Programs Vital Voices Global Fellowship

Christiana Okere is a purpose-driven self-starter with work and life experience in Fintech, Education, and Agribusiness. Her career journey spans both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. In the nonprofit space, she worked on UN-specific projects aimed at rehabilitating and educating victims of armed conflict in Northeast Nigeria. After three impactful and fulfilling years, she was inspired to start Indigi Foods, a food innovation business that transforms under-utilized indigenous grains into nutritious plant-based foods. This venture earned her a place in the TEFxBADEA program for female entrepreneurs and the LEAP4FNSSA program as one of the best 25 businesses dealing with sustainable food systems in Africa.

Currently, Christiana serves as Co-founder and Executive Director at myStash, a venture-backed Fintech company fostering economic prosperity for Africans through financial inclusion. The myStash app enables formal and informal economy workers to allocate a percent of their earnings for savings in dollars. Beyond savings, myStash offers free financial literacy workshops to help users make smarter financial decisions. Their work supports SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Christiana is committed to fostering entrepreneurship and human capacity-building as a means of driving social and economic development.

In 2024, her work in the Financial Inclusion space earned her a 40-Under-40 award by the Black Women in Asset Management (BWAM). She is also recognized as a Young Global Changemaker, and a Halcyon Fellow.

Diana Yafi is the Operations Manager at Find A Nurse, a platform connecting families in Lebanon with trusted homecare providers. In her dual role, she oversees daily operations and plays a key part in the development of the platform by collaborating closely with the tech team to enhance user experience and optimize service delivery.

Diana was a Halcyon Fellow in the MENA 2024 cohort, recognized for her leadership and dedication to social impact. As a registered nurse, she is passionate about bridging healthcare and technology to make care more accessible for families, especially for working mothers and female caregivers. Her work aligns with several UN SDGs, particularly Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8).

As a single mom of two boys living in a country that recently faced war and crisis, Diana knows what it means to keep going through hard times. Her personal journey pushes her to help other women, especially working moms and caregivers, find balance, confidence, and opportunity in their lives.

Diana holds a nursing degree and continues to expand her skills through fellowships and leadership programs. She’s passionate about creating change, lifting others up, and making a difference in people’s lives, especially women who are doing their best to care for others while chasing their own dreams.

Fana Haregot is the founder and CEO of Fana Hygiene Solutions, a purpose-driven enterprise in Ethiopia focused on manufacturing affordable, eco-friendly hygiene products. In her leadership role, she oversees strategy, operations, and social impact, guiding a workforce that is more than 75% women. Her business offers a range of essential products, including liquid laundry detergent, handwash, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, and drilling foam used in water well construction to improve access to clean water. Inspired by her lived experience of growing up in poverty, where a lack of basic hygiene materials led to preventable illnesses, Fana built her company to improve health outcomes and reduce environmental harm through refill and reuse systems.

Fana Hygiene Solutions directly contributes to the achievement of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), while also creating sustainable livelihoods for women and youth in conflict-affected regions like Tigray.

In recognition of her work, Fana was named Best Female Entrepreneur of the Year in her region. She actively mentors aspiring entrepreneurs and leads community sessions in partnership with Mekelle University and the American Corner. Fana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a specialization in Environmental Engineering, and she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Impact Entrepreneurship. She is driven by a deep belief in being the change she wants to see starting with her own community.

Gisubizo Abi Gaelle is a dynamic Rwandan social entrepreneur and the visionary founder of Dope Initiatives, a pioneering organization transforming sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. In this role, Gaelle leads a team committed to creating bold, youth-led solutions to period poverty, teenage pregnancy, and HIV infections.

Under Gaelle’s direction, Dope Initiatives has already empowered over 19,200 young people with the knowledge, tools, and services they need to thrive. Imagine a world where every girl has access to menstrual products with dignity, that’s the reality Gaelle is creating with the Keza Pad Bank, Rwanda’s first sanitary pad vending machine for schoolgirls. And with the Keza Quiz Game, she’s turning SRHR education into an engaging, interactive experience.

Gaelle’s work directly advances critical UN Sustainable Development Goals, paving the way for Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), and Gender Equality (SDG 5). Her unique blend of innovation, compelling storytelling, and deep community engagement is not just driving change, it’s inspiring a movement.

Gaelle is a catalyst for lasting social change in Africa, recognized by the Innovation Accelerator, EU Africa Hacthon, Harvard HealthLab Accelerator, and Hanga Pitch Fest. Driven by a profound commitment to equity and dignity, Gaelle combines her PMP certification with her ongoing master’s studies in Development Studies to fuel sustainable impact through community-powered innovation. With a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy, she’s not just building projects; she’s building a better future, one initiative at a time.

Hilal Ulukaya is a social entrepreneur and the co-founder of Society Mano, an ethical fashion brand that merges artisanal craft with data-driven innovation to promote inclusive economic growth. As the brand’s co-founder and creative director, Hilal oversees design, artisan collaboration, and strategic development, building a sustainable brand that empowers women while leveraging her background in engineering and technology.

Society Mano produces 100% handmade knitwear crafted by women artisans across Turkey. The brand creates dignified home-based employment for women, supports traditional craftsmanship, and champions ethical fashion. Its mission directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

Hilal began her career in aerospace strategy, leading enterprise performance initiatives and designing scalable technology reporting tools. She now applies these skills to build a data-informed fashion brand that bridges creativity and measurable social impact.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a master’s degree in Information Systems (STEM) from The City University of New York. Hilal is a certified Empowered Women Leader by the Women Impact Alliance and has served as a mentor for student entrepreneurs as a Blackstone LaunchPad Fellow and adjunct lecturer.

Guided by a purpose to uplift women through innovation and craft, Hilal is committed to creating a more just, joyful, and sustainable future through fashion.

Irene Etyang is the Founder and CEO of MAMLO FOODS, a purpose-driven enterprise revolutionizing Africa’s peanut value chain through solar-powered, community-based micro-factories. With over a decade of experience in food product development and a degree in Food Science and Technology, Irene merges technical expertise with a deep commitment to gender equity and rural transformation. Under her visionary leadership, MAMLO FOODS is pioneering a decentralized processing model that reduces post-harvest losses, enhances traceability, and increases incomes for women smallholders farmers. By equipping rural communities to become producers and co-owners in the peanut value chain, MAMLO keeps value addition local and sustainable. Its flagship brand, MAMLO, delivers premium peanut butter while creating dignified livelihoods for farming families.

The impact of Irene’s work aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Her innovative approach has created quality jobs to 12+ women and youth and increased incomes of over 500 rural women farmers in Western Kenya. Driven by the belief that food systems should nourish both people and the planet, Irene is building a future where every product MAMLO creates uplifts the women and communities behind it.

Josiane Faubert is a creative force at the intersection of storytelling, visual culture, and social impact. As the founder of PICHA, a stock photography platform dedicated to authentic Afrocentric imagery, she has redefined how African and diasporic narratives are seen and valued. PICHA empowers global photographers to own their perspectives while helping brands connect through inclusive, stereotype-free visuals.

A visionary entrepreneur and cultural storyteller, Josiane builds platforms that amplify underrepresented creative voices. Weaving Stories—a photography book born from the PICHA Grant she launched—is a testament to this mission. Showcasing work from ten photographers across Africa, the U.S., and Brazil, the book is both a celebration and a call to action. Proceeds support emerging image-makers through funding and mentorship, fueling a growing ecosystem of diverse visual storytellers.

Beyond photography, Josiane’s personal art practice—particularly oil painting—offers a contemplative space where she explores identity, elegance, and the layered beauty of Black womanhood. She creates spaces where art meets strategy, and where creatives thrive. Her mission is to shift perception, amplify voices, and ensure diverse creativity is not only seen—but invested in.

Ludmilla Rossi is the CEO and co-founder of the vibrant Juicyhub, leading culture, innovation, and impact accelerator with the ambition to complexify and diversify local economies through strategic connections and opportunities. JuicyHub has reached over half a million people monthly and has trained more than 8,000 individuals since its inception, Juicyhub drives prosperity and economic growth in its territory, grounded in SDGs 5, 8, and 11.

Juicyhub’s approach is unique within the Brazilian innovation ecosystem outside the major cities, combining cultural acceleration – through hyperlocal content that shapes thought and identity – with innovation, catalyzed by connections and actions that transform behaviors, and real impact, materialized in opportunities, especially for young people and women. For Ludmilla, culture is the essential starting point and innovation, which is the engine that brings transformation to life.

A design thinker and entrepreneur since the age of 19, Ludmilla is a driving force behind impact and innovation in often-overlooked regions of Brazil. Her inspiring journey includes overcoming a cancer diagnosis in 2011, an experience that evolved into an award-winning project in 2018. Recognized for her creative and audacious projects, even in nascent ecosystems, Ludmilla joined the SW50 and GWIM networks in 2023 and was featured on the Forbes website in 2024, which is a testament to Juicyhub’s relevance as a true “inductor of cultural transformation” in territories beyond Brazil’s urban centers.

Mary Lancelot is a dynamic and purpose-driven social entrepreneur committed to building a sustainable future through circular economy principles. She is the founder and CEO of MLC Fashion, a social enterprise that upcycles plastic waste, fabric scraps, and secondhand clothing into fashionable, eco-conscious products. Mary’s innovative approach to sustainability addresses both environmental pollution and youth unemployment in Ghana. Mary blends her academic knowledge with her entrepreneurial drive to create meaningful impact. She is currently pursuing an MBA in International Action Learning in Food Security at Business School Netherlands, further equipping her to lead and scale sustainable enterprises.

Mary has mentored over 50 young women in her community and facilitated entrepreneurship training sessions for adult literacy groups and graduates. Her work has been recognized with awards, including Best Regional Entrepreneur in Ghana’s North East Region. In 2023, she was selected for Vital Voices’ Global Ambassadors Program Virtual Summit, where she engaged with global leaders and sharpened her leadership capabilities. She was awarded Youth in Business (1st Runner up) by Africa Youth Excellence Awards, 2024.

Mary’s long-term goal is to expand her influence across Africa by empowering more young people to embrace green entrepreneurship. Through coaching and strategic partnerships, she continues to inspire the next generation to view waste as a resource and sustainability as an opportunity. Her mantra, “Turning waste into wonder,” embodies her mission to protect the planet while building livelihoods.

As CEO and Founder of MADCash since June 2022, Nuraizah is responsible for the Company’s direction and strategy, besides being involved directly in raising funds and promoting MADCash.

She is a highly accomplished technopreneur and serial entrepreneur, boasting numerous accolades for her outstanding achievements. Possessing a background in Electrical Engineering, she embarked on her professional journey in engineering and research and development, contributing her expertise to renowned companies such as Motorola and Nokia.

In 2006, Nuraizah founded her first tech venture, CWorks Mobile, a mobile app development company based in Kuala Lumpur, before she established Madcat World in April 2011, a software development house focusing on community-based apps where she remains as its managing director until now.

Nuraizah is deeply committed to advocating for the progression of women entrepreneurs, a passion that resonates throughout her professional endeavors. She serves as the ASEAN Access Ambassador for Malaysia and holds the role of Malaysia’s local consultant in a pivotal five-year initiative aimed at promoting increased digital adoption among women entrepreneurs.

She has also been the Regional Ambassador for Technovation since 2012 – a global competition for girls to build apps. In her free time, Nuraizah mentors technology startups to help them get a foothold in the industry.

Ruby Igwe is the Country General Manager for ALX Nigeria, a pan-African career accelerator on a mission to empower young people with in-demand tech, entrepreneurship and leadership skills. In her role, she leads national strategy and operations, overseeing learning experiences for well over 200,000 learners and 120,000 alumni based in every state in Nigeria while managing a large team, multi-stakeholder public and private partnerships and engagement across the country.

Ruby’s work at ALX contributes meaningfully to several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Quality Education (SDG 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). Under her leadership, ALX Nigeria has expanded access to transformative learning programs for underserved communities, with over 45% of the ALX community being women.

She has held executive positions in operations, law, and media, including serving as Head of Operations at a media group and as a Leadership Development Specialist at the African Leadership Group. Ruby also lectures in law, co-founded a digital archiving nonprofit, and is an award-winning producer and storyteller.

Ruby is driven by a deep commitment to equity, legacy-building, and enabling others to thrive through access to opportunity, tools, and knowledge. She believes in using systems thinking, culture, and storytelling to solve complex problems in sustainable ways.

She holds an LLB from the University of Kent and is a Barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Ruby is also a certified leader in management and entrepreneurship through programs from Lagos Business School and AMI.

Salinee Tavaranan Hurley is an engineer and a social entrepreneur. After graduating with a master’s degree in solar energy engineering from University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2005, she returned to Thailand to lead the Border Green Energy Team (BGET) as the Director. BGET provides renewable energy technology to underprivileged communities along the Thailand-Burma border.

In 2013, she founded SunSawang, a social enterprise that delivers solar-powered products and services to rural Thailand. Salinee is a 2023 Acumen Foundry Member, and a finalist of 2019 SEED Low Carbon Awards and Start Up Energy Transition (SET) Awards. Salinee was also featured in a documentary, Her Story “Light Comes to Life”, by NHK World in 2019.

Salinee continues her work of rural solar power from Mae Sot, Tak province, and stays active playing soccer, practicing yoga, and playing with her son. Salinee is pleased to share activities such as soap making and handcraft with her husband, a US Army veteran at their country home she made from adobe bricks. She has lived in this house for 11 years now. She believes that living simply and sustainably off of natural resources and land is the way that we all should move toward to.

Supriya Paul is the Co-founder and CEO of Josh Talks, a social enterprise that empowers India’s youth through storytelling, skill development, and digital inclusion. In her role, Supriya leads strategy, partnerships, and impact innovation, steering the company’s mission to level the playing field for young Indians from Tier II, III, and rural regions.

Josh Talks creates culturally resonant video content in over 10 Indian languages, offers a mobile-first English learning app called Josh Skills, and develops community-driven campaigns in partnership with governments, tech platforms, and civil society. The company’s work directly advances UN SDGs 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure).

Under Supriya’s leadership, Josh Talks has reached over 200 million people monthly and enabled over 750,000 individuals to learn spoken English and gain employability skills. She is currently working on a new product line to pioneer efforts to ensure India’s cultural and linguistic diversity is represented in the global AI ecosystem by creating multilingual speech datasets across 70+ languages.

Her notable impact campaigns include Make Your Mark (which led to 200,000+ voter ID registrations among first-time youth voters), GOAL (empowering tribal youth digitally), and Digital Beti (bridging the gendered digital divide in partnership with CSC and MeitY).

What drives Supriya is the belief that where you come from should not determine where you go. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Delhi University and is an alumna of the Stanford LEAD Executive Program.

