Meet the Changemakers
The MenCare Changemakers are influential stakeholders from business, the media, culture, civil society, governments and more, working together to understand how we achieve health and wellbeing for men and boys together with women and girls, and how to solve some of the biggest problems facing men, boys, and manhood around the world today.
The Changemakers
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Curtis Valentine
Founding President, Male Educator Networks and Policy Institute
Curtis Valentine
Founding President, Male Educator Networks and Policy Institute
Curtis Valentine is Founding President of Male Educator Networks and Policy Institute, the first policy think tank and national network dedicated solely to men in education. Curtis also serves as a Fellow at the American Institute for Boys & Men (AIBM). Previously, Curtis served as Co-Director of the Reinventing America’s School Project at the Progressive Policy Institute. The founder of Real Men Teach, Curtis has been fighting for diversity in teaching for over 20 years as a classroom teacher and eventually a School Board Member in the 20th largest school district in America. An adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, College Park and Johns Hopkins University, Curtis is writing a book entitled “Real Men Teach: The Future of Education” that will be published this fall. A graduate of Morehouse College and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, serves on the boards of the American Institutes for Research’s (AIR) Opportunity Fund and the Julius Rosenwald & Rosenwald Schools National Park Campaign.“America is less competitive when only half of our future workforce is pushed to do our country’s most important work: teaching.”
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Ana Moreno
Technical Secretary, Global Alliance for Care
Ana Moreno
Technical Secretary, Global Alliance for Care
Ana Moreno is a social anthropologist and journalist with over 30 years of experience in public policy, international, and local sustainable development projects. She 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, she has held key positions with the Barcelona City Council, Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
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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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Dr. Daniela Ligiero
President and CEO, Together for Girls
Dr. Daniela Ligiero
President and CEO, Together for Girls
Dr. Daniela Ligiero is the CEO and President of Together for Girls, a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents. Together for Girls combines rigorous data and research with survivor-centered advocacy to drive prevention, healing, and justice, increasing political will and mobilizing action to protect children—especially from sexual violence.
Daniela is the founder of the Brave Movement, the world’s largest survivor-led movement to end childhood sexual violence, mobilizing survivors and allies globally to demand legal reform, political accountability, online safety, and justice.
Previously, she served as Vice President of Girls and Women’s Strategy at the United Nations Foundation and held senior roles at the U.S. Department of State, where she helped develop the first U.S. global strategy to address gender-based violence and co-designed the PEPFAR DREAMS Partnership. She also held leadership roles at UNICEF and worked in the U.S. Senate.
A survivor herself, Daniela has spoken publicly for nearly two decades to help shatter stigma and drive systemic change. She has received multiple honors, including the U.S. Department of State’s Franklin Award and the Champion for Children Award presented by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden.
Daniela holds a doctorate in counseling psychology, is fluent in four languages, and lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with her husband and two daughters.
“In my work on sexual violence against children and adolescents, and on gender-based violence, one thing is clear: we cannot end violence without engaging men and boys. That means recognizing that boys experience sexual violence and deserve protection, healing, and support. It also means working with men and boys to challenge harmful norms and prevent violence before it happens.”
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Alanna Williams
Vice President and Managing Director, American Institute for Boys and Men
Alanna Williams
Vice President and Managing Director, American Institute for Boys and Men
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Trenesa Stanford-Danuser
Chief Communications Officer and Chief of Staff, Catalyst, Inc.
Trenesa Stanford-Danuser
Chief Communications Officer and Chief of Staff, Catalyst, Inc.
Trenesa Stanford-Danuser is a strategic communications and organizational leader whose work sits at the intersection of leadership, inclusion, and culture change. As Chief Communications Officer and Chief of Staff at Catalyst, she helps shape the vision, voice, and strategy of one of the world’s leading organizations advancing women and inclusive workplaces. Trenesa spent 25+ years in luxury beauty, fashion and retail, including 14 years at The Estée Lauder Companies, launching and building a global portfolio of skincare, beauty, and haircare brands across markets worldwide. Throughout that career, she was doing inclusion work long before anyone called it that. She co-founded a groundbreaking initiative with CoverGirl to serve African American consumers when the industry wasn’t yet asking the question. She negotiated directly with indigenous palm oil farmers in Honduras on behalf of a prestige haircare brand.
At Saks Global, she helped lead a landmark collaboration with First Nations communities, including a ceremonial unceded land acknowledgment gift supported by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in alignment with Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation initiative. That journey, from the frontlines of one of the world’s most aspirational industries to the current work of workplace equity, informs everything she brings to Catalyst, where she helps elevate CEO Jennifer McCollum’s newly launched book Men at Work: The Roadmap to Gender Partnership. Like the MenCare Changemaker Journey, Men at Work challenges narrow definitions of who gets to lead, who gets to care, and what real partnership looks like in practice. As one of Equimundo’s 100 Changemakers, Trenesa is honored to stand with a global community committed to making caring manhood the new normal. Her core belief: real progress happens when we invite people into the work of change with authenticity, accountability, and courage.
“When people care for you and cry for you, they can straighten out your soul.” — Langston Hughes
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Regan Mitchell
Director: Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Strategy, Our Watch
Regan Mitchell
Director: Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Strategy, Our Watch
Regan is a proud First Nations Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal woman from regional New South Wales, Australia.
With extensive lived and frontline experience, Regan is highly skilled in navigating complex systems and providing intensive support to women and children experiencing domestic, family, and sexual violence. Their voices inform her role as Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy at Our Watch.
Widely respected for her expertise, Regan is passionate about ending violence against all women and children with a particular focus on First Nations women in remote communities – the most impacted and the least seen. Through truth telling, she shines a light on the root causes of the unacceptably high rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and what we must all do individually and collectively to stop gender based violence before it starts
Widely respected for her expertise, Regan is passionate about ending violence against all women and children through truth telling with a particular focus on First Nations women in remote communities – the most impacted and the least seen.
“To achieve true equity, we have to recognise that the starting line is not the same for everyone. For some, the starting line is completely out of reach.”
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Prof. Marcos Nascimento
Senior Researcher, Fiocruz
Prof. Marcos Nascimento
Senior Researcher, Fiocruz
Marcos Nascimento is a psychologist with a doctorate in Collective Health from the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. He is currently a senior researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). He is one of the cofounders of the Men´s Network for Gender Equality in Brazil and was coordinator of the MenEngage Alliance for Latin America (2007-2011). He has experience leading national and international projects involving research, social intervention, and advocacy on topics related to gender, sexuality, masculinities, violence, and health.
