Co-convener
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Sabeena Akhtar
Head of Projects & Programmes, WOW – Women of the World
Sabeena Akhtar
Head of Projects & Programmes, WOW – Women of the World
Sabeena is an award-winning festival programmer, curator, writer, and cultural leader with over a decade of experience delivering pioneering events across the UK and internationally. As Head of Projects and Programmes at WOW, she develops and curates world-class festivals and participatory programmes, working with global partners to platform diverse voices and urgent ideas.
A co-founder of the award-winning Primadonna Festival and Prize, Sabeena is passionate about equity in the arts and championing working-class creativity, drawing deeply from her own background and lived experience. Alongside her programming work, she is the editor of Cut From the Same Cloth? and the author of Talking About Islamophobia. A mum of four, Sabeena balances creativity, care and community within her work.
“Arts and culture don’t just reflect society, they shape it. Policy can shift structures, but art shifts imagination. If we want to change systems, we must also change the stories and narratives that sustain them”
Action Track
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Colette Bailey
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), WOW – Women of the World
Colette Bailey
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), WOW – Women of the World
Colette is CEO at WOW – Women of the World and a creative producer, with an established history and over 25 years experience of leading SME organisations and teams in the UK. Previously she was Artistic Director and CEO of Metal (2002-2021) and Managing Director at the Royal Society of British Sculptors (1998-2022). Her work has always been purpose-driven, creating arts programmes that are underpinned by social change, community participation and nurturing talent within people of all ages.
She is a passionate advocate for the transformational power of the arts to create change – for both people and places – and equally passionate that access to culture should be available to everyone. All her work to date has been to find ways to advocate for, develop and deliver this.
“Time and again I have seen first hand how the arts can transform possibilities for people, places and ideas. A warm welcome; exposure to a multitude of stories; feeling represented; and multiple entry points for getting involved can really begin to shift embedded behaviour, foster understanding and change hearts and minds in a way that traditional education or doctrine does not.”
Action Track
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Dr. Derek M. Griffith
Chairman, Global Action on Men’s Health
Dr. Derek M. Griffith
Chairman, Global Action on Men’s Health
Dr. Derek M. Griffith is the Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Population Health and Health Equity University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also serves as Senior Advisor on Health Equity and Anti-Racism. A leading scholar on racial, ethnic, and gender equity in health, he specializes in community-based interventions to advance Black men’s health and intersectional approaches to health policy. Dr. Griffith chairs Global Action on Men’s Health and edits the International Journal of Men’s Social and Community Health. Widely published and honored, his work bridges research, policy, and practice to dismantle structural racism and promote health equity globally.
Action Track
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Jude Kelly
Founder Director, WOW – Women of the World
Jude Kelly
Founder Director, WOW – Women of the World
Jude Kelly CBE is one of the UK’s most powerful cultural leaders. She is an award-winning creative, a business leader and mentor, and a celebrated global champion of equality, with a particular focus on intersectional gender equity. In 2018, she founded The WOW Foundation as a force for change. WOW – Women of the World began as a festival created at London’s Southbank Centre in 2010 where Jude was artistic director for 12 years. Now an independent charity, WOW has seeded a global movement with activity in 45 locations across six continents and reached 5 million people.
She has received many awards and accolades, including BBC’s Most Powerful Women in the Arts. She is an inaugural member of Connected Women Leaders, sits on the Global Advisory Board of Pathfinders Presidents Council and the Advisory Board of Julia Gillard’s Global Institute for Women Leaders. Her TED Talk ‘Why women should tell the stories of humanity’ has had over 1m views. She has given keynote talks to business, governments and global leaders, including at UNESCO, COP 22, CHOGM 2022 and at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos.
“The campaign is called MenCare because it affirms we are born as a species to seek care, and we’re also wired to care. As people take part in this initiative, they should expect to feel challenged and inspired; and they should feel an obligation that they have to act.”
Action Track
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Galen Lamphere-Englund
Team Leader, Christchurch Call Foundation
Galen Lamphere-Englund
Team Leader, Christchurch Call Foundation
Galen is a senior advisor and consultant with over 15 years’ experience at the intersection of counter-terrorism, conflict prevention, and technology. He leads efforts to address online and AI-related harms linked to extremism, advising governments, tech platforms, and international organizations. As Team Leader at the Christchurch Call Foundation and co-founder of the Extremism and Gaming Research Network, Galen focuses on building safer digital ecosystems and protecting those who work to keep them secure. He has worked in more than 30 countries and is committed to creating a more inclusive, resilient, and joyful world—both online and off.
Action Track
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Michael Feigelson
Chief Executive Officer, Van Leer Foundation
Michael Feigelson
Chief Executive Officer, Van Leer Foundation
Michael Feigelson has spent the last 11 years as a dad and the last 25 working on policies and programmes for new parents and children. He currently serves as Chief Executive at the Van Leer Foundation, a Dutch organization working worldwide with scientists, policymakers and business leaders on parenting and early childhood. The foundation has been focused on this since the early 1960s, making it one of the oldest global organizations dedicated to making sure all children (and parents) get a good start in life.
