Anne-Laure Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist, author, and edupreneur. As the founder of Ness Labs, an online educational platform for knowledge workers, she reaches more than 100,000 curious minds through her weekly newsletter. Based at King's College London, her research investigates the psychology and neuroscience of lifelong learning, curiosity, and adaptability, with a focus on ADHD. Her book, Tiny Experiments, is a transformative guide for living a more experimental life, turning uncertainty into curiosity, and carving a path of self-discovery. Previously, she worked at Google as an executive on digital health projects. Her work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Forbes, Financial Times, and WIRED.

Vanessa Van Edwards is a multi-time bestselling author and behavioral researcher on professional communication and leadership. More than 50 million people have seen Vanessa on YouTube and in her viral TED Talk. Vanessa’s work has been featured in numerous media outlets including Inc, Entrepreneur Magazine, CNN, CBS and many more. Her book, Captivate, has been translated into over 17 languages. Her latest book, Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication, was an instant bestseller. Vanessa works with entrepreneurs, growing businesses, and trillion-dollar companies. She is renowned for teaching science-backed people skills to audiences around the world including SXSW, MIT, Harvard, and CES. Her groundbreaking workshops and courses have taught half a million students worldwide how to succeed in business and life by understanding the hidden dynamics of people. Vanessa's endlessly fascinated with the science of people. Her mission is to help introverts leverage their strengths, show high achievers how to activate their secret skills, and teach awkward people to feel more confident. Vanessa lives in Austin, Texas with her two daughters and husband of 10+ years.

Emily Calandrelli is the 100th woman in space, an Emmy-nominated science TV Host, and #1 NYTimes Best Selling Author, known as @TheSpaceGal online to her 3M+ followers.

Shamil Idriss is CEO of Search for Common Ground (Search), an international non-profit organization whose mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict, away from adversarial approaches toward cooperative solutions. With 800+ staff working in 35 countries, Search is the largest non-governmental dedicated peacebuilding organization and was nominated by the Quakers for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Speaking of Search’s impact in 2016, then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said “your work in Burundi helped to prevent genocide…and during the Iran [nuclear] talks, the fresh ideas you provided helped us to achieve a breakthrough.” Prior to his current role, Idriss was the CEO of Soliya where he led a public-private sector coalition to establish the field of virtual exchanges. In 2005, he was appointed by then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Deputy Director of the UN Alliance of Civilizations. He served on the Steering Committee of the World Economic Forum's Council of 100 Leaders and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders and recipient of the 2015 Open Society Foundation New Executive Award. He serves on the Boards of Giving Tuesday, Ploughshares Fund, and Soliya.

Jasmin Rubero began her publishing career 25 years ago as an intern at Dial Books for Young Readers, an experience that taught her how graphic design and art are intertwined in children’s books. Her internship turned into a fulfilling full-time position as a design assistant, and she stayed at Dial for seventeen years. During that time, she worked with then Editorial Director Namrata Tripathi, and when Namrata founded the Kokila imprint at Penguin Random House, Jasmin joined the team as Art Director. Kokila’s goal is to bring together an inclusive community and focus on stories and storytellers that have been historically marginalized. Some of the critically acclaimed and bestselling artists Jasmin has collaborated with over the years include Weshoyot Alvitre, Leo Espinosa, Tonya Engle, Michaela Goade, Vashti Harrison, Erika Meza, Zeke Peña, and Nikkolas Smith. Jasmin has also collaborated with debut picture book artists Luz Baptista, Alexis Franklin, Iliana Galvez, and art twink.

Simran is a professor of history at the historic Union Theological Seminary and national bestselling author of The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life. He is Senior Advisor for the Aspen Institute’s Religion and Society Program and also hosts Wisdom & Practice, a new podcast by The Aspen Institute and PRX. He has written two picture books with Kokila (Penguin Random House)—A Vaisakhi to Remember and Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon.

Sinead Bovell is a strategic foresight advisor and the founder of WAYE, an organization that prepares youth for a future with advanced technologies, with a focus on non-traditional and minority markets. Sinead advises c-suite executives and senior leadership across governments, global business giants and startups alike. She is an 11x United Nations speaker; she has given formal addresses to presidents, royalty and Fortune 500 leaders on topics ranging from cybersecurity to artificial intelligence, and currently serves as a strategic advisor to the United Nations International Telecommunication Union on digital inclusion. Sinead is also a regular tech commentator for CNN, NBC, and talk shows on the societal impact of emerging technologies. Prior to founding WAYE, Sinead received her MBA from the University of Toronto and worked as a management consultant for A.T. Kearney.

Natalie Monbiot is an emerging technology strategist and pioneer in AI, virtual humans, and generative video technologies. As a founding team member and head of strategy at Hour One, she has helped create the AI avatar and video category from vision to ethics to commercialization. A leading voice in the industry, Natalie advocates for a 'virtual human economy' where real people profit by putting their virtual selves to work, and advises VC funds, corporations, and startups in the virtual human space. She has a strong track record as a futurist for companies like Samsung and in digital transformation for companies like BMW, Coca-Cola, and Spotify.

