1. Alice Whitehead
Alice is an educator and advocate for positive change in the world. She is an alumni and previous teacher at United World College of Southeast Asia in Singapore, where she held a leadership position coordinating an aspect of their renowned service program. Alice is passionate about supporting children and young people to learn to take informed action, realise their full potential as agents of change, and harness their innate desire to care for and connect with the world around them. She is the founder of Orenda Learning, an impact driven social enterprise that guides young people, educators and community in best practice service. Alice also envisioned and helped develop the Be The Change program.
Email: alicewhitehead@orendalearning.com
2. Anzio Jacobs
Anzio Jacobs has been a LGBTQIA+ activist in South Africa since 2009. They
have been instrumental in the founding of several LGBTQIA+ projects including a university endorsed student pride parade, the Safe Zones Project at Wits, the Kaleidoscope Youth Network in South Africa and the GALA Youth Forum at the Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA). Their published work includes a paper on Safe Zones in South Africa, a chapter on #FeesMustFall in Rioting and Writing: Diaries of Wits Fallists and research on the exclusion of Queer and LGBTQIA+ women in FMF. Jacobs is the founding director and sitting executive director of Scope.
Email: director@scopefacilitation.com / cameronanzio@gmail.com
3. Busisiwe Nkosi
Busisiwe Nkosi is the Anti-Racism Manager at the Ahmed Kathrada
Foundation, she also the Co-ordinator of the Anti-Racism Network of South Africa. Busisiwe has served as a youth social cohesion advocate which falls under the Department of Sport Arts, Culture, and Recreation. Previously held the position of Youth Programmes Manager at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. Busisiwe currently chairs the University of Cape Town’s Geomatics Departments Anti-Racism Advisory committee. Busisiwe is an anti-racism facilitator and mediator with 10 years of experience in the field.
4. Cathryn Berger Kaye
Activating youth to improve the world – locally and globally: this is what we can do, together! Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A., international educator and founder of CBK Associates, brings learning to life through high-level engagement and content that matters. Through in-person and virtual experiences, Cathryn travels the globe to engage with school communities and explore opportunities for growth, engagement, and taking action. The amazing team of CBK Associates consultants brings expertise on service learning, social and emotional dynamics and advisory, curriculum design, leadership, and JEDI-justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Cathryn has authored numerous articles and eight books including The Complete Guide to Service Learning and two books with environmental activist Philippe Cousteau – Going Blue and Make a Splash! Cathryn values youth as global citizens who protect our planet and take everyday actions to benefit others. She is an author, framer, ranter, concept developer, and collaborator who loves to dance. Learn more at cbkassociates.com and check out @Documentar_ (with an underscore) on Instagram and @DoucmentarNOW on FB and Twitter to connect with youth expression around the world.
Email: cathy@cbkassociates.com
5. Christopher Dadefumi
Chris, “native son” of Detroit Michigan is an exhibiting visual artist, educator, organizer, and activist. With an expertise in youth leadership
development and youth-adult partnerships and as an Anti-Racist Educator, Chris brings focus to socio-political systemic and structural inequity through Bias Awareness and Racial Justice workshops designed for youth and adults at schools, nonprofits, corporate entities, and government agencies including the New York Police Department. Chris has a long and stellar history in youth development influencing programs in New York City and across the country, and more recently, around the world. His insights and historical knowledge provide a solid foundation for learning, often filling in the “missing pieces” of our collective stories and how communities either stay the same or transform. With his “racial justice and equity lens” he elevates the understanding of issues facing various communities with an emphasis on tools for engagement, healing, and liberation, and youth activism through service learning.