“When we think about health, we need to discuss men´s participation in democracy, social justice, promotion of gender equality, and a culture of care. Men’s health affects everyone´s health, including women and children, and we need to engage them on it.”
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Allison Tummon Kamphuis
Vice-President of Communications: Global Citizenship (Community Impact, Equality & Inclusion, Environmental Sustainability), Procter & Gamble
Allison Tummon Kamphuis
Vice-President of Communications: Global Citizenship (Community Impact, Equality & Inclusion, Environmental Sustainability), Procter & Gamble
Allison Tummon Kamphuis is the Vice-President of Communications, Global Citizenship at Procter & Gamble (P&G). With a 30-year career at the company, she leads the Global Citizenship Communications team, driving P&G’s efforts to be a positive force through partnerships with public, private, and non-governmental organizations. Her work spans critical initiatives in Community Impact, Equality &; Inclusion, and Sustainability, including the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program and global disaster relief efforts.
Allison serves on the IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission and the Board of Directors for All In Together. She is also a member of corporate councils for Save the Children and CARE. Previously, she held R&D Clinical Operations leadership roles in P&G’s pharmaceutical division. Allison holds an MBA from Xavier University and a BS in Nursing from McMaster University. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two daughters.
“On my journey, I’ve seen time and again that true impact isn’t achieved alone. My commitment is to forge novel partnerships, channeling collective energy to create positive change together.”
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Dr. Lee Gettler
John A. O’Brien College Professor of Anthropology, Notre Dame
Dr. Lee Gettler
John A. O’Brien College Professor of Anthropology, Notre Dame
Dr. Lee Gettler is the John A. O’Brien College Professor of Anthropology at Notre Dame, where he is the Department Chairperson and the director of the Hormones, Health, and Human Behavior Laboratory. He is a leading expert on the ‘biology of fatherhood’ and what it means for how we think about men’s roles in families and men’s health.
His research explores how men’s bodies respond to the transition to fatherhood through shifts in hormones like testosterone and oxytocin. He focuses on how these biological changes help men get ready to take on roles in their families as committed caregivers and supportive partners. He draws on this work to help frame new questions about the roles of human fathers in the evolutionary past. His ground-breaking research in this area has been published in The Proceedings of the National Academies of Science and featured on the front page of the New York Times. In 2025, he was named an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). With many fantastic collaborators around the world, he studies questions about the role of fathers in families, parents’ health, and child well-being across a range of global settings, including the Philippines, Congo-Brazzaville, and the U.S.
He is the father to two amazing children, who keep him very busy with their passions for basketball, soccer, running, and music.
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Vicki Shabo
Better Life Lab Senior Fellow: Gender Equity, Paid Leave, and Care Policy and Strategy, New America
Vicki Shabo
Better Life Lab Senior Fellow: Gender Equity, Paid Leave, and Care Policy and Strategy, New America
Vicki Shabo is a gender equity expert, policy strategist, and coalition builder, who has helped to win paid leave, equal pay, and pregnancy fairness policies affecting tens of millions of people across the United States. Shabo also founded and directs Re-Scripting Gender, Work, Family, and Care, which focuses on helping to shape and celebrate authentic, engaging, relatable storytelling in television and film. Previously, Shabo led workplace and work-family initiatives at the National Partnership for Women & Families, practiced law, and was a public opinion researcher. She began her career in electoral politics and on Capitol Hill.
Shabo is a trusted resource for policymakers, advocates, researchers, journalists, business leaders, and entertainment industry stakeholders. She has testified numerous times in the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Her op-eds have appeared in publications ranging from the Boston Globe to The Hollywood Reporter, and her insights and analysis have appeared on television and radio and in major news outlets. Shabo is a graduate of Pomona College (B.A.), the University of Michigan (M.A., political science), the University of North Carolina (J.D.). She lives in Washington, D.C. but enjoys spending ample time in her native city, Los Angeles.
“Allowing all people – regardless of their gender – to live with freedom, autonomy, dignity, and security requires breaking down gender stereotypes that limit our expectations about gender roles in workplaces and families. Instead, we must embrace and support – through culture, practice, and policies – our shared human desires to care for and sustain ourselves, our blood and chosen families, and our communities.”
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Ashley Kolaya
Executive Director, Mental Health Storytelling Initiative
Ashley Kolaya
Executive Director, Mental Health Storytelling Initiative
Ashley Kolaya is the founding Executive Director of the Mental Health Storytelling Initiative (MHSI), a coalition of 80+ entertainment, mental health, and philanthropic organizations working to shape how mental health is portrayed in media and culture. MHSI operates as a translation layer between the full ecosystem of social and mental health knowledge — research, clinical practice, community organizations, and people with lived experience — and the storytellers who shape culture. The goal is to ensure that what’s true and hard-won about human experience actually makes it into the stories reaching millions of people.
With more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of storytelling and social impact, she has built initiatives that help creators and institutions better understand, engage, and move their audiences. At TED, she built the global youth voice platform, TED-Ed Student Talks, and served as the founding Director of Curation and Coaching for TED Masterclass, where she coached speakers and developed programs to help leaders communicate ideas that shape culture. Her background is in civic engagement education.
“The stories boys grow up watching shape the men they become — stories that make room for vulnerability, connection, and belonging are the ones we need more of, and we’re building the infrastructure to make sure they get made and seen.”
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Priscilla Souza
Museum Educator, Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR)
Priscilla Souza
Museum Educator, Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR)
Priscilla is Black, lesbian woman. A museum educator for over 10 years, she has worked at the Rio Art Museum since 2014. She develops and organizes projects, courses, and seminars focused on the relationship between art and education through cultural mediation and educational practices intersected by racial, gender, and sexuality relations. She develops art and education projects in collaboration with the school community and cultural institutions.
