Wesley Mahler
Follow.net
wesleymahler@me.com

Entrepreneur & software engineer. Currently CEO of Follow.net & traveling around the world for 14 months. Previously, dropped out of college at the age of 19, founded Tracking202 and sold it for $1.5M in cash 2 years after starting it.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Inspiring & helping entrepreneurs create businesses that will positively affect the world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Public speaking, building software and acquiring customers online.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Becoming life long learning partners & friends who change the world.

 

Jennifer Wang
Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER, Stanford)
jw56@stanford.edu

Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Jennifer is currently a Ph.D. student with the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program and Environment and Resources (E-IPER) at Stanford University. Ultimately driven by a passion for social justice and innovation, Jennifer is interested in designing ways and products to accelerate human behaviour change, mechanisms and markets that bring diverse resources and people together, and the big issue of climate change. Her background has previously cut across science, international development and policy, community organizing, and social entrepreneurship.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Reduce suffering caused by climate change and use innovation to drive the transition towards sustainability.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Persuasive communication, speaking & presentation; case-construction; design; sustainability; behaviour.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Clarifying vision, Identifying skills/strengths, getting over fear of starting.

Louis Thiery

Apitronics

louis@apitronics.com

Louis is an entrepreneur and electrical engineer who is passionate about improving technology agriculture. In his spare time he likes to cover Dylan songs, practice yoga, and to cook.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Everyone should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Hardware development, electrical engineering, quantitative analysis, Boston network, farming knowledge

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Start-up wisdom, public speaking, non-Boston network, honest feedback

Liza Yermakova

Conjecture

liza.yermakova@gmail.com

Birth in Moscow. Immigration to US. Jersey Shore-esque middle school. A lot of books. Nerdy high school. UVA. Math. Mid-life crisis. Epiphany on the meaning of life. Finance. Disney. Direction change. HBS MBA. Pause. Tech ops (for now).

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Make the world a better place. (Cliche, I know, but I haven’t figured out the details yet. Perhaps you can help?)

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Inspiration and helping in any way that I can.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Help me create and focus my life purpose.

Rebecca Jean Alonzi

Rebecca Jean Catering

rebecca@rebeccajeancatering.com

California girl. Food lover. Snowboarder. Lover of life. Owner/CEO of 60 person catering company serving 500+ tech client daily. Started company at 25, 2000% growth in 1.5 years. Studied hospitality management/nutrition in college. Worked full since age 14 in restaurants and hospitality. Started cooking professionally age 20 (private chef and training under a michelin-starred chef).

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Change the food system.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Entrepreneurial/business support, listening, idea generation, problem solving, feedback.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Feedback, listening, constructive criticism, sharing, idea generation, passion, energy.

Minh Nguyen
City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office
nguyenmid@gmail.com

Minh’s pursuit of music immersed him in the African American community early on through marching band. The cultural differences forced him to learn about his culture while exposing him to the patterns of success and struggle between his immigrant experiences and those of black Americans. That perspective shaped his pursuit to serve others through volunteerism, public service, and entrepreneurship.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

stronger, more equitable democratic society

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Sounding board, packaging ideas, positive vibes, local government expertise

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Technical assistance and support to start a business

 

Emma Toshack
Student @ Harvard Business School
emmatoshack@gmail.com

Emma grew up in Sydney, Australia. After growing somewhat disillusioned with law school, she took a couple of years off to get entrepreneurial, starting a restaurant and a dressage training stable. Realizing she knew nothing, she bit the bullet, returned to the ‘real world’, finished law school, and joined BCG, but not before a 2 month stint in Ghana which inspired a desire to make a difference in the world. And now: the future is waiting to be made.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

To bring beauty, plenty, and happiness to everyone in the world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Imagination. Innovation. Inspiration. Belief.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Connect -> Discuss -> Brainstorm -> Partner -> Plan -> Do.