Email: arkphilosophy@gmail.com
6. Chris Mureithi
Chris Mureithi is an award winning Human Capacity Development Expert, a highly sought after international conference speaker, Team Building Coach, Author of three books (What Makes You Special, The Shallow End and The Realities of the 21st Century) a corporate trainer, a regular thought leader on a leading Kenyan TV Station-K24 Alfajiri TV show, a content contributor inthe Daily Nation (the most distributed newspaper in East Africa) and an entrepreneur. In 2017 he was a winner of the coveted award; Top 40 under 40 men an initiative of Business Daily (the leading Business Newspaper in East Africa) that recognizes 40 trailblazers in different sectors who are under the age of 40. In 2020 he was named among the Avance Media top 100 most influential Kenyans under the age of 40 further cementing his place as a trail blazer. He is passionate about people, unlocking their potential and enhancing their leadership capabilities.
Chris holds a Bachelor Of Commerce Degree (1st class honors) and a Masters of science in Marketing from the University of Nairobi.
Email:
7. Colleen Fletcher
Colleen has 23 years of experience in education in Mozambique. She and her family have lived in rural Mozambique during this time. Seeing the disparities in education, in particular between private schools and the opportunities afforded children and adults in rural Mozambique, led her to initiate various projects in the community. These included building a school and a community center.
Colleen is also the co-founder of F & H Consultants, focusing on education, teacher training, research, and community development, all through the lens of respecting and leveraging indigenous knowledge systems. Colleen believes that developing holistic community profiles is the cornerstone to leveraging growth and potential for all, facilitating transformative learning, voice and ownership of any development projects.
Colleen holds a Bachelor of Education from North-West University South Africa, a Masters in developing leadership skills in students from Buffalo State University USA and she completed her Doctoral thesis on partnership development in Mozambique at the University of Liverpool, UK. She currently lives in the bush in Mozambique surrounded by a very large animal family.
8. EarthEcho International
EarthEcho International’s mission is to inspire young people worldwide to act now for a sustainable future. We are a nonprofit 501c3 organization founded in 2005 by siblings Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau in honor of their father Philippe Cousteau Sr., son of the legendary explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau. Philippe Sr.’s belief in “a world where every single child can breathe fresh air, drink clean water, and walk on green grass under a blue sky” serves as our vision to this day.
Our approach is simple; EarthEcho’s 21st century tools and interactive resources equip youth to identify and solve environmental challenges starting in their own communities.
Email: srussell@earthcho.org
9. Itumeleng Lebese
Itumeleng Lebese is an 18 year old spoken word artist, a performer and a published author of the book Trouble in Diepsloot. Born and bred in Limpopo, Mokopane Itumeleng was raised by her great grandmother who later passed away in 2012 when Itumeleng was just 10 years old. She then moved to Diepsloot to stay with her mother and grandparents. She developed the love for writing and performing. She published her first book in 2019 when she was just 17 years old. With aspirations of becoming a film maker, an award winning author and the founder of children homes and the Itumeleng Lebese Foundation her future is brighter that she could ever think.
10. Jasmine Howell
Jasmine is one of two founders of Fletcher and Howell Consulting. F&H Consulting specializes in education, research, teacher training, and community development opportunities that are grounded in social responsibility. Respect of Indigenous Knowledge Systems is at the foundation of Jasmine’s ethos and her work is led by the heart and soul of each community she partners with.
As an educator, Jasmine started teaching at both private and public schools in North America and Southern Africa. Seeing the stark contrast in conditions, teaching pedagogy, and ways of knowing, Jasmine became interested in forming partnerships both locally and globally to further learn and collaborate within the field of education.
Jasmine holds a Bachelor of Education, from the University of Victoria, a Certificate in Performing Arts from the Canadian College of Performing Arts and is currently pursuing a Masters in Adult Education and Global Change at the University of British Columbia. Jasmine also sits on the Technical Advisory Board for Operation Water as a member of the Women Empowerment Committee.
11. Justin Garcia
My name is Justin and my pronouns are they them. I have been teaching for over ten years. I live and work in Thailand with my husband, Barrak, who is writing a memoir. We enjoy the slow-paced small-town life of Chiang Mai with our lovely pup, Boomer.
