Chief Mentor
HON. Annastacia Palaszczuk
As Premier of Queensland, she led a government which promoted an ambitious economic and social reform agenda. In particular, Annastacia was pivotal in promoting the rights of women, First Nations peoples, Veterans and the Arts. During Annastacia’s term as Premier, she promoted economic activity, ensuring high rates of employment and economic prosperity, particularly in rural and regional Queensland.
Mentors
HON. ROSA GALVEZ
Canadian Senator, PhD Environmental Engineering. Former professor, Université Laval. Expert in pollution, decontamination, sustainability. Advised governments on environmental policy. Led studies on Lac-Mégantic spill. Authored climate finance bills, papers. Champion of waste management innovation. Award-winning global climate leader.
DR. MICHAEL MEHLING
Deputy Director, MIT’s CEEPR, Massachusetts. Professor of Practice, Strathclyde Law School. Former President, Ecologic Institute, Washington. Board Member, Ecologic Institute, Germany. Advises on sustainable law reform. Advances global climate collaboration frameworks. Leader in environmental policy research.
Joanna Kay
Program Director International Superpower Institute, Australia’s climate think-tank. Builds global clean energy partnerships. Accelerates sustainable trade and collaboration. Expert in renewable energy policy. Experience spans Australia, Asia, Europe. Former Australian delegate, Solar Alliance. Recognised as top Green Leader.
PROF. YANKO YANEV
Ex-IAEA Head of Nuclear Energy. Led Bulgarian Atomic Energy Commission. Expert in safety and regulation. Specialist in environmental radiochemistry. Authored over 150 scientific papers. Managing Director, Nuclear Knowledge Institute, Vienna. Board Member, VINCC International Network. MSc, PhD Nuclear Chemistry.
Masato SEKO
Senior Director, Social Innovation, Nippon Foundation. Formerly with Sasakawa Peace Foundation. Served at