Recipient of Genius Grant by MacArthur Foundation, Schwab-WEF Social Entrepreneur of 2022, Ashoka Fellow, Prime Mover Fellowship, Purpose Prize for Financial Inclusion.

Miller is an internationally recognized innovator and thought-leader on community development and poverty alleviation. His book, The Alternative: Most of What You Believe About Poverty Is Wrong, is a manifesto against traditional programs and a blueprint for his “peer-driven change” approach, which he has initiated in 11 countries through his NGO, Community Independence Initiative. Miller is a guest professor at Princeton University and UC Berkeley and has served on the Board of Directors of the National Cooperative Bank’s Development Corporation; Corporation for Enterprise Development; Public/Private Ventures; California Endowment; and The Hitachi Foundation.

Recipient of the United States National Heritage Fellowship, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

Drummer, master of African and African diasporic percussion instruments, stilt dancer, mask and suit maker. Zulu is a well-known lecturer on African traditions and his mask and suit creations are featured in museums internationally. He directed the touring show and film called Voices of Congo Square. A resident of New Orleans, he frequently travels to African countries where he has developed a strong network of cultural collaborators and supporters.

Recipient of Theodore Hissey Outstanding Young Professional Award and DiscoverE Foundation New Faces of Engineering Award

Kulkarni is Chairperson of the IEEE Social & Environment Impact Committee. He was formerly Chairperson of the IEEE Global Technology Humanitarian Activities Committee. He is Co-Founder of ImpactX, a social impact company. He was former Senior Technology Manager of Database Transactions at Oracle. He has multiple patents and publications.

Somya Bijaj is the Human Capital Specialist at the World Bank, coordinating implementation of the Africa Human Capital Plan. She is co-founder of Citizens for Public Leadership, an initiative to mobilize, engage and educate young citizens to unlock the true potential of a participatory democracy. She also founded a long-standing school for children of construction workers in Bagalore, India. She received a Masters in Public Administration from Princeton University.