For more than 25 years, activist, advocate, and author Tarana J. Burke has worked at the intersection of sexual violence and racial justice. Fueled by commitments to interrupt sexual violence and other systemic inequalities disproportionately impacting marginalized people, particularly Black women and girls, Tarana has created and led various campaigns focused on increasing access to resources and support for impacted communities, including the ‘me too.’ Movement, which has galvanized millions of survivors and allies around the world, and the me too. International nonprofit organization, founded in 2018. Her New York Times bestselling books You Are Your Best Thing and Unbound have illuminated the power of healing, vulnerability, and storytelling in the movement to end sexual violence.
Named one of the “Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly magazine, Dr. Bridget Burns is the founding CEO of the award-winning University Innovation Alliance (UIA), a multi-campus national laboratory for student success innovation that helps university leaders dramatically accelerate innovation so that every student graduates. She has helped the UIA campuses produce 143,000 additional graduates, while increasing low-income graduates by 41%, and graduates of color by 89% since 2014. Dr. Burns is an international keynote speaker, her work has been highlighted in national outlets like The New York Times, Fast Company, 60 Minutes, and she was featured in the documentary “Unlikely”. She received her Doctorate of Education in Higher Education, Leadership & Policy from Vanderbilt University.
Emmy, WGA Award winning and Grammy nominated performer, writer, and producer Wyatt Cenac is NY-based stand-up comedian. Armed with an “attentive, inquisitive perspective” (AV Club) and an “hilariously understated style” (Paste Magazine), he has become a favorite of audiences and critics alike. From 2008 to 2012, Wyatt was a writer and popular correspondent on the hit late-night Comedy Central series The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he earned 3 Emmy Awards and one Writer’s Guild Award. Wyatt has appeared as a recurring character on the popular Netflix series Bojack Horseman, Fox’s The Great North and Bob’s Burger, and FX’s Archer. Wyatt also starred in the TBS alien abduction comedy series, People of Earth, alongside Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Ana Gasteyer. Notable amongst Wyatt’s feature work was his leading role in Barry Jenkins’ award winning feature film, Medicine for Melancholy. He was also an Executive Producer on Terrance Nance’s Sundance Film Festival entry An Oversimplification of Her Beauty. In February 2016, A Special Thing Records released Wyatt’s fourth comedy album Furry Dumb Fighter. Wyatt’s second hour-long standup special, Brooklyn, which he also directed, premiered on Netflix in October 2014. The special was also released as a limited-edition vinyl-only album of the same title on Other Music, which was nominated for a 2015 Grammy for Best Comedy Album. The TV hour was listed as one of the “11 Best Standup Specials of 2014” by Vulture and was praised as “some of his best, funniest insights” by The AV Club. Wyatt’s first hour-long special Comedy Person premiered on Comedy Central in May 2011, earning him a spot-on Paste Magazine’s “Best Comedians” list of that year. The album of the special was named one of the “Best Comedy Albums of 2011” by Huffington Post. His standup comedy and variety series Night Train with Wyatt Cenac streamed on NBCUniversal’s comedy-focused subscription-video service SeeSo for two seasons. Wyatt can also be seen in the Emmy nominated digital series aka WYATT CENAC on First Look Media’s Topic.com. Starring, written, and directed by Cenac, aka Wyatt Cenac was nominated in 2018 for the Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series, and received a Webby Award nomination for Best Individual Performance. Wyatt recently produced and starred in his own critically acclaimed satirical docuseries for HBO, Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas which was nominated for a GLADD Award and is available to stream on HBOMax. In August 2021, Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and Cartoon Network Studios (CNS) set an exclusive, multiyear cross-studio overall deal with Cenac, marking his return to producing animation after writing for four seasons on King of the Hill beginning in 2002.
Asha Curran is CEO of GivingTuesday. She serves as Chair of the Board of Guardian.org and as Advisory Committee Co-Chair for the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at the 92nd Street Y, where she was formerly Chief Innovation Officer. She is a Fellow at Stanford University’s Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, a Marla and Barry Beck Visiting Social Innovator at the Social Innovation and Change Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School, and a Fellow at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. She was named to the Nonprofit Times’ Top Fifty Power and Influence list 2019 through 2023.