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Dr. Celmário Castro Brandão
Coordinator: Men’s Healthcare, Brazilian Ministry of Health
Dr. Celmário Castro Brandão
Coordinator: Men’s Healthcare, Brazilian Ministry of Health
Coordinator of the Coordination for Men’s Health Care at the Brazilian Ministry of Health (COSAH/DGCI/SAPS/MS), leading the nationwide implementation of the National Policy for Comprehensive Men’s Health Care, with a particular focus on the pillars of violence prevention, sexual health, reproductive health, and fatherhood and care. He possesses 16 years of experience in the management of the Unified Health System (SUS) and serves as a federal public servant—specifically, a Technologist in Public Health Policy Management. He holds a Ph.D. in Collective Health from the University of Brasília (UnB), where his research analyzed Federal Governance in Primary Health Care Management during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil; a Master’s degree in Collective Health from the same university, focusing on Management Capacity within Municipal Health Secretariats; a postgraduate specialization in Collective Health with a concentration in Primary Health Care Management from the Institute of Collective Health (ISC/UFBA); a postgraduate specialization in Microbiology from the Faculty of Pharmacy at UFBA; and a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from UFBA.
“Para conhecer o amor, os homens precisam ser capazes de abrir mão da vontade de dominar . Precisam ser capazes de escolher a vida em vez da morte. Precisam estar dispostos a mudar.” – bell hooks
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Dr. Yalda T. Uhls
Founder and Executive Director: Center for Scholars & Storytellers, University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Yalda T. Uhls
Founder and Executive Director: Center for Scholars & Storytellers, University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Yalda T. Uhls is the founder of UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS), the leading organization bridging developmental science with entertainment and media creation. A former senior executive at MGM and Sony Pictures, she now collaborates with studios, streaming platforms, and game companies to bring research-based insights into storytelling and youth-focused content. Dr. Uhls is an internationally recognized expert on media’s impact on adolescent development and the author of Media Moms & Digital Dads.
“Young people are growing up with screens, and the stories they consume shape their understanding of themselves and their world. We’re building a future where stories help young people thrive.”
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Brett Kubicek
Chief Advisor: Science and Strategy, Public Safety Canada
Brett Kubicek
Chief Advisor: Science and Strategy, Public Safety Canada
Brett Kubicek joined the Canadian public service in 2005 after completing his PhD in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies at Ohio State University, as well as a BA from the University of British Columbia. He is currently Chief Advisor Research and Strategy for the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence, housed at the Department of Public Safety. The Canada Centre was established in 2017 to lead the federal government’s efforts to counter radicalization to violence, online and offline, a role which is separate from but complementary to national security and criminal justice approaches to countering violent extremism. From 2007 to 2016 he served as Public Safety’s liaison for the National Justice Statistics Initiative, and from 2011 to 2016 he was also the manager responsible for Public Safety’s Kanishka Project, a five-year $10M Government of Canada initiative investing in research on terrorism and counterterrorism, where the focus was on building evidence for preventative approaches.
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Dr. Matthias Eck
Program Specialist: Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality, UNESCO
Dr. Matthias Eck
Program Specialist: Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality, UNESCO
Dr. Matthias Eck is a Program Specialist in the Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality at UNESCO. He has worked with the Global Education Monitoring Report, the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and UNICEF, leading on knowledge products, technical advice to ministries of education and project implementation.He played a key role in the design of SDG4. He has a lead-role in the two KIX projects “Lifting barriers: Educating boys for gender equality” and “Accountability for Gender Equality in Education (AGEE): Bridging the local, national and global”.Matthias is co-author of the “Education 2030 Framework for Action” and of global reports such as “Leave no child behind: Global report on boys’ disengagement from education” and “The Price of Inaction: the global private, fiscal and social costs of children and youth not learning”. His research work has been published with Routledge and in peer-reviewed journals. He has acted as a peer reviewer for academic journals, including from Springer Nature.“I believe that if we focus on promoting positive masculinities through education, we can support boys to achieve their full potential and to become who they want to be, while creating a more gender-equitable world.”
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Maria Caridad Araujo
Chief of Gender and Diversity Division, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Maria Caridad Araujo
Chief of Gender and Diversity Division, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
M. Caridad Araujo is the Chief of the Gender and Diversity Division at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In this role, she leads efforts to promote gender equality and inclusion across Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, she served as Principal Economist in the IDB’s Social Protection and Health Division, focusing on early childhood development and anti-poverty programs. Her career also includes academic experience as a professor at Georgetown University and work at the World Bank. A native of Ecuador and mother of two daughters, she holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley
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Brian Waniewski
Executive Director, Harmony Labs
Brian Waniewski
Executive Director, Harmony Labs
Brian Waniewski is an innovative institutional leader whose work has spanned media and research, data and AI, systems design and spiritual development. He serves as executive director at Harmony Labs, a non-profit media research lab on a mission to research and reshape society’s relationship with media. For 10+ years Harmony Labs has helped storytellers and strategists, decision makers and dreamers, harness the immense power of media to shape a positive, pluralistic future and support human flourishing. Before Harmony Labs, Brian served as managing director at Institute of Play, a design studio for experiences that make learning irresistible. Brian helped establish Quest to Learn, a New York City public school that leverages game design to make school engaging and culturally relevant for young people, and GlassLab Games. Brian was trained as a poet and spends a portion of each year meditating, dividing his time between New York, Lima, and Rio.“Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing / you make of me! You would play upon me, you / would seem to know my stops, you would pluck / out the heart of my mystery, you would sound me / from my lowest note to the top of my compass; / and there is much music, excellent voice, in this / little organ, yet cannot you make it speak.”
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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.
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Thabo Limema
Head of Structured Lending Products: CAF and AVMS, Absa Group
Thabo Limema
Head of Structured Lending Products: CAF and AVMS, Absa Group
Thabo Limema is a seasoned banking professional with over 15 years of local, regional, and international experience. Born and raised in the Free State province, his humble upbringing shaped his ability to connect with people across diverse backgrounds. His passion for inclusion has driven his active involvement in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging forums & platforms at work, and to serve on boards of social enterprises that champion the empowerment of marginalised communities. Thabo chairs the Absa Men’s Forum, promoting allyship, wellness, and efforts to end gender-based violence (GBV). Following his participation in the Gender & Corruption Symposium in 2024, he expanded his advocacy through events, collaborations and co-founding AWACN Men in 2025. In 2025, he joined the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group, contributing to the GBV prevention priority area. A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelor of Accounting from Rhodes University and an Executive Master in Finance from INSEAD.