Tage Rita Takhe is a founder and CEO of Lambu Subu Food and Beverages which made the first kiwi wine brand (Naara Aaba) in India in the year 2017.

This innovative idea started with a pressing local problem faced by 500 kiwi farmers of Ziro Valley who could not sell their fresh produce due to lack of buyers, bad road infrastructure, cold storage, etc. Since the winery was set up, there has been a renewed movement for growing kiwi fruit in the region.

Rita’s noble initiative has been well accepted and recognized by the Govt of India, the local community, as well as globally. Her venture has been been case studied (socioeconomic impact on the local community) by the most reputed management institute of India, IIM Shillong (Indian Institute of Management), and published by the global publishing house IVEY Business Foundation, which has a presence in 136 countries across the globe.

Rita was also conferred the Nari Shakti Puraskar award in the year 2022 (the highest civilian award in India for women empowerment) by the Ministry of Women and Child Development Govt of India. She was also given the Women Transforming India award by Niti Aayog (Planning Commission of India) in collaboration with the United Nations. Most notably she is a proud alumni of the Fortune-US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership 2022.

With the VVGF program, Rita wants to extend her network in a global platform of women leaders to expand and forge partnerships to continue her work in the best possible ways.

Valeria Rodríguez Felgueras is the visionary behind El Encuentro (www.fincaelencuentro.es), a luxury rural retreat nestled in the Sierra de Gredos, Spain. Designed as a sanctuary for families and individuals seeking meaningful reconnection, El Encuentro offers a premium digital detox experience. With a focus on sustainability and well-being, the retreat provides exclusive stays in a secluded eco-luxury finca, where guests can immerse themselves in forest adventures, creative workshops, and guided reflection circles—all without digital distractions. Through this initiative, Valeria has created a space where families rediscover the joy of presence, strengthening their bonds away from the noise of modern life.

Beyond El Encuentro, Valeria is an accomplished business strategist and global advocate for women’s entrepreneurship. She currently serves as European Growth and Engagement Manager at WEConnect International, a global network dedicated to connecting women-owned businesses with qualified corporate buyers, expanding gender-inclusive sourcing practices across Europe.

With a multicultural background in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain, Valeria has spent over eight years as Chapter Chair of the Women Presidents Organization (WPO) in Spain and Latin America, fostering leadership among women entrepreneurs who have surpassed the startup phase and are scaling their businesses.

Valeria has also been a mentor for initiatives like the IE Women Initiative in Madrid (2021) and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in the UK (2015). She holds a degree in Communications and Translation from the University of Buenos Aires.

Winnie Najjuma is a passionate social entrepreneur. She is the Founder and Team Lead of Ccupa Creations, a Ugandan enterprise that recycles glass waste into household products. The company’s mission is to produce high-quality recycled products and rescue over 10 million glass bottles from overflowing landfills.

Ccupa Creations has so far recycled over 30,000 tonnes of glass waste, reducing contamination and overflowing landfills, contributing to a cleaner environment by diverting solid waste away from animals and damaging soil properties that is good for farming. This aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 13: Climate Action. The business not only prevents environmental pollution but also promotes responsible waste management and reduces Uganda’s reliance on imported glassware and household products, contributing to a sustainable future and circular economy.

Winnie’s leadership extends beyond Ccupa Creations. She is passionate about skilling and has worked with with various organizations over the years to provide hands-on skills to women and youth in different communities to supplement their incomes and improve their living conditions. She has a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and a Global MBA in Impact Entrepreneurship.

Yasemin Erdal is the Founder and CEO of E-CO Consulting, a social impact-driven innovation consultancy based in Ankara. She leads efforts to empower deeptech start-ups and early-stage entrepreneurs—especially those tackling societal and environmental challenges—by providing tailored support in innovation management, technology transfer, access to finance, and policy development.

E-CO Consulting works with underrepresented entrepreneurs, universities, technoparks, and NGOs to strengthen local innovation ecosystems, unlock funding, and build capacity. With over 3,000 technology-driven ventures supported and €15 million in mobilized funding, the company’s work directly to contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

A passionate advocate for inclusive innovation, Yasemin spearheaded the launch of Turkey’s first deeptech incubator, a pioneering initiative aimed at transforming research-driven innovations into globally scalable ventures and has mentored women-led ventures across Europe and the Middle East. She also leads the GOAL Project, funded by the EU, which supports SMEs and exporters in adopting green, sustainable, and digital practices. In 2023, she was selected as a global fellow of the Fortune 500 – U.S. Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Program, and previously as one of 20 emerging Turkish leaders under the Young Turkey Young America initiative.

She holds a BSc in International Relations, an MBA, and an MSc as a Jean Monnet Scholar, and is a certified World Bank trainer and active angel investor.

Shallah Shaiq is an Afghan journalist, women’s rights advocate, and social activist with more than 15 years of experience in media, women empowerment, and community development. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law (2017), a Journalism Certificate (2013), and a Project Management certification from Montgomery College. She is a VV Visionary and Aghaaz Fellow with Vital Voices and the Afghan-American Women’s Association (A-AWA).

Shallah co-founded the Shaiq Network, home to Sharq Radio and Sharq TV, and founded Voice of Women Radio, which became influential platforms for advancing women’s rights and social justice in Afghanistan.

In 2009, she established the HEELA Organization to support women’s empowerment and survivors of gender-based violence. Through legal aid services, emergency support, training programs, and a 24/7 hotline, HEELA has responded to thousands of women in crisis. Separately, Shallah has led educational and vocational training programs that have reached over 21 000 students, including women and youth, in computer skills, English, journalism, and agriculture.

Now based in the United States, Shallah draws from both professional expertise and personal experience as a resettled Afghan woman to lead advocacy efforts that span across borders. Her work supports Afghan women both in the U.S. and in Afghanistan—focusing on economic integration, educational access, and assistance for survivors of gender-based violence. Through community programs and international partnerships, she continues to empower women navigating displacement, recovery, and opportunity.

Rooted in resilience and justice, Shallah continues to create inclusive spaces where women can lead, heal, and thrive across borders and generations.

Wunmi Hassan-Bello is the Deputy Executive Director – Politeracy at Electoral College Nigeria, where she leads political literacy and leadership development programs across the country. In this role, she designs and implements civic education initiatives aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the knowledge and tools to engage meaningfully in democratic processes.

Electoral College Nigeria is a non-partisan organization committed to fostering political literacy and civic engagement. Its mission aligns with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). Through her leadership, over 13,000 citizens have been educated in governance, civic responsibility, and electoral systems.

Wunmi’s career spans media, finance, and nonprofit work. She began as an on-air personality at Unilorin FM, worked in banking at Heritage Bank Limited, and served as Creative Director at DanHausawa Media Nigeria before founding L-Speak Media. She is also the founder of War Against Rape and Sexual Abuse, a nonprofit organization focused on sensitizing youth and supporting survivors of abuse.

Her mission is rooted in empowering communities through education, advocacy, and inclusive dialogue. Passionate about equity, Wunmi is committed to creating a politically informed and socially conscious generation.

She holds a degree in Biochemistry and a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology, bringing a multidisciplinary approach to her work in civic education and youth development.

Thokozile Nhlumayo is a political and social justice advocate who has made significant contributions to the development of African politics and leadership. She is the founder of the #NotTooYoungtToLead campaign, which is now a global movement.

Thokozile serves as Executive Secretary of the International Youth Parliament, an Institution that exists in 45 countries in Africa that advocates for meaningful inclusion of young people in politics, leadership, and decision- making. Through her leadership, the International Youth Parliament was recognized by the African Union as one of top 70 institutions contributing to Africa’s political and leadership development. Additionally, Thokozile introduced the Women’s Political Leaders Program in South Africa, Kenya and Namibia. Her work focuses on advancing the SDGs of Reducing Inequalities and advancing Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

She was named one of the 50 most powerful women in South Africa in 2021, and in 2022, she was named one of the 100 most influential young people globally. Thokozile was the first Mandela Washington Fellow who had the opportunity to do her PDE in the U.S House of Representatives under the office of Congress Member Karen Bass where she had the opportunity to also contribute to writing think pieces on behalf of Congress about improving U.S-Africa Relations. In 2023, Thokozile was also amongst leaders who were announced by President Obama as Obama Leaders joining the Obama Leadership Program which she graduated from in August last year.

Her vision is to see young people and women becoming pillars of democracy and shapers of decisions.

Susannah Rodgers is a Technical Adviser on Disability Inclusion currently at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Susie is a former Paralympic swimmer who competed at two Paralympic Games, winning gold and five bronze medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016. She is passionate about advancing the rights of the most marginalized and the leave no one behind agenda of the SDGs through her work. She studied three languages at University and her career has spanned the public and private sector.

She is an experienced non-executive director and has served on several charity boards, including in sport welfare and she is currently a board director of Women Enabled International, the global organization working on the intersection between gender and disability rights. She is a public speaker and panelist, discussing leadership, sport and other topics and she has featured on live comedy shows and documentaries through UK media. She has given keynotes at global conferences alongside Heads of State including speaking on stage at Davos.

She was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2018 and was awarded an MBE for services to swimming by Her Majesty the Queen in 2017. Outside of work, she is also a visual artist, painting pieces inspired by marine life and raising funds for the UK’s Marine Conservation Society as one of their Ocean Ambassadors. She was born missing the lower part of her left arm and leg at birth and has worn prosthetic devices her whole life.

Sohee Yang is a political activist and social entrepreneur from South Korea, dedicated to advancing youth civic engagement and inclusive democratic innovation. She is the founder of the YOUNAN Movement, a nonprofit that empowers young citizens through civic education, and co-founder of VALID, an action-oriented political think tank that nurtures emerging leaders and agendas for democratic reform.

Her work spans from grassroots mobilization to global policy platforms, having represented Korea or spoken at major international forums such as the United Nations, APEC, the Open Government Partnership Global Summit, and the World Forum for Democracy. Her focus areas include structural reform for youth and women’s political representation, combating social inequality, and exploring and shaping democracy in the digital and AI era, particularly in alignment with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

Over the past few years, Sohee has held roles including policy advisor on youth and gender and political party spokesperson, and led the local mayoral campaign as Chairperson. These experiences have shaped her commitment to addressing entrenched exclusion and polarisation in Korea’s political landscape. Through her organisations, she is building infrastructure for youth civic empowerment and driving a new generation of democratic leadership.

She holds a BA in Global Korean Studies with honors and was selected as the 2019 Commencement Speaker at her university.

Sobita Gautam is a Member of the House of Representatives in Nepal, elected in 2022 from Kathmandu-2 as the youngest directly elected federal lawmaker. A lawyer by training, she serves on the Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee and is a founding central committee member of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, representing a bold new generation of political leadership focused on reform, transparency, and citizen empowerment.

In 2025, she was elected to the Health Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), where she advocates for global health equity and inclusive policy frameworks. Prior to her political journey, Sobita was a nationally recognized television presenter, known for hosting a public health program that brought expert knowledge to the grassroots.

With over a decade of experience in youth activism, civic engagement, and legal advocacy, she continues to work across sectors linking governance, health, climate justice, and human rights to build a more just and accountable state.

Simone Mbodé Diouf is a young Senegalese woman passionate about gender issues, youth empowerment, peace, and security. She serves as the African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace, representing the West African region. Simone is an international consultant and trainer on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) for various institutions and organizations, including La Francophonie and Senghor University.

In addition to her consulting work, Simone is the co-founder and vice president of the Association for the Promotion of Young Women and Girls’ Leadership in Senegal. She has actively supported initiatives to enhance women and youth participation and protection, prevent violent extremism in West Africa, advocate for quality education, and equitable access to vaccines in Africa.

Her expertise includes implementing and localising the WPS and YPS programs and peacebuilding throughout Africa. Previously, she worked in the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), at the UN Women West and Central Africa Regional Office, and with the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP).

Samara Castro is Chief of Staff at the Secretariat for Social Communication (SECOM) of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil. She leads institutional strategies to strengthen democratic public communication, promote information integrity, and coordinate SECOM’s participation in international forums, including COP30 and BRICS.

From 2023 to 2025, she served as Director for the Promotion of Freedom of Expression at the Secretariat for Digital Policies, where she coordinated Brazil’s national strategy against disinformation on public policies and led the Interministerial Committee on the National Immunization Program. She also managed the government’s “Saúde com Ciência” (Health with Science) program and was the government’s lead negotiator on artificial intelligence regulation.

Samara is a member of Brazil’s National Data Protection Council (CNPD), the Data Protection Officer at SECOM, and a consultant for the AI Governance Lab (LiA.IDP). She also represents Brazil in the G20 Digital Economy Working Group on Information Integrity, and coordinated the Global Initiative for Information Integrity and Climate Change with the UN and UNESCO. In 2024, she received the Vital Voices Global Leadership Award.

A lawyer specializing in electoral and digital law, her career turned toward combating disinformation after the assassination of Marielle Franco. She has experience in strategic litigation, crisis management, and co-founded a data science-focused tech company.

She holds a Master’s degree in Political and Economic Law (Mackenzie) and postgraduate degrees from PUC-Rio and PUC-Minas. She has held leadership roles at OAB/RJ and ABRADEP and teaches at several academic institutions.

Teina Mackenzie is a dynamic and multifaceted leader based in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, whose values are deeply interwoven with environmental advocacy, community empowerment, and ethical development. Her impressive background spans education, political engagement, entrepreneurship, and earnest commitment to cultural preservation and ocean health.

Through Te Ipukarea Society (TIS), the leading local environmental NGO, Teina champions the unique biodiversity of her island and ocean home and also serves as a UNESCO Communications Co-Commissioner and GEF-Small Grants Committee member for the Cook Islands, bridging local needs with global initiatives. Teina’s leadership extends beyond environmental circles. She has a distinguished history of community service via the Business & Professional Women’s Association (CIBPWA), the Cook Islands Voyaging Society (CIVS) – a testament to her embrace of traditional knowledge and maritime heritage, the Cook Islands Red Cross Society, and the Pacific Women in Maritime Association (PacWiMA).

A true global citizen, Teina’s expertise is recognized internationally having presented at numerous workshops, conferences, and fellowships worldwide. Her recognition as a Vital Voices LEAD Fellow and an IVLP Alumni speaks to her capacity for impactful global collaboration.

Teina is a staunch advocate for Global Citizenship Education, promoting SDGs programs, and nurturing the next generation of informed and engaged citizens. Her commitment to systemic change is further evidenced by her involvement in political reform and running for parliament. Teina Mackenzie’s trajectory is a testament to her dedication to the well-being of her community and the planet. Her contributions reflect a profound passion for environmental guardianship and cultural sensitivities in development matters.

Anna Petrova is an impact entrepreneur, mentor, and ideologist of entrepreneurship culture development in Ukraine. Since the age of 16, she has been helping people find their path, realize their dreams, and live consciously and purposefully.