 

Daisuke Funai

International Rescue Committee

funaid@gmail.com

Daisuke is a technical advisor for micro-enterprise development at the International Rescue Committee. He has worked in 14 countries with a diverse range of clients from youth in Harlem and Sesame Street to the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. An English, Japanese and Spanish speaker, Daisuke is the director of an educational foundation.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I want to inspire others—particularly the underserved—to address our greatest inequities and challenges.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Understanding of the on-the-ground needs in conflict- or crisis-affected environments

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Bringing new perspective to ideas and expanding networks

 

Clemantine Wamariya
Student
clemantine55@gmail.com

Clemantine recently received her BA in literature at Yale University. She is involved in several human rights and genocide intervention activities. Clemantine’s experiences as a Rwandan Genocide survivor and former refugee have emboldened her to fight injustice and to champion the cause of the unprivileged and disadvantaged. As a storyteller and activist, Clemantine has been featured as speaker at Chicago Ideas Week’s Edison Talks, TEDxYale, Huffington Post’s The Third Metric and four time-guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Giving voice to the voiceless by sharing their stories as well as using my own story to inspire others to make their own contributions towards making this world better.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Stories and connection

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Guidance on how to create more impact.

 

Mikhail Naumov

The GREEN Program

mikhail@theGREENprogram.com

In college, after a spontaneous trip to Costa Rica, Mikhail co-founded The GREEN Program. Four years later, the social enterprise has become the leading provider of experiential education programs focused on cutting edge industries like clean energy and sustainability. Mikhail is a contributing writer for Forbes.com and serves as U.S. Delegate to the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance, GSEA, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress and the Open Innovations Forum.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I believe in leveraging technology and creating life changing experiences to foster meaningful impact in the world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

I can share my lessons learned while building and scaling a social impact venture. I can help connect people to the right networks and opportunities.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

I would like to learn more about the CSR and impact initiatives at large technology companies.

 

Vinay Trivedi

Blackstone; How to Speak Tech

vinaytrivedi@post.harvard.edu

I am passionate about innovation and all things innovative. It’s how we become healthier, safer, closer, smarter, prettier, quicker, happier, and better. It’s cutting edge, it’s undiscovered, and it’s challenging. How can we encourage innovation and progress? How do we spur economic development? How can a company become more innovative? How can we identify and spread disruptive ideas? These questions fascinate me and have always motivated my interests. The ingredients of innovation are many, but education and research, technology, entrepreneurship, and investment are among the most important. I have let my interest in innovation guide my journey, and I never plan to stop exploring these ingredients.

I am an entrepreneur, investor, and tech enthusiast. I have a background in venture capital and private equity and have worked in product marketing, growth, and analytics at Locu, a venture-backed technology startup acquired by GoDaddy. Prior to Locu, I served as a team member on a TED fellow-led education technology challenge called ‘Future of the Book’ and founded a national non-profit organization called SeniorLink, a youth volunteer agency for teaching seniors about computers and the Internet.

Passionate about supporting and exploring innovation, I am actively involved in The Blackstone Charitable Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Initiative to help strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems around the US, consult and volunteer at youth mentor programs, and help promote STEM education initiatives and public policy in New York. I am the author of How to Speak Tech which explains the basic technologies and terms of Internet startups for individuals with nontechnical backgrounds.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I want to help influence the various aspects of innovation that most interest me, including technology, education, investment, and policy.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Whatever I am able to! Only by working together can we achieve our goals.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

I’d be really grateful for any help promoting my new book ‘How to Speak Tech’

 

Adam Lowy

Move For Hunger

adam@moveforhunger.org

Born and raised on the Jersey Shore with a passion for marketing, efficiency, and social change. Founded Move For Hunger in 2009 after seeing so much food go to waste when people moved. Since then I’ve been working to grow my organization’s impact. Currently the Curator of the NYC Global Shapers.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I hope to teach more companies how to do well by doing good.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

New perspectives and new networks to plug them in to.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Best practices and new networks.

 

Lauren Burke

Atlas: DIY, Developing Immigrant Youth

lauren.burke@atlasdiy.org

Lauren Burke has been a law school professor, a career counselor, a Skadden fellow, a Chinese human rights researcher and is the co-founder of Atlas: DIY, Developing Immigrant Youth, an organization she founded with three of her former clients. She has been named a Forbes 30 Under 30 fellow, received NYU’s Young Alumni of the Year Award and was featured in the documentary, “Walking Merchandise.” Lauren’s youtube series has reached over 125,000 views and her specialization is repurposing pop songs to spread information about immigration reform.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

For every human to be recognized of equal worth despite birthplace and nationality.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Creative marketing, media pitching, youth empowerment models and spontaneous song creation.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

By creating a community of supporters who are “truthful, gentle, and fearless.”

