Geo, and more.
Sean Tierney
Howdy. I'm the solo founder of Problemattic and the Entrepreneur in Residence for Startup Lisboa in Portugal. I help coordinate knowledge workers to build projects collaboratively in their spare time that address major world problems. I lead a volunteer group called Nocode Lisboa that teaches others how to use nocode to build software applications. For hobbies I enjoy running, playing guitar, kite surfing, tinkering with Ableton for music production and I'm in the early stages of learning to sail.
Ania Bulis
Ania is passionate about living a balanced and purpose-driven life. As a real estate executive, she focuses on resort and recreation-minded properties, placing equal emphasis on the creation of product and lifestyle for families and communities. She also enjoys fundraising for non-profit causes, specifically those impacting children, arts, and education. Previously, she held positions in public relations, marketing, and journalism. In her free time, she delights in Montana’s mountain activities, and she adores traveling the world with Yarrow and her 2 children, Olivia and Tate.
Florian Fournier
Florian has spent most of his adult life investigating at the intersection of technology and consciousness. Ex-Apple, passionate multi cultural innovator and thought leader, Florian is co-founder and partner of Threefold.io, the underlying layer for a conscious internet. Florian is on a mission to develop a decentralized regenerative internet to empower communities around the world to unlock their true wealth.
Meredith Marder
Meredith is a business attorney and broker, and the founder of A Better Business: A Law Firm for Entrepreneurs. She’s on a mission to democratize business law, driven by the conviction that every entrepreneur deserves quality, affordable legal advice. She helps clients start, grow, scale and exit their businesses. She has been honored annually as a Southwest Rising Star® in the area of Business and Corporate Law, and she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from America's Top 100 Attorneys. She also loves adventuring, road tripping, paddleboarding and mountain biking.
Garry Yankson
Garry is a serial creative entrepreneur with a focus on cultural and impact projects. A builder of brands, shepherd of festivals, and nurturer of other artists’ professional careers, he has created an indie label production company and a music tech start-up based in France. He is passionate about the young professionals of tomorrow and is penning a book.
Tenzin Seldon
Tenzin Seldon has been on the front lines of climate, migration, social enterprise and tech work for nearly two decades. She co-founded The Plant, a $350M New York-based project with a bold vision to create a net-negative global home for climate solutions through the redevelopment and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Before The Plant, she served as Board Member and Senior Advisor to One Earth in partnership with Lever for Change, an affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation. Tenzin is a Stanford summa cum laude graduate and was the first Tibetan Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford.
Teri Minard
Teri Minard is an innovation guru with 20+ years starting new businesses at global Fortune 100 company 3M. With a keen sense for winning strategies, she developed and managed programs that contributed over $750M in organic business growth. Now, she has her own real estate company, and she serves as a real estate advisor for the local refugee population in the Twin Cities. She's passionate about social impact work with refugee communities globally. From water systems to coding schools, she has been investing in growth opportunities for displaced communities for 10+ years.
Jaakko Wäänänen
Jaakko Wäänänen is Founder and CEO of Hellon, the world's most awarded strategic design agency, the only company in the industry to win the Global Service Design Award 3 times, and the winner of Fast Company’s 2022 Innovation by Design award in the Established Excellence category. A trailblazer who is passionate about innovation to address global sustainability challenges, his dream is to establish an impact-oriented art foundation connecting artists, experts, and decision-makers to drive human-centric solutions that benefit all.
Marlene Tromp
Dr. Marlene Tromp is the 7th president of Boise State University. Since joining Boise State in July 2019, she has overseen record-breaking growth in student graduation, research, and fundraising. She has championed initiatives and scholarships for rural and first-generation students, advanced a major cybersecurity initiative, created new partnerships with industry and nonprofit organizations, and much more. Before joining Boise State, Dr. Tromp served in key leadership positions at universities that have been globally recognized for both their academic quality and innovation.
Erin Reilly
Erin is Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Founding Director of the Texas Immersive Institute, and a Professor of Practice at the University of Texas at Austin. Previously, she was a founding member of Annenberg Innovation Lab at USC and Research Director for Project New Media Literacies at MIT. She serves on Advisory Boards for Disney and PBS. She's past Board President of NAMLE. Companies consult with her around audience engagement, creative strategy, and transmedia storytelling. Erin bridges industry and academia as a researcher, educator, innovator, strategist, and entrepreneur.