She is the Founder of Startup Ukraine, a leading center for entrepreneurship, and Selfmade Woman, a community for women’s leadership and empowerment. In 2016, she launched Wake Up Call, one of Ukraine’s first national initiatives focused on mental health and well-being.

Anna has transformed the lives of over 100,000 people through business education and inner development programs. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, she has initiated support programs for Ukrainian entrepreneurs in Denmark, Sweden, the UK, and the USA. In 2024, she started the Ukrainian Business Embassy with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine to help Ukrainian brands access international markets and promote the “Made in Ukraine” brand.

Her work contributes to several UN SDGs, including SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 3, SDG 8 and SDG 16. She believes that peace starts from within and that entrepreneurship can be a tool for healing and transformation.

At 28, Anna was featured on the cover of Forbes Ukraine as one of the first young women leaders in its “30 Under 30” list. She is a recipient of the InBIA Beacon Award 2022 and the Susie Ellis Scholarship for Equity in Wellness from the Global Wellness Institute. She holds a degree in international economics and completed leadership programs at Warwick University and the Swedish Institute.

Aradhana Rai Gupta is the Co-Founder of Project Baala, a social enterprise delivering innovative menstrual hygiene solutions and driving systemic change in women’s health and rights. She was recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 for her work in social impact in 2025.

An MBA graduate from Cornell University and an Economics alumna of St. Stephen’s College, Aradhana began her career at Procter & Gamble and EY, working across marketing and risk advisory. She further deepened her expertise in sustainability leadership at the University of Cambridge, supporting global organizations to embed sustainable change in development efforts. Her passion for community-led action led her to co-found Project Baala with her childhood friend, Soumya Dabriwal. Since inception, Baala has distributed 3 million reusable pads, conducted 8,000+ menstrual health workshops, and reached over 1 million women and girls across 5 countries. The enterprise is now scaling to impact 2 million girls and create 5,000 women-led livelihoods by 2026.

Aradhana’s work has been recognized by platforms such as BMGF Goalkeepers, USAID, Acumen Angels, Villgro, NSRCEL, JHPIEGO, NATHEALTH, and ASSOCHAM.Through menstrual health education, intersectional research, and capacity building, Aradhana is challenging silence around gender and health. Her work actively contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to health, gender equity, and inclusive economic growth by not just meeting targets, but by building lasting systems of dignity, equity, and possibility.

Archana Kotecha is the CEO and Founder of The Remedy Project (TRP) working to redefine the standard for responsible business conduct. Through dynamic stakeholder engagement, TRP works with companies to design rights-based compliance strategies, pilot creative frameworks for worker protection, and push new industry benchmarks that center the rights-holder perspective.

A UK-qualified barrister, CEDR-accredited mediator, and former corporate lawyer, Archana brings over 15 years of experience advising the IOM, ILO, UNICEF, ASEAN bodies, governments, civil society, and the private sector across Asia. She is a regional expert on forced labour and human trafficking, and her legal approach seeks innovative solutions grounded in commercial realities and complex regulatory environments.

At The Remedy Project, Archana leads efforts to convert regulatory compliance from a reactive burden into a proactive driver of systemic change—supporting clients to meet their obligations while protecting thousands of workers across global supply chains. This work advances UN Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

An alumna of the London School of Economics and the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, Archana has received the Emilie Ashurst Anti-Slavery Award and was named a Financial Times Top 10 Innovative Lawyer in Asia-Pacific. She sits on multiple expert committees including for the OHCHR, FSC, and the Responsible Business Alliance. Archana is driven by a belief in justice, dignity, fairness and the potential to transform the lives of worker communities across the world.

Ontifile Gaokgorwe is the Founder and Director of The Bees Hive Academy, an inclusive early childhood development center based in Francistown, Botswana. In her role, she leads strategy, curriculum design, staff development, and operations to ensure that children with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities receive quality education in a safe, nurturing environment.

Her business provides pre-primary education, therapy services, and enrichment programs such as sign language, music, and computer literacy. In 2024, she launched The Inclusion Hub Connect, a digital platform offering remote assessments and learning support to children with learning challenges who cannot access the physical academy. Her mission aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Ontifile’s work has earned her numerous accolades, including the Grand Prize at the Tokafala Business Plan Competition, recognition as a Mandela Washington Fellow, and the Best Pitch Award in the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Accelerator. She is also a passionate gender-based violence advocate and mentor to young women and entrepreneurs.

Driven by a deep sense of purpose to ensure that no child is left behind, Ontifile continues to use education, innovation, and advocacy to build an inclusive future. She holds an associate degree in business management, a diploma in child psychology, and certifications in early childhood education and speech therapy.

Ochieng Quinter is the CEO and the Founder of Chargebyte Africa, two transformative tech ventures revolutionizing connectivity and power accessibility across the continent. At Charge24, Quinter leads the strategy and expansion of a power bank rental and digital advertising company that has grown rapidly across Kenya, with machines in malls, universities, transport hubs, and fitness centers. The platform enables people to rent portable power while providing brands with high-visibility advertising.

Chargebyte Africa, her latest venture based in South Africa, builds AI-powered solutions that help businesses optimize product reach, track user engagement, and generate real-time data. It also focuses on providing intelligent, solar-powered energy machines to off-grid communities, aligning with several UN Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Quinter was named among the 100 Most Influential Pan-African Youth Leaders 2025 and is a FortyUnder40 Africa 2024 honoree. After successfully fundraising to scale across Rwanda and South Africa, she continues to champion innovation and inclusion in tech.

Driven by a personal mission to bridge the digital divide and empower underserved communities, Quinter’s work is shaped by her rural upbringing in Kisumu, Kenya. She holds a degree in Media and Production from the University of Nairobi & Micro MBA in Commerce from Strathmore University and is recognized for her leadership in entrepreneurship, innovation, and women’s empowerment.

Tu Nguyen is the Co-Founder of CAS Energy, a Vietnam-based technology company focused on renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. With over 16 years of experience in automation, she leads the company’s strategy, innovation, and partnerships to drive green technology solutions for rural and farming communities.

CAS Energy integrates rooftop solar systems with climate-smart agricultural practices, enabling farmers to produce both food and renewable energy on the same land. This approach promotes efficient resource use, reduces carbon emissions, and supports energy independence. The company contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by creating green jobs for local residences, especially vulnerable people in developing regions.

Under her leadership, CAS Energy is playing an active role in Vietnam’s transition toward a low-carbon economy and supports the national Net Zero by 2050 target. The company’s work emphasizes environmental responsibility, social inclusion, and technological innovation.

Tu is driven by a strong commitment to climate action and community empowerment. She is passionate about creating inclusive, sustainable solutions that improve livelihoods while protecting the planet. She holds a degree in Engineering and continues to advocate for renewable energy and environmentally responsible practices across Southeast Asia.

Marcela Fujiy is the Founder and CEO of Be.Labs, a women-led accelerator focused on supporting women entrepreneurs in Brazil’s North, Northeast, and Central-West—regions historically excluded from the country’s innovation and investment agendas. Through Be.Labs, Marcela has developed and implemented a unique methodology that combines business education, emotional resilience, and collective empowerment to reduce gender and regional inequalities.

The organization’s core programs include the Efeito Furacão methodology, a 10-week group and mentoring journey; Furacao.ai, Brazil’s first AI platform designed specifically for women entrepreneurs; and Mentore.se, a peer-mentoring network that fosters trust, confidence, and business support among women. Since its founding in 2018, Be.Labs has supported over 3,500 women-led businesses, the majority led by Black, Indigenous, and rural women. The organization’s work contributes directly to UN SDGs 5, 8, and 10.

Marcela also leads the Be.Labs Institute (IBL), a nonprofit branch launched in 2023 to scale impact through research, advocacy, and collaboration with public and private sectors. Prior to founding Be.Labs, Marcela built a 20-year career working in multinational companies in Brazil and Sweden, and has served on corporate boards and franchise leadership roles.

She holds a Law degree and certifications in Project Management and Strategic Leadership. Fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and Swedish, she brings a global lens to local action. Marcela believes true transformation begins at the margins—and she is committed to making sure that womens voices not only rise, but lead.

Dr. Rusudan Tevzadze is a Georgian economist, educator, and political leader with over two decades of experience in civic engagement, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics, specializing in business engineering and administration, and is recognized nationally as an expert in disaster risk reduction, with interdisciplinary expertise in geography, socio-political systems, and environmental science.

As a dedicated educator, she has led university-level courses and developed educational programs at Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, and other academic institutions. She is the author of numerous scientific publications on topics including territorial and administrative reform, civic education, and disaster resilience.

In 2021, Dr. Tevzadze co-founded the Women’s Organization of Georgia within the opposition political party For Georgia, where she currently serves as a Member of the Political Council. She co-developed the party’s strategic platforms on education, culture, environmental protection, and climate action, with a particular focus on mitigating and addressing the increasing threat of climate-induced disasters in Georgia and the greater Caucasus. Her political work centers on advancing democratization and countering authoritarianism in Georgia.

She has led regional grassroots mobilization efforts, championed women’s economic and political empowerment, and played an active role in Georgia’s women-led pro-democracy movement, including mass mobilizations following the contested 2024 elections. She is married and a proud mother of two daughters. A passionate advocate for animal rights, she actively supports campaigns to rescue and protect street dogs and cats in her city.

Rudina Hajdari leads out IGA’s International Democracy Fellowship, bringing extensive international leadership experience to champion a new generation of democratic leaders. Drawing on her backgrounds in both Albanian national politics and US-based fellowship programs, Hajdari works to equip democratic leaders from different countries with the tools, networks, and strategic vision necessary to advance democracy in different national contexts.

Hajdari was a 2022 Millenium Fellow and participant in the Atlantic Council’s 2024 Executive Leadership Intensive. That experience focused on cross-cultural collaboration, strategic governance, and building resilient democratic institutions, and it directly informs her approach to empowering democratic leaders internationally. With the International Democracy Fellowship, she creates structured opportunities for collaborative leadership development among rising political leaders globally.

Prior to IGA, Hajdari served as a member of the Albanian parliament, where she chaired the European Integration Committee and was instrumental in advancing Albania’s EU accession efforts in 2020. Known for her moderate stance, she worked across party lines to promote democratic reforms. She also worked for the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, advising Congressman Eliot Engel on Balkan affairs and foreign policy.

Hajdari is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a 2025 Vital Voices global fellow, recognized for her efforts to empower women leaders and promote democratic resilience. She holds degrees from Fordham University, King’s College London, and Columbia University.

The daughter of a prominent Albanian pro-democracy figure and victim of political violence, Hajdari witnessed first-hand the sacrifices required to confront advance democratic practices in challenging contexts. Based in New York City, she enjoys skiing, discovering new hiking trails, and exploring the city’s vibrant art and music scenes.

Rez Gardi is an international human rights lawyer, advocate, and trailblazer in the global refugee leadership movement. Born stateless and as a refugee in Pakistan to survivors of genocide, Rez has transformed her lived experience into a lifelong commitment to justice, equity, and systemic change. Her work bridges the gap between law, policy, and lived experience to challenge exclusionary systems and promote meaningful participation of those most affected by displacement and persecution.

Rez is a Harvard-educated lawyer, admitted to the bar in both New York and New Zealand, with academic qualifications in law, international relations, politics, and peace and conflict studies. She combines legal expertise with grassroots advocacy to champion human rights and amplify underrepresented voices in global decision-making spaces.

She is the co-founder and co-director of R-SEAT (Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table), the only global refugee-led organisation working to embed refugee co-leadership in state delegations and policy processes at the United Nations. Currently based in New York, she works to bridge advocacy efforts between Geneva and New York, ensuring cohesive and coordinated refugee representation across global governance systems.

Rez also serves as co-director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies at the University of Auckland and is the founder of Empower, a refugee-led organisation advancing educational access for refugee youth. She sits on UNHCR’s Advisory Board and contributes as an expert to the Wilson Center’s Refugee and Forced Displacement Initiative.

Regita Savira Putri is the Founder and Education Development Lead of EduEmpati, a peace education initiative focused on preventing bullying, intolerance, and sexual violence in schools. She believes that every child deserves a safe, inclusive, and empowering space to learn. In this role, she designs and leads practical teacher trainings that help educators build learning environments where students can grow, both academically and emotionally.

Since launching EduEmpati in late 2023, Regita has reached over 250 teachers across various regions in Indonesia, including remote and underserved areas. Her work focuses on equipping educators with contextualized strategies for violence prevention and inclusive classroom practices. For its innovative and scalable impact, EduEmpati was awarded as “The Most Valuable Project” by SDG Academy Indonesia, and is aligned strongly with SDG 4: Quality Education. Regita also holds a certification as an SDG-Certified Leader.

Since 2020, Regita has also led over 15 national peacebuilding and youth development programs through Indika Foundation, engaging 300 to 1,000 youth annually. Her work includes interfaith dialogue, civic education, and youth-led initiatives promoting social cohesion. She brings key strengths in inclusive mindset, strategic planning, and relationship-building across diverse communities. A career milestone includes serving as Project Lead of SabangMerauke 2024, a national student exchange promoting education, tolerance, and leadership.

Mariana Ribeiro is the CEO of CLARICE, a non-profit studio dedicated to research and audiovisual productions that spotlight women challenging the status quo and redefining power. In this role, she leads strategic direction, creative development, and partnership cultivation to shift mental models and social norms around female leadership worldwide.

CLARICE operates at the intersection of media and social impact, contributing to UN SDGs 5 (Gender Equality), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) through its commitment to diversifying power narratives and promoting gender equity.

As a strategic communicator with 10+ years of experience, Mariana has led numerous social and environmental mobilization initiatives and campaigns. Her achievements include developing innovative gender-focused projects like Mapa do Acolhimento and Beta Chatbot, and creating the acclaimed web series “Imagina na Copa”. She also led the impact campaign for Netflix’s Oscar-nominated documentary “The Edge of Democracy” (2020) and Emmy Award-winning “The Nightcrawlers.”

Mariana’s work has garnered international recognition, including the Google Stories Challenge, Cannes Lion, and Anthem Awards. She currently serves on the boards of five social organizations focused on gender, democracy, LGBTQ+ rights, civic space, and climate justice. She holds an MBA in Marketing from FGV/SP and a specialization in Design for Social Change from The School of Visual Arts (NYC).

Mariana is driven by her conviction that strategic communications, in all its forms, play a pivotal role in bringing social and environmental issues to the forefront of public awareness to unlock narrative shift and drive systemic change.

Maya Rupert is a podcast host, political strategist, and writer. In 2020, she served as campaign manager for Julián Castro’s presidential campaign and is only the third Black woman to have managed a major presidential campaign. When Secretary Castro exited the race, she joined Elizabeth Warren’s campaign as a Senior Advisor. In 2021, she managed Maya Wiley’s NYC Mayoral campaign.