“Positive masculinity from men is courage, accountability and care, inspiring boys watching us to inherit gentler, wiser strength that aligns with the spirit of Ubuntu (I am because we are), calling us to use influence with empathy, so dignity compounds like interest for everyone.”
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Dr. Wessel van den Berg
Senior Advocacy Officer, Equimundo
Dr. 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.”
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Rubén Campos
Director of Programs, Club de Madrid
Rubén Campos
Director of Programs, Club de Madrid
Rubén is the Director of Programmes at Club de Madrid, a Senior Research Fellow at the Elcano Royal Institute and a visiting professor of International Relations in various Spanish universities. Since 2004, he has worked at Club de Madrid in the supervision, design and implementation of different projects in countries like Bolivia, China, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru and South Africa. He is also involved in thematic programmes including Social Inclusion, Women Political Participation and Terrorism, Democracy and Human Rights. At Club de Madrid, he has been the Programme Coordinator from 2010 to 2023. He previously worked as Programme Officer and Assistant to the Programme Director. He has a BA in Journalism and is a PhD candidate in International Relations. He is preparing the presentation of his doctoral thesis on the nonviolent politics of the Indian nationalist movement and the African-American civil rights movement.
“We all help create the political and cultural ecosystem in our reality for a care society in which everyone belongs and feels at home”.
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Juca Fiis
Artist
Juca Fiis
Artist
Juca Fiis works in the intersection of art, architecture, and education, with a dedicated practice in collaborative work, often with children/young people. They have participated in education residencies worldwide, including DocumentaFifteen(Kassel), ART OMI(Hudson, NY), Demonstra (Lisbon),QMA (Vienna), Pivô (São Paulo), Fahrender Raum (Munich) and the Tamayo Museum(Mexico City). Their experience in museum education includes a role with the Education department at the Museum of Modern Art Rio de Janeiro and as an educational consultant for the Museum of Tomorrow. They have also collaborated with the Paranaense Museum in Curitiba and served as a member of the Educational Board at the Visual Arts School of Parque Lage in Rio de Janeiro.
Juca Fiis has been invited to present their work in symposia and talks at venues such as the University of Hildesheim (Germany), Drawing Projects (UK), the Museum of Modern Art Rio, and Oficina Francisco Brennand (Brazil).
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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!”
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Joan Benson MD, MPH
Executive Director: Global Vaccines Policy, Merck & Co. Inc.
Joan Benson MD, MPH
Executive Director: Global Vaccines Policy, Merck & Co. Inc.
Dr. Benson leads policy and strategic partnerships for Merck Global Vaccines, collaborating with global public health leaders and key stakeholders to ensure sustainable access to the company’s diverse vaccine portfolio including HPV, pneumococcal, RSV, Ebola and pipeline vaccines. She has extensive experience working with country governments and major global health organizations such as WHO, Gavi, UNICEF and the Gates Foundation. She served as industry representative on the Gavi Board. Joan is deeply committed to advancing global public health agendas, including the elimination of cervical cancer.
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Cynthia Miller-Idriss
Director, Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University
Cynthia Miller-Idriss
Director, Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University
Cynthia Miller-Idriss is a Professor in the Schools of Public Affairs and Education at the American University, where she is also the founding director and chief vision officer in the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). She writes frequently for the public, most recently in Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism, as an opinion columnist for MS Now, and in recent by-lines in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, Politico, and more.Her current book-in-progress, on how gender is dividing a new generation, reports on qualitative research with young men across five countries.
“None of us wants our best measure of violence prevention to be how good we’ve become at barricading the doors. Solutions need to begin much further upstream, starting with ensuring every individual feels seen, heard, and needed.”
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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.
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Guilherme Nascimento Valadares
Founder and Research Director, Instituto PDH | PapodeHomem
Guilherme Nascimento Valadares
Founder and Research Director, Instituto PDH | PapodeHomem
Guilherme Nascimento Valadares is founder and research director of Instituto PDH | PapodeHomem, which has been working to transform men for 18 years, as well as being a strategic partner of the Elas Lideram Movement and the human rights area of the UN Global Compact – Brazil Network. He has been lecturing and conducting immersions on masculinity, equity, and inclusion for almost two decades— always from an intersectional perspective. He visits companies, foundations, schools, communities, and sports centers. He is the creator and producer of the documentaries and national studies “O silêncio dos homens” (The Silence of Men) and “Meninos: sonhando os homens do futuro” (Boys: Dreaming of the Men of the Future).
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Dr. Darby Saxbe
Professor of Psychology, University of Southern California (USC)
Dr. Darby Saxbe
Professor of Psychology, University of Southern California (USC)
Darby Saxbe, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and tenured professor of psychology at the University of Southern California.
She has published over eighty scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and secured major research grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. She earned awards from the American Psychological Association and the Society for Research in Child Development and was a Fulbright fellow. Dr. Saxbe received her PhD in clinical psychology from UCLA and her BA in English and psychology from Yale University.
Her research focuses on the transition to parenthood, particularly the neural and hormonal underpinnings of fatherhood. She integrates neuroscience and psychology to explore how close connections shape health and wellbeing.
When she is not doing research, she plays guitar in an all-mom indie rock band and writes the Substack newsletter, Natal Gazing.
“When men step into their full potential as care providers, it’s good for children, societies, and men’s own health, well-being, and sense of meaning and purpose.”
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Charlie Marshall
Head of Communications & Marketing – WOW – Women of the World
Charlie Marshall
Head of Communications & Marketing – WOW – Women of the World
Charlie is a strategic communications and marketing expert, with 20 years’ experience working across the cultural and charitable sectors. She specialises in purpose-driven work, digital strategy and brand leadership. As Head of Communications and Marketing at WOW – Women of the World, she is responsible for building its global reputation as a joyful, creative movement championing gender equality through arts-driven activism. Before joining WOW, Charlie worked at theatre companies and led-communications for place-led cultural projects.
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Eyrún Þórsdóttir
Managing Director and Board Member, Reykjavík Global Forum
Eyrún Þórsdóttir
Managing Director and Board Member, Reykjavík Global Forum
Eyrún Þórsdóttir is the Managing Director of the Reykjavik Global Forum and a member of its Board. Based in Iceland, the organization is dedicated to advancing women’s leadership globally by increasing the number of women in leadership positions worldwide. Eyrún has been part of the Reykjavik Global team since its inception in 2018, playing a role in shaping the Forum’s growth and global impact.
The Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders, hosted under the theme “Power, Together!”, convenes influential women and their allies from across the world to exchange ideas, spark solutions, and drive progress toward equality. The Forum has become a premier platform for global collaboration, bringing together leaders from politics, business, civil society, academia, the arts, and media. Each year, the invite-only gathering welcomes 500 global leaders and is co-hosted by the Government and Parliament of Iceland, a country recognized globally for its leadership in equality.
Eyrún holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Gender Studies and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Iceland. Her work is driven by a strong commitment to inclusive leadership and advancing representation across sectors.
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Sindy González Tijerina
Early Childhood Manager, FEMSA Foundation
Sindy González Tijerina
Early Childhood Manager, FEMSA Foundation
Sindy González Tijerina has been part of the FEMSA Foundation team since 2012 and currently serves as Early Childhood Manager. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives focused on strengthening early education and preschool education, as well as empowering parents, promoting positive parenting practices, and supporting caregiver well-being. Her work also centers on advancing public spaces designed from a child- and caregiver-centered perspective, and on strengthening the early childhood ecosystem through the advocacy of effective public and corporate policies.
Firmly convinced that lasting change is built collectively, Sindy actively promotes cross-sector collaboration. Her purpose is to contribute to the construction of a more humane and equitable world—one in which every child can fully develop and thrive, regardless of their context or gender.“Children are the greatest treasure we have as humanity. Every one of them, regardless of their context or gender, deserves the opportunity to fully develop, flourish, and thrive.”
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Helena Jacques-Morton
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager – WOW – Women of the World
Helena Jacques-Morton
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager – WOW – Women of the World
Helena is a communications specialist, currently working as WOW – Women of the World’s Senior Communications and Marketing Manager leading on WOW’s social media and digital channels, and on global marketing and communications. Previously she worked at Chichester Festival Theatre, where she led on developing new audiences, championing work for young people and increasing access to the arts. She developed Chichester Festival Theatre’s first Youth Advisory Board and was an AMA Audience Diversity Academy Fellow in 2020. Helena studied English and Theatre at the University of St Andrews and University of California San Diego, followed by an MLitt in Writing for Performance. She is passionate about championing the power of stories, both real and imagined, and using storytelling to engage and inform new audiences, and writes The Rummage on Substack.
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Felipe Ramos
Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, PapodeHomem/Instituto PDH
Felipe Ramos
Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, PapodeHomem/Instituto PDH
Felipe Ramos is co-founder and COO of PapodeHomem and Instituto PDH, organizations dedicated to transforming masculinities and promoting gender equity in Brazil and beyond. With over a decade of experience working with major corporations, governments, and international organizations, Felipe leads the design and implementation of programs that engage men as allies in building more equitable, inclusive, and emotionally healthy environments. He is also a producer of impactful documentaries, including O Silêncio dos Homens and Precisamos Falar com os Homens?, developed in partnership with UN Women, which have reached millions and helped shape public discourse on masculinity. Currently, he leads the global project Meninos: Sonhando os Homens do Futuro, focused on boys’ development and the prevention of gender-based violence. As a father, Felipe brings a deeply personal lens to his work, connecting research, storytelling, and practice to drive cultural transformation.
“Cultural transformation begins when men stop being spectators and become part of the solution.”
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Dr. Michael “Uncle Mick” Adams
Activist for Men’s Health
Dr. Michael “Uncle Mick” Adams
Activist for Men’s Health
Dr. Michael “Uncle Mick” Adams is a respected Elder in the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. He is a descendent of the Yadhiagana/Wuthathi peoples of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and the Gurindji people of Central Western Northern Territory. His extensive involvement in key policy and program development processes and forums has enabled him to translate his own and others’ research into action. His efforts at knowledge translation have directly impacted on health system responses and led to better informed approaches to address the needs of Australia’s Indigenous peoples who are social excluded and often have poor access to services. He is recognised as a pioneer in the Australian male health movement. He was recently presented with the inaugural Australian Male Health Forum’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for his long-term commitment to supporting men’s health.
“The way to the future is overcoming the negativity, being positively involved in creating safe places and celebrating our achievements”
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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.”
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Tea Trumbic
Manager: Women, Business and the Law, World Bank Group
Tea Trumbic
Manager: Women, Business and the Law, World Bank Group
Tea Trumbic leads the Women, Business and the Law (WBL) project at the World Bank. WBL produces data and evidence on how laws, policies, and their implementation affect women’s economic opportunities across 190 economies, with a strong focus on informing World Bank operations, policy dialogue, and reform design. Since joining the World Bank in 2006, she has worked on flagship indicators covering taxation, credit information, agribusiness, trade, and gender. She previously worked at the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia and the International Monetary Fund, and holds degrees in economics from Stanford University and the London School of Economics.
“Advancing women’s economic opportunities requires engaging men as partners in care, work, and reform.”
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Odanga Madung
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Odipo Dev
Odanga Madung
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Odipo Dev
Odanga Madung is a Kenyan data journalist and researcher whose work examines how digital platforms reshape power, democracy, and public accountability. He is the co-founder and Managing Director of Odipo Dev, a Nairobi-based media and impact think tank, and has written for outlets including The Guardian, WIRED and CNN on disinformation, platform governance, and the political economy of attention. His focus is strengthening the integrity of the information environment and understanding how media systems shape democratic outcomes—particularly from the vantage point of the Global South.
He was also a Mozilla Fellow and has helped surface and challenge disinformation-for-hire ecosystems and advance real-world accountability conversations with major tech platforms. He’s also currently on the boards of DW Akademie and Amnesty International Kenya.
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Declan Ottaro
International Development Leader of Operations, Ushahidi
Declan Ottaro
International Development Leader of Operations, Ushahidi
Declan Wakhu Ottaro is a Nairobi-based international development leader and Chief Operating Officer at Ushahidi, a global open-source technology non-profit. With over 20 years of experience across 30 countries, he has led multi-million-dollar programmes at the intersection of technology, innovation, and social impact for leading NGOs and multilateral development organisations.Beyond his professional work, Declan is a founding member of a mentorship group that brings together boys and the fathers and male authority figures in their lives, equipping them to grow into responsible, engaged citizens. He believes men carry a profound responsibility to shape the next generation of men — and that intervening early, while boys are still forming their values and identity, is one of the most powerful levers for lasting societal change.