Danny Rader has been fully immersed into the world of Country music from the time he was born. While performing over 200 shows a year in his family's "Ocean Opry Show" in Panama City, FL, he also had a front row seat throughout his childhood to observe his dad making records in their recording studio. He would eventually make that love of record making his own, working in various studios in the Florida panhandle and co-operating a studio in their Opry. After moving to Nashville in 2004, he earned a spot as a mainstay among Nashville's A-list session musicians. He has played on 70 #1 singles for various artists' including Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood, Jon Pardi, and Thomas Rhett, to name a few. He currently tours with Kenny Chesney, where he is about to embark upon a multi-week residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas. He has served as the Musical Director for the CMA Awards, CMA’s Country Christmas and CMA Fest since 2021. With a deep love and life-long respect for country music, he is constantly working to propel the genre forward while also representing the giants upon whose shoulders we stand with the utmost of respect for those whose contributions brought country music to where it is today.

A dynamic leader in arts education, Franklin Willis serves as the Director of Visual and Performing Arts for Metro Nashville Public Schools, overseeing arts education initiatives that impact more than 80,000 students. With over 15 years of experience as a music educator, instructional coach, and administrator, he is committed to ensuring equitable access to impactful and engaging arts programs while fostering creative, inclusive learning experiences for all students. As an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, Willis prepares future music educators with a focus on culturally relevant pedagogy, student engagement, and innovative teaching strategies. His expertise in urban music education and his ability to connect culture with curriculum have established him as a respected voice in the field. Beyond his work in arts administration, Willis is a children’s book author, with titles including Edward's Rhythm Sticks and More Than a Music Teacher. He also writes elementary music curricula, coaches teachers nationwide, and designs professional learning experiences that empower educators to build student-centered, meaningful classrooms. His deep love for music was nurtured by his mother, a legacy he carries forward by using music to inspire both students and educators. His contributions to the field have earned him national recognition, including two Emmy nominations for his work on Metro Nashville Public Schools' Every Student Known song and documentary, which received critical praise. He is also a three-time recipient of the CMA Foundation Music Teachers of Excellence Award. In 2023, he was named a Yamaha 40 Under 40 Music Education recipient, further cementing his impact on arts education. Through his leadership, creativity, and dedication to culturally responsive teaching, Willis continues to shape the future of music education, ensuring every student has the opportunity to discover their voice through the power of the arts.

Jessica Basile brings over 20 years of music television experience and a lifelong love of country music to her role as the Post Production Supervisor for the CMA Awards, CMA Fest, and CMA Country Christmas as well as other television specials throughout the year. Originally from Syracuse New York, Jessica graduated from Niagara University with a BA in English. She also holds a degree in Audio Engineering from SAE Institute. Professionally, Jessica has worked as a Video Editor, DIT/ Media Manager, Producer, and Post Producer. She is also heavily involved in the organization and preservation of the CMA archives. Jessica lives is Nashville Tennessee with her wife and daughter where they enjoy traveling, live music, and NSC Soccer.

Robert Deaton is a visionary director and producer who has influenced popular culture and created one-of-a-kind film, television and music performances that define careers, from emerging to superstar artists. With more than two decades of experience producing some of the most successful, long-running, artist-driven franchises on network television, Deaton is also an award-winning director and record producer. He’s worked with superstars across all genres including Garth Brooks, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, and Chris Stapleton. He’s earned the trust of the industry for his creative vision, passion for music, and genuine respect for the artists. Since 2007, he’s served as executive producer of country music’s biggest night of the year the “CMA Awards” on ABC. The two-time Emmy winner has helmed “CMA Fest” since 2004 and “CMA Country Christmas” since 2010. The annual primetime specials are consistently high in the ratings and spotlight the broad appeal that places country music at the forefront of American culture. Deaton literally willed the two-hour “CMA Fest” special into existence. He spent four days shooting CMA Music Festival, which takes over downtown Nashville each June, and then sold the idea of airing a stadium-scale concert special to the network. In the process, he wrote the production playbook for filming a festival in a football stadium for a crowd of 50,000. 2023 marks the 20th airing of CMA Fest and the 50th Anniversary of CMA Music Festival, which started as Fan Fair in 1972. Deaton’s influence on music and popular culture started in 1992 with ABC’s “Monday Night Football.” For seven years, Deaton elevated Hank Williams Jr.’s popular party anthem “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” for the iconic game opener winning two Sports Emmy Awards. His impressive list of credits as executive producer includes an ABC special with multi-time Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney “Somewhere in the Sun” in 2005, an ABC special with Rascal Flatts in 2011, and an ABC reality singing competition series “Duets” featuring Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, and Robin Thicke in 2012. In 2014, he produced a countdown of the greatest covers of all time for “Sports Illustrated: 50 Years of Beautiful” on NBC. In 2017, he was named executive producer of the multi-genre Billboard Music Awards on the network, which furthered his interest in presenting meaningful collaborations. In 2016, he produced the Fox musical television special “The Passion: New Orleans” presented by Tyler Perry. In 2017, he was the executive producer for the Nashville segments for the special, “Hand In Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief.” And in 2021, he spearheaded and was named executive producer of the five-hour marathon “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” on CBS. Deaton was raised in Fayetteville, NC, and credits his father, who was a morning show TV anchor, with encouraging his interest in television and music. After moving to Nashville, Deaton launched Deaton Flanigen Productions, a pioneering video production firm creating more than 500 music videos for a variety of chart-topping artists. Deaton applied his passion for music and entrepreneurial drive to projects outside of television. In 2012 he was the executive producer for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Soul 2 Soul residency at the Venetian Las Vegas. In 2015, he served as executive producer for the feature film, “American Saturday Night: Live from the Grand Ole Opry,” which featured live performances and backstage interviews with Opry superstars. The film received a Grammy nomination for Best Music Film in 2017. Deaton made his feature film directing debut alongside co-director George Flanigen with “Benched.” And in 2022, he served as executive producer of the documentary “Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon.” With his tireless work ethic and enthusiasm for music, it’s not surprising that the five-time Grammy nominee produced several studio records including the Michael W. Smith Christmas album, Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas in 2014, featuring the music icon with guests Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Carrie Underwood, Bono, and Michael McDonald. He helmed Rivers, the debut album by King Calaway in 2019. For more than a year, Deaton worked to bring to life one of his passion projects; Stoned Cold Country: A 60thAnniversary Tribute Album To The Rolling Stones. The album, released early 2023, is country music’s thank you to the Rolling Stones and features a diverse line up of artists across the genre including Brooks & Dunn, Steve Earle, Elle King, Marcus King, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris, The War And Treaty, Zac Brown Band and more. Deaton assembled the talent, produced the album and the documentary paired with the album, which is available to stream on all platforms including Amazon.