12. Kim Cofino
Kim Cofino is an author, entrepreneur, educational consultant, curriculum designer, and teacher originally from the United States and currently based in Bangkok, Thailand. Her work is based on nearly two decades of classroom experience teaching in Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan. Kim is co-founder and CEO of Eduro Learning, COETAIL, and Board Secretary of the Learning 2.0 Global Conference. Over the last five years, Kim has worked with school leaders, coaches, and teachers as co-Founder and CEO of Eduro Learning. Eduro Learning offers personalized online professional learning for educators at the intersection of technology, coaching & leadership.
As an experienced instructional coach, Kim works with educators around the world in the Eduro Learning Certificate programs: The Coach, Women Who Lead & COETAIL, as well as through private mentoring packages. She also hosts the #coachbetter podcast and YouTube series, and in addition to being a regular presenter, workshop leader, and keynote speaker, she has written a wide variety of publications, including Your Connected Classroom: A Practical Guide for Teachers and the upcoming Your Coaching Journey: A Practical Guide for Aspiring and Experienced Coaches. Find out more about Kim at kimcofino.com
Twitter Bio
educator, instructional coach, author, consultant | founder, CEO @edurolearning & @coetail | #coachbetter host | @learning2 board | u63kg #powerlifter | she/her
Email: kim@edurolearning.com
13. Lexi Meier
Struggling with depression from my early teens I have spent my life collecting tools to help myself form healthier relationships with stress, difficult emotions, and the world at large.
I studied Drama at Rhodes University and (almost by accident) discovered movement and the acute presence of moment-to-moment attention to the body. After spending six years exploring this embodied way of being present in performance and movement, I arrived in the world with an MA degree in Choreography and what seemed like a million more questions.
These lead me to a Yoga Teacher’s Training in 2017 and a deeper dig into mindful practices of meditation, breathing, movement, Asana, and Mudra. All these practices were combined with an emphasis on cultivating awareness of the whole self.
Amazed at the changes that arrived in my life as a result, I further pursued a qualification in the embodied practice of Tension and Trauma Release Exercise in 2018. This practice taught me that awareness is key for self-regulation and integration: awareness of what is comfortable, and awareness of discomfort alike. But not just any awareness – turns out the key to feeling more regulated is loving awareness. The kind of awareness that can meet discomfort (mild or great) and hold it in a gentle embrace. Mindfulness techniques are integral to cultivating this kind of loving gentleness towards self and others. Step by step. Moment to moment. These are the things I now share passionately in my classes and my teaching.
Email: lexi.meier66@gmail.com
14. Megan Boone-Valkenburg
Meg Valkenburg is the Civic Engagement Practitioner at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania, Academic Advisor for undecided students, director of the Alternative Break program, and a faculty member in the First Year Foundations division. Megan serves on a host of nonprofit, community, and association boards and committees and has received numerous awards for her teaching, research, and service to the community.
Email: megan.boone@wilkes.edu
15. Nazley Sharif
Nazley Sharif has 12 years of experience in politics & 7 years of experience
holding public office in Government. Currently, Nazley Sharif is a Member of Parliament in the Republic of South Africa, focusing on gender, specifically gender-based violence, issue driving on the inclusion of all groups and, as an opposition MP, holding the Executive to account. Nazley has held office in opposition and in Government, she has worked in the gender space since taking office and has worked with various women and youth organisations, ngo’s and stakeholders through public participation. Nazley proudly calls herself a feminist and a change maker, using politics as the vehicle to bring change in society. Nazley has held various political leadership positions in different structures of her political party and has excellent knowledge in growing and managing political structures, working in elections and policy analysis. Nazley Sharif holds a postgraduate Honours degree in political studies. Nazley is committed to ensuring that we cultivate a society that is inclusive, fair and equal for all people.
16. Rita Groenewald
I’ve always had an immense love for nature and animals. After completing my National Certificate in Nature Conservation and guiding qualification I spent 3 years conducting nature guiding on private game reserves, and then pursued working with wildlife at a rehabilitation facility, that had a very strong community engagement and education division. While working with various endangered species over a 10 year period, I gained great insight into the need for grassroots education in communities with human-wildlife conflict and had the opportunity to develop educational material for youth and adults to have a greater understanding of the importance of the balance of our ecosystem.