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Kay Rufai
Artist and Researcher
Kay Rufai
Artist and Researcher
Kay Rufai is a Photographer, Poet, Filmmaker, Author, Mental Health researcher and founder of the internationally acclaimed S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys projects. He is currently the first Artist in residence for West Midlands Police Artist as part of Coventry City of Culture, using creative arts to improve relationships between police and marginalised young people. His work spans the past 8 years in a handful of countries including the UK, USA, Ethiopia, Bhutan, Germany, Scandinavia, Mexico, Nigeria and Colombia.
His work explores themes of masculinity, identity, mental health, serious youth violence and community cohesion through art, photography, educational workshops, residencies, training and public events.
A great deal of his work has directly engaged diverse communities, young people in custody, at-risk youth, refugee and displaced groups of people as well as collaboratively creating bodies of work with them.
He has recieved numerous accolades for his research-led series of workshops and exhibitions across the country. His work has been exhibited at The Barbican, City Hall, Tower Bridge, the Royal Court and The Battersea Arts Centre. His award-winning work has been featured on the BBC, Channel 5 News, in the Guardian and HuffPost.
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Dr. Hannah Phillips
Respectful Politics Policy Manager, The Jo Cox Foundation
Dr. Hannah Phillips
Respectful Politics Policy Manager, The Jo Cox Foundation
With a decade of experience in the public sector and academia, Hannah is an expert in advancing gender equality. Currently, she leads The Jo Cox Foundation’s policy development and advocacy to address abuse in public life and strengthen democracy. Her unique background spans local, national and international policy. She has significant experience advising and implementing strategic priorities, including at the United Nations and UK House of Commons. Originally from Scotland, she pursued her undergraduate studies at Harvard University. While also working, she studied for her MSc in Gender, Policy and Inequalities at the London School of Economics and completed her DPhil (PhD) at the University of Oxford.
“We can change institutional cultures for the social good through collaborative action.”
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Lee Chambers
Chief Executive Officer, Male Allies UK
Lee Chambers
Chief Executive Officer, Male Allies UK
Lee Chambers is a business psychologist and CEO of Male Allies UK. After a diverse career, from corporate finance to building and exiting a tech company, he is now focused on supporting organisations to engage men in inclusion and promote effective allyship. He has been featured on the Startups 100 Index, has received a Great British Entrepreneur Award, and sits on the board of CMI Women and the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. In 2024, he received the Freedom of the City of London for services to equality in business.He is a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences and a EDI Fellow at the University of East London. He is the 2023 UN Women Changemaker of the Year, and is an ambassador for Refuge, 50:50 Parliament and Working Families. He speaks globally on allyship and masculinities, having taken the stage at One Young World, ChangeNOW and the Bloomberg Global Equality Summit, and is the author of the bestselling book, Momentum: 13 Ways To Unlock Your Potential .Action Track
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Diana Riley
Public Policy Specialist and Doctoral Researcher – Men, Masculinity, Fatherhood and Care
Diana Riley
Public Policy Specialist and Doctoral Researcher – Men, Masculinity, Fatherhood and Care
Diana Riley is an Australian public policy specialist and researcher working at the intersection of gender equality, caregiving, fatherhood and masculinity. With a background spanning public administration, academic research and the community sector, her work has contributed on both a domestic and international basis to human rights legal reforms, women’s safety initiatives, and gender equality policy development. Diana’s career began in women’s rights and gender-based violence policy, which led her to a central question: gender equality has transformed women’s lives — but how is it also reshaping the lives of boys and men. Her doctoral research advances this question by examining how law, public policy, and cultural narratives shape masculinity, fatherhood and men’s participation in care. Diana holds three Master’s degrees in Social Work, Human Rights, and Politics and Public Policy. Her work focuses on building more inclusive approaches to gender equality that strengthen outcomes for women, men, girls and boys alike — recognising that more equal, caring and connected societies benefit us all.
“A more equal world is built by recognising how deeply connected the futures of women, men, girls and boys truly are.”
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Jake Stika
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Next Gen Men
Jake Stika
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Next Gen Men
Jake is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Next Gen Men – a nonprofit he began building at 26 with two friends over a decade ago, that has grown into an internationally recognized organization working across Canada and the United States. He is passionate about creating a positive vision for masculinity – toward a future where boys and men experience less pain and cause less harm.He has brought conversations about boys, men, and masculinities to everyone from the United Nations to Fortune 500 CEOs to the man on the corner. He co-authored A Kids Book About Masculinity and co-created Cards for Masculinity, a facilitation tool with thousands of decks in use by parents and practitioners around the world. A social entrepreneur with an MSc from the London School of Economics, he became publisher of Voice Male in 2024 – a pro-feminist magazine founded in 1983 – taking up the torch from one generation and passing it to the next.“Every boy is already on a journey toward manhood. The question is who shows up to walk with him.”
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Cathy Morgan
Director of Secondary Prevention, England Department of Health and Social Care
Cathy Morgan
Director of Secondary Prevention, England Department of Health and Social Care
Cathy Morgan is a Senior Civil Servant and Director of Secondary Prevention at the Department of Health and Social Care in England. She brings 30 years’ experience across the UK Civil Service, with a career focused on shaping health and social care policy through major legislative, strategy and delivery roles. Cathy leads England’s first-ever Men’s Health Strategy, working across central and local government, the NHS, the voluntary and community sector, academia and industry to drive system-wide change and reduce health inequalities.
Cathy also leads the implementation of England’s HIV Action Plan which aims to eradicate the transmission of HIV in England by 2030 and has responsibility for a portfolio of analytical and behavioural science programmes focused on preventing ill health alongside multiple policy teams delivering key government priorities, including cardiometabolic health, sexual and reproductive health, and screening. She lives in Suffolk, England, with her husband, daughter and two sons.
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Richie Hardcore
Public Speaker and Educator
Richie Hardcore
Public Speaker and Educator
Richie Hardcore works in the community as a public speaker, consultant, educator and advocate. His work discusses the intersections between masculinity, mental health, pornography, social media, sex and consent and how we can end sexual and domestic violence. He works extensively with schools and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia
He has a Master’s degree in Sociology and is an ongoing champion of the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development’s ‘Change is Possible’ anti-domestic violence campaign.