Elisa began her journey with Teach For America as a 1998 corps member in Phoenix. She joined staff in 2001 to lead the organization’s work in her hometown in the Rio Grande Valley. Four years later, she became chief operating officer, overseeing field operations as Teach For America expanded to more than 300 urban and rural communities and more than tripled its network of leaders while improving student outcomes each year. Today, under her leadership as CEO, Teach For America’s network of over 70,000 corps members, tutors, and alumni are working inside and outside the classroom to ensure that all children have the access and opportunity to learn, lead, and thrive. Elisa sits on the boards of the Holdsworth Center, City Fund, GoGuardian, and Leadership for Educational Equity, and serves as a JOURNEY to Lead Champion and a Founding Partner of Starts With Us. She chairs the U.S. Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council, which provides recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on campus safety and security, strategic research, innovation, career development, partnership opportunities, and other topics. She is nationally recognized as one of the Top 20 Voices in Social Impact by LinkedIn and one of the 50 Most Powerful Latinas by ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals for America). Elisa holds a B.A. in sociology from DePauw University. She lives in Houston with her husband, Jeremy, and their four sons.

Since 2018, Dan Porterfield has served as President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. He has been recognized as a visionary strategist, leader, and advocate for young people and purpose-driven leadership. A lifelong educator and former college president, he is the author of the 2024 book, Mindset Matters: The Power of College to Activate Lifelong Growth. At the Aspen Institute, Porterfield has led an era of organizational development and growth. Since 2018, fueled by new investments, the Institute’s operating budget has increased from $158 million to more than $260 million, and its endowment has tripled to more than $350 million. Prior to leading the Aspen Institute, Porterfield served for seven years as the President of Franklin & Marshall College. During his presidency, Franklin & Marshall set records for applications, fundraising, and fellowships; developed cutting edge new centers for student wellness, career services, and faculty excellence; and constructed a new athletics stadium and visual arts center. Porterfield previously served as Senior Vice President for Strategic Development and as an award-winning professor of English at his alma mater, Georgetown University, and as communications director and chief speechwriter for the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Porterfield serves on the National Board of Directors of Teach For America and as a trustee of Colorado College. He was named a White House Champion of Change in 2016 and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Council on Foreign Relations. He earned B.A. degrees from Georgetown and Oxford—where he was a Rhodes Scholar—and his Ph.D. from The City University of New York Graduate Center, where he was awarded a Mellon Fellowship in the Humanities and wrote his dissertation on the poetry of American prisoners.

Ana Homayoun is an academic advisor and early career development expert working at the intersection of executive functioning skills, technology, and personal energy management. She is the author of four books, including her most recent, Erasing the Finish Line: The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades and College Admission, which focuses on the fundamental skills all students and young adults need to thrive. Her three previous books That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week, The Myth of the Perfect Girl and Social Media Wellness focus on helping students develop executive functioning skills, overcome the culture of perfectionism, and learn how to navigate social media and technology. She has spent over two decades working directly with young people and has worked with schools and consulted with companies around the world. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including Good Morning America, New York Times, the Washington Post, The Atlantic, the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Fast Company, and NPR. She is the founder of Silicon-Valley based Green Ivy Educational Consulting and the executive director of Luminaria Learning Solutions, a non-profit initiative focused on bringing executive functioning skill development to every classroom. She lives in San Francisco.