Daniel Dae Kim has captivated global audiences with his transformative performances across film, television and theater. He continues to evolve his body of work in powerful roles and compelling narratives as an actor, director and producer. The prolific actor is a longtime champion of increased diversity and Asian American representation in Hollywood, and has served as an important voice throughout the current surge of violence towards people of Asian descent. His work as an advocate has been documented in the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC News Nightline and a ground-breaking five-part PBS documentary. Prior to his seven-season portrayal of Chin Ho Kelly on the juggernaut series Hawaii Five-0, Kim was perhaps best known for his role as Jin Soo Kwon on the hit TV series Lost, for which he shared a 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble and was individually honored with an AZN Asian Excellence Award, a Multicultural Prism Award and a Vanguard Award from the Korean American Coalition, all for Outstanding Performance by an Actor. He has been repeatedly recognized with the prestigious KoreAm Driven Award in the field of Arts and Entertainment. In 2015, Kim forged a new path in his career by creating his own production company, 3AD. With a first look deal with Amazon Studios, 3AD strives to feature those traditionally underrepresented in front of, and behind the camera. 3AD has had four successful seasons producing the ABC hit The Good Doctor, which Kim adapted from a Korean format about a doctor with autism and serves as Executive Producer, and has several more projects in development, including a highly anticipated heist movie with Randall Park. It was also recently announced that Kim and 3AD will produce dramedy series ‘Shoot The Moon’ starring Ken Jeong as a part of his first look deal as well. In 2016, Kim received a Broadway Beacon Award for his role as the King of Siam in Lincoln Center's Tony Award-winning production of The King and I, as well as the Theater Legacy Award from New York's Pan Asian Repertory Theater. Previous credits include the films: Hellboy, Insurgent, Allegiant, The Jackal, For The Love of The Game, The Hulk, Spider-Man 2, as well as the Academy Award® winning film Crash. Previous television credits include: The Legend of Kora, Flack, New Amsterdam, Crusade, and 24. Kim has also lent his voice talents to animated series and films, such as the award-winning Studio Ghibli film, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, as well as the PBS nature documentary series, Big Pacific, and Asian Americans. Born in Busan, South Korea, and raised in New York and Pennsylvania, Kim discovered acting while a student at Haverford College. After graduation, he moved to New York City, where he began his career on stage, performing in classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Ivanov and A Doll's House. Despite early success, he chose to further his knowledge of the craft by enrolling in New York University's Graduate Acting Program, where he earned his Master's Degree.
C.D. Glin is President of the PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Social Impact for PepsiCo. In this role, Glin leads the organization’s social- and community-driven impact efforts and a portfolio of global employee engagement programs. Glin oversees the Foundation's strategic direction, leading internal and external engagement around The PepsiCo Foundation's three core pillars of creating equitable access to nutritious food, safe water, and economic opportunity. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Glin began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa during the Mandela administration. He also served as President and CEO of the U.S. African Development Foundation, Associate Director of The Rockefeller Foundation and Vice President for Business Development at PYXERA Global. Further, as an appointee in the Obama Administration, Glin was the first Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Global Partnerships for the Peace Corps. In 2011, Glin was honored as a Champion of Change in Civic Engagement and International Service by the White House. Glin earned his B.A. from Howard University, a Masters-level diploma in Strategy and Innovation from the Said Business School at the University of Oxford and completed the Leadership for Senior Executives Program at Harvard Business School. He and his wife, Jacqueline, have three daughters.
Caroline Goggin is the Founder of Upcause and the Co-Founder of Brands Take Action. In both these roles, Caroline helps CEOs and investors navigate a new era of brand activism. In today’s cancel culture, speaking up on societal issues can feel like a risk with immensely high stakes. But doing this successfully sparks brand engagement, deepens brand loyalty, and drives profits in the process. Caroline has counseled brands across diverse industries, from technology to renewable energy to fashion/beauty and other consumer packaged goods. Her process guides executives in determining how their company is uniquely positioned to make impact; what steps to execute internally before saying anything externally; and how to take tangible and measurable actions to drive social change. Caroline started her career working at Giorgio Armani and in luxury fashion PR in NYC, where she kept asking herself the same question: “Why is it so easy to generate buzz around a new product launch, but not around the issues that affect our everyday lives?” She founded her consultancy, Upcause, to bridge the gap between companies working to make the world a better place, and consumers hungry for substance. Her expertise and network now spans consumer brands, tech, entertainment, and advocacy. She draws connections across these worlds to present her clients with fresh perspectives and collaborative opportunities to meet the issues of the moment.