He was a multiple New Zealand Muay Thai champion, and now that he has retired from fighting, he is a gym owner, coach, and trainer. He uses Muay Thai and Kickboxing as a pathway for conversations about healthy masculinity for people who are in the criminal justice system, are in alternative education or are in alcohol and drug rehabilitation.
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Alex Lloyd Hunter
Co-Founder, The Dad Shift
Alex Lloyd Hunter
Co-Founder, The Dad Shift
Alex is co-founder of The Dad Shift, a grassroots, dad-led campaign for active fatherhood in the UK. The UK has the worst paternity leave in Europe, and The Dad Shift was launched in September 2024 with a mission to change that. To date, the campaign has mobilised tens of thousands of members of the public and sent paternity leave racing up the media and political agenda. The UK Government is now reviewing parental leave in 2026, creating a once in a generation opportunity to win longer, better paid paternity leave.
Before co-founding The Dad Shift, Alex spent his career working on digital campaigns with charities and the UK Labour Party. As co-founder and CEO of Forward Action, a digital campaigning agency for progressive causes, Alex worked on issues including domestic abuse, assisted dying and climate change. He also launched the “Campaigns By You” platform at online campaigning organisation 38 Degrees, which gives thousands of people the technology to run their own campaigns every year.
“Gender equality isn’t a zero sum game. We need to bring more men into proudly pro-gender equality campaigns that not only benefit women, but benefit them too. Promoting active fatherhood is a key part of this.”
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Dr. Rosemary Morgan
Associate Professor: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dr. Rosemary Morgan
Associate Professor: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Rosemary Morgan, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (BSPH) where she holds the Edgar Berman Professorship in International Health. Dr. Morgan is recognized as a specialist in gender analysis in health and health systems research, interventions, and programs. Her work spans research, teaching, and policy engagement to examine how gender norms, roles, and relations shape health and health system experiences and outcomes, and to advance more equitable, people‑centered health systems for all. Dr. Morgan co-directs the Gender and Health Track in the Global Health Summer Institute and coordinates the Gender and Health Certificate at BSPH.
“Gender equality cannot be achieved without challenging and changing norms that harm men and those around them.”
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Dean Peacock
Founding Co-Director, Global Coalition for WHO Action on Firearm Violence
Dean Peacock
Founding Co-Director, Global Coalition for WHO Action on Firearm Violence
Dean Peacock has been involved in work for gender equality, violence prevention, and health equity for the last three decades. He is a commissioner with the Lancet Commission on Global Gun Violence and Health and an expert advisor to the Global Taskforce on Halving Global Violence. Dean is affiliated with the University of Cape Town’s School of Public Health, the Gender Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, and the Violence, Inequality and Power Lab at the University of San Diego. He has co-founded and co-created many local, national and global initiatives, including the Men Overcoming Violence Youth Program, Sonke Gender Justice, the MenEngage Alliance, the MenCare Campaign, the Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace Initiative, and the Global Coalition for WHO Action on Firearm Violence where he is the co-director. His work has been published widely and he has used the arts extensively, including documentary films, photo exhibitions, murals and photo-voice.
“Acknowledging that most men do in fact care deeply about their families, friends and communities opens up so many exciting possibilities for what we can all do together to build a more just, equitable, peaceful and sustainable world.”
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Nancy Pierorazio
Senior Policy Officer: Diversity and Equality, City of Melbourne
Nancy Pierorazio
Senior Policy Officer: Diversity and Equality, City of Melbourne
Nancy Pierorazio serves as a Senior Policy Officer Diversity and Equality at the City of Melbourne, where she has worked since 2002. She leads policy and project delivery to advance diversity, gender equality and inclusion, including implementation of the Inclusive Melbourne Action Plan and Gender Impact Assessments under the Gender Equality Act 2020. Nancy holds qualifications in psychology, social research and criminology, and brings extensive government experience, combining expertise in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), gender-based violence and gender equality to develop gender and safety audit tools.
“Local government is closest to the everyday lives of carers, and with that proximity comes responsibility: to recognise, support, and nurture the care work that sustains our communities.”
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Anthony Keedi
Masculinities and Gender Technical Advisor, Abaad
Anthony Keedi
Masculinities and Gender Technical Advisor, Abaad
Anthony has been working in Lebanon for the past 19 years piloting and promoting applied theories for Engaging Men in Ending Violence Against Women and Transformative Masculinities in the MENA region. He is a psychologist and also holds a Master’s degree in Gender Studies. Some of his notable achievements in his work thus far are as follows: Managed the 1st ever White Ribbon Campaign in MENA; Develops and oversees Research on Masculinities in Conflict settings in Lebanon; Creates and Advises on Advocacy campaigns designed for Men and Boys; Developed several Gender Equality Training workbooks and manuals on Masculinities in MENA; established the 1st psychological rehabilitation clinic for men with abusive behaviors in MENA; and He participated in expert panels for the CEDAW commission as well as on the 1st Human Rights Council Resolution for Engaging Men and Boys to end GBV.
“One day they will look back at my life, when I am long gone and deceased. I pray that they say that ‘the journey he walked was always a path of peace.'”
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Laura Addati
Global Care Policy Specialist, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Laura Addati
Global Care Policy Specialist, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Laura Addati leads global policy research and technical assistance on care policies and gender equality at work at the ILO, the only tripartite specialized agency of the United Nations, bringing together governments, employers, and workers to advance decent work and social justice. She contributed to the ILO’s work leading to the adoption of the Resolution concerning decent work and the care economy in 2024 and coordinates implementation of its follow-up Plan of Action.
Laura has more than 20 years of experience across the UN system at global and regional levels in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. She has authored major ILO reports, policy tools, and initiatives on the care economy, maternity protection, parental leave, childcare, work-family policies, and decent work for care workers, in support of gender equality, labour rights, social protection and the world of work.
“Care work, paid and unpaid, is essential to all other work. It is the foundation of decent work, equality, and social justice. When care is valued, shared, and supported, everyone thrives. It is time to place care at the centre of policies and workplaces.”