Olya Kushnir
From Ivano Frankivska Oblast, Ukraine, Olya lives in New York, and exploring the possibility of relocating back to Europe, after recently completing a Master's in Sustainability at Harvard. Passionate about promoting equity through systemic change and community engagement and curious how public/private social partnerships can accelerate a just and resilient clean energy transition, she focused her graduate capstone project on an equitable and resilient transition to renewable energy in Ukraine, the foundation of a circular economy and systemic lever in the fight against authoritarianism.
Micah Christian
Micah is an artist passionate about music that supports, enhances, and creates "moments." As lead vocalist for America's Got Talent Finalist, Sons of Serendip, his career highlights include collaborations with the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, and Cynthia Erivo; performing for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Oprah Winfrey's 2020 Vision Tour closing celebration, and the Dubai Expo 2020; and opening for John Legend and Jay Leno. Micah's currently Vice President of NAPAMA (North American Performing Arts Managers & Agents). His greatest hope is to spread love and build a better world through music.
Lucian Tarnowski
Lucian is a serial entrepreneur, a WEF Young Global Leader, and the Founding Curator of the United Planet and UP.Game, a time traveling immersive reality experience to create narratives and solutions for today, from a thriving future. In the spirit of transformation, his mission is to seed the vision for a Gaian movement towards planetary civilization in harmony with all life, by reverse-engineering the story from the future. He is also the Founding Curator and Executive Director of Civana, a global society committed to increasing the flow of knowledge, talent, and capital towards the UN SDGs.
Cordaro Rodriguez
Cordaro is a touring musician passionate about using art, philosophy, and media to help people see the heart of people they disagree with. After a brief practice in law, he chose to pursue music and creative arts full-time. Now he is pianist, composer, and producer for America's Got Talent Finalist, Sons of Serendip, a Billboard-charting cinematic pop quartet whose performances include the Creative Arts Emmy Awards and Oprah Winfrey's 2020 Vision Tour closing celebration.
Jason Stein
In 2015, Jason Stein, a musician, opened Burdock Brewery in Toronto, with business partner Matthew Park. A micro-brewery, restaurant, & music hall, Burdock hosted 600 concerts by 2019. Their beer developed a cult following amongst beverage heads world-wide for pioneering wine-beer hybrids. Jason saw a need for a customized logistics service in his industry and founded Fil Delivery in 2020, which now provides warehousing and last-mile distribution for over 100 breweries, wineries, distilleries, and importers. In March 2023 Burdock opened its second brewery in downtown Toronto.
Douglas Drummond
Douglas Drummond is a husband and father, visionary and peacemaker, whose work centers around hospitality, wellness, and retreat development. Originally from Aotearoa (New Zealand), he is committed to distilling a career dedicated to curating bespoke hospitality/tourism experiences into a global blueprint for healing and reconciliation activations for indigenous people. Douglas is Founder of the Weaving Waters collective, as well as Director of Healing Arts and Director of Community Alliance at Esalen Institute. He values most integrity, family, and adventure; and he has a passion for surfing.
Cedric Mateosyan
Cedric is an entrepreneur passionate about conscious innovation and exploring the edge of our human potential. He is a Founding Partner of Fools Fund, a WEF Global Shaper, and a former member of the special Ideation task force at Alpha, the leading European-based moonshot factory. Both initiatives focus on leveraging breakthroughs in science and technology to solve global challenges through a heartfelt human centric lens. For the past decade, Cedric has been on a deep journey to better understand the meaning of living in harmony with 100% of life.
Victor Pineda
Victor is a globally recognized human rights expert and a leading scholar on inclusive and accessible smart cities. Founder and President of the Pineda Foundation / World ENABLED, he is a serial social impact entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist, and 2x U.S. presidential appointee. Victor helped draft the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the inclusion targets of SDG 11. He is a member of WEF Center for the 4th Industrial Revolution, Center for Urban Transformation, and Global Future Council on Connected World. He is addicted to breathing and meditation.
Songe LaRon
Songe LaRon is a corporate lawyer turned multi-million dollar tech entrepreneur. The son of artists, he went to Yale Law School seeking financial security, which he got, but then found himself yearning for something more creative and fulfilling. In 2015, he co-founded SQUIRE Technologies, pioneering a new software category – barbershop business management. Today, SQUIRE delivers the only all-in-one barbershop management platform to over 3,000 barbershops in the U.S. Over 7.6 million clients have booked appointments through the platform, and the company is valued at $750M.