Jennifer Breheny Wallace is an award-winning journalist and author of the instant New York Times bestselling book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About It. Her forthcoming book Mattering: Building A Life of Value At Home, Work, and in the Larger World is based on five years of research and an original global mattering survey. Wallace is the founder of The Mattering Institute, whose mission is to create cultures of mattering in homes, workplaces, and communities, and co-founder of The Mattering Movement, a nonprofit whose mission is to create cultures of mattering in schools. Wallace is a consultant with The LEGO Group and is a BCG BrightHouse Luminary. She is also a Journalism Fellow at The Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and serves on the Advisory Board for Making Caring Common, a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. After graduating from Harvard College, Wallace was a broadcast producer for CBS “60 Minutes" and part of the team that won The Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism. She is a contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and frequently appears on national television programs to discuss her work. Wallace serves on the board of the Coalition for the Homeless in New York City, where she lives with her husband and their three children.

Jean-Claude Brizard is President and CEO of Digital Promise Global, a global, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on shaping the future of learning and advancing equitable education systems by bridging solutions across research, practice, and technology. He is former Senior Advisor and Deputy Director at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where he focused on PK-16 education. He also led several strategies supporting Washington State's educational system. The Carnegie Corporation of New York honored Brizard in the 2023 class of “Great Immigrants, Great Americans,” a prestigious honor celebrating naturalized citizens who have enriched and strengthened our society. He received the distinguished Aspen Institute 2024 John P. McNulty Prize for his work with Anseye Pou Haiti. The award recognizes courageous leaders tackling critical issues, from environmental injustice and disaster recovery to addressing a national crisis of leadership and education. He is former Chief Executive of Chicago Public Schools. Prior to his appointment in Chicago, he was Superintendent of Schools for the Rochester, NY School District. Mr. Brizard’s experience also includes a 21-year career as an educator and administrator with the NYC Department of Education. He served as a Regional Superintendent, supervising more than 100 schools in the Borough of Brooklyn and he also served as the system’s Executive Director for its 400 secondary schools. He is a Fellow of the Broad Center, a Fellow of the Pahara-Aspen Institute, and a member of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network.

Lisa Whittick is director of “Carl the Collector,” PBS KIDS’ first show centering on a neurodiverse character. The series follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who loves collecting things. Carl’s friends include both neurotypical and neurodiverse characters, each with different traits, behaviors, learning preferences, and challenges. As the mom of a neurodiverse son, the series is an especially meaningful project for Whittick who brings her authenticity, empathy and personal experience to the series. Whittick also served as director of seasons four and five of Spiffy Pictures’ and PBS KIDS’ Emmy Award-nominated and Environmental Media Award- winning hit series “Nature Cat.” Before directing, she served as a storyboard artist on the series’ first three seasons. A Canadian-born director with a life-long passion for art and visual storytelling, Whittick is a graduate of the world-renowned Classical Animation Program at Sheridan College where she received the Best Classically Animated Film Award, sponsored by Nelvana, as well as the Teletoon Scholarship Award for her graduate film “Burger, fries and a Pop.” She spent her early career working for studios across Canada as a storyboard artist and in various assistant director roles before landing at Yowza! Animation. Whittick’s credits include “Thomas and Friends, All Engines Go!,” “Magic School Bus Rides Again,” “Cyberchase,” “Almost Naked Animals,” “Arthur,” and “Martha Speaks!” Whittick resides in Oshawa, Ontario with her husband, three kids and three Boston Terriers

As Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS, Sara DeWitt is responsible for the strategic direction of the dynamic PBS KIDS media service that supports children ages 2-8, their parents, teachers and caregivers, and local communities. Ms. DeWitt leads a cross-disciplinary team charged with making PBS KIDS – the #1 children’s education media brand – engaging and accessible to widely diverse audiences across streaming video, broadcast, games, and other platforms through content development, multi-platform asset distribution, educational product creation, creative production, and marketing and brand engagement. DeWitt previously served as Vice President of PBS KIDS Digital, leading innovative strategies that built educational experiences for kids across media platforms. Having spent over 20 years in public media, she has played an integral role in the digital transformation of PBS KIDS. DeWitt has overseen the pbskids.org website, PBS KIDS streaming video services, and the PBS KIDS portfolio of games and educational apps for children and caregivers. Under her leadership, PBS KIDS has produced award-winning games and apps, AR experiences, podcasts and second screen technologies; developed a learning analytics platform to better understand children's learning gains through gameplay; and established itself as a gold standard in children’s digital privacy and security. DeWitt is a regular speaker on the subjects of digital privacy, games and learning, and has authored academic papers and editorials on children’s media and its educational impact. She gave a widely shared TED Talk debunking myths about screen time, and has presented at high-profile conferences such as SXSW, Games for Change, CES, the Grace Hopper Celebration and the Atlantic Education Summit. Through speaking engagements and panels, she has lent her voice to important conversations about career and family, and inspiring young girls to aim for careers in the sciences. In 2014, she was named one of the top 42 Women Leading in Education by the USC Rossier School of Education, and she also was recognized with Cynopsis Media’s Top Women in Digital Award in 2016 and 2017. Most recently, DeWitt was honored with the 2020 Hedy Lamarr Award for Innovation in Entertainment Technology.