Action Track
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Peter Baker
Chief Executive, Global Action on Men’s Health
Peter Baker
Chief Executive, Global Action on Men’s Health
Peter Baker is a leading advocate for men’s health with decades of experience in public health, policy, and communication. Now Chief Executive at Global Action on Men’s Health, he previously served for 12 years as Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum (England and Wales) and later led HPV Action UK, a coalition that successfully secured gender-neutral HPV vaccination in the UK. Peter was a consultant to the European Cancer Organisation for five years and received the Royal Society for Public Health’s 2018 award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Health. He lives on the south coast of England with his partner and has three children, all of whom are now grown up.
Action Track
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Natalie Shoup
Industry and Data Lead, Safe Online
Natalie Shoup
Industry and Data Lead, Safe Online
Natalie Shoup is Industry and Data Lead for Safe Online, a UNICEF-hosted fund focused on child safety and wellbeing in a digital world. She leads research and technology tools efforts across a $100M portfolio. Natalie is pushing forward the launch of a Mental Health Fund, leads a $3M collaborative Research Fund with tech industry and academia, and spearheaded Data for Change – a community of over 100 experts – to strengthen the data ecosystem for online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Working at the intersection of technology, child protection, and social justice, previously Natalie directed programs for trauma-informed approaches to violence prevention with community organizations serving children at Nest and Developing Minds. At Data-Pop Alliance, she led work around ethical data practices for Big Data and social good initiatives. Natalie has a Masters in Education from University of Cambridge and a Bachelors in Engineering from Princeton.
Action Track
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Ana B. Moreno
Technical Secretary, Global Alliance for Care
Ana B. Moreno
Technical Secretary, Global Alliance for Care
Social anthropologist and journalist with over 30 years of experience in public policy, international, and local sustainable development projects.
Specializes in defining and implementing collaboration platforms and multi-stakeholder alliances, participating in intergovernmental processes, and designing advocacy and outreach strategies for sustainable development and resource mobilization.
Notable roles include serving as Coordinator for the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) and the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum (2012-2018), as well as Director of the UN-Habitat Office for Brunei-Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
Additionally, has held key positions with the Barcelona City Council, Spain’s Ministry of Industry, T ourism and Trade, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Action Track
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Cody Ragonese
Director of Programs, Equimundo
Cody Ragonese
Director of Programs, Equimundo
Cody is the Director of Programs at Equimundo, where he leads U.S. and international efforts to engage men and boys in building more caring, equitable communities. He’s passionate about helping organizations – from schools to global companies – challenge harmful gender norms and promote healthier models of masculinity. Cody designs programs, develops curricula for boys, young men, and fathers, and partners with public and private sector leaders to advance male allyship in the workplace. He also trains facilitators worldwide to spark conversations that drive real social change.
“If you build it right, they will come. Yes, including men.”
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Giovanna Lauro
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Equimundo
Giovanna Lauro
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Equimundo
Giovanna has more than 20 years of experience advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence, with a focus on transforming harmful masculinities. As Equimundo’s Deputy CEO, she leads global research and program strategy. Previously, she was Associate Director of the Women and Population Programme at the United Nations Foundation and conducted research at the London School of Economics. A native of Italy, Giovanna is fluent in English, French, and Spanish, and serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth in the United States.
“Let’s choose care over fear; speaking up for equality over silence; and let’s do it together!”
Action Track
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Gary Barker
President, Chief Executive Officer, Founder, Equimundo
Gary Barker
President, Chief Executive Officer, Founder, Equimundo
Gary is CEO and co-founder of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice and a global leader in engaging men and boys for gender equality. He co-founded MenCare and MenEngage, created the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), and leads the State of the World’s Fathers reports. Formerly Executive Director of Instituto Promundo in Brazil, he has advised the United Nations, World Bank, and governments worldwide. Named by Apolitical among the 20 most influential in gender policy, he is an Ashoka Fellow and Voices of Solidarity Award recipient. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
“True democracy asks more than casting a ballot; it demands that each of us – especially as men – step into the roles of caregivers, connectors and collaborators, so our communities don’t just survive but flourish.”
Action Track
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José Campi-Portaluppi
Director of Communications and Advocacy, Equimundo
José Campi-Portaluppi
Director of Communications and Advocacy, Equimundo
José is the Director of Communications and Advocacy at Equimundo. He leads the communications and advocacy teams, amplifying research and programming on masculinities and gender justice to inspire action and drive impact in personal opinion, community norms, and public policy. Prior to joining Equimundo, José worked with different international organizations in educommunications, capacity strengthening, political incidence, research and learning experience design.