Maurizio Rossi
He is a passionate entrepreneur since mid-late 80s, been successfully involved in three major industries/sectors as luxury, action sport and innovation technology. Curiosity driven and a keen observer, like to understand diversity in people's cultures and mindsets by the impact of new paradigms and generations shifts to strategize new paths of applications.
Maurizio helds various roles and delegated in accordance with his skills and experience as CEO, Board Member, Creative Vision-Strategist, Investment Committee, Supervision. Founder CEO from 2005 to the end of 2021 of H-FARM
Nicoletta Iacobacci
A Tech Rebel and Technology Ethics Advisor who helps businesses operate responsibly while embracing the power of technology to challenge the existing order and create a better future. She is an author and speaker, Ambassador of Singularity University in Switzerland, promoter of ethical guidelines for Hyperloop Transportation Technology, and professor at Webster University in Geneva and Jinan University in China. A former journalist and reporter, she's a member of IATAS and a BAFTA guru, and has curated numerous TEDx events. Her third book explores technology's impact on the next generation.
Eric Frothingham
Eric is a multifaceted Berkeley-based (social) entrepreneur, attorney, and former refugee-camp worker in the process of re-emergence. Follower of threads. Venturer in various communities of healing and purpose, including Burning Man, The Soup, Avalon, Greenermind, and now HATCH. He is patiently co-stewarding a land, culture, and vineyard project in Northwest Argentina (Salta), and generally curious about creating community and sufficiency grounded in the relational more than the transactional. Lover of music. Co-hoster of house-concerts. Coddiwompler (ask him! ;-)) and more.
Kim Dabbs
Kim Dabbs is a change agent and advocate who builds cultures of opportunity as the Global VP of Social Innovation and ESG strategy at Steelcase. She is also a researcher and writer on the intersection of Belonging and Identity. Her debut book on this topic, launching in 2024, focuses on helping leaders and organizations with the tools to create cultures of belonging to create a more equitable and inclusive world. In 2015, she was one of four professionals chosen for a residency at Stanford’s d.school, and she now presents globally on social innovation and design thinking.
Joshua Lesser
Joshua was named one of the 36 Most Inspiring Rabbis in America by The Forward, an iconic Jewish news organization. He proudly served for over 20 years as the Senior Rabbi at Congregation Bet Haverim where he is now Rabbi Emeritus. The cofounder of 3 nonprofits, he consults other nonprofits and corporations on leadership, culture, and DEIJ work. He is a committed advocate for racial justice, civil and human rights, and he serves as a spiritual guide for social justice leaders, teens in recovery, clergy, and seekers of all faiths. In 2021, he received the City of Atlanta’s high honor.
Charli Cooksey
Charli is a leader who envisions a future where systems are accountable to powerful communities that have been historically oppressed. As a Teach For America educator, she co-founded inspireSTL to help under-resourced students access college-prep high schools, funding, and support to complete college. In 2018, she founded WEPOWER, which has trained 350+ community leaders and business owners, won over $10M public funding for childcare, helped businesses increase revenue 3.5x, and launched a nationally recognized multi-million dollar investment fund.
Michael Savas
Michael Savas is an experience wizard, impact seeker, and travel maverick ON THE GO. He has visited 70+ countries to explore new cultures, meet new people, and acquire new skills, ultimately to make the world a better place while having more fun. His company, Superfan Live, specializes in creating VIP experiences to give fans a “once in a lifetime” feeling that enhances and heightens their connection to a touring act. He has circumvented the globe with Oprah, Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Prince, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and many others.
Della Levine
Della is a passionate and curious individual currently working towards an undergraduate degree at Wesleyan. She is a double major in the College of Social Studies (History, Economics, Government, and Social Theory) and Environmental Studies. She has previously worked at PERC (Property and Environment Research Center), analyzing the relationships between property owners and the Montanian environment. She is very involved in school life, contributing to the Wesleyan ACLU, Wesleyan Ethics Bowl, a dance organization, and a women's organization. She hopes to become involved in international change!
Brad Levine
Brad has a successful 20+ year career building software technology companies in healthcare and financial services. As Board Chair for Florida Atlantic University, he is spearheading the university’s academic medicine program and efforts to find a cure for Parkinson’s. He is also on the Board of PERC, an environmental think-tank focused on free-market solutions for conservation. Family is central in Brad’s life. His wife Melissa is a renowned OB/GYN, and their 2 kids are in college, Della at Wesleyan & Joah at University of Florida.