She is the host of When We Win with Maya Rupert, a limited series podcast with Lemonada Media. Her forthcoming book, The Real Ones: How to Disrupt the Hidden Ways Racism Makes Us Less Authentic, will be published by Dutton Books in 2026.

Maya is a nationally respected voice on progressive politics and the future of the Democratic party. She has appeared as a guest on national television and radio including for MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and SiriusXM. She has also written for publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Teen Vogue, and Slate. Maya has previously been awarded NABJ Salute to Excellence awards for her writing. She has been recognized by national outlets including Ebony Magazine and The Root for her leadership in the Black community. In 2025, her podcast was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Podcast – Limited Series.

Maya received her B.A. from U.C. Santa Barbara and her J.D. from U.C. Berkeley. She clerked for the Honorable Eric L. Clay of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is on the Board of Directors of the National Women’s Law Center.

Liza Gashi is the Acting Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora in Kosovo and an elected member of the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo. She is a leader, innovator, social entrepreneur, and policy analyst with expertise in migration, diaspora engagement, public and digital diplomacy, and civic advocacy.

Liza is the founder and former executive director of GERMIN, a leading nonprofit focused on diaspora engagement in the Western Balkans. GERMIN has played a pivotal role in shaping national policies on diaspora matters and advancing the development and democratization of home countries. She also founded KosovoDiaspora.org, a digital platform that has promoted Kosovo’s statehood internationally, and previously led UWC Kosova, an education initiative that helped place Kosova’s youth leaders into top international institutions.

Her extensive experience spans international organizations such as the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UNDPA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and IREX. Gashi’s work has consistently aimed at strengthening migration and foreign policy, as well as fostering innovation in global diplomacy.

Fluent in Albanian, English, and Spanish, Gashi holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Arizona State University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Political Science, and Spanish from Wartburg College in Iowa. She is also an alumna of United World College in Costa Rica and the National University of Córdoba in Argentina.

Dr. Ibtissame Azzaoui is a councilor on the Rabat City Council and the founding president of Parliamentarians for Climate (P4C), a global network of current and former legislators committed to environmental sustainability and climate action. P4C advances legislative leadership aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

A former Member of the Moroccan Parliament (2016–2021), Dr. Azzaoui served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the joint parliamentary commission between Morocco and the European Union. In 2021, she led and won a highly competitive local election, becoming a city councilor in Rabat and a member of the Agdal-Riad district council.

She is an international consultant in digital transformation, public policy, and strategic governance, with extensive experience in the public and private sectors, including leadership roles in the insurance industry in Europe and Morocco.

Dr. Azzaoui’s work is guided by her commitment to inclusive governance, sustainable development, and bridging the gap between technology and public affairs. She actively contributes to global policy and research networks focused on governance, climate, and digital innovation.

She holds a PhD in Economic Sciences and Management from Mohammed V University. Her thesis on Moroccan parliamentary diplomacy in Africa won the National Prize for the Best Thesis Related to Parliamentary Affairs. She is also an IT Engineer, a graduate of EHTP Morocco and École Centrale Paris. She is also an alumna of prestigious programs such as the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and the McCain Fellowship for Freedom.

Hannah Phillips’ professional mission is to work towards more equal, compassionate and safer societies. With a decade of experience in the public sector and academia, she is an expert in policy research and advocacy. In her current roles, she works to address abuse in public life towards stronger, more equal democracies.

Hannah works at The Jo Cox Foundation, which makes meaningful change on issues that the late Jo Cox MP was passionate about and practices her message that we have “more in common” than that which divides us. Hannah manages the Jo Cox Civility Commission, which advocates for the implementation recommendations to address abuse across UK politics. She leads the policy development and advocacy with a range of cross-party and cross-sector senior stakeholders. Hannah regularly appears on national and international media and events, including the high-profile BBC Radio 4 Moral Maze and the influential Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Originally from Scotland, Hannah completed her undergraduate studies in Government at Harvard University and my MSc in Gender, Policy and Inequalities at the London School of Economics. She is due to shortly be awarded a DPhil (PhD) from the University of Oxford. Her research uses qualitative methods to explore the problem framing of violence (including abuse, harassment and intimidation) towards UK MPs. Alongside her doctorate work, Hannah manages a project at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government to develop global research and recommendations to reduce threats to women in politics.

Farah Kanbi is the Co-Director of Politics4Her, a global grassroots, youth-led feminist movement mobilizing young women and marginalized communities in civic engagement and political leadership. In this role, she leads strategic planning, advocacy campaigns, fundraising, and international partnerships, steering the organization’s efforts to dismantle patriarchal systems and ensure young women’s inclusion in decision-making in Global Majority countries.

Politics4Her operates across all continents, using community-centered activism and digital mobilization to advance the SDGs particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Under Farah’s leadership, the organization has developed feminist advocacy toolkits, policy briefs, launched Talks4Her and Digital Voices for Change, and supported young feminists around the world in building political power.

A Tunisian human rights defender, grassroots activist, and researcher, Farah is committed to amplifying marginalized voices and resisting civic space repression in Tunisia and the SWANA region. Through her advocacy and writing, she has exposed authoritarian tactics, restrictions on freedoms, and gender-based rights violations. She has contributed to international forums, including CSW69, where she spotlighted the urgent threats faced by human rights defenders.

Farah’s work is driven by a deep belief in collective liberation, decolonial intersectional justice, and radical inclusion. She holds a Master’s in International Relations and a Master’s in International Development and Cooperation, grounding her practice in critical global analysis and feminist thought. Her work continues to bridge local resistance and transnational solidarity to reimagine power dynamics.

Enkhuun Byambadorj is an environmental rights advocate. After witnessing her loved ones suffer from air pollution, she co-founded and is currently the Director of Operations of Breathe Mongolia, a nonprofit working to transform policies, narratives, and sectors to clean our air and protect the climate. Last year alone, her team trained over 600 youth in environmental action and reached more than 252,000 people through advocacy campaigns. Her team is now building a community-based vocabulary and practical frameworks to facilitate inclusive, intersectional, and context-appropriate discussions and efforts toward environmental justice.

Enkhuun holds a BA in Environment and International Development, a combination that fuels her commitment to advancing justice through multilateral systems. She advocates for environmental justice and human rights-based approaches in negotiation processes. She trained as a climate negotiator with the Young Negotiators Academy and has served in the Mongolian delegation to the UNFCCC at COP28 and COP29.

She also serves on Mongolia’s National Environmental Youth Council, the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Clean Air, and the board of Climate Mongolia. Through her work, Enkhuun wants to arm communities with the resources to make the right to a clean, healthy, safe, and sustainable environment a reality and transform the systems that prevent its realization.

Dansari Anasuya, known as Seethakka, is an Adivasi Gutti Koya tribal leader and three-time member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Mulug (ST-reserved). Currently, she is serving as Telangana’s Minister for Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Rural Water Supply, and Women and Child Welfare. Seethakka is a daughter of the tribal lands, a fighter for justice, and a servant of the people. Born in the remote village of Nellipaka, her journey from the forests of Adilabad to the legislative assembly is a testament to the power of resilience and hope.

Growing up in poverty, Seethakka witnessed the struggles of her community firsthand. This pain led her to activism, and later, to politics not for power, but for change. With a PhD from Osmania University, on “Tribal Rights and Livelihood,” she has dedicated her life to ensuring that no tribal child suffers as she did.

As an MLA from Mulugu, she walks tough paths literally and figuratively to bring education, healthcare, and dignity to her people. From building schools to fighting for land rights, her mission is clear: “empowerment through opportunity.” Elected MLA in 2009 (TDP), 2018, and 2023 (Congress), her leadership shines in grassroots engagement. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, she trekked through forests to deliver essentials to 400 tribal villages, earning the title “Iron Lady of Telangana.” As General Secretary of the All India Mahila Congress (2018) and Chhattisgarh Mahila Congress in-charge (2019), she empowered women politically. Seethakka’s ministerial initiatives include innovative projects like Mulugu’s container hospital and advocating for tribal welfare funding.

Seethakka believes in leading by example. Whether it’s sleeping in a hut during village visits or standing firm against injustice, her strength comes from her people. Her message is simple: “No dream is too big, no hurdle too high. Together, we rise.”

Catalina Martinez Coral is the Vice President for Latinoamerica and the Caribbean at the Center for Reproductive Rights, an international NGO working for the recognition of reproductive rights as human rights. She is a feminist from Cali, Colombia and is based in Bogotá, where the Center´s office for the region is located. As VP she oversees the full program of the Center in the region and sets innovative legal, advocacy and communications strategies to secure progress in law and to influence at the same time social and cultural changes regarding reproductive freedom and justice. Through this work, her organization contributes directly to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 5 (Gender Equality), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities). By centering the needs of the most vulnerable and challenging legal and societal barriers, the Center helps to ensure that all people—especially girls and women—can live in countries where the legal system ensures their dignity, equality, autonomy, and health.

Catalina is also a member of the Causa Justa movement and one of the plaintiffs in the historic ruling that decriminalized abortion in Colombia in 2022. She previously worked at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and holds two Master’s degrees in public international law and international relations from the Universities of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne and the Institute of Political Studies of Paris (Sciences Po).

Byambadulam Enkhbayar is the Chief Executive Officer of TV9 Mongolia, where she leads one of the country’s largest independent media networks. In her role, she is responsible for strategic leadership, media programming, and the integration of gender equality into mainstream broadcasting. Under her leadership, TV9 has launched Mongolia’s first national Women’s Hour program and implemented company-wide gender bias training, advancing SDGs 5 (Gender Equality), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

She is also the UK Representative of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce, where she fosters cross-border trade and investment, with a focus on women’s economic empowerment. Byambadulam serves on the Executive Committee of the Mongolian Women’s Federation, where she leads international partnerships and policy advocacy. MWF has influenced national reforms around gender-based violence and rural women’s participation in leadership.

Previously, she worked for eight years as a corporate lawyer in London, specializing in international transactions and co-founding her firm’s gender equity group. She holds a law degree from the London School of Economics and is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Breeze Liu is a globally recognized activist and entrepreneur reshaping the global response to online abuse. She is the founder and CEO of Alecto AI, a groundbreaking company building AI-powered infrastructure to combat online image abuse. Through her nonprofit, the Alecto Foundation, she also leads survivor-centered policy reform and international coalition building.

As a survivor of both CSAM and deepfake abuse, Breeze transformed personal trauma into structural change—spearheading the historic “Take It Down Act”, the first U.S. federal law to criminalize non-consensual intimate imagery and deepfake exploitation. Her leadership has redefined the legal and technological boundaries of digital human rights.

Breeze has been invited by two U.S. Presidents, Congress, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the United Nations to speak on technology-facilitated gender-based violence. She serves as a key advisor to global coalitions on AI regulation and digital safety, and is widely recognized as a pioneering voice demanding accountability from some of the world’s most powerful platforms.

Prior to founding Alecto AI, Breeze led Trust & Safety initiatives in Big Tech and built a successful career in venture capital. A graduate of UC Berkeley in Peace & Conflict Studies, she combines legal foresight, technical innovation, and philosophical depth to build scalable systems of justice.

Breeze’s work has been featured in The New York Times, People Magazine, Wired, and on national television across continents.

Antonia Orellana Guarello is the current Minister for Women and Gender Equality for Chile. She is a journalist specializing in media management and mother of a six year old boy. Antonia is also a national delegate on the Committee of her party, Frente Amplio, and a former participant on the Chilean Network Against Violence Towards Women.

Previously, she was the coordinator of her party to the equal participation act for the Constitutional Convention and head of the gender area for the candidacy of President Gabriel Boric until becoming minister. Under her leadership as Minister, the government has passed the bill for Parental Responsibility, comprehensive law against gender violence (Ley General de Violencia Contra las Mujeres), the Reparation Law for Victims of Femicide, and laws that settle the offense of femicide, suicide, and strengthen the prosecution of sexual offenses.

Antonia has dedicated much of her career to supporting the establishment and dissemination of social and political organizations in Chile, demonstrating an outstanding commitment to the feminist movement both in Chile and Latin America. Her work is focused on SDGs 1, 3, 5, and 8.

Andrea Mariana Domínguez Noriega is a law professor at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), where she leads the Environmental Law Clinic and coordinates the Latin American and Caribbean Alliance of Environmental Law Clinics. Through collaborative legal education, she co-designs legal strategies with students, communities, and public institutions to advance environmental justice and sustainability.

Her clinic has supported landmark legal and advocacy cases involving climate change, land rights, and indigenous peoples, contributing to SDGs 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land), and 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). Andrea also serves as Regional Director for Latin America at the Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment (GNHRE), and sits on the Advisory Board of EPIC-N Latin America. She is part of the Climate Litigation Network of Columbia University’s Sabin Center and the UNEP-LAC Legal Education Platform.

Previously, she served as senior advisor at Peru’s Ministries of Culture and Environment, and as a legal expert at the International Labour Organization, where she worked on the implementation of ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous Peoples.

Andrea holds a Master’s in Economic Analysis of Law and Public Policy from the University of Salamanca and an Executive Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania. She was recently recognized by the international network “Teachers for the Planet.”

Driven by a deep sense of ethics and collective care, Andrea is committed to empowering the next generation of legal changemakers to build more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies.

Alice Stollmeyer is the Founder & Executive Director of Defend Democracy, a nonpartisan NGO defending democracy from foreign, domestic and technological threats. Alice has a background in social studies of science, technology and society. A former policy adviser and digital strategist, she now works at the nexus of democracy, technology and security, in particular sharp power (also known as hybrid threats).

Besides leading Defend Democracy, she is on the Steering Group of the ‘Digitalisation’ strand of the Netherlands Democracy Coalition and she is an associated expert of the Euro-Atlantic Resilience Centre. Alice has lived and worked in Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels, and increasingly travels across Europe and beyond for her work. She is in Politico’s #Power40 top influencers who are most effectively setting the agenda in politics, public policy & advocacy in Brussels. She is a frequent speaker in panels, podcasts, the media, and closed-door meetings.

Martyna Zastawna is a pioneer and promoter of circularity in Europe. She is one of the most influential women in Poland according to Forbes and a sustainable development leader by Forbes. She is the founder of Woshwosh, the world’s first shoe renewal company and These Girls, Poland’s first socially responsible marketing agency. Martyna is a university lecturer and a mentor focusing on the issue of sustainability. She is also a sustainability expert at the European Investment Bank and author of many social campaigns awarded in Poland and abroad.

Martyna has implemented circular services to some of the largest companies in Poland, and her company has managed to give a second life to more than half a million pairs of shoes, saving 4 trillion liters of water and 7 million CO2 in the process. She is the author of Collections of Shoes and Clothes for People in Crisis of Homelessness, Refugees or People in Need. Her collections have collected more than 200,000 pairs of shoes and donated to more than 50 charitable organizations and foundations in Poland, Ukraine and Africa.