 

Dorothy Zablah

Elephant Riding Academy

doroz17@gmail.com

I believe we should train ourselves to ride elephants, instead of numbing them down to be tame and ridden.
Serial traveler. Addicted to conversations and experiences that open up new perspectives.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I want to build learning environments that foster freedom, creativity and fun above all.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Helping unravel personal, professional and even existential doubts. 🙂

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Same! I’m currently in transition, could use some perspective.

 

Brenton Gieser

Change.org

brentongieser@gmail.com

Brenton is a social entrepreneur that forgot about success a while back, and is now focusing on maximizing impact. Currently he works at Change.org, the world’s largest petition platform as the Director of Business Development. He also currently serves as the Board Chair of Be Social Change, an organization he helped create.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

To help create a world that works for ALL people and the planet.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

social business, bizdev, network/ connections, digital marketing, friendship

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Inspiration, network, cross pollination of skills, collaboration, friendship

 

Pragya Lohani

Infogroup

pragya.lohani@gmail.com

human, woman, daughter, wife, sister, auntie, believer, achiever, thinker and an eternal optimist.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Changing myself in this delicately complex world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Help unravel this complex world

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Give feedback on a road map for my goals

 

Siri Scanlon Appel

Goldman Sachs

siri.scanlon@gmail.com

I am currently a Vice President in Equities Macro Sales and Trading, covering large institutional clients in the US and Asia. Concurrently, over the last few years I have co-founded a small business (“Worthy & Co.”), built an internet business that simplifies the home design management process (“Larkin Gray”) and launched a nonprofit that focuses on technology education, job ready skill building, corporate connectivity, and relief of student loan debt (“code.laude”).

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Among many things, I want to enable students to both gain job-ready web development skills and relief from student loan debt.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Connectivity to my network, any introductions I am able to make, finance background.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Connectivity and opinions on my program “code.laude”.

 

Adam Shor

QBotix

adamshor42@gmail.com

Howdy! I’m a Texan, born and raised. I am eternally curious, have been fortunate enough to see a great deal of the world, and I like to ask questions.

I specialize in solar energy, from both a business and technical perspective.

I enjoy building lasting relationships with people to bring about positive change and enable future generations the same opportunities to see and experience the world as we have had.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Cleaner Energy, Societal Respect for Future Generations, Improved Agricultural Practices via Technology

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Knowledge, Respect, Candor, and an International Network of Technical Experts & Stakeholders.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Asking Good Questions, Providing Feedback, Offering Suggestions, Making Connections

 

Rosie Lila

Burning Man

rosielila@burningman.com

I work for Burning Man in four relationship-building areas: I officially represent the organization around the world; I produce events around the country that build relationships; I work with Burning Man Project’s development arm; I produce media to tell the stories of BM.

I am called to work on climate change activism. I would like to find a way to use Burning Man as a tool for that.

I studied International Business at University of San Francisco’s McLaren School of Business.

I grew up in Arcata, CA.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Resourcefulness. Resilience. Play. Empathy. Generosity. Transparency. Awareness and choice… All at scale.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

group facilitation, public speaking technical training, event production consulting, relationship building, coaching

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Defining a vision and architecting a strategy for “climate change activism meets Burning Man”. What is that?! What could that look like?

 

Peter Bonanno

Search Inside Yourself / Wisdom Labs / Mindful Education

peterjbonanno@gmail.com

Interested in enlightenment, technology, sustainability, supporting thriving. Fascinated and puzzled at this phenomenon of being alive. Endlessly curious and eager to learn. Have always been starting things, from a school post office in 4th grade to social enterprises today. Interested in helping people.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

greater well-being, sanity, peace, and happiness for all

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

meditation practices, business planning, social impact thinking

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

developing business ideas. tech’s future. Inspire me with your ideas.