Kira Smiley
Kira Smiley is an outdoors enthusiast, weekend artist, and the Business Development Manager for Tidal at X, the moonshot factory (formerly Google[x]), focused on creating technology to protect the ocean and preserve its ability to support life across various industries, including blue food. Outside her work, she leads the sustainability group within the Women of X ERG, and hosts regular workshops on Moonshot Thinking. Kira holds a B.S. and M.S. from Stanford University in Earth Systems, focused on sustainable food security and the environment, and a minor in Japanese.
Elisa Marusak Thomson
Elisa is a community builder, dedicating her life to making arts education accessible to every student. She's spent the past two decades creating a place for youth to tell their stories and express themselves through photography and media arts to improve the K-12 experience for our most vulnerable youth. During her time as CEO at Outside the Lens, the non-profit received awards including The National Endowment of the Arts, The Bill & Melinda Gates Grand Challenge and The Department of Juvenile Justice. She is passionate about unlocking digital literacy to create meaningful impact.
Ned Tozun
Ned Tozun, co-founder of d.light, has been recognized for his work in providing solar energy solutions to communities without access to electricity. Since its founding in 2007, Ned led the company as CEO to impact over 140 million lives across 70 countries by providing clean energy to homes and small businesses. The company was also able to provide financial returns for investors, achieving over $100M in annual revenue and profitability. Ned remains on the d.light board while also serving on the boards of the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association and Project Healthy Children.
Thomas Schindler
A childhood dominated by dinner table conversations around ion-channels, power-microscopy, nuclear war, and ecosystems-collapse left its mark. Instead of becoming a rockstar, which was the original plan, Thomas became an entrepreneur who applies the power of science and technology towards making the planet a good place for all life. His strategy includes four components that together form an ecosystem to support a more holistic approach to impact-tech investing. He is also a Lecturer at ESCP Business School in Berlin.
Duncan Murray
Duncan is building the world’s 1st nature-based rewards platform. An early pioneer of blockchain for charity, he founded DustAid in 2017 and partnered with Coinbase to raise funds for the UK Children’s Charity, NSPCC, and for orphans in Romania. Now, he's passionate about using NFTs for good. He founded one of the earliest Regenerative Finance (ReFi) projects, Aniseed, which is the first platform dedicated to selling NFTs for good causes, the 1st platform to issue Carbon backed NFTs in 2021, and pioneer for using NFTs to aid conservation. Aniseed is a dynamic, real world, play-for-purpose.
Suzanne Singer
Suzanne Singer co-founded Native Renewables with a vision to provide energy access for 15,000 Hopi and Navajo families who live without electricity. This is motivated by her grandparents who lived off-grid on the Navajo Nation. Her mechanical engineering background provides the technical foundation to promote tribal energy independence, develop affordable off-grid solar power solutions, and grow a local Indigenous workforce. Singer is an Echoing Green Fellow, previously worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, earned a PhD from UC Berkeley, and a BS from the University of Arizona.
Tracey Chambers
Tracey Chambers is a dynamic, seasoned, and impact-driven leader who served as Head of Finance for a large listed retailer before taking a turn towards the impact arena. In 2010, she founded Taking Care of Business, a social enterprise empowering unemployed mothers to start their own retail businesses. This work inspired her to create GROW Educare Centres, a coalition supporting educators, and The Greenlight Movement which collects data to measure and understand the impact of social enterprise. An Ashoka Fellow, a Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year, and a Western Cape award winner.
Elias Cattan
Elias is Founder and Director of Taller13, a regenerative architecture firm that engages experts in biology, engineering, urban planning, technology, and art in a collaborative process with their clients to create spaces that express the client’s essence, respect the natural environment, and promote wellness and integration. He is passionate about Urban Regeneration and dedicated to creating inclusive networks to repair the relationship between cities and nature.
Kimfer Flanery-Rye
Kim “Kimfer” Flanery-Rye is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Inclusion Equals, a social enterprise focused on the IDEA (Inclusion = Diversity + Equity + Accessibility) to build culture from the inside out. She believes that to address systemic issues in the world, we must tackle the inequities within organizational systems. Entrepreneurial in spirit, creatively minded, and service-driven at heart, Kimfer is a seasoned professional with 20+ years of experience with a diverse background. She is also an Adjunct Professor teaching creativity and Innovation to MBA students.