Tim Frost is an optimist, speaker, disability advocate, & music producer. In 2020 Tim began using his social media as a platform to highlight the joys, hardship and quirks of caring for Odin, his wildly creative disabled son. Now, with an engaging robust online community, Tim promotes inclusivity and kindness with daily educational videos of living with disability. Tim hopes to create more capacity for love, empathy & inclusion for folks who move and take up space differently in this world. Tim has an ability to allow love to tangibly flow through the screen—making the catchphrase tagged on the end of every post, “Love Wins!” really real. Tim is also an award-winning documentarian of It’s A Good Day the short film. He authored a memoir The Family Portrait:A Journey of Hope through the Eyes of the Fatherless and was a contributor to Upworthy x National Geographic’s recent book Good People. Tim resides in East Texas with Odin and his dream-inspiring wife of 24 years.

Zachariah O’Hora is the owner of Fuzzytown Productions and Show Creator and Executive Producer of the PBS Kids show Carl the Collector. About an autistic raccoon who loves to collect things. He is a New York Times best-selling illustrator and author of numerous picture books that have been translated into over a dozen languages. He is also the creator of the Rivian Gear Guard yeti.

Allison leads the Minecraft Education team at Mojang Studios with a mission to build a better world through the power of play. She is invested in cultivating game-changing experiences and partnerships that empower young people with knowledge and skills they need to understand the world’s toughest problems and imagine a better future. A passion for empowering all students with technology drives Allison's focus on sharing how game-based learning impacts motivation, engagement, problem solving and social-emotional skills. She especially enjoys talking to new audiences about the power of Minecraft and other video games to make a positive impact on young people’s lives through meaningful, immersive learning experiences. Allison is a coaching leader who works with people to cultivate a healthy mindset and believes that pairing passion with curiosity is the key to unlocking potential. Prior to joining the Minecraft team, Allison worked in various roles at Microsoft gaining experience in product development and building go-to-market strategies in the fitness, gaming, retail, and device industries. Born and raised in Canada, Allison received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Waterloo before moving to Seattle to begin her 20-year career with Microsoft.

JOSE ANTONIO TIJERINO is president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a national nonprofit focused on education, workforce, social impact and culture, through the lens of leadership, which he describes as a “malleable mission.” Under Tijerino, HHF has been honored by The White House, US Congress, Fortune 500 companies, other nonprofits, and even the Government of Mexico. Tijerino is also executive producer of the Hispanic Heritage Awards at the Kennedy Center, which are broadcast on PBS. Prior, he was an executive at Fannie Mae Foundation, Nike, Burson Marsteller, and Cohn & Wolfe. Tijerino was honored with the “Ohtli Award,” which is the highest honor by government of Mexico; “Lifetime Achievement Award” by National PTA; Hispanics in Philanthropy “Giver Award;” “Vision Award” by Silicon Valley Latino Leadership; MALDEF “Human Rights Award;” Telemundo’s “Community Service Award;” “Civilian Impact Award” by US Army; “Brillante Award” by NSHMBA; “Digital Hero Award” by MMTC; “Cesar Chavez Award” by NHLI; multiple BRAVO Awards; and by the Greater Washington Hispanic Business Hall of Fame; among others. Tijerino has served and serves on various boards and advisory committees inlcuding Harvard’s Latino Leadership Initiative at the Kennedy School; University System of Maryland Foundation; HHTP (Hispanic Technology & Telecommunications Partnership); National Girls Collaborative; America’s Promise Alliance; Games for Change; Ayuda; CSforAll; KID Museum; Notre Dame’s Exoneration Justice Clinic; Nielsen’s Latino Advisory Counsel; Crittenton Services; Equity and Accountability Council for Coca-Cola; Disney’s Community Advisory Committee; and the FCC’s Communications Equity and Diversity Council (CEDC); WhiteBoard Advisors; among others. As a proud immigrant from Nicaragua, Tijerino was recognized by FWD.US for his work with migrant families on the border including his support of the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, TX, and has helped build a center on the Mexico side. He also co-founded the American Project; #WeDreamAmerica campaign; #Masks4Farmworkers, which provided more than 2 million masks for farmworkers during the pandemic; DREAM LEAD for DACA recipients; and supported Imagination Stage’s Theatre For Change featuring the Oyeme! Project portraying the plight migrants; among other efforts. Tijerino co-produced the first, Latinx-themed game with Minecraft and is featured as a Minecraft character; produced an anti-hate tool kit with Nickelodeon; co-founded the Code as a Second Language (CSL) initiative, which has introduced 100,000 youth to coding; co-founded the LOFT (Latinos On Fast Track) Institute; helped found the Hispanic Leaders Alliance (HLA) with the NFL; a “Maker Academy” with the KID Museum for educators to attract minority students into STEM; among other efforts. As host of the Fritanga Podcast, Tijerino presents Latino culture, unitiy, perspective, information, and inspiration with guests ranging from celebrities to policymakers to opinion leaders. He is designated as an “Influencer” on LinkedIn and was selected as “Top Voices on Diversity, Equity & Includsion” on the platform. His blogs and media presensence have made him a national voice on various issues including DEIA, identity, immigration, creativity, and calls to action and tagged the term “Impatient Activism.” Tijerino earned a BS degree from the University of Maryland’s school of journalism, and honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters from The Chicago School. He is a Salinas Fellow at the Aspen Institute and lives in Washington, DC, with his family.