Ms. Keiko Koda is the Founder and CEO of AsMama. She oversees the creation of local community-building opportunities and provides a sharing app that facilitates child-rearing and daily life support among nearby individuals. This app, customized for municipalities and businesses, is available across Japan, with plans for international expansion.

AsMama’s mission is to enhance local connections through real-life interactions, providing a platform where individuals can support each other with minimal economic burden. The company’s services align with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Gender Equality, Good Health and Well-being, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Reduced Inequality, and Decent Work and Economic Growth. With 80% of its 100,000 users being women, AsMama enables women to balance work and family life, boasting a 99% user satisfaction rate. The company has trained over 2,000 local leaders, facilitated more than 2,000 community-building events annually, and currently supports 130,000 households.

Ms. Keiko Koda and AsMama have received numerous awards and media coverage for their achievements and social impact. Keiko founded AsMama in 2009 and is a founding director of the Sharing Economy Association. Before AsMama, she was the head of PR and IR at a venture investment firm. Keiko graduated from Kansai Gaidai University and studied at Florida Atlantic University. She was born in Osaka. Driven by the desire to create a society where everyone can achieve their goals, Keiko’s mission is to build a support system that allows individuals to thrive in both work and personal life.

Jennifer Borrero (JB) is a Global Ambassador for the United Nations Foundation representing SDG 11 and the Founder of Youth Housing Coalition, an equity-centered Housing Development firm. Youth Housing Coalition has two arms; one being Advocacy and Community Organizing that trains and empowers the next generation of Housing Leaders at the Policy level. Magnolia Group is the Development focused arm of YHC.

Magnolia Group was founded with the purpose of innovating the real estate industry by creating pathways for wealth creation and financial stability for communities; being a leader in diverse workforce participation and through sustainable building innovation. As a community-driven developer, Magnolia Group is committed to a vision of development innovation, educational advancement and environmental stewardship, both in building construction and equitable outcomes.

From Nicaragua to the Middle East and domestically, JB has run programs in the private and public sectors that focus on creating social change. In 2023 she received the Hispanic Executive 30 under 30 award for Social Impact and has given TED talks on the future of housing. In 2023 she was awarded a NextGen Leader award by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. She holds a Masters degree from Georgia State University.

Her work sits at the intersection of Political Theory, Sustainability and Social Justice. Jennifer’s ultimate goal is to highlight innovative solutions to global problems while building community across cultures.

Durga’s background in building technology in the Silicon Valley for 25 years led her to believe that water would be a world issue and decided to invest her time and develop the technologies to patent solutions and launched AERONERO. The technology bio mimics desert plants and creatures to collect water at an affordable cost. She also fostered a relationship with IIT Chennai to develop a low-cost, maintenance-free solution that can deliver 5 liters per panel of water to a village home with no electricity.

Durga has recently been appointed to the WICCI National Advisory Board Member (Industry) and Durga is an advisor to the World Talent Economic Forum which is a team of International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange. Ms. Das has more than thirty years of experience in the critical early stages of start-ups – with skilled emphasis on creation, management & business development. She recently completed the Goldman Sachs 10K Woman program at IIMB. A continuous initiator of revenue-generating concepts, she possesses an innate understanding of the market pulse at the ground level. All her previous companies have been successfully acquired.

Durga has captained the Cricket team of the USA and the joint Americas for over 5 years and has played tours in South Africa, England, Argentina, Bangladesh, and Canada, and played at the national level in India. Durga, a Rotarian, is also an amateur competitive golfer and an avid Sailor. She rides a Harley on weekends to clear her mind. Durga ultimately believes “SPORT builds character.”

Ana Lucia (Anilu) is the Co-founder of Beyond Work/Bolsa Rosa, an HRTECH LATAM company that provides talent and flextime solutions. They link women in flextime jobs inside companies and help build human-centered organizations with workforce innovation practices. They improve the conditions and quality of life of working moms and reduce the gender gap, by providing an online job board oriented towards female talent and flextime jobs so women can pursue their career and achieve work-life balance. They also drive flextime working cultures through workforce innovation consulting projects inside companies.

During this years, over 7,000 women have obtained a job through us, reaching the total quantity of more than $92 Million USD in new income for Mexican families and women. More than 350 companies have benefited from consulting projects & workshops impacting directly and indirectly more than 300,000 collaborators and their families with a better workplace, quality of life, and be purpose driven and improve talent and economic results in the company. Their work contributes and impacts the SDG goals number 5 & 8.

Anilu has been recognized by Forbes in Mexico as one of the 100 most influential women, and has been awarded by Cartier Women’s Initiative Award, MIT University, and Women Economic Forum, among others. She is currently an icon in gender equality and the future of work. She has a bachelors degree in Organizational Psychology and Masters Degree in Business Innovation.

Melina Taprantzi is a distinguished social entrepreneur and the Founder of Wise Greece, a multi-awarded social enterprise that aims to promote sustainable development and social impact through the power of entrepreneurship. Melina’s notable achievements include receiving the prestigious “SDGs and Her” award from the United Nations and the World Bank in 2020, recognizing her as one of the seven women globally with exceptional contributions to sustainable development. She has also been honored with the World of Difference Award by the International Alliance for Women in Washington DC for her efforts in economically empowering women.

Melina sits on the Board of multinational Organizations and she is a keynote speaker at international seminars on social entrepreneurship, women empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion, Sustainability, ESG and the SDGs. She is a TEDX Speaker, a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader, an IVLP Alumna in the program of Social Responsibility and Innovation funded by the US Department of State, a Young Emerging Leader 2018 by the European-Australian Forum and a Young Innovative Leader 2019 (YTILI Fellow) by the German Marshall Fund. In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Melina is a faculty member at several esteemed educational institutions, where she teaches courses on leadership, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and social impact.

Driven by a passion for creating a more equitable and sustainable world, Melina’s work is guided by the principles of social responsibility and innovation. Her mission is to empower individuals and organizations to make a positive social and environmental impact through sustainable practices and inclusive growth.

Zaitun Namuwonge is a passionate social entrepreneur. She is the Managing Director and Co-founder of Afro Lube Limited, a Ugandan enterprise that mitigates the environmental challenges and impact posed by improper disposal of used engine oil with a mission to provide a sustainable solution to managing used engine oil through recycling it to produce high-quality engine oil called Afro Oil with products like Petrol oil, 2-T oil, Diesel oil and Automatic transmission fluid.

Afro Lube Limited has so far recycled over 906,000 liters of used engine oil reducing contamination and contributing to a cleaner environment by diverting used engine oil away from water sources, animals and damaging soil properties, and this aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 14: life below water and SDG 15: Life on Land The business not only prevents environmental pollution but also promotes responsible waste management and reduces Uganda’s reliance on oil imports, contributing to a sustainable future.

Zaitun’s leadership extends beyond Afro Lube. Her degree in community psychology fuels her dedication to foster positive social change. This passion is evident in her founding of the Jalia Kagingo Diabetes Foundation, named after her mother, which offers essential medical care and support to those living with diabetes. A leader who values integrity and collaboration, Zaitun fosters a positive work environment at Afro Lube while striving to create a cleaner, healthier future for both the environment and the community.

Poonam Shukla is the Director of Satya Herbal and Spice Products, a company dedicated to bringing authentic Nepalese botanicals to the global market while empowering collector and farmer communities, especially women. Under her leadership, Satya has sustainably introduced over 500 varieties of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) based products to the world, creating economic opportunities for more than 2,500 collectors and farmers in rural Nepal.

Satya also addresses the significant issue of out-migration in Nepal by investing in the upskilling of local youth and women, thereby creating employment opportunities and encouraging them to contribute to their homeland’s development.

Poonam is a strong advocate of community and environmental stewardship. She actively mobilizes organizations and communities to build collaborative projects focused on agroforestry, financial literacy, and climate-smart agriculture. To date, she has conducted over 20 workshops on these topics in partnership with various organizations. Additionally, she has facilitated the plantation of over 8,000 saplings of medicinal trees, contributing to environmental sustainability and biodiversity.

Poonam holds a BTech in Biotechnology and was a Teach For India fellow. She has also worked extensively in the systemic education transformation sector in India for over a decade, striving to build an ecosystem for change.

Yu is an entrepreneur passionate about diversity and inclusion to create a collaborative and innovative society through embracing individuals differences. She founded An-Nahal Inc. in 2019 and provides consulting and human resource development within companies with the themes of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, as well as entrepreneurship education for foreign nationals through partnerships with industry, government, and academia.

Yu has been involved in global talent development, education projects with the World Bank and other international organizations, as well as NPO as a job assistant for asylum seekers. She is also a fellow of Japanese Women’s Leadership Initiative in 2019 by Fish Family Foundation in Boston.

Ynes Hafi is a 30-year-old Tunisian tech entrepreneur. With a master’s degree in Marketing Studies and Development and a foundational background in business administration, Ynes has consistently demonstrated a commitment to impactful entrepreneurship.

In 2019, Ynes co-founded Arsela, a pioneering no-code service automation provider. Arsela’s mission is to democratize application development by eliminating the traditional need for coding, thereby making technological innovation accessible to a broader audience. This initiative is not just about technological advancement but also about fostering inclusivity and empowerment within and beyond the communities they serve.

Leading a talented and diverse team of 25 professionals distributed across offices in Tunisia and the UAE, Ynes has honed her skills in cross-cultural communication, leadership, and strategic planning. Her role has deepened her understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with driving technological innovation in varied environments. Ynes is driven by a passion to integrate and amplify her efforts in using technology for social good with a global community of like-minded leaders.

The fellowship’s dual focus on social entrepreneurship and political leadership aligns with her professional journey and personal mission to foster economic growth and productivity through innovative technological solutions. Engaging with the Vital Voices network offers Ynes an exciting opportunity to connect with diverse women leaders who bring a wealth of knowledge and perspectives. She believes this community is not just about growth; it’s about collaborative influence.

Vo the Founder and CEO of GreenJoy, where she leads the company’s strategic direction, product development, and stakeholder partnerships in sectors such as HoReCa, F&B, governments, NGOs, and sustainability associations. Her focus is on innovating grass-based technology and ensuring the operations are sustainable and impactful.

Green Joy is a pioneering enterprise using grass-based technology to create eco-friendly products like straws, utensils, handicrafts, and pellets. The mission is to offer sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, reducing waste and pollution, uplifting disadvantaged communities, and promoting environmental conservation.

Green Joy’s work supports several UN SDGs 12, 13, 8 and 5. They have eliminated 50 million plastic straws, reducing 250 tons of plastic waste and avoiding 100 tons of CO2 emissions. They also preserve 100 hectares of natural grass, crucial for sarus cranes. Socially, they have improved the lives of over 100 farmers and local women in the Mekong Delta by providing stable jobs and tripling their income.

Creating GreenJoy and leading it to the forefront of sustainable products is a significant achievement for Vo. She has received the International Innovator Award and several grants for social impact projects, underscoring her commitment to sustainability and innovation.

She is ultimately driven by a passion for sustainability and a commitment to making the world better, inspiring others to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles. Vo holds an MBA and a Master in Management from the EU, with a strong foundation in banking and experience in sustainability projects.

Shapol Majid is the visionary Founder/ CEO of Mamosa, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering individuals through education and community support. Mamosa’s mission is to provide accessible technical and vocational education, fostering self-reliance and economic independence, particularly in the MENA.

Shapol’s journey began in 1996 when she and her father arrived in the Netherlands as refugees. At 16, she faced the daunting challenge of building a new life in a foreign country. Despite these hurdles, Shapol embraced the opportunities provided by the Dutch social safety net, pursued her education, and developed valuable professional skills. This transformative experience ignited her passion for helping others overcome similar challenges.

Mamosa addresses several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Quality Education (Goal 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), and Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10). The organization is committed to making information and skills accessible to all, fostering inclusivity, and empowering individuals to become catalysts for positive change in their communities. Among Shapol’s notable achievements is the creation of a platform that delivers unique, high-quality educational content in a user-friendly format. Mamosa’s innovative approach includes accessible payment options and a dedicated Bazaar to facilitate entrepreneurial ventures.

Driven by a profound belief in the transformative power of education and community, Shapol is dedicated to building a fairer and more prosperous society. She holds a degree in Business Administration, further underpinning her expertise and commitment to Mamosa’s mission. Shapol Majid leverages her experiences to empower others, providing tools and opportunities for thriving and meaningful societal contributions.

After 13 years of experience as an employee in audit and agribusiness, Pauline dared to use the skills and experience she had gained to venture into this male-dominated industry, adopting the moniker, ‘Queen Bee’, holding a BCom-Degree and MBA-Strategic Management. In five years Pauline has managed to position Apiculture Venture Limited among the top 5 key players in the Kenyan beekeeping industry. She has been recognized among the “top 50 African Business Heroes 2023 Finalists” from Jack Ma Foundation and the “Top 5 incredible entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa advancing SDGs through their businesses” from the 2023 WE Empower UN SDG Challenge.

Established in 2018, Apiculture Venture is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering communities, tackling the challenge of food insecurity in Kenya, particularly Arid and Semi-Arid Lands. Apiculture Venture achieved this by fostering a robust beekeeping and honey value chain. The multifaceted approach directly benefits households by: Reducing food insecurity which equipped communities with the tools and knowledge to build sustainable livelihoods through beekeeping and supporting honey production as a business which provides access to markets and facilitates value addition through processing initiatives, ensuring a reliable source of income. The multifaceted approach also empowers women/youth through strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations where we champion projects that specifically engage these groups, creating a ripple of positive change.

Ultimately, Apiculture Venture champions sustainable beekeeping practices, ensuring environmental responsibility. It has established a thriving network of over 10,500 local beekeepers who form core supply base and they receive input financing from Apiculture.

Jael Omumani Omunyangoli is a young female politician in Kenya. She is a Member of the County Assembly of Kakamega representing the gender interests. Her roles are Legislative, Representation, and Oversight of Government functions. She is the Chairperson of the female members at the Assembly and a member of the Finance, Agriculture, and the Monitoring and Implementation Committees. Hon Jael, is a member of the ODM Party and has worked at the Women League desk as a Programs Coordinator on a voluntary basis. She currently acts as the chairperson for the Kakamega County Women League and serves at the National ODM Women League Council. Her major role is to build women leaders and develop the capacity of young girls into leadership positions in her community.

Hon Jael is a fierce defender of the rights of women in her community. She Founded and runs the Kakamega Voices of Change and Development, a community based organization working with over 30 grassroots women groups on local led initiatives for economic empowerment and better livelihood in the remote areas. Jael continues to mobilize these groups to work on issues of food security, sustainability change, clean energy and gender equality through development of women leaders. Members of the group actively take up advocacy and sensitization on human rights, women land rights and land ownership for Agriculture. As these members became more economically empowered, Hon Jael led them in forming a savings and credit organization to enable them have quick access to their finances for businesses.