Fatima Goss Graves is a nationally recognized leader in the fight for gender justice and an expert in law, policy, and culture change. She is president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, president of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, and a co-founder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund. Fatima has a distinguished track record working across a broad set of issues central to the lives of women and girls – including income security and COVID relief, equal pay, ending sexual harassment and violence, health and reproductive rights, education access, and workplace justice – with a particular focus on outcomes for women and girls of color. She is widely sought after for her effectiveness in the complex public policy arena at both the state and federal levels, and regularly testifies before Congress and federal agencies. Fatima has received numerous awards and recognitions for her leadership, and currently serves as a member of numerous boards – in both advisory and governance capacities – including Indivisible and For(bes) the Culture. She has appeared as a legal and social commentator on CBS, MSNBC, BBC, CNN, PBS, and NPR, and has been published and quoted in numerous outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BET, Fortune, and The Atlantic. She is a graduate of UCLA and Yale Law School, and resides with her family in Washington, D.C. Follow Fatima on Twitter at @FGossGraves.
Denise Hyater-Lindenmuth has worked in the Washington DC area in both nonprofit and for-profit industries for nearly 30 years. Her nonprofit leadership roles included creating ground-breaking community-based programs where her efforts were recognized internationally and led organizations such as Brain Injury Services and the American Cancer Society for the National Capital Region. She also served in leadership roles for national/international public relations firms representing healthcare clients and health interests. She has extensive experience serving as spokesperson in many of her leadership roles. Denise’s leadership style is based on the philosophy of community service and is firmly driven by data and results. She has proven successes with leading boards and people through change and overcoming challenges while remaining mission focused. Critical areas of importance include mission and strategy, governance, financial management and development, operations, and marketing. She earned her MBA at George Washington University in Washington D.C., a master’s degree in Community Health Education at Trinity Washington University, in Washington, D.C., and a bachelor’s in Public Relations/Marketing at Howard University, in Washington, D.C. Denise also received a certificate in strategic nonprofit management from Harvard University. As a fifth-generation Washingtonian, she lives with her husband, Philip, in the District of Columbia. They have three children who are successfully “adulting”.
Ashley Judd is an author, actor, and social justice humanitarian. She is a leader of the #MeToo movement and a founding member of Time’s Up. Judd has been nominated twice for both Golden Globe and Emmy Awards and received an Independent Spirit Award for her role in RUBY IN PARADISE. Over the years, she has demonstrated her range in a variety of genres and proven to be a box office draw. Judd is a United Nation’s Global Goodwill Ambassador and recently was a Leader in Practice at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She also serves on the Leadership Council at the International Center for Research on Women. She works with several other NGO’s on global public health, and human trafficking. Judd is a passionate advocate for the right of every girl and boy to enter adulthood safely and empowered, and to ending all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Her advocacy has taken her to the slums, brothels, schools, hospices, drop-in centers and clinics across Southeast Asia, Sub- Saharan Africa, and Central America. Judd’s experience ranges from attending an obstetric fistula replacement surgery in eastern Congo to advocating to governments and the public sector on behalf of her partnerships and making the data-based argument for gender specific responses. She authored the New York Times bestselling book “All That Is Bitter & Sweet” and was featured in the documentary “A Path Appears,” about sex trafficking and domestic slavery in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a proud American and citizen of the world who is committed to doing her part to help the global family progress toward wellness and peace. When not speaking on panels and conferences, writing, and traveling the world, Ashley enjoys an adventurous and outdoorsy life with her partner.