 

Cosmo Fujiyama

The Governance Lab

cosmo.fujiyama@gmail.com

Born in SF. Brooklyn Girl. First Generation Japanese American. Strength: Arranger, Strategizing, Hurdling. Areas of Improvement: Saying yes to more sleep. Writing more. Founder of Honduras-based NGO. Coffee addict. Network Curator. People Connecter. Spa Lover. ENFJ. Embedded in Civic Tech and Social Innovation.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Transform the way we educate and train people how to solve public problems.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Creative Ideation; Network development; Pitching; road mapping your personal development plan (how to build a personal board of advisors)

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Hacking my life (i.e. small tips to make efficient decisions); building a database to match expertise and needs;

 

Charlie Harding

Google

caharding@gmaio.com

I’m currently working at Google.org, advocating internet access solutions to bridge the digital divide. Before that, I co-founded Runa, a social enterprise tea company, while studying Development Studies at Brown University. I moonlight playing mandolin in an Oakland based string band.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Empathy as the global paradigm

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

coaching, connecting, collaborating, challenging, celebrating

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

challenging assumptions, teaching leadership skills, community building

 

Saul Garlick

ThinkImpact

saul@thinkimpact.com

Saul is the founder and CEO of ThinkImpact, a certified Benefit Corporation, which powers experiential education in Africa, Latin America and the United States. In addition to building his company, he serves on several non-profit boards including More Than Me Foundation and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. He has been featured in The New York Times, Inc., Fast Company, and The Washington Post. Saul has been recognized in Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30, Diplomatic Courier’s top 9 Young Foreign Policy Leader under 33, and CoBiz Magazine top 25 young professionals in Colorado. He is a Truman Scholar and a regular speaker with the US Department of State. A runner, skier and devoted Broncos fan, Saul lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Emily.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Make experiential education accessible to everyone in the the world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Contacts, relationships, insight into social innovation and entrepreneurship and international development.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Introductions to university leaders, marketing resources and contacts, and new ideas.

 

Eliza Pesuit

Global Glimpse

eliza@globalglimpse.org

Grower, doer, maker, dancer, lover, learner. I grew up in a little log cabin in the woods in rural western Massachusetts. My family is a mix of cultures and religions that never quite mesh, but love immensely. I’ve set my own path since I was 18; I’m always in search of meaning and I don’t tend to take the easy route to anything. Through some wild turns of luck and many years of hard work I now find myself based in the Bay Area building a movement for accessibility and sustainability in global education.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I want to facilitate youth in this country and internationally connecting across physical, cultural, racial, and socioeconomic borders. We must connect in order to humanize.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

I have significant non-profit leadership and organization expansion experience, happy to provide guidance or support to those building organizationals

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Mentors with strong experience scaling organizations, connections to airline executives, friendship, great dance partners.

Nadia Anggraini

REDF

nadia.susanto@gmail.com

Nadia is an Indonesian native who grew up in Singapore, went to college in Philadelphia, and now resides in SF. After a stint in management consulting, she went on to pursue her passion in social entrepreneurship, and currently works at an organization that funds social enterprises. She is obsessed with rock climbing and also enjoys hiking, long runs, and good coffee.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Using business to alleviate poverty in Indonesia / Southeast Asia

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Knowledge on social enterprise, venture philanthropy, working with small businesses

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Inspiration, ideas, connections, accountability to follow through on plans

 

Benjamin Cole

Google

bencole88@Gmail.com

Hi, my name is Ben. I’m an explorer, technologist, and adventurer. These days, I spend my time building new technology for Google.org. Google.org creates technology aimed at addressing global challenges. Previously, I worked on Google’s emerging markets team as a Technology Pioneer, traveling the world and launching new products.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Technology serving underserved populations.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Tech industry understanding, emerging markets experience, pragmatic optimism.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Optimistic, can-do attitude and diverse perspectives.