Hon Jael is trained in Public Policy and Administration from Kenyatta University and continues to build her capacity through training opportunities locally and internationally. She is an Alumni of the ALN Women Empowerment program training in Cape Town where she performed exemplary and was awarded a scholarship to study Project Design and Implementation at the FNF Academy in Germany. She underwent training on Gender Responsive budgeting for Women leaders at the Entrepreneurship Institute of India, a course that addresses the requirements for gender mainstreaming and inclusivity in budget making processes.

Juliet Matos is a Brazilian born in the Amazon Rainforest who serves as the General Secretary of the Forum of Women’s Bodies in Political Parties and the National Secretary of Women for the Cidadania Party. She is responsible for developing projects and advocating for increased female participation in politics within the country. Juliet also works as a parliamentary advisor for the party in the National Congress, focusing on environmental issues.

She is a student of Political Science and Environmental Management, conducting research on these topics at the Observatory of Women in Politics and the International University Center (Uninter). Fighting for gender equality and an environmentally sustainable world is what drives her involvement in politics.

Karissa R. Fetalvero-Paronia, RN, MAN is the first lady mayor of Sison, a fifth-class municipality, after 57 years of male dominance. She is a visionary leader that embodies the spirit of proactive and transformative leadership, currently serving her third and last term.

Her journey is marked by remarkable achievements such as being the first municipality to declare as ZOD (Zero Open Defecation), under Health & Sanitation Best Practices, in spite of having 3 IP communities which made it more challenging; being a recipient of the SEAL OF GOOD LOCAL GOVERNANCE for four times, which is the highest and prestigious award a local government can receive.

Karissa exemplifies courage, bravery and resiliency in her quest to fight insurgency and the injustices brought by the terrorists in their place, which made her successful in bringing an impactful change, resulting in peace, safety and security that everyone wishes to sustain.

She worked as the Local Area Coordinator of the Philippine Commission on Women for the Magna Carta of Women Project, in partnership with AECID. She served as a Sangguniang Bayan Member, passing several ordinances for gender equality and women empowerment. She is an advocate for lifelong learning as manifested by several of her leadership trainings, receiving recognitions and awards from different NGAs and civic organizations. She is a true and natural leader and a driven and relentless worker that always envisions success for the welfare of the people she’s serving.

She is a graduate of two courses: BS Accountancy and BS Nursing, with a Masters in Nursing. A licensed nurse in the Philippines.

Mandukhai Nanzad is currently the managing Director at Excelsior Energy Mongolia and serves as the Board Member of the Social Democratic Women, Mongolian People’s Party. Her work experience spans the private sector, specializing in renewable energy through her business and has been actively engaged in multiple levels of Mongolia’s biggest political party. Her activities within the party have addressed and organized projects to advance welfare and living conditions of less reachable districts as well as women and girls in need of help in their daily livelihood, encompassing policies, projects adaptable for transitional economy, and bringing in renewable energy solutions to decrease carbon emission. Mandukhai strongly believes in the power of political participation, as it is a driving force for providing civic engagement to educate and inform women about their political rights, choices and activities of participation.

Mandukhai holds a BA Degree in Business Administration and has a diverse background of education from the UK, Switzerland and Mongolia.

Manuela Thourte is the chief of a parliamentary party caucus in the Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires, the federal district in Argentina. She is in charge of leading a 12-member caucus integrated by three minor political parties. As part of her work she is leading communal-level delegates to generate synergies, exchange information, and bringing support to enriching the legislative work from the territory.

Manuela is working with young women from the party trying to represent them and lead them to feel empowered within a party that is 100 years old and very conservative in internal issues, forms of election, women participation in decisions-making, etc. Her main fields of work are children rights, education, gender equity and sustainability. As a legislator, Manuela passed some remarkable laws that are: Plain Language in Official Documents (to make accessible to all citizens the governmental communications and regulations); Strategic Scholarships in Pre- University level (in order to align market requirements and elections of careers for young people); Working conditions of teachers (to bring monetary and career’s incentives to teachers for sustained training) and Alternative family care for children (to guarantee the right of living in family for small children).

Manuela holds a Master Degree in Public Policy and Administration and a degree in Political Science. Before being in politics, she worked for 15 years in United Nations. She is also a mother of a 7 years old girl.

Veronica Roșca is a Member in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova for a second term and the vice-president of the faction of the Action and Solidarity Party. In June 2020, she was elected as PAS vice-president, having been a member of the party since 2016. Since January till now, she serves as the chair of Parliament’s Legal Commission. She is also the Head of the delegation of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova to the OSCE PA.

Nora Jeanne Joseph is a Haitian-American activist and social entrepreneur who is passionate about sustainable development and women’s empowerment. She is the founder of RADIKAL, a Haiti-based social franchise that helps disenfranchised women create sustainable livelihoods. Nora strengthens food security in Haiti by catalyzing women street vendors as micro-entrepreneurs. By professionalizing street food vendors and linking them to local producers through an integrated supply chain, they become a critical node in tackling hunger in low-income communities while simultaneously improving their livelihoods.

RADIKAL’s impact is fourfold: improving the livelihoods of women in the informal economy and small farmers, reducing the environmental impact of street food, stimulating local agriculture and increasing access to healthy and sustainable food in a context of severe food insecurity. Its mission is to create self-sufficient value chains that take local products from farm to fork, thus reducing dependence on imports and benefiting the thousands of people who rely on street vendors for their meals every day.

RADIKAL aims to harness the power of technology to manufacture and distribute our products through an efficient grassroots distribution channel, while also respecting and restoring the environment. Nora was inspired to start the social venture after becoming aware of the massive need for women in Haiti to have access to revenue-creating opportunities, and in 2015 she moved back to Haiti to lay the groundwork for the social business.

Nora studied International Relations at the University of Connecticut, and has obtained multiple certifications in Fundraising, Volunteer Management, Cultural Diplomacy and Sustainable Development.

Ms. Anu Bhardwaj is the Founder & CEO of SHEQONOMI which is the world’s first and only multi-platform, multi-device podcast listening app built by women for women on Android, iOS, KaiOS, and JiOS. If you have a podcast, enjoy listening to podcasts, or are interested in making your own podcast while empowering women and girls to use their voices and skills, we are here to help. SHEQONOMI is now listed on the APP Store on Apple Phones, Google Play Store, KaiStore, and on the JioStore with over 5,000 women led podcasts, in 50 languages, across 175 countries. The app features content on women’s health, women’s entrepreneurship, investing, leadership, sports, balance and content addressing all 17 UN SDG goals. We have been laser focused on creating affordable and accessible deep tech that can reach the bottom billion who are currently living on less than $5 US/day. Our podcast listening apps were built with almost $1M US in non-dilutive capital with grants from the Islamic Development Bank COVID Innovation Competition, the Algorand Foundation, and SDG Impact Accelerator to name a few who are equally passionate about giving women and girls access to transformational digital technology.

Ms. Bhardwaj is a Fulbright Scholar from the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai and a graduate of Georgetown University (BA/MA). She completed her MBA at the Stockholm School of Economics and has spent the past 25 years focusing on global women’s issues focusing on bridging the digital divide.

Amira Saber Qandil is an Egyptian Member of Parliament serving as the Secretary General of the Foreign Relations Committee. Saber is the VP of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, responsible for planning and development, and a member of Egypt’s Coordination’s Committee of Parties’ Youth Leaders and Politicians. Concurrently, she served as an appointed member of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Culture. Inside the Parliament, Amira has submitted tens of legislative and oversight tools pushing for a human-centered development and progressive agenda with special focus on the issues of sustainability change, women rights, artificial intelligence, youth empowerment, democracy, and good governance. She also introduced three draft bills on combating food waste, adapting with sustainability change, and AI governance.

Amira is the co-presiding officer of the Global young MP initiative and representing the Region of Middle East and North Africa in the Young Parliamentarians steering Committee of the World Bank. She is also a member of Munich Security Conference Women Parliamentarians Program.

Amira is currently pursuing her DBA from Swiss School of Management and a professional Development Certificate of Parliamentary Governance at McGill University. She holds an MA in Development Studies from the University of Sussex where she was awarded the Chevening scholarship, an MBA from ESLSCA Business School, and a BSC in Biochemistry from Egypt. Besides her work in the Parliament, Amira is a founding member of Kayan NGO For community Development given her extensive experience working in the civil society both at the grassroot level with beneficiaries, especially women and children, running several international programmes with different national and international partners.

Amira was appointed to the board of the steering committee to oversee a national dialogue between the government and the opposition. The appointment to this board is a real testament to Amira’s broad appeal and political standing.

Agita Pasaribu is the Founder and Executive Director of Bullyid App (NMA Foundation), a pioneering tech-charity that provides accessible mental health support and access to justice to victims of OGBV with a survivors-centered approach. To date, over 220,000+ people have received support. Agita’s notable career achievements include her instrumental role in transforming the Sexual Violence Bill into law in Indonesia and leading advocacy efforts that have garnered international recognition, under her leadership Bullyid App works collaboratively with Ministry of Women Empowerment and Children Protection and National Cybercrime Agency in Indonesia.

Based on her work at Bullyid App she was invited by UNESCO to join the UNESCO Youth AI (Artificial Intelligence) Ethics Steering Committee. Previously, she was elected as Deputy Coordinator for Youth IGF Global Movement as part of the UN Internet Governance Forum. During that event, she led 35 youth representatives from around the world to develop sustainable digital literacy programs in their communities to strengthen children and youth capacity to keep themselves safe online. Agita is also an ITU Children Protection Online Expert Member, utilizing her expertise in Southeast Asia to solve and advocate for the lack of digital sexual education in the area and assist the relevant Indonesian government with online child sexual exploitation.

Driven by a passion for social justice and a commitment to leveraging technology for positive change, Agita’s mission is to create inclusive and equitable digital spaces. She holds an LL.B in Criminal Law from Universitas Indonesia and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Malaya. Additionally, she has earned various certifications in data protection, AI ethics, and digital governance, underpinning her expertise and dedication to her field.

Banker-turned-social-entrepreneur, Nathalie Llorente-Lim is the founder and CEO of LIKHA, a lifestyle brand that creates joyful connectedness, offering a diverse line of thoughtfully handcrafted home decor and fashion accessories. LIKHA’s mission is to empower Filipino artisan communities to overcome poverty by reimagining time-honored local craft for the global market.

By providing market access, generating economic opportunities, and ultimately getting artisans out of poverty, LIKHA works towards three main SDG goals: 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, 1 No Poverty, and 10 Reduced Inequality. LIKHA also contributes to Goals 12 Responsible Consumption and Production and 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, using sustainable materials in production and preserving local culture and tradition.

To date, LIKHA has worked with 400+ artisans across 20 communities in the Philippines, touching the lives of 2000 individuals. 63% of these artisans are women from rural areas. On average, their artisans earn 41% higher than comparable livelihoods in the region. 82% of LIKHA’s raw materials are natural, while 91% are locally sourced. LIKHA currently works with 700+ retailers across the US including Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Home Goods, and has been featured on media such as Martha Stewart, The Today Show, and Oprah Magazine. LIKHA is Nest certified and Fair Trade and People + Planet First verified.

Born and raised in the Philippines, Nathalie holds an M.Sc. in International Development from the University of Birmingham in the UK. She is a Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship and a MassChallenge alumna, a SOCAP entrepreneur, and a Tory Burch Fellow.

Anathi Majeke, Chief Whip of the Official Opposition, in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, began her political journey as an activist for the Democratic Alliance in 2013. She is currently serving her second term as a Councilor, where she previously served as Deputy Whip for the Official Opposition. She also serves on the Municipal Public Accounts Committee; Rules Committee; Multi-Party Whips Committee, and the Women’s Caucus. She has extensive legislative administrative experience having served as a Personal Assistant and Researcher to Bobby Stevenson, former Leader of the Official Opposition in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature.

Anathi has proven to be a seasoned and principled leader with servitude at her core. She is the Former DA Youth Provincial Chairperson. She believes that the youth have a vital role in policy formulation and decision-making within political parties and legislatures and seeks to uplift them in her endeavors. Anathi has also served in the Provincial Executive Committee of the Democratic Alliance Women’s Network, in the Eastern Cape, in this role she advocated for women and the plethora of challenges women face in the workforce, including, but not limited to their high unemployment levels, the shortage of leadership opportunities and gender-based violence.

She is an alumnus of the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Programme from the United States Department, which focused on Women in Politics and Civil Society in 2023. Anathi has co-founded a non-governmental organization titled Project Vote SA in 2024, which focuses on civic and voter education and how to hold government accountable in all spheres of South African government. She has proven herself to be a vibrant and dynamic leader who is grounded in her activism and community building. Anathi holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Unisa majoring in Politics and Philosophy and is currently studying towards her Post Graduate Diploma in Public Law.

Anoka Abeyrathne is the Regional Coordinator for Asia at the Royal Commonwealth Society, where she leads regional sustainability and policy efforts, focusing on sustainable community building. She is also a Climate Democracy Consultant for People Powered, bridging policy gaps for communities across Africa and Asia. The Royal Commonwealth Society supports and assists Commonwealth nations in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Anoka also served as a Senior Regional Coordinator at Change.org, supporting country teams across Asia, Africa, and Latin America campaigning for policy changes at national and global scale. At the British Council, she was a Master Facilitator developing youth-led sustainable community development programs globally for over 3500 youth and women. As a member of the official government delegation of Sri Lanka to UNFCCC COP, she played a pivotal role in the debt swap for nature policy negotiations and the loss and damages fund for vulnerable Global South states. Her prior experiences include the United Nations, Asia Foundation, 350.org, and the Global Green Growth Institute. Anoka’s accolades include the Commonwealth Youth Award, United States Department of State – International Visitor Leadership award and ForbesWomen. She is the country’s first female World Economic Forum New Champion.

She is driven and inspired by the long-term impacts of how action now can create greater impact in the near future. Anoka holds a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School, a LLB from the University of London, and a forestry certification from Yale University.

Arielle Kayabaga is a passionate community leader and the first Black woman ever elected as Member of Parliament in London and to London City Council, where she received both the Municipal World Award and the Pillar Community Leadership Award for her work in building a more equitable London. Recently, Arielle was selected as a 2023 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and honoured as Politician of the Year by One Young World.

Arielle and her family left Burundi amid civil war, and she experienced first-hand the challenges newcomers face in dealing with insecure housing and precarious employment in an unfamiliar place. Arielle is passionate about helping new Canadians get settled in this country and have access to the necessary resources to ease the transition. Arielle earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University. After completing her degree, she gained experience in government while working for the Liberal Research Bureau on Parliament Hill. In Ottawa, Arielle passed a Private Members’ Motion that amended the federal framework on housing to improve access to affordable housing for individuals with non-visible disabilities. Arielle is also the current Co-Chair of the Global Cooperation Caucus, and the Chair of Liberal Black Caucus.