After leaving the wildlife facility, I joined Jane Goodall’s Roots&Shoots as the National Coordinator in South Africa leading groups across South Africa with the purpose of mobilising youth to make positive differences for animals, people and the environment and learning about the interconnection between all three elements. This gave me additional insight into mobilising volunteers and coming up with creative solutions to community specific challenges, which are often unique.
Email: info@rootsandshoots.org.za
Website: www.rootsandshoots.org.za
17. Selamawit Zewdie
Selamawit’s research area focuses on how sustainable entrepreneurs to design systems that leapfrog the linear economic model to holistic sustainable models that function equitably, ecologically, and economically. Before starting her doctorate program, Selamawit served on the board of directors for the Hawassa Children’s Project, a non-governmental organization that promotes culturally sensible and environmentally sustainable practices in the city of Hawassa, Ethiopia. Locally, Selamawit also served on the City of Madison’s Sustainable Committee.
Email: szewdie@wisc.edu
18. Shai Ascencio
Shei hails from Mexico with just under 20 years of experience living and working in culturally rich and diverse countries across Africa, Asia and North America. Shei is currently living and working in Luanda, Angola at Luanda International School (LIS). 
Besides being an active and full-time educator, her current main mission resides in coordinating the International Baccalaureate (IB)Diploma Program (DP): Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)/Service Learning program at LIS. Shei creates an experiential learning-based, learner-centred and highly collaborative environment in which all students, and educators can thrive. Service and experiential learning is at the core of her work, which places learners in direct touch with real local needs and issues of global importance. Both, learners and educators actively go out into the real world to experience at first hand, social and environmental issues that can be tackled through service learning.
Simultaneously, Shei works closely with International schools in facilitating and guiding the development of service learning. She uses a variety of flexible coaching practices to guide schools in implementing successful, community-inclusive, and student-driven service learning approaches that align with their school’s mission and goals.
Email: sascencio@lisluanda.com
19. Dr. Talisa Sullivan
Dr. Sullivan has been an educator for close 20 years serving communities
across four large counties in California (USA). She specializes in serving youth who have experienced intergenerational inequities and marginalization and has built a rapport as an equity leader. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Teaching Credential, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration, and a PhD. in Education with an emphasis on Urban Leadership from Claremont Graduate University.
Dr. Sullivan has served as a K-12 Administrator and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Education for the Teacher Education Program as well as the Doctoral in Education Leadership Program at local Universities. She also serves as the Founder, CEO, and Lead Consultant for Transformational Leadership Consulting “TLC” Services. She has delivered Keynote speeches at local universities and school districts as well as served as a breakout session speaker at several major conferences.
Dr. Sullivan has a magnitude of knowledge and training in education and is passionate about working with educators who prepare students for 21st Century college and careers. She is also the creator of an equity framework called Quantum Ten (Q10) https://q10equityineducation.com/.
20. Adv. Tseliso Thipanyane
Adv. Tseliso Thipanyane, BSc, LL.B, LL.M (Constitutional litigation) and LL.M (Corporate Law) is the Chief executive officer of the South African Human Rights Commission and former chief executive officer of the Safer South Africa Foundation. Spent over 13 years I the SAHRC as head of research, mainly responsible for the monitoring of economic and social rights and access to information rights, before becoming the chief executive officer. Former researcher on criminal justice at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and former law lecturer at the University of Western Cape (criminal procedure), Columbia University Law School, New York (African human rights systems), Ramapo College of New Jersey (African politics and Human Rights). Has numerous publications on human rights issues and has presented conference papers in over twenty countries in Africa, Europe, America, and Asia. Admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Lesotho and South Africa and served on the project committee on child justice of the then SA Law Commission. Member of the Executive Committee of the Council for the Advancement of South Africa’s Constitution (CASAC), and former board member of the Open Democracy Advise Centre (ODAC).