SPEAKER SERIES:
LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
The Academy speaker series puts today's most impactful leaders in conversation with Global Citizen Year students — the rising leaders of tomorrow. As these influential changemakers share their leadership journeys, students gain valuable insights on overcoming challenges, learning from mistakes, staying true to their values, and committing to continual growth.
Unlike traditional lectures or TEDtalks, these deeply human conversations are live, unscripted and student-led, featuring alumni moderators and questions from Academy students.
Here you'll find a complete list of past and present Academy speakers.
Academy Speakers
Abby Falik
Founder & CEO, Global Citizen Year
Adam Grant
Organizational Psychologist, Wharton School of Business
Agapi Stassinopoulos
Author, motivational speaker & Thrive Global facilitator
Alexandra Bernadotte
Founder & CEO, Beyond 12
Amy Brooks
Chief Innovation Officer, National Basketball Association
Andrew Youn
CEO, One Acre Fund
Angelia Trinidad
Founder & CEO, Passion Planner
Arianna Huffington
Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
Ashanti Branch
Founder & Executive Director, Ever Forward
Baratunde Thurston
Writer, Actor & Comedian
Bill George
Senior Fellow, Harvard Business School Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Medtronic Author of Discover Your True North
Chido Govera
Founder, The Future of Hope Foundation
Courtney Martin
Journalist
DeRay Mckesson
Civil Rights Activist, Educator, Podcaster, & Author
Dereca Blackmon
CEO, Inclusion Design Group
Doug Hirsch
Co-founder & Co-CEO, GoodRx
Dr. Jennifer Aaker
General Atlantic Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Dr. Raj Panjabi
Last Mile Health & Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
Eddie Ndopu
United Nations Secretary-General's Global Advocate for Sustainable Development
Edel Rodriguez
Artist
Edgard Gouveia Júnior
Founder of Livelab & Ashoka Fellow
Garvita Gulhati
Founder, Why Waste?
Jay Shetty
Storyteller, Podcast Host, Former Monk
Jennifer Kaberi
Founder, Mtoto News
Jennifer Morgan
Executive Director, Greenpeace International
Jeremy Heimans
Co-Founder & CEO, Purpose
Jerome Foster II
Executive Director & Founder, OneMillionOfUs
Joey Hubbard
Chief Training Officer, Thrive Global
Jonas Vannar
Indigenous Sami Reindeer Herder & Activist
Julie Lythcott-Haims
Author, former Stanford dean
Jéssica Silva Rios
Partner & Leader of the Impact Management & Measurement Strategy at Vox Capital
Laurene Powell Jobs
Founder & President, Emerson Collective
Mandana Dayani
Creator & Cofounder, I am a voter.
Matt Dalio
Founder, Endless
Maxine Williams
Chief Diversity Officer, Facebook
Melinda Gates
Philanthropist, Author, & Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Michael Brun
Haitian DJ & Record Producer
Miguel Mckelvey
Co-Founder, WeWork
Niketu Iralu
Social Worker restoring community relationships in India and Myanmar
Orion Hindawi
Co-founder & CEO, Tanium
Paul Ninson
Photographer & Filmmaker
Premal Shah
Co-founder Kiva.org
Priti Krishtel
Co-Executive Director, I-MAK
Rufus Gifford
U.S. Ambassador (fmr)
Selena Sermeno
Psychologist, Educator and Facilitator
Selina Tobaccowala
Chief Digital Officer, Openfit
Seth Godin
Author, Teacher, akimbo.com
Shawn Mendes
Singer/Songwriter
Sheryl Sandberg
Chief Operating Officer, Facebook
Simona Levi
Playwright, Activist, & Technopolitical Strategist
Sonal Shah
Founding President, The Asian American Foundation
Sophia Bush
Actress & Activist
Sundar Pichai
CEO, Google and Alphabet
Toni Townes-Whitley
President, US Regulated Industries
Valarie Kaur
Civil Rights Leader, Filmmaker & Lawyer
Varshini Prakash
Executive Director and Co-founder of Sunrise Movement
Wendy Kopp
CEO & Co-founder, Teach For All
Wes Moore
CEO, Robin Hood
Yinuo Li
Co-Founder, ETU School
Yoland Coentro
President & CEO, Institute for Nonprofit Practice
Ziad Ahmed
21-year-old entrepreneur, student, and speakerAlumni Moderators
Adya Sinha
Academy, Fall '21
Aiman Marzio
Senegal ‘15
Angela Busheska
Academy Fall '20
Emiliana Reinoso Gutierrez
India '19 and Academy Spring '21
Erica Gonzales
Brazil ‘16
J.I. Cruz
Senegal '15
Joan Hanawi
Ecuador ‘12
Jordan Lee
Ecuador ‘13
Lara Solis
India ‘20
Lauren Starre Guido
Ecuador '14
Leandra Pedretti
Ecuador '18
Madeline Lisaius
Ecuador ‘14
Manya Gupta
Academy Fall ‘20
Marvellous John
Senegal’17
Maya Foster
Ecuador ‘19
Munya Munyati
Ecuador '16
Na’ilah Harris
Brazil ‘15
Rara Dzikrina Istifadah
Academy Fall '20
Sahar Thomson
Ecuador ‘17
William Sampaeo Shain
Ecuador ‘19