Susanna Pollack is the President of Games for Change, the leading global advocate for the power of games and immersive media as drivers of social impact. As a social entrepreneur and cross-sector leader, Susanna has over 25 years of experience advancing ambitious social impact goals through traditional and interactive media. At Games for Change, Susanna leads a global nonprofit and community dedicated to using games to tackle real-world challenges, from humanitarian conflicts to climate change and education. She has initiated dozens of G4C's world-class events, public arcades, design challenges, and youth programs in partnership with clients like Nobel Peace Center, Minecraft, Bezos Family Foundation, Google, Hasbro. Under her leadership, G4C has been widely recognized for innovative programs and cross-sector impact, receiving a Classy Award, an Anthem Award, a Shorty Impact Award, and an Engage for Good Halo Award. Susanna has been named on the Nonprofit Times Power & Influence Top 50 List and the Worthy 100 List. Prior to Games for Change, Susanna worked across the commercial and public sectors, including a 14-year stint in various SVP positions at BBC Worldwide.

Kara Bobroff (Diné/Lakota) is a lifelong educator, social entrepreneur, and advocate for Indigenous communities with over 25 years of experience. A citizen of the Navajo Nation, Kara is the Executive Director of One Generation, where she supports community-led solutions in Indigenous education, language revitalization, food sovereignty, holistic wellness, youth development, and innovation. She founded the Native American Community Academy (NACA) and the NACA Inspired Schools Network, the first national network dedicated to culturally relevant, holistic community-led Indigenous education with 13 schools in 5 states and growing. Kara is now an Emeritus Board member at NISN. Kara began her career as a teacher and school leader, shaping her deep commitment to creating environments where Native youth can thrive academically, culturally, academically and personally. Appointed by Secretary Deb Haaland as Chair of the National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education, she is also an Echoing Green Fellow and Ashoka Fellow. Guided by her perseverence and drive Kara holds a vision for Indigenous language revitalization, holistic wellness, and equitable education systems rooted in Indigenous values and works to build solutions with communities that work and sustain. Her leadership extends to state and national roles, including serving as Deputy Secretary of Identity, Equity, and Transformation for New Mexico’s Public Education Department and as a member of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Through her unwavering dedication, Kara remains committed to innovation and learning from Native youth to transform and grow Indigenous Education to reflect the strengths, values, knowledge, vision and aspirations of their communities.

Manu Kapur is currently the Director of the Singapore-ETH Centre and Professor for Learning Sciences and Higher Education at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Before that Manu held professorial and leadership positions at universities in Hong Kong and Singapore. A soccer player turned-mechanical engineer turned-math teacher-turned-academic, Manu holds a doctorate in the learning sciences from Teachers College, Columbia University. He also holds double Masters: Master of Science in Applied Statistics from Teachers College, Columbia University, and Master of Education from the National Institute of Education in Singapore. Manu conceptualized his ground-breaking theory of Productive Failure, not only profoundly impacting the science of how people learn but also transforming teaching and learning in schools, universities, and workplaces around the world. In addition to substantial funding and media attention worldwide, Manu is a sought-after keynote speaker, has delivered two TEDx talks, and held prestigious visiting professorships and advisory roles globally. His contributions extend across high-profile journals and conferences, influencing educational policies and practices internationally.

Author, #1 NYT-bestseller, The Small and the Mighty
Founder, The Preamble newsletter
Host, Here's Where It Gets Interesting
Creator, Sharon Says So

Shaniqua McClendon has worked in politics for a decade and currently serves as Vice President of Politics at Crooked Media, home to the popular podcast, Pod Save America. In this role, Shaniqua led the creation of Vote Save America, a voter engagement program that helped create a blue wave of Democratic victories in the 2018 midterms and has driven more than $42 million in donations to progressive causes and candidates in the 2020 cycle. Prior to Crooked Media, Shaniqua began her career as a White House Intern for President Barack Obama. She then went on to Capitol Hill where she served as a policy advisor to Senator Kay R. Hagan and Legislative Director to Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, where she spearheaded the creation of the first-ever Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. Shaniqua is originally from North Carolina, and earned a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at UNC Chapel Hill, she developed a deep interest in how politicians and public policy shape people’s lives. She also earned a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she received the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Service.

Bonnie Barczykowski joined Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) in 2023 as chief executive officer. She is committed to ensuring that every girl has an opportunity to join Girl Scouts, make their voices heard, and develop the skills they need to lead—today and into the future.
Bonnie is honored to lead an organization to which she is so deeply devoted, having previously spent more than ten years as chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. During that time, she built a compelling strategic vision that successfully expanded access for girls across the region, transformed program experiences, engaged communities, and led a $50 million comprehensive fundraising campaign.
Bonnie has been a champion for girls and women throughout her career in both the private and nonprofit sectors, including a decade leading one of the largest chains of fitness centers for women in the world. She received both her BA and MBA from Lindenwood University.