Haven is the Sr. Vice President of Program Strategy, Investments and Communications and the Chief Strategy Officer of Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures is an investment and incubation company founded by Melinda French Gates dedicated to advancing social progress in the US. In this capacity, Haven leads the strategic programmatic direction of the company. Prior to the opening of Pivotal Ventures, she was Senior Advisor to the Co-Chair in the Executive Office of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She joined the Gates Foundation in 2008 as a Senior Program Officer with Agricultural Development, developing and managing the team’s gender strategy and portfolio of gender-responsive grants. Prior to joining the foundation, she was a Program Officer for Social Impact Assessment with the Millennium Challenge Fund and a program manager on several USAID-funded programs in East Africa, Mongolia, India and Albania. She has a BA with Honors in East Asian Studies from Cornell University and received her MSc in Economic Development from the London School of Economics. She lives in Seattle with her family.
As President and Chief Operating Officer, Jennifer is responsible for the overall strategic and operational growth trajectory of the (RED) organization. She oversees the short and long-term priorities that continue to build the (RED) brand and generate critical and sustainable funding and awareness to help end the AIDS and now COVID pandemic. She drives the successful relationships with (RED) partner brands including Apple, Bank of America, Beats by Dre, LVMH, Salesforce, Starbucks and others—brands who have helped generate nearly $700 million for the Global Fund, impacting over 245 million lives. Prior to joining (RED) in 2008, Jennifer was a Senior Partner at Ogilvy Worldwide, responsible for overseeing the global IBM and American Express accounts. A native Bostonian, Jennifer started her advertising career at Houston Effler after graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Jennifer is Co-Founder and President of the JML Hope Foundation, a 501c3 private foundation that focuses on the power of mentorship to nurture the minds and hearts of the next generation of leaders. She also serves as a Board Advisor to Hands Offering Hope, a non-profit organization focused on empowering the youth of the world, especially within Mexico.
Dr. Deepmala Mahla, an accomplished leader in the humanitarian and development sector, currently serves as the Chief Humanitarian Officer for CARE. With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years, Dr. Mahla has consistently demonstrated her commitment to driving positive change and managing complex challenges. In her present role as the Chief Humanitarian Officer at CARE, Dr. Mahla oversees and directs the organization's humanitarian initiatives, demonstrating strategic leadership and fostering innovation. Her tenure has been marked by transformative achievements, including spearheading CARE's humanitarian response to unprecedented levels, and establishing impactful partnerships including in areas where CARE had no prior presence. Prior to her current position, Dr. Mahla held key leadership roles, including Vice President of Humanitarian Affairs at CARE USA, Regional Director for Asia, and Country Director in challenging contexts like Iraq and South Sudan, and Deputy Country Director in Yemen. Throughout her career, she has been a driving force behind program development, design, and implementation, contributing significantly to CARE's impactful reach and influence. Dr. Mahla's extensive experience extends to organizational development, governance, security, and humanitarian access. Her strategic vision, exceptional communication skills, and ability to build and lead successful teams have been instrumental in achieving remarkable outcomes across diverse geographies. She has been a leading voice in the media on humanitarian issues. As a recognized leader, Dr. Mahla has played key roles in various committees and forums. She brings a unique ability to navigate diverse cultural landscapes. She is an Indian national, currently serving in her global role out of Nairobi. In addition to her first degree in History, Economics and Philosophy, Deepmala holds an MA in Anthropology and PhD in reproductive health of women.
Matti Navellou is the Head of ICONIQ Impact, ICONIQ Capital’s platform for collaborative philanthropy, which convenes ICONIQ’s extraordinary community of families, founders, and organizations to catalyze collaborative philanthropy for giving at scale. Since 2019, ICONIQ Impact has advised on over $600M in grants, tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change, education and economic mobility, refugee resettlement, and global health. Across her career, Matti has developed and launched several global human rights campaigns, including at UNICEF HQ in New York, leading public advocacy campaigns for child rights. Matti also served as Campaigns Director to philanthropist Richard Curtis, bringing Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day campaign to the US, and raising hundreds of millions for kids’ charities. In 2016, Matti advised on ‘The Global Goals’ public awareness campaign for the Sustainable Development Goals at the UN General Assembly and is a founding member of the poverty advocacy non-profit Global Citizen. Matti holds a Masters from Cambridge University and has represented ICONIQ, UNICEF and Global Citizen at international forums including the World Economic Forum, Women Deliver, Audacious and UN General Assembly.