Arielle’s experiences inspired her to become a vocal champion for the people in her community. She is particularly focused on homelessness prevention, civic engagement, and inclusive communities. In her work, Arielle has successfully advocated on global food security, women’s health, global economic and social development, and providing humanitarian assistance to nations and people in need. She has engaged in bilateral meetings with various countries, ensuring that Canada continues to have strong relationships with key allies.

As a single mother, Member of Parliament, and community activist, Arielle embodies the qualities of a new type of political leader: progressive, resilient, and optimistic. She is working hard to continue bringing positive change to London West and is committed to representing marginalized voices in her community.

Cara Hunter is a 28-year-old politician based in the North of Ireland. With a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, in 2020, she became the youngest female Member of the Northern Irish Legislative Assembly in the history of the Social Democratic & Labour Party.

In her time as an elected representative, she’s prioritized policies on mental health, combating violence against women, and addressing addiction. She’s lobbied and secured £1 million funding for Northern Ireland’s rape counseling service, had successful motions on banning LGBTQ+ conversion therapy, and a successful motion demanding a strategy to end violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland. Serving on committees for Environment and Health, she has advocated for sustainable practices and constituent well-being. She also contributed to various boards supporting mental health, LGBT rights, and refugee needs. Currently, she is a member of the Education Committee and hold roles in various All-Party Groups, showcasing her commitment to fostering positive change and addressing societal issues in Northern Ireland where inequalities still exist.

She is dedicated to advancing democracy, peacemaking, and reconciliation efforts, aiming to promote inclusivity and progress in Northern Ireland’s political landscape. She uses every opportunity to foster a sense of unity and understanding among her diverse communities and identities and strives to put an end to the high levels of poverty in the post-conflict society.

In previous roles, Cara was a Councilor and Deputy Mayor at the age of twenty-three for the historic city and district of Derry City and Strabane Council. She did significant work around safeguarding women in politics and promoting youth voices and activism. Her purpose in politics is to create a reconciled Northern Ireland focusing on ending division, celebrating difference and diversity, ending high levels of poverty, high suicide rates and creating a more accessible mental health support service.

Canela Bodenhofer González is currently employed at the Ministry of Education. Initially, in 2022, she worked in the cabinet of the Undersecretary of Education, where she coordinated gender mainstreaming efforts to ensure the integration of a gender perspective in every educational policy and to promote gender equality within the institution. Since 2023, she has served in the cabinet of the Ministry of Education, where she advises on the implementation of various educational policies.

Driven by her commitment to social justice, Canela pursued a degree in Sociology at the University of Chile and actively engaged in various student organizations. Subsequently, from 2017 to 2019, she completed an internship and continued her work at the National Institute for Human Rights, where she focused on monitoring prison conditions.

In 2019, she joined SUMMA as an Education Policy Researcher, collaborating with Ministries of Education and civil society organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean. She contributed to the 2020 Global Education Monitoring Report for Latin America and the Caribbean with UNESCO (SDG 4), addressing education challenges, including gender and socio-economic disparities.

Canela holds a degree in Sociology from the University of Chile. She also obtained a Graduate Diploma in Childhood and Human Rights from the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO in Spanish) and is currently pursuing a Diploma in Planning and Management of Educational Policies from IIEP-UNESCO.

Nduka Miracle is a highly experienced professional with over 10 years in the fields of customer success management, business operations, and social media management. She is a graduate of Abia State University Uturu, where she studied History and International Relations, providing her with a well-rounded perspective.

Her passion for utilizing her skills to grow businesses and combat youth unemployment on the continent drives her to consistently go above and beyond in her work. Nduka’s expertise and dedication make her a valuable asset to any organization looking to drive success and make a positive impact on the global community.

She co-founded Kitovu Technology Company, a startup that builds climate-smart farming and post-harvest infrastructure to support agriculture in Africa, enabling smallholder farmers to optimize their productivity and transform their livelihoods.

Cherrish Pryor has served as a legislator in the Indiana House of Representatives since November 4, 2008. She is currently the Indiana House Democratic Caucus Floor Leader and is a member of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus. As a state legislator, Cherrish works on legislation that affects the lives of 6.7 million Hoosiers. As Democratic Floor Leader, she is one of three elected leaders in the Democratic Caucus. Cherrish served on the City-County Council of Marion County and Indianapolis from January 2007 to November 2008. Prior to joining the City-County Council, she was employed by that body as the legislative and public affairs director.

Cherrish’s previous positions include chief deputy for the Marion County Treasurer’s Office, real estate manager for the Marion County Auditor’s Office, lobbyist for the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, program director for the State Student Assistance Commission, and legislative assistant for the Indiana House of Representatives. She currently serves the community through her service on several boards and committees. She serves as a co-founder, board member and former Chair of Hoosier Women Forward. She is also Treasurer of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, and state director for both the National Foundation of Women Legislators and the Women Legislators’ Lobby. Additionally, Cherrish participates on the board of directors for the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust Fund. She is also a member of the Top Ladies of Distinction; Tillman H. Harpole American Legion Post 249 Auxiliary; the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Indianapolis Chapter; Concerned Clergy; and the Indiana University Alumni Association.

Cherrish is an active member of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves on the usher board and is the assistant treasurer for that auxiliary. She has also served as a member of the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church board of directors. Cherrish is a recipient of many awards, including the Faith-Based President’s Award, Dr. Mozel Sanders Drum Major for Justice Award, Breakthrough Woman Award from the Indianapolis Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and the Crystal Gavel Award from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. In 2023, she was named Legislator of the Year by the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.

Diana Miloslavich Tupac is a Feminist, Writer, Activist, and Defender. She was also the former Minister of Women and Vulnerable Populations in 2022 and served as the coordinator of the Political Participation Program at the Flora Tristán Center from 2004 to 2021.

Today, she is responsible for the Women’s Voice and Leadership Project and serves as a Campaign Spokesperson, as half of her party wants parity without political harassment. Diana is also a part of the Working Group on the Model Parity Law at the CIM OAS, which promotes regulations, policies and initiatives in relation to women’s political rights, equal democracy, political harassment, the right of women to lives free of violence, female migration and many others.

Diana has several publications, including Maria Elena Moyano in Search of Hope (1992), Women’s Literature, A view from feminism: Feminism and Suffrage 1933-1956 (2012), ONPE Magazine in 2015, Pilgrimages of a pariah in Peru, and Flora Tristan (2019).

Diana studied Literature at UNMSM. Diana has a PhD in Social Sciences, specializing in History, and a master’s degree in Peruvian and Latin American Literature at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.

Hanna Gehör is a diplomatic adviser for President Tarja Halonen at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In her current position, the focus of the work is on issues of sustainable development, human rights, social justice and democracy. She has served abroad in the Finnish Embassies in Tel Aviv, México and Moscow and worked at the Ministry with issues related to human rights, climate change, forest and desertification policy.

Prior to joining the foreign service, Gehör has worked as an associate expert for gender and climate change at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and as attaché for international affairs in the office of the President of the Republic of Finland. She is a passionate advocate for gender equality and sustainable development.

Gehör holds an M.A. in English Philology and an M.Sc. in political science, both from the University of Helsinki.

Emma Inamutila Theofelus is a 28-year-old Member of Parliament and Minister for Information and Communication Technology in the Republic of Namibia. She serves as the Government Spokesperson for the same government. The Ministry is tasked with bridging the digital divide, driving a digital transformation agenda, and improving communications across all sectors of government.

Emma holds an LLB Honors degree and diplomas in African Feminism and Gender, as well as in Business Management. She has been recognized by the United Nations and received the UN Population Award in 2022 in recognition of her efforts in reducing tax on sanitary pads and leading government communications during the COVID pandemic.

Melanie Wolman is co-founder & CEO of The Food Market, an excellent end to end B2C omnichannel experience for healthy and sustainable products – and B2B services, in Argentina. The Food Market has the mission to transform people´s habits into healthy and sustainable ones. The Food Market’s values are based in the UN Sustainable Development Goals: it believes in the right to access to healthy and sustainable products; the right to access to qualified education about wellness and health; in a healthy and sustainable production and consumption. The Food Market is now applying to become a B Corp.

In 2022 The Food Market partnered with Farmacity, the largest pharmacy chain in Argentina, becoming part of their ecosystem: Farmacity, Simplicity, Get The Look. Now, The Food Market has 7 stores in Buenos Aires, their website thefoodmarket.com.ar, and B2B sales to companies.

Since then Melanie´s role is to share the vision and purpose, build The Food Market’s culture, settle the large term strategy and network with the ecosystem. She is an accountant and professional chef, who has been working with The Food Market for the last 9 years (it started in 2015). She believes that working for impact is a reason for living. Melanie is ultimately looking forward to the Fellowship to share experiences with like minded women from around all the world.

Ida Solitoke is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Baobaby, a social startup committed to combating baby malnutrition in Togo. Her journey with Baobaby was inspired by her personal struggles to afford milk-based formulas while lacking sufficient breastmilk to feed her own baby. Since 2020, Baobaby has been impacting local communities in Togo by producing plant-based baby formulas using sustainability-resilient crops sourced from local female farmers.

Twelve years ago, prior to Baobaby, Ida founded Soligrain, a consulting firm that facilitated the creation of 145 smallholder farmers’ cooperatives, empowering young female farmers, particularly single mothers. Through this initiative, she improved fair market access for 2,500 female farmers. With Baobaby, Ida harnesses the transformative potential of these female farmers through resilient farming and innovative processes that take food from local farms to baby bottles. By saving 30,000 children from stunting, Baobaby contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 Ending Hunger and 3 Good Health and Wellbeing. By empowering female farmers through sustainability-resilient farming, Baobaby also contributes to SDG 5 Gender Equality and 13 Climate Action.

With a bachelor’s in business administration, Ida brings over a decade of experience supporting rural development initiatives. She believes that all children should grow up in good conditions and have access to good nutrition regardless of their race and social background. Her accolades include being named Social Agri-Entrepreneur of the Year in Togo in 2022, a 2023 Fellow of the US-based incubator Halcyon, and a winner of the 2024 FINCA Ventures Prize in Washington D.C.

Martyna Jałoszyńska is a city councilwoman in Warsaw and the local leader of the Polish left-wing political party Razem. Razem is a young party inspired by the Nordic left; they support principles of social democracy, advocate for labor rights, and oppose the privatization of public services. Their main propositions are: gender equality (including liberalization of Poland’s abortion law), counteracting the housing crisis, progressive taxation, and reducing working hours. Their actions are in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as Reduced Inequality, Climate Action, Gender Equality, No Poverty, or Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Martyna is a leader of party structures in the capital city, especially focused on feminism, gender equality, and reducing inequalities. She successfully led the negotiations that resulted in her party gaining 13 seats in local government structures. As a candidate for the city council, she gathered 6,707 votes, which resulted in her winning a seat and becoming one of the two first councilwomen in Warsaw that Razem has ever had.

Martyna studied Polish philology, Gender Studies, and Advertisement and Promotion. Outside of politics, she works as Project Manager for an NGO; she manages international projects connected to journalism. She’s an ambassador for the European Democracy Youth Network and a former scout leader. She thrives on working with young people, especially young women, and is dedicated to making politics more accessible to young people, especially those living outside of large cities.

Mukamana Claudette worked in Local Government as vice mayor in charge of social affairs during 6 years where she was responsible for the Social Protection Unit, Education Unit and Health Unit. More than that, she had the responsibility to take care of women’s development and being their voice with different stakeholders. Mukamana also had the responsibility to Gender Based Violence and to fight against family conflicts.

Today Mukamana is Chairperson of Rwanda Patriotic Front at the cell level where she is working with women, youth and other stakeholders to be the voice of members in their life. In 2022, she had the opportunity to participate in a workshop in Sweden on empowering women in Leadership and she had a project about encouraging poor women to do the small businesses through training and advocacy among partners so that they can access the capital. This project has already reached over 500 women.

Mukamana has a Masters Degree in Education Leadership and Management from Mount Kenya University and now she is ready to start her PhD in Education Leadership and Management.

Juliana Villegas is the Founder and CEO of Somos Martina, a Colombian brand of absorbent underwear created 5 years ago with a mission to provide products for experiencing menstruation, incontinence, and postpartum. Their organic cotton products are seamless, suitable for all absorption needs, environmentally friendly, and committed to social impact, contributing to menstrual equity through a social project that ensures dignified access to menstruation for girls and women.

Somos Martina addresses menstrual poverty in Latin America through a multifaceted impact project spanning economic, social, environmental, and educational fronts. To date, the brand has positively impacted over 12,000 women, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, Juliana Villegas holds a BA in languages and cultural studies with a minor in entrepreneurship and photography from the Universidad de los Andes. She furthered her education with a specialization in business management and a Postgraduate diploma in fashion product management from IED, Barcelona. Inspired by sustainable fashion classes, she ventured into creating her own absorbent underwear brand while initiating a social impact program for women in need in Colombia. Juliana is currently studying the Global fashion management masters at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

Juliana’s driving force lies in replacing plastic hygiene products with sustainable alternatives, ensuring dignified menstruation for girls and women worldwide.

Jovia Kisaakye is a social entrepreneur from Uganda. She’s the Founder and CEO of Bulamu Bridge AI Technologies; a healthcare company dedicated to leveraging digital technologies to increase access to healthcare services and products among women, young people, and adolescents in Uganda. With a mission to bridge healthcare gaps and enhance the quality of life through innovative solutions, Jovia’s leadership and dedication are the driving forces behind Bulamu Bridge AI’s impactful initiatives.

Jovia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Statistics, which has equipped her with the analytical skills and expertise necessary to drive data-driven decision-making within the company. Her commitment to sustainable development and youth empowerment is evident in her active roles as a youth representative at the African Union Youth Reference Committee and a YALI alumna.

Under her leadership, Bulamu Bridge AI has achieved significant milestones, including the successful implementation of the My FemiHub app, AI powered website, and WhatsApp chatbots, which collectively increase access to maternal and reproductive healthcare (SRHR) services and products. Her dedication to innovation and social impact has earned her recognition from numerous reputable organizations worldwide. She has received awards from the Ruforum Network, NSSF Hi-innovator Award, UNFPA ETP Award, African SME Young Entrepreneur’s Award, Tony Elumelu Foundation Award, Unleash India Lab, Clinton Global Initiative, Because International, and Yunus Environmental Hub, among others. She was recognized for her role in circular economy and sustainability at the World Investment Forum in 2023, where she received the Empretec Women in Business Award by UNCTAD.