Christine M. Crawford, MD, MPH is the associate medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) which is the country’s largest grassroots mental health organization. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair of Education at the Boston University School of Medicine. She also provides outpatient psychiatric care to both adults and children at Boston Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Crawford serves as a medical director for the Boston Public Health Commission’s School Based Clinician Program in which she provides direct guidance on how best to support the socioemotional wellbeing of children within the Boston Public School System. On behalf of NAMI, she regularly engages with the public, organizations, companies, healthcare providers, and fellow clinicians and researchers. She is a trusted source of child mental health expertise for major media outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, the Boston Globe, NBC, and Medscape. She has made on-camera appearances for the Today Show, BBC, and local news affiliates of CBS, Fox, and ABC. Dr. Crawford is the author of "You Are Not Alone for Parents and Caregivers: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health," providing essential resources for families navigating mental health challenges.

Dylan George is a senior at The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas and is a proud Gold Award Girl Scout. A lifelong actor and performing artist, Dylan is interested in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and the arts. For her Gold Award project, she partnered with Mosaic Family Services to develop a social emotional learning curriculum grounded in the arts for children who have experienced domestic trauma. With the help of volunteers, Dylan’s initiative empowered children to express themselves, build confidence, and develop important emotional skills. As a leader in TeenAge Communication Theater, Dylan educates teens in the Dallas area on mental health, sex education, dating violence, and other important topics through peer-to-peer education. Through internships with neuropsychologists, Dylan has worked with families on neuroeducational assessments and is an advocate for equitable education. Dylan will be attending Brown University in fall 2025 where she plans to double concentrate in cognitive neuroscience and theater arts.

Ryann Liebenthal is a writer and editor living in Oakland, California. She has written on student debt for the New York Times, Harper’s Magazine, Mother Jones, and the New Republic. Her book, Burdened: Student Debt and the Making of an American Crisis, was published by Dey Street in 2024.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Annabelle Chang has been a passionate reader and book lover for as long as she can remember. As a 16-year-old high school student, Annabelle conceived of and opened Annabelle’s Book Club LA, an independent bookstore focused on young adult literature, a genre that has traditionally been underappreciated. In addition to growing the bookstore, Annabelle has been a committed advocate for community engagement. She has promoted literacy and a love of reading with local schools and provided a platform for historically underrepresented voices. In addition to young adult literature, Annabelle’s passions include tennis, surfing, travel, working with other entrepreneurs, and spending time with her friends, family, and three rescue dogs. Annabelle’s future career plans include publishing, media and entertainment, and their intersection with technology and artificial intelligence. Annabelle is currently enjoying her freshman year at Stanford University.

Alexandra Brown Chang is the author of By Invitation Only, her debut novel set to be published in Fall 2025. She graduated from Stanford University, where she majored in Art History. Alexandra is also the founder of The Zeitgeist, a lifestyle website. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her three rescue dogs.

As a rising talent, Raegan Revord is steadily building an impressive body of work and quickly making a name for herself in Hollywood. Raegan stars in CBS's hit comedy series Young Sheldon as fan-favorite 'Missy Cooper'. Set as a prequel to the Emmy-nominated The Big Bang Theory, the series consistently been one of prime time's most watched comedies. Off screen, Raegan is a dedicated writer and is authoring a debut YA novel titled Rules for Fake Girlfriends, set to publish in the Fall of 2025 by Wednesday Books. Raegan is also an avid reader and used Instagram to launch her own book club, Read With Raegan. The online book club is a space where young adults, like Raegan, can come together and celebrate everything there is to love about books, including favorite reads, author interviews, and more. Since its launch in 2022, the book club had grown into a community of thought-provoking recommendations and conversations. Raegan's passions also extend into her local community. Her desire to help the less fortunate sparked an idea to create Homeless Helpers, a local initiative aimed at providing small care packages and other necessary items for those who are without homes. Additionally, she is a passionate and outspoken advocate for rescuing animals and is a Junior Ambassador for Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Nadim Matta is co-founder of nafda Lebanon and RE!NSTITUTE (formerly Rapid Results Institute), and he serves on the Board of Directors of nafda, RE!NSTITUTE and The Housing Collective of Connecticut. His current focus is on supporting nafda schools in Lebanon to bring about societal change, and on helping communities across South Africa organize to tackle the issue of gender-based violence and femicide. Nadim served as a Yale School of Management Donaldson Fellow in 2012 and 2013, and he was named by Foreign Policy Magazine as one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers. He authored several articles on bottom-up change in the Harvard Business Review and in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Rafael Parente is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of education. Holding a PhD in Education from New York University (NYU), he has dedicated his career to building a future where education serves as a catalyst for social and economic progress. As the Executive Director of Instituto Salto, Rafael leverages his deep expertise in research and technology to drive large-scale innovative solutions. His leadership journey includes serving as Secretary of Education for the Federal District in Brazil and forging impactful partnerships with global institutions. A co-author of How to Educate Families for Challenging Futures, he is also a member of the PNLD Technical Commission, a researcher at NEES/UFAL, and a leading voice in the field of emerging technologies in education.