 

Joey Womack

sf35

joey@sf35.org

Rebel with a cause. Hired gun. Analytics junkie. Optimist. Cynic. Serial envelope pusher. Cult creator. Antihero. Pick one, and Joey Womack embodies it. He has taken on the challenge of “saving the world” by founding sf35, an organization which introduces high-performance capacity minority entrepreneurs to organizations that serve them, experienced advisors, customers, and the media.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Increased profit of minority business + increased potential fulfillment of other social enterprises

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Connections to potential customers/partners as well as digital promotional strategy.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Awareness of successful similar business models + key connections

 

David Wistocki

Ambrosia Global and DJ Dayve Entertainment

david.wistocki@gmail.com

An entrepreneur as a DJ from the age of 12, I graduated from The University of Tampa in August of this year with a B.S. in Entrepreneurship and Accounting. In my senior year of college, I developed two business models for social enterprises that won awards in global competitions and led me to form Ambrosia Global—an aquaponics company.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I wish to enable the potential of emerging economies by cleaning up corrupt political systems.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Connections, graphic design, a room in Tampa and Naples, music!

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Storytelling, connections, exposure, friendship, accountability, empathy, mentorship

 

Roshen Sethna

Bull City Forward

roshen.sethna@gmail.com

Social entrepreneur and community curator with a passion for good leadership and governance (read: was a public policy major). Runner; real estate enthusiast; musical lover; former soccer player. Indian born, but raised in Durham (NC, USA).

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I want to use technology, design, and transformative leadership to change cities and the world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

My LinkedIn network is at your service! I’m also happy to be a sounding board. Specifically, I can speak to running a social venture incubator/supporting startups.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Connections to great UX design (specifically design-for-good) learning opportunities or jobs/fellowships/apprenticeships.
A sounding board for grad school decisions (thinking of going back for design/business/governance or not going at all).
Connections to working on Hillary Clinton’s campaign for presidency in a few years.

 

Jessica Steffens

USA Water Polo

jmsteffens@gmail.com

I am a two time USA Olympian with a Silver Medal from Beijing and a Gold Medal from London in women’s water polo. After London, I worked in San Francisco for an innovative natural skincare startup, which was recently sold. I am a bay area native with a degree from Stanford in Earth Systems.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I dream to inspire active, healthy lifestyles that both appreciate and improve the world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Teams, high pressure situations, failures, marketing & connecting with athletes

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Inspirational ideas, job/partnership opportunities, sharing successes, failures & learnings

 

Abhi Nangia

Reweave

abhi@reweave.org

I am living my life in a pursuit to better myself as a means to better the world around us. I believe we can change the story of the way we do business, and the way we live, for good.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

I believe in a world in which we better ourselves to better the world.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

listening ears; happiness; friendship; better buying options; directly traded, delicious chocolate

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

listening ears; happiness; friendship; buying better; eating directly traded, delicious chocolate!

 

Sidney Nakahodo

Columbia University

snn2103@columbia.edu

Sidney is a Lecturer at Columbia University. Between 2007 and 2012 he worked at the World Bank, dealing with private sector development and low carbon projects.

A Brazilian national and enthusiast of youth empowerment, he is also a volunteer swimming coach and aspiring entrepreneur.

Sidney speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish. He is also conversant in French and Italian.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?
Improving the life of the poorest through the use of technology

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Contacts and information, particularly on issues related to Brazil

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Sharing experiences and exchanging ideas would be great!

 

Alexei Andreev

Google

alexei.andreev@gmail.com

I’ve been involved in several movements in the past 3 years: rationality, effective altruism, and existential risk. I help and connect with people in those areas. I also believe in backing up my beliefs with action: I donate.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Make individual death optional. Make planet-wide death impossible.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

• Thinking rationally and globally.
• Artificial Intelligence
• Existential risk.

 How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

• Brainstorm sources of funding.
• How to spread ideas?
• Be friends!

Katy Fike

Aging2.0

katy@aging2.com

Katy Fike is the founder of Innovate50 Consulting and co-founder of Aging2.0, a global innovation network and accelerator program. Katy is a gerontologist, strategy consultant, former investment banker, systems engineer and public speaker. Katy is on the board of the American Society on Aging and the Family Caregiver Alliance. She earned her PhD in gerontology from the University of Southern California and BS in Systems Engineering from University of Virginia.

What is the change you want to bring to the world?

Improve quality of life and decrease cost of care for older adults globally through innovation.

What can you support your fellow Global Leaders with?

Creating a global movement. Aging-related issues. Leveraging my network.

How can your fellow Global Leaders support you?

Helping to scale globally. Business models. Inspiration. Connections.