Ronelle King is the Executive Director of Life In Leggings: Caribbean Alliance Against Gender-based Violence. She is an Afro-Barbadian, multi-award-winning gender rights activist. In 2016, Ronelle created the hashtag #lifeinleggings and started a viral social media campaign that empowered Caribbean women who were survivors of abuse to share their experiences, find solidarity, and raise awareness about the prevalence of gender-based violence in the region. The hashtag led to the creation of Life in Leggings: Caribbean Alliance Against Gender-Based Violence, a youth-led organization that aims to eradicate rape culture and regional occurrences of violence against women and girls.

As Executive Director, Ronelle has since created and executed several successful initiatives. Notably, the Reclaim Our Streets: Women’s Solidarity March, the region’s first simultaneous and largest civil society-led grassroots march against street harassment and other forms of gender-based violence that make public spaces unsafe for women and girls, as well as the award-winning Pink Parliament mentorship program, which works with young women and girls to increase women’s participation in politics and decision-making spaces.

Most recently, Ronelle graduated from the Obama Foundation Scholars at Columbia University’s 2023–24 cohort. During the fellowship, she developed a program on gender and sustainability to explore the intersection between the environmental crisis and gender-based violence.

Additionally, Ronelle serves as a UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals within the United Nations’ Youth Affairs Office. Through her work, she has been a driving force in highlighting key issues pertaining to gender rights, youth development, and the protection of marginalized communities. She views her work as helping to create an inclusive, sustainable, and equitable region for all.

Sarah Nakintu is the current chairperson of the Inter-party Women Platform (IWOP) that comprise of political parties Women leagues with a Vision, an empowered interparty women leaders’ platform where women influence politics for inclusive and sustainable national development and a mission to build an effective inter-party women leaders’ platform to influence the political culture and politics for a harmonious, just and holistic wellbeing of society. Sarah is also the Vice chairperson of the alliance for National Transportation, a political with value based leaders that have transformed the country in multiple dimension. She is also the Vice president of the Sub-Saharan Jewish Alliance handling the Political desk as well and has influenced many women to join politics in 15 countries as well as assuming positions in 15 member countries.

Through her leadership in IWOP she led the members to writing various position papers and presenting them to stakeholders like the Electoral Commission on Violence Against Women in Politics and the Minister for Justice and Constitution Affair on Constitution Reforms, Police, and Parliament. She has engaged in electoral reforms and contributed to various research papers with Women situation room, and International republican institute Sensitize Uganda among other.

Sarah has engaged various development partners who have effectively built the capacity of women in peacebuilding and advocacy among others. She has advocated for trainings for women leaders both internationally and locally through sharing opportunities and also soliciting for funding for their travel. Sarah greatly loves being part of the change and is motivated by bringing a smile to people’s faces. She greatly believes that there is nothing for us without us.

Sarah holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work and Social Administration from Uganda Christian Unity and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy.

Chelsea is the founder and CEO of Elle International. Elle advances access to safe, sustainable, and affordable solutions for women’s health, while empowering women through education and socio-economic inclusion. Chelsea’s work at Elle is to establish South Africa as a leader in the women’s health ecosystem globally, creating opportunities for the emergence of industries that arise from the convergence of technology, harnessing the transformative potential for economic and societal benefit. This work is undertaken in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In May 2024, Chelsea announced Elle’s commitments to the Partner2Connnect digital coalition. The first of three commitments are to provision the digital platforms of ElleHealth, ElleStudies, and Womany, to advance patient information, research, education and diagnostics for millions of women and girls to reduce suffering and improve quality of life. The second commitment to drive connectivity and digital transformation in communities through the smart menstrual health dispenser, Moxie. The third commitment is to support the Elle Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for open sourcing AI models and related artifacts as benchmarks to advance open science in women’s health.

Having survived the horrors of human trafficking, to spear-heading women’s health efforts. Chelsea is driven to give girls and women hope—not in laws or constitutions, but in their own hearts and minds. Chelsea holds a degree in Business Management, Communications, and Public Relations, and has received global recognition for leadership and social impact.

Saro Imran is a Transgender Community Activist. She belongs to South Punjab, which is a geographically deprived region of Pakistan. Being transgender was not easy to live in South Punjab. In 2008, She was 15 years old when a mob attacked her due to her gender identity. She was badly injured, physically and emotionally. She spent two long years in trauma isolated in a single room, but she committed to herself that she would not suffer as a victim, instead, she would fight for the rights of transgender people.

Saro has been working in the field of transgender rights, SRHR and development since 2013. She has worked with various national and international organizations like ILGA World, Youth Lead, IYAFP, FP2030, Punjab AIDS Control Program, Global Fund for Children, Rutgers, Youth Voice Count, Accountability Lab, SPDO, Goldin Institute. She has done M.Phil. in commerce with a specialization in Entrepreneurship. She is a focal person for Skill Development of transgender people by the Social Welfare Department – Government of Pakistan.

She initiated the Trans youth movement in South Punjab collaborating with different transgender stakeholders from various cities for a collective voice in favor of transgender empowerment. She led the advocacy campaign from South Punjab for the Trans Protection law and policy framework. In 2018, their struggle led to the promulgation of the historic Trans Protection Act 2018.

Saro has received several awards like: the Peace Ambassador Award – Global Peace Chain Turkey 2020, the Social Work Award by Social Welfare Department – Government of Pakistan 2021, the Human Rights Award – NADRA – National Database and Registration Authority, Pakistan 2021, the Higher Education Award by Foreign Minister of Pakistan 2022, and the Higher Education Award by Mrs. Governor Punjab Pakistan 2022. She ultimately envisions a World where transgender people are economically empowered and have equal rights.

Shabnam Salehi is a visiting lecturer and researcher at the University of Ottawa, where she continues her lifelong commitment to human rights and gender equality. In her current role, Shabnam is engaged in research and writing on pressing human rights issues, participating in guest lectures, presentations, and discussions, and contributing to courses related to human rights and immigration.

Affiliated with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the Human Rights Education Research Centre at the University of Ottawa, Shabnam’s work aligns with the institution’s mission to foster a deeper understanding of global affairs and promote human rights. Her research and advocacy support several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including gender equality (SDG 5), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16).

Shabnam began her academic career in 2012 as an assistant professor at Kabul University, where she lectured on public policy focusing on human rights and gender equality. Her notable career achievements include leading the women’s rights unit as women’s rights commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) from 2019 to 2021. In this role, she implemented critical interventions to protect and promote women’s rights, advocating for reforms in laws related to marriage, divorce, and sexual harassment. Driven by a profound commitment to justice and equality, Shabnam has dedicated her career to advancing the rights of women and marginalized groups. Her values and mission are rooted in the belief that every individual deserves to live with dignity and without fear of discrimination.

Shabnam is a Ph.D. student in International Law at Carleton University and holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) and a Bachelor of Law and Political Science from Kabul University. Her extensive academic background and hands-on experience make her a formidable advocate for human rights and a respected figure in her field.

Blandine Umuziranenge is the Founder and CEO of Kosmotive since 2014, a social enterprise with a mission to improve reproductive, maternal and child health in Rwanda and eventually across Africa, with better access to health services for mothers and children and access to sustainable feminine hygiene products. Early in her career, she worked at Rwanda Broadcasting Agency and Contact FM radio. Her 13 years of experience combine Information Technology, Publishing, Photojournalism, Social Entrepreneurship and Circular Business Modeling.

She is a multi-award-winner including the Youth Connekt Africa 2019 Girls in Innovation Award, the Invest2Impact Africa 2019 Women’s Empowerment Award, the Top 50 Africa Business Hero 2021, the 2021 & 2022 Waislitz Global Citizen Award finalist, the 2022 WE Empower UN SDG finalist, the 2022 Accenture’s Gender Mainstreaming Awards Fearless Thinker Finalist, the 2023 Accenture’s Gender Mainstreaming Award Winner for Investing in Young Women, the 2023 Meaningful Business 100, and the 2024 Bayer Women Empowerment Award. Blandine’s ambition is paving menstrual freedom for girls and women in Africa.

Pursuing an MBA at The European School of Management and Technology, she holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Social Innovation Management from Amani Institute, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information and Communication Technology from Mount Kenya University and an Advanced Diploma in Information Technology from Integrated Polytechnic Regional College – IPRC Tumba.

Anushka Jain is the founder and CEO of Share At Door Step, a pioneering sustainability-tech platform that enables users to donate goods effortlessly. SADS fulfills its mission of making it easy for people to declutter their homes responsibly while supporting various charities.

About Share At Door Step, It is a sustainability-tech platform that facilitates the donation of preloved goods, helping people give a new life to the items in reusable condition. With a presence in 11 major cities across India and Singapore, SADS has built a loyal user base of over 1M+ households and supports more than 135 charities and social organizations. The platform collaborates with over 150 brand partners, including Nautica, Amazon, and Duroflex, creating a dual impact on the planet and people.

The social impact of SADS aligns with several UN SDGs, including: SGD12, 13 and 17. Through SADS, Anushka has made significant strides in promoting responsible consumption and reducing waste, contributing to a more sustainable future.

Anushka has over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship and sustainability. She has been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Corporate Sustainability Voice and has received numerous awards, including the YourStory Tech 50 list, Manthan Award, Women Entrepreneurs Award, and Digital Women Award. As an avid speaker, she has given talks at prominent events such as SAP TechEd, Impact Festival, ITU, and SocGen’s sustainability talks on topics like social entrepreneurship, bootstrapping, the science behind giving, and net-zero blueprints.

In the heart of Bengaluru, in the vibrant South India, Sowmya Reddy represents a new era of reform and forward-thinking combined with culture and tradition. Sowmya’s journey wasn’t just about gathering knowledge, but about making a real difference. All through her student days, she worked in community service, nurturing nature and all its creatures. From the classrooms of New York while getting her masters degree in environmental technology to the bustling streets of Bangalore, her resolve to empower and uplift grew stronger, a rare combination of intellect and empathy.

Long before Sowmya stepped into the political arena, she tirelessly worked to bridge the gap between education and employment, advocate for women’s empowerment, and champion environmental causes. She collaborated with sustainability activists in Bengaluru and developed an innovative method for converting wet waste into biogas and organic fertilizer. This sustainable development model helped them win the Better Together Award in Germany and the Adarsh Vidhayak Award (best legislator). She not only understands the pulse of her constituents but also transformed their health care, gender justice, providing jobs & skill development to thousands of youth and women, education and environment sustainably through her dedicated service as an MLA.

From upgrading the government schools to government hospitals to providing essential aid during the Karnataka & Kerala Floods and Covid-19 crises. Her tenure was marked by impactful changes. Sowmya solved with her head and led with her heart, a unique leadership trait. She recently contested the parliamentary elections and continues to work for people, animals and environment of the country at the grassroots level. Sowmya’s vision for a sustainable and inclusive future remains unwavering.

Valeriya Ionan is the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and a key woman leader in Ukraine’s GovTech evolution. She joined the newly established Ministry in 2019 at age 28; at that time, she was the youngest Deputy Minister in the Ukrainian Government, aligning with the mission of the MDT to transform Ukraine into the most convenient digital country in the world. Since then, Ukraine has undergone a substantial digital transformation, introducing the world’s first fully digital passport, a number of efficient digital reforms, including the development of Diia ecosystem that has achieved global respect. Ukraine has been called “European Digital Transformation Tiger” for its innovative approach and commitment to becoming the world’s most user-friendly digital state, even during a full-scale Russian invasion.

Valeriya has been instrumental in developing the Diia Ecosystem, which includes 6 projects, including 2 under her direct leadership – Diia.Education and Diia.Business, which significantly impact digital literacy and entrepreneurship across Ukraine. In the Ministry of Digital Transformation, she oversees the national program on the development of digital literacy and Diia.Education, supporting the development of SMEs & entrepreneurship with Diia.Business, and coordinating regional digital transformation in Ukraine.

Valeriya leads European integration and international relations efforts within the Ministry, coordinating the digital section of Ukraine’s EU candidate status. Valeriya is also actively engaged in digital diplomacy and is one of the big promoters of the Ukrainian Digital and Innovation brand. In 2023, Valeriya also became responsible for the direction of innovations. She also coordinates the national Future Perfect language program to promote the learning of English among Ukrainian citizens.

Valeriya also oversees the CDTO Campus, preparing future digital leaders for public service and is advancing the Ukrainian Global Innovation Vision and Strategy 2030 (WinWin).

Before joining the Government, Valeriya was an entrepreneur. She holds two bachelor’s degrees in Management and Spanish Translation and several certificates from the Edinburgh Business School Eastern Europe MBA program.

Vera Brenner is the Director of Recreational Parks and Sports in Guatemala. Her goal is to exact societal change through her insight in physical activities and she strives to be a positive influence in people´s lives. She works directly with young and underprivilege individuals and promotes a healthy environment to help them stay away from violence.

She is part of Guatemala´s Ministry of Culture and Sports, which is in charge of ensuring that residents have safe and free spaces to develop their wellbeing. The Ministry aids in reaching the following sustainable development goals: Health and well-being, Gender equality, Reduction of inequalities, and Alliances to achieve objectives.

Being a woman with a physical disability (a lower limp amputation) has never limited her. Personally, and professionally, she strives to open spaces for her and other women in similar conditions, trying to reduce discrimination and enable their development. The inequality for women in Guatemala is abysmal, and if any type of disability is added to that, it becomes almost impossible, however, Vera believes that with joint action and a positive attitude, great changes can be achieved.

She has a background working as an Industrial Engineer with a Masters in Quality Management.

“You inspire people, be careful with your actions… because that changes the world”

María Inés Castillo de Sanmartín served as the Minister of Social Development of Panama and the Technical Coordinator of the Social Cabinet from June 2020 to June 2024. During her term, she led the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) in implementing comprehensive social policies aimed at benefiting the national population, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups. María Inés chaired National Councils for the Care of Adolescent Mothers, for Gender Parity, and for Children and Adolescents, among others. She was also a member of the Steering Committee of the SDG Synthesis Coalition and served as the Chair of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) of the Organization of American States.

As Coordinator of the Social Cabinet, María articulated the Plan Colmena, Panama’s country strategy addressing poverty and inequality. This plan successfully reduced multidimensional poverty from 19.1% in 2017 to 14.8% in 2022 (SDG 1) and lowered hunger rates to 5.3% in 2023 (SDG 2). She promoted economic empowerment and reproductive health rights for women and advanced the National Care System (SDG 5).

María holds a degree in Law and Political Science from the University of Panama, a Master’s in Business Law from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, a Master’s in Public Policy Management from ADEN, and a Master’s in Corporate Social Responsibility from the University of Barcelona OBS. She was a member of the Board of Vital Voices Panama. María belongs to ADP and FONAMUP, driven by a profound commitment to social and gender equity and the empowerment of vulnerable populations.