With 20 years of professional fundraising experience, Amanda brings extensive expertise to Orr Group working with large, complex organizations and developing innovative and scalable fundraising solutions. Currently, Amanda manages multiple large-scale comprehensive campaigns in partnership with her nonprofit clients. Additionally, Amanda is driving Orr Group’s work in planned giving, ranging from strategy development to donor engagement. As a trusted and embedded partner, Amanda has helped numerous clients develop, execute and grow fundraising initiatives. Representative clients include: - Carnegie Science Institute - Illinois Tech - Ms. Foundation for Women - Obama Foundation - The Rockefeller Foundation - Sightsavers Prior to her role with Orr Group, Amanda spent most of her career in higher education. Most recently, she served as the Associate Dean for External Affairs and members of the Executive Committee at The Columbia University School of Professional Studies. Previously she served as the Director of Investor Relations at TCP Venture Capital, and in Board Relations at The Wharton Business School. Her first professional role was at Orr Group, where she launched her career and passion for the nonprofit sector.
Kwame Rose is a social activist, artist and writer. Rose was originally known for having boldly held mainstream media, particularly Geraldo Rivera of Fox News, accountable for its inaccurate representation of protestors during the Baltimore Uprising. Kwame’s Story is told in the award winning HBO documentary “Baltimore Rising”. Kwame was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. His passion for public speaking once earned him a full scholarship to the University of Texas at San Antonio as a member of the Debate team. Deteriorating social conditions in his hometown of Baltimore prompted the permanent return of the young activist with a firm commitment to improve and serve his community. In 2013, Kwame helped form the organization Brothers In Action, Inc., a mentoring group for young Black males in Baltimore City. After realizing that one way to ensure the narratives of oppressed communities are told accurately, was to take control of the narrative Kwame began writing for a number of publications. Rose has previously writing for Mashable, USA Today, and Abernathy Magazine. Kwame also served as a host for the Real News Network. After writing an article critiquing the Presidential Candidate Senator Bernie Sander’s lack of engagement with young change agents, Senator Sanders reached out to Kwame about how to reach young people. Kwame then served as a surrogate for Senator Sanders campaign during the 2016 Election. During the COVID-19 Pandemic Kwame helped develop World Central Kitchen’s #ChefsForAmerica program. Kwame continues to use his platform to bring about tangible and equitable changes to communities globally.
Francisco Tezén became President and CEO of A Better Chance in February 2020. He joined A Better Chance from the Food Bank For New York City where he served as Chief Development Officer. Francisco has created and managed growth, visibility, and partnership strategies for educational and social service organizations with community-based, national, and global reach. Prior to joining the Food Bank, he held positions at Year Up, The New School, and Columbia Business School. He is currently a Board Member of the strategic philanthropy Arbor Brothers, a Trustee of The Packer Collegiate Institute, and Secretary of Packer’s Alumni Association Board. Francisco earned his B.A. in History and Latin American Studies at Wesleyan University and his M.S. in Nonprofit Management at The New School.
Wendy Weiser is Vice President for Democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School, a non-partisan think tank and public interest law center that works to revitalize, reform, and defend the systems of democracy and justice. She directs the Center’s work on voting rights and elections, redistricting and representation, federal reform, and judiciary work. She founded the Center’s Voting Rights and Elections Program, directing litigation, research, and advocacy efforts to enhance political participation and prevent voter disenfranchisement across the country for more than a decade. A constitutional lawyer and an expert on a range of democracy issues, Weiser has authored multiple publications and articles on democracy issues, litigated ground-breaking lawsuits, authored dozens of U.S. Supreme Court briefs, testified on multiple occasions before both houses of Congress and in state legislatures, and provided legislative drafting assistance to legislators and administrators nationwide. She is a frequent public speaker and media contributor on democracy issues, appearing regularly on major television and radio networks. Her commentary has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and elsewhere. Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Weiser was a senior attorney at NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, where she worked on issues of access to the courts and domestic violence; a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; and a law clerk to Judge Eugene H. Nickerson in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She received her BA from Yale College and her JD from Yale Law School.
