Tsion Ghedamu is Associate Director of fellowships for the Aspen Global Innovators Group at the Aspen Institute. In this role, Tsion leads the Healthy Communities Fellowship and the Communities First Global Collaborative. She believes that community-led solutions are innovative and have been developed all over the world; by amplifying and supporting local community leaders, we can not only address inequities but redefine what we think is just and possible. Previously, Tsion worked in Ethiopia for a sexual and reproductive health organization and worked in global vaccine strategy with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

A creative leader at the cutting edge of global and domestic philanthropy. International development and humanitarian professional. Successful track record designing and influencing programmatic, policy and funding decisions globally, nationally and locally. Ada has worked for two decades to advance the power and influence of women and girls of color, conceiving groundbreaking disruptions to philanthropic norms and scalable models to transform the field along the way. By championing the formation of the first 'Women of Color Design Council' within a premium philanthropic and venture organization, she and her team have envisioned a future in philanthropy built around silo-busting investment strategies and fundamental trust in communities. Ada is leading a growing community of funders committed to transforming philanthropy.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Policy Administration from the University of São Paulo and a Master's in Human and Social Sciences. As a black Brazilian woman who experienced first-hand the transformative power of education, she is passionate about developing people to their full potential and contributing to a more equitable world. She has served in the commission on racial quotas for the Sao Paulo municipal administration, and focused on elementary and high school education policy through her work in the third sector. In her current position she focuses on advancing racial equity as a national agenda by strengthening the Lemann Foundation's strategy on public education and the empowerment of black leadership.

Teresa C. Younger is an activist, advocate, renowned public speaker, organizational strategist, and a proven leader in the philanthropic and policy sectors. Having spent 30 years on the frontlines of some of the most critical battles for comprehensive equity and the elimination of institutionalized oppression, for just over a decade she has served as the President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women. She is the longest serving CEO of color and second longest serving CEO in Ms.’ over 50 year herstory. Prior to joining the Ms. Foundation for Women, Younger served as the executive director of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and as executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut — the first African American and first woman to hold that position. Younger is a thought leader at the critical intersections of gender and race. Within the philanthropic sector, she has worked on initiatives to shape and change the narrative of women and girls, including Women’s Funding Network, Grantmakers for Girls of Color, Philanthropy New York, Black Girl Freedom Fund and Funders for Reproductive Equity. She was named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Philanthropy” and to the “Top 100 Leaders in Philanthropy” by Inside Philanthropy. Additionally, Younger serves on a number of boards including the Ethel Walker School, Equal Justice Works and Hedgebrook. Younger is a graduate of the University of North Dakota, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in Humanities from the University of New Haven, and was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. She is also a proud lifetime Girl Scout and Gold Award recipient.