Rebecca Winthrop is a leading global authority on education. She is the director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. She is a highly sought after advisor and speaker including by parent networks, school leaders, the White House, the United Nations and Fortune 500 companies.

Dr. Urvashi Sahni is a social entrepreneur, women’s rights activist, and educationist who has been a pioneering activist in the field for more than three decades. She has a Masters and PhD in Education from University of California, Berkeley, USA. In 2017, she won the Social Entrepreneur of the Year India award conferred by the Schwab-Jubilant Bhartiya Foundation. She is a fellow at Harvard University in their Advanced Leadership Initiative of 2024. In 2020 she co-created Catalyst 2030, a global network of over 800 social entrepreneurs. Dr Sahni is an Ashoka Fellow and a non-resident fellow at the Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution, USA. She is also a former member of the Rajasthan’s Chief Minister’s advisory council, heading the education sub-group. The Uttar Pradesh Government has nominated her to serve on the Steering Committee for the implementation of the National Education Policy of India 2020 and by the National Institute of Open Schooling, to serve on their committee for the revision of their Gender Policy. Combining her activism with research, Dr. Sahni has several publications to her credit. She is a leading expert in curriculum design and reform, teacher training and education governance with a special focus on girls’ education and gender equality. She founded Suraksha (a women’s rights organisation), DiDi's (a social enterprise for sustainable livelihoods for women), and the Study Hall Educational Foundation (SHEF). Currently, she is the president and CEO of SHEF. Over the last 38 years, Dr Sahni’s work, through SHEF has impacted over 100,000 teachers and 50,00,000 children, most of whom are girls from disadvantaged communities. About Study Hall Educational Foundation (SHEF) SHEF is a non-profit social enterprise that runs four pre-K to 12 schools, a college and 132 community based learning centers. It also partners with over 800 schools to train the teachers in the use of our curriculum on gender equality. Since 1986, SHEF has impacted 5 million students, most of them girls from extremely marginalized communities, 100,000 teachers and 20 million members of the community. Our vision is to educate everyone for gender equality, social justice, personal flourishing and active democratic citizenship.

Mychal loves stories! He enjoys learning something new every day, and that includes learning why people love their local library. He utilizes social media to share the stories of library kids and library grown-ups that he encounters in library land. He got his first library card at the age of 5 and was hooked on libraries from there. He got his first library job as a library shelver at the library he grew up in and worked his way up to become Supervising Librarian of that very same library. He got his Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Phoenix and his Master’s in Library and Information Science degree from San Jose State University. He is proud to be a 2023 recipient of the American Library Association’s “I Love My Librarian” Award! He is very open about his mental health. He talks about it in hopes that it’ll help others in their mental health journey. He is adamant about encouraging people to believe him when he says he’s happy they are here.

As Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS, Sara DeWitt is responsible for the strategic direction of the dynamic PBS KIDS media service that supports children ages 2-8, their parents, teachers and caregivers, and local communities. Ms. DeWitt leads a cross-disciplinary team charged with making PBS KIDS – the #1 children’s education media brand – engaging and accessible to widely diverse audiences across streaming video, broadcast, games, and other platforms through content development, multi-platform asset distribution, educational product creation, creative production, and marketing and brand engagement. DeWitt previously served as Vice President of PBS KIDS Digital, leading innovative strategies that built educational experiences for kids across media platforms. Having spent over 20 years in public media, she has played an integral role in the digital transformation of PBS KIDS. DeWitt has overseen the pbskids.org website, PBS KIDS streaming video services, and the PBS KIDS portfolio of games and educational apps for children and caregivers. Under her leadership, PBS KIDS has produced award-winning games and apps, AR experiences, podcasts and second screen technologies; developed a learning analytics platform to better understand children's learning gains through gameplay; and established itself as a gold standard in children’s digital privacy and security. DeWitt is a regular speaker on the subjects of digital privacy, games and learning, and has authored academic papers and editorials on children’s media and its educational impact. She gave a widely shared TED Talk debunking myths about screen time, and has presented at high-profile conferences such as SXSW, Games for Change, CES, the Grace Hopper Celebration and the Atlantic Education Summit. Through speaking engagements and panels, she has lent her voice to important conversations about career and family, and inspiring young girls to aim for careers in the sciences. In 2014, she was named one of the top 42 Women Leading in Education by the USC Rossier School of Education, and she also was recognized with Cynopsis Media’s Top Women in Digital Award in 2016 and 2017. Most recently, DeWitt was honored with the 2020 Hedy Lamarr Award for Innovation in Entertainment Technology. Prior to joining PBS, DeWitt worked as a preschool teacher and as a field researcher studying media habits of children in rural areas. DeWitt holds an MA and a BA in English from Stanford University, as well as a certificate from the university’s Children Society and Public Policy Curriculum.