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Sam Browne
Spoken Word Poet
Sam Browne
Spoken Word Poet
Sam Browne is a spoken word poet from Southend, Essex, who originally set out to be a stand-up comedian until he realised all his jokes rhymed and none of them were particularly funny. So he pivoted to poetry, and things started to click. Since then, Sam has developed an online following of over 100,000 followers across all platforms and tens of millions of views. He has won awards for his activism work and has one numerous prestigious poetry slams. At just the age of 21 Sam Browne is helping reshape the way young men think about masculinity and feminism one poem at a time.
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Emma Walsh
Chief Executive Officer, Parents at Work
Emma Walsh
Chief Executive Officer, Parents at Work
Emma Walsh is the CEO of Parents At Work and Founder of the Family Friendly Workplaces Initiative, and a leading advocate for gender-equal paid parental leave in Australia. For more than two decades, she has championed the social and economic case for inclusive workplaces, challenging entrenched norms that position care as women’s work. In 2017, Emma co-founded the Advancing Parental Leave Equality Network (APLEN), bringing together employers and advocacy groups to drive national awareness and reform. Through initiatives including the Aussie Dads campaign, she elevated the case for equal paid parental leave and highlighted the powerful link between fathers’ caregiving, women’s workforce participation and long-term gender equality. Emma later led the development of Global National Work + Family Standards and the Family Friendly Workplaces Certification program, establishing a clear benchmark for employer accountability. Her work continues to mobilise business and policy leaders to dismantle barriers, normalise men’s caregiving, and embed care as a shared responsibility.“When we value care equally, we unlock equality for everyone.”
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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.”
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Dilip Pattubala
Co-Founder, Centre for Men and Boys – South Asia
Dilip Pattubala
Co-Founder, Centre for Men and Boys – South Asia
Dilip Pattubala is the co-founder of the Centre for Men and Boys – South Asia. Over the past 15 years, his work has explored how shame, silence, and gender norms shape the lives of young people, especially concerning bodies, health, identity, and care.Previously, he founded Uninhibited, an organisation that has worked with over a million adolescent girls on menstrual health and gender-responsive education. He now works to understand boys and men more deeply and to help institutions, markets, and systems respond to them in ways that advance gender justice. Dilip is a Mulago Fellow, an Acumen India Fellow, and a GLG Social Impact Fellow.
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Patu Araújo
Artist and Designer
Patu Araújo
Artist and Designer
Patu Araújo is a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist and designer born in Ilhéus, Bahia, and currently based in Curitiba, Paraná.
Their practice engages with the construction of identity and the ongoing processes of erasure surrounding Afro-Indigenous Brazilian histories. Working across visual arts, Patu develops a language shaped by distortion and a vibrant, insurgent color palette, moving fluidly between painting, performance, photography, and video mapping. In the field of design, their work centers on typography, animation, and production design, where narrative, space, and visual rhythm converge as critical tools of expression.
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Julia Munroe
Policy Officer, Metropolis
Julia Munroe
Policy Officer, Metropolis
Julia serves as a Policy Officer in Metropolis, specialising in local care policies, mainstreaming gender equality, and local feminist agendas in large cities and metropolitan areas. Her role involves leading international city-to-city policy exchanges, developing knowledge and toolkits and supporting the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems.
Hailing from South Africa, she has a background working with local government, international cooperation and grassroots organisations in Cape Town, Barcelona, and internationally. She previously held positions with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the City of Cape Town. She has a Joint Masters degree in Urban Studies from the Universities of Brussels and Vienna and a Bachelors (Hons) in Social Anthropology from the University of Cape Town.
“Gender equality is not only about who holds power, but who has the right to be supported; where tenderness is strength, and care is a shared public good.”
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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.
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Pedro Pessanha
Artist and Researcher
Pedro Pessanha
Artist and Researcher
Pedro Pessanha is an artist and researcher from Rio de Janeiro, with a master’s degree in Contemporary Art Studies from UFF. His work seeks to understand what allows Black rhythms, buried by various attempts at erasure, to continue resonating in the bodies of the city of Rio de Janeiro. His artistic practice develops works across various media, including paintings and urban interventions, as well as ongoing research in comics and illustration, investigating how the specificities of these medias can contribute to the construction of unique narratives.
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Vidhya Ramalingam
Founder and CEO, Moonshot
Vidhya Ramalingam
Founder and CEO, Moonshot
Vidhya Ramalingam is Founder and CEO of Moonshot, an organization empowering people to thrive online. Under her leadership, Moonshot has pioneered a proven model to offer lifesaving services online to people considering violence; collaborations with tech companies like Spotify and Google to ensure safer user experiences; and critical support to institutions and individuals facing online abuse. Moonshot has twice been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies list. Vidhya is also recognized internationally for her role leading policy responses to terrorism. Following the 2011 attacks in Norway, she led the European Union’s first intergovernmental initiative on white supremacist terrorism. She has been recognized by Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and sits on Spotify’s Safety Advisory Council. Watch her TED talk: The real-world danger of online myths.
“Our work to create a safer future must be rooted in the fundamental belief that – even in the darkest of moments – change is possible.”
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Georgie Dent
Chief Executive Officer, The Parenthood
Georgie Dent
Chief Executive Officer, The Parenthood
Georgie Dent is the CEO of The Parenthood, Australia’s leading parent advocacy organisation representing over 80,000 parents, carers and supporters. She is a best-selling author, former lawyer and prominent advocate for children, families, gender equity and mental health. The Parenthood champions paid parental leave, access to quality early childhood education and care and family-friendly workplaces. She is a mum of three and lives in Sydney with her husband & co-partner in chaos.
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Blessing Adesiyan
Founder and Chief Care Officer, Caring Africa
Blessing Adesiyan
Founder and Chief Care Officer, Caring Africa
Blessing Oyeleye Adesiyan is the Founder and Chief Care Officer of Caring Africa, building the infrastructure for Africa’s care economy through technology, policy, and media. She develops platforms and innovations that strengthen childcare and aging care systems, create dignified jobs, and position care as essential to economic growth. Through her writing as Editor of The Care Gap, Blessing spotlights how valuing and investing in care can unlock women’s time, catalyze economic growth, and strengthen institutional resilience, transforming an overlooked burden into a cornerstone of prosperity. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine, and Fortune.Action Track