“Real transformation comes from moving people, the culture that shapes them, their attitudes and mindsets.”
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Wessel van den Berg
Senior Advocacy Officer, Equimundo
Wessel van den Berg
Senior Advocacy Officer, Equimundo
Wessel is Senior Advocacy Officer at Equimundo, where he advances global advocacy efforts and co-convenes the MenCare Global Campaign and Global Boyhood Initiative. A co-founder of MenCare and the State of South Africa’s Fathers report, he is dedicated to evidence-based advocacy on gender-equal parenting, care work, and violence prevention. Wessel’s background spans teaching, counseling, activism, and research, all centered on men’s roles in caregiving. He holds a PhD in Sociology from Stellenbosch University, focusing on engaging South African men in a feminist ethic of care, and lives in Cape Town with his wife and two young children.
“Men can find renewed purpose in everyday acts of care.”
Action Track
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Taveeshi Gupta
Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo
Taveeshi Gupta
Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo
Taveeshi is Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning at Equimundo and a global expert on gender equality, masculinities, and the transformative power of care. Her research bridges developmental psychology and social change, advancing equitable caregiving and challenging harmful gender norms worldwide. She has advised the United Nations, OECD, APEC, and Movember, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Lancet Commission on Violence against Women and Girls. Her widely cited work, featured in The Guardian and NPR, explores issues such as the “manosphere,” men’s isolation, and the redefinition of masculinity through care.
“When we meet boys and men with genuine care – acknowledging their vulnerabilities and strengths – we create space for transformative change, because supporting men’s health uplifts everyone.”
Action Track
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Dr. Chloé Lewis
Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo
Dr. Chloé Lewis
Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo
Chloé is Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning at Equimundo. For over 15 years, her work has focused on gender and armed conflict, with a particular emphasis on addressing and preventing sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Before joining Equimundo, she was a Senior Research Associate with Oxford’s Global Security Programme and a Research Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government. She has collaborated with organizations including the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, the World Bank, and the U.K. Ministry of Defence. Chloé co-edited the Routledge Handbook of Masculinities, Conflict and Peacebuilding.
“More unites us than divides us. In these fractured times, we must believe this now more than ever.”
Action Track
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Melissa Wong Oviedo
Regional Technical Lead – Latin America and the Caribbean, Equimundo
Melissa Wong Oviedo
Regional Technical Lead – Latin America and the Caribbean, Equimundo
Melissa is a Regional Technical Lead at Equimundo, overseeing international projects with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. She brings extensive experience in preventing violence against women and children, advancing women’s economic empowerment, and promoting human rights. Previously, she worked with Plan International Peru and Innovations for Poverty Action, collaborating closely with grassroots, rural, and Indigenous communities across Latin America.
“To teach is to show what is possible; to learn is to make yourself possible.” — Paulo Freire
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Caroline Hayes
Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies, Equimundo
Caroline Hayes
Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies, Equimundo
Caroline is Senior Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies at Equimundo, leading efforts to address harmful masculinities online and promote healthy, caring digital engagement. She oversees the LinkUp Lab and guides the design, implementation, and evaluation of digital-first interventions across research, programs, and advocacy. Caroline builds institutional capacity, forges partnerships with digital creators, tech leaders, and policymakers, and represents Equimundo in global forums on digital safety and gender justice. Previously, she worked with the White House Gender Policy Council and the U.S. Department of Justice on gender-based violence prevention, and served in the U.S. Peace Corps.
“I’m certainly no Luddite.” — J.G. Ballard
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Richard V. Reeves
President, American Institute for Boys and Men
Richard V. Reeves
President, American Institute for Boys and Men
Richard V. Reeves is the founder and president of the American Institute for Boys and Men(AIBM). Before founding AIBM in 2023, Reeves was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. While at Brookings, he focused on policies related to economic inequality, racial justice, social mobility, and boys and men.
Reeves is the author of several books, including “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to do About It” and “Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That is a Problem, and What to do About It.”
Inspired by his own experiences as a father and policy expert, Richard founded AIBM to bring awareness to the challenges facing boys and men today and to develop evidence-based solutions.
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Lisa Pusey
Director of Engagement and Impact, Champions of Change Coalition
Lisa Pusey
Director of Engagement and Impact, Champions of Change Coalition
Lisa Pusey is a gender equality and human rights expert with over 25 years experience leading complex gender equality initiatives, in Australia and internationally.
Over the past 10 years, Lisa has held various roles at the Champions of Change Coalition, working with the CEO to support, grow and execute the strategy. As Director of Engagement and Impact, Lisa co-leads the program workstream and engagement with the Coalition’s ~250 CEO Members.
Prior to joining Champions of Change, Lisa was adviser to Elizabeth Broderick (former Sex Discrimination Commissioner) at the Australian Human Rights Commission, and has worked in several international women’s human rights organisations where she worked closely with United Nations expert bodies to advance gender equality.
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