Sarah Greenfield Clark
Sarah is an activist and creator of change, comfortable with risk spaces in a fail-upwards approach. Co-Founder of Climate 2025 and The Movements Trust, Director of Me and Youth, and Chair of the Board of Trustees at Rewriting Extinction, she is dedicated to actualizing and amplifying strategic partnerships to achieve the Great Shift needed by humanity. Sarah is an ecosystem weaver, a youth advocate, and philanthropy disruptor, platforming youth and global majority solutions, using her privilege to undo systemic oppression wherever possible, and supporting the philanthropy sector and HNWI.
Molly White
Molly White is the Education Program Director at the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute. Molly leads curriculum and training development and delivery, knowledge management, and monitoring and evaluation of capacity-development initiatives and services. Molly is a lecturer at Yale University and currently leads research on developing GHG MRV frameworks and indicators for improving international climate change interventions. Molly has been recognized for her work by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, New Leaders Council, and Women’s Voices for the Earth.
Katherine Clements
Katherine is the Director of Unorthodox Philanthropy, a program of a San Francisco-based family foundation that seeks to fund extraordinary people and ideas that have the potential to achieve outsized impact and do good in the world. For the past decade, she has worked on behalf of the foundation to source, vet, and support a community of partners and awardees. She has previously worked in a variety of capacities for a range of nonprofit organizations including international intermediary grantmakers, human rights film festivals, and environmental organizing efforts.
Martin Cserba
Martin lives at the creative intersection of strategy, technology, and impact. He leads companies and brands to a more sustainable and human future by putting tired practices into a new context. His current focus is creating sustainable models in retail, work and mobility. As “The Trusted Monster” at Diconium, he is currently growing an open-source Digital Sustainability Hub, now with over 200 members. He is also a resident at the House of Beautiful Business, a global think tank to make humans more human and businesses more beautiful, and an advisory board member of the strategy consultancy AD
Bruno Lanvin
Bruno is Founder and President of Descartes Institute for the Future. Measurer of the unmeasurable, with a background in mathematics, business, and economics, he takes metrics to new frontiers: talent, innovativeness, inclusion, future readiness. He asks big questions. “What should we teach children, to learn how to learn?” He's co-author of widely used global indices (Network Readiness Index, Global Innovation Index, Global Talent Competitiveness Index, Smart City Index). He advises companies, NGOs, governments, and orgs like the UN, WEF, and World Bank. His latest book is The Future is Young
Jenny Fielding
Jenny Fielding is an active pre-seed investor and entrepreneurship advocate who supports founders with the resources they need – capital, community, and content – to go from zero to one. As Co-Founder of Everywhere Ventures, and previously Managing Director of Techstars, she has been the first investor into 300+ tech-enabled companies that now have a market cap of well over $10B. She’s also a Kauffman Fellow and an adjunct professor at Columbia University and Cornell Tech, and she is working on a book to democratize access to information and help founders secure the right type of funding.
Zane Giordano
A futurist and immersive experience designer from Austin Texas, Zane brings a youthful and human-focused perspective to conversations about our shared technological future. He manages an Immersive Technology Lab at the University of Texas and produces an annual Social Impact Hackathon for studnets and faculty on campus. Constantly questioning and curious, Zane is always looking to redesign our existing systems and use emerging technologies to make the world a better place.
Nancy Giordano
Biased in wonder + optimism, Nancy is one of Forbes “50 Leading Female Futurists” and a bestselling author who has consulted on a portfolio of over $60B for well-known brands and given over 100 global keynotes. She shares her insights on emerging tech and shifting cultural expectations in ways that get everyone deeply motivated by the possibilities and confident to build them. Intent to create a safe, inclusive, thriving future, she champions bold innovators and guides visionary leaders eager to rethink, reimagine and reshape every industry and social construct we call life.
Thaniya Keereepart
Thaniya is a strategist and leader who helps small companies achieve big visions that celebrate the power of human potential. From building the world’s first gamecast for Major League Baseball, to taking TEDTalks to more than 3 billion views, to bridging language barriers with National Geographic and helping Patreon fund the creative class on a global scale, her in-house work amplifies founders’ dreams. On the venture side, she has advised tech start-ups and chaired an impact fund for the U.S. Presidential Election. Her dream is to continue to support social entrepreneurs and enterprises.
Natalie Rekstad
Natalie leverages a strategist’s mind and philanthropist’s heart to drive deep and lasting social change through her company, Black Fox Philanthropy, a B Corp “Best for the World” Honoree as a Changemaker. She is a member of Women Moving Millions and the Founders Pledge, an Advisor to World Pulse and Ashoka WISE, a delegate and contributor to Skoll World Forum and Opportunity Collaboration, an award-winning children’s book author, and a Mother.