Hear from innovators working at the frontier of AI, biology, creativity, climate, culture, and human connection. These are blueprints for what flourishing could look like in the years ahead.
Resilience is a Choice
Jeff is a leadership coach at Brilliance Within and founder of the My Impossible foundation, which exists to help people confront real limits and choose how they will lead within them. Living with a progressive neurological condition and having climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in his wheelchair, Jeff challenges the idea that resilience is about strength or pushing harder. His work centers on helping leaders tell the truth about where they are, reclaim agency, and lead from conviction rather than performance. Through coaching, Jeff helps leaders integrate faith, identity, and responsibility so their leadership is grounded and durable. Clients describe the experience as clarifying and steadying—leading with greater presence, sharper judgment, and courage in hard seasons.
Who Builds What’s Next?
Shawna Young is a leading social impact entrepreneur and the CEO of Camelback Ventures, an organization that provides capital, coaching, and connections to entrepreneurs of color and women. Her career is dedicated to advancing equitable access in education and STEM. She previously served as the interim CEO of Ada Developers Academy, the executive director of the Scratch Foundation (an MIT Media Lab initiative), and held leadership roles at Duke University. Young holds degrees from Howard University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MBA from MIT.
Dr. Andrea Choe is the co-founder and CEO of Holoclara, the first company to create safe, orally available worm-derived therapies. While pursuing her doctorate at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), she uncovered a unique pheromone language shared by roundworms. Dr. Choe’s research, including her discovery of novel molecules derived from worms that blocked disease formation in animal models of allergic and autoimmune disease, has become the foundation of Holoclara’s technology. She is a winner of the Emerging Women Founders in Biotech Award.
The Age of Human–AI Bonding
Ceren Koca is a global leader in behavioral insights and a social impact champion focused on creating equitable opportunities for vulnerable communities. She has over a decade of experience, including roles at Google, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and as a consultant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As an independent consultant, she has executed over 500 social impact projects addressing critical issues such as maternal health, vaccine access, and financial equity. Koca is also a behavioral science and AI expert and a recent graduate from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
When Our Future Is Modeled
John Cordier is dedicated to creating the conditions for healthier lives by helping organizations use data to turn vision into impact. As part of the leadership team at Epistemix, John empowers executives in healthcare, government, and other industries with insights that drive better decisions through advanced modeling and digital twin technology. With a background in public health and policy, John guides teams in applying agent-based modeling and synthetic data to forecast outcomes and shape strategy. Outside of Epistemix, John supports founders, teaches public health, and advocates for health equity through nonprofit work.
Curing Burnout With Radical Creativity
Anya Dillard is a community organizer, social entrepreneur, and multimedia storyteller dedicated to activism, representation, and youth empowerment. She is the founder of The Next Gen Come Up, a nonprofit inspiring young people to create change through service and creativity, and CEO of Jenevesque Media LLC, amplifying marginalized voices through immersive media. Anya has led global campaigns for climate justice, equity, and Black liberation, collaborating with brands like UGG, Puma, and Savage X Fenty. A McDonald’s Future 22 and Ulta Beauty Muse 100 honoree, she currently works at Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and studies journalism at Rutgers University–Newark.
Exploring Distant Worlds Beyond Our Sun
Carlos Gascón is a Spanish PhD student in Astronomy at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, supported by La Caixa and Smithsonian Predoctoral Fellowships. His research focuses on the atmospheres of exoplanets—searching for water, clouds, and gases that could indicate habitability. Carlos holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Aerospace Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, where he completed his senior thesis at Cornell University, and a Master’s in Astrophysics from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.
Breaking Boundaries For a Livable Planet
Dr. Abramson is a creative scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur with extensive experience leading innovative programs at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and business. With expertise in nanotechnology, solar energy, thermal management, building efficiency, and data analytics, Dr. Abramson has partnered with leading organizations including Starbucks, REI, Johnson Controls, and TD Bank. Known for driving research and commercialization initiatives, Dr. Abramson has helped shape U.S. R&D strategy on building energy efficiency and has successfully attracted significant financial and institutional support for research, education, and innovation that advance environmental and technological progress.
Does Trust Have a Future?
Marianela is the Global Market Strategy Lead for AI, GenAI, and Agentic AI at SAS, helping enterprises across financial services, healthcare, and government achieve trusted, data-driven decisions. With an MBA and a Master’s in Statistics and AI, Marianela translates complex technical concepts into strategic initiatives that drive business impact. A published author and global tech speaker, Marianela also serves on the Advisory Board for Wake Technical Community College’s Data Science Program, shaping curriculum to align with evolving industry needs and advancing innovation in the AI and data science landscape
Créativité -Arrival Langage- clarity-healing-energy
Martine Bertrand is a celebrated French-speaking visual artist from Montreal whose visionary work has been central to the creation of globally acclaimed, Oscar-winning cinematic universes. She is the brilliant artist who conceived and designed the mesmerizing, nonlinear alien language for Denis Villeneuve’s Academy Award-winning film, Arrival. She continued this landmark collaboration by creating significant murals and decorative set elements for the sci-fi epic Dune, which swept the Academy Awards with six Oscars.
Decoding The Female Pain Epidemic
Jayna Swan is a Women's Feminine Empowerment Coach, speaker, and 6x National Championship Dancer. She is a certified Master Practitioner of Mental & Emotional Release who specializes in helping women reconnect their minds with their bodies. She is the host of the podcast, A Millennial's Guide to Healthy Emotional Regulation, which helps entrepreneurs and leaders navigate stress and prevent burnout.
When Founders Break, Businesses Follow
Phil Neil is an entrepreneur and strategic clarity partner who has built and scaled multimillion‑dollar businesses, including an 8‑figure exit after scaling to $70M in revenue. As a serial entrepreneur and investor, he has operated across diverse industries, navigated complex international markets, and formed strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 companies. While on his journey, Phil discovered the root cause of startup failure and is now on a mission to help founder-CEOs restore visibility, reduce reactivity, and make better decisions when pressure distorts judgment and decision quality drops. Through his frameworks — The Shadow of Entrepreneurship™ and the Pressure Cascade — Phil equips these leaders with tools and skills to sustain decision quality under pressure and become leaders the world doesn’t break.
Why self belief is overrated
Hanan Nagi’s life story is a profound testament to the resilience of the human spirit. From her beginnings in Egypt to her ascendance in Dubai’s business world, her journey is not just about overcoming adversity but transforming it into a stepping stone for achievement. A recipient of the Dubai Government Excellence Award (2005), Hanan is currently completing an OPM certification at Harvard Business School.
4 types of leaders—and why great ones master them all
Jon Cobb is a Marine Corps combat veteran, entrepreneur, LinkedIn Top Voice for Leadership, and a 2x Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Master World Champion. By developing a clear vision for his life and building a team of experts around him, Jon worked his way through community colleges and dead-end jobs to ultimately graduate from Harvard and become a trusted advisor for some of the world's most respected companies. Using his unique approach based on the Dynamic Leader Assessment, Jon has coached hundreds of leaders to unlock their full potential and trained more than 20,000 managers around the world to win in life and business.
How to get kids comfortable with nutritious eating
Dr. Jaya Sarin Pradhan is a dedicated physician and nutrition expert who champions integrated healthcare and academic partnerships. Her mission is to reduce health disparities in rural settings through innovative approaches like telehealth and medical education. With a background including an MD, DMD, MPH, and BA, she focuses on expanding clinical care for communities facing preventable health conditions. She is currently a physician-educator at Columbia University Medical Center.
Mariam Khayretdinova is the CEO and Co-Founder of Brainify.AI, a leading company in precision psychiatry. With an extensive background in applied mathematics, psychology, and neuroscience, Mariam leverages her expertise to innovate personalized mental health treatments. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics (2013) and a Master’s degree in Psychology from Harvard (2022). Her career spans over a decade in data analysis and technology, including positions at Unilever, Coca-Cola HBC Eurasia, EPAM Systems, and Bright-Box, a start-up later acquired by Zurich Insurance. Under her leadership, Brainify.AI develops AI-driven predictive models and treatment plans to enhance mental health outcomes. Mariam is committed to revolutionizing patient care through evidence-based approaches and cutting-edge technology.
The How of Happiness
As a "Happiness Nerd," Jackson Kerchis has dedicated his life’s work to the study of happiness. He develops and shares practical insights drawn from the arts and sciences to cultivate a happier world. Jackson is the Founder of The Happiness PhD Project, an independent learning and research initiative dedicated to advancing happiness for humankind, and is a Lightbulb research grant recipient.
Wellness at the Speed of Light
Dr. Stefano Sinicropi is a board-certified spine surgery expert who has performed over 9,000 spinal surgeries since 2006. As an industry leader, he serves as the CEO of the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute, one of Minnesota's top spine practices. He is also a health innovator and the Founder of Hypercharge Clinics, where he advances wellness through cutting-edge technology.
How I Built a Global Community From a Dorm Room
Isabella Mandis is the Founder of Girls Into VC, an organization aimed at empowering the next generation of female venture capitalists and supporting women-led startups. She is a current undergraduate student at Harvard University studying Statistics with a Data Science Focus. Isabella is also a Kleiner Perkins Fellow and has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 regional list.
Can you see me?
Vivien Puppa Kocsis possesses a diverse background spanning data science (Harvard, Google), business strategy (Wharton MBA, McKinsey), and tech startups (Rocket Internet, Harvard Innovation Lab). In her pro-bono work, she has collaborated with the United Nations and NASA. Outside of her professional career, her hobbies include traveling, reading, and outdoor sports; she also holds a Guinness World Record in long-distance cycling.
What if every young person had a caring mentor
Gustavo, a first-generation college graduate, immigrant, and a dual language learner from a low-socioeconomic background, attributes his academic and professional success to mentors and educators. They provided life changing opportunities, guided his higher education journey, and introduced him to entrepreneurship. Thus, Gustavo believes mentors and educators have the power to change lives. At the age of 23, Gustavo launched his first education organization, rapidly expanding it, employing 120 educators, and serving thousands of students annually. He then led a non-profit focused on youth leadership development. In 2018, Gustavo founded his second education company, Kern Tutoring. The organization provides after-school and day-time intervention services for school districts. His latest project, EDGE, is an academic coaching initiative supporting fostered youth to earn high school diplomas
Climate Finance
Carbon taxation alone has struggled to achieve global coverage due to political challenges, making climate finance crucial for reaching net-zero in time. My research shows that financing the phase-out of fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy in emerging markets isn't just equitable, but also economically beneficial. By de-risking renewable investments in developing countries, advanced nations can unlock capital markets to drive climate action at the necessary scale.
CEO OF
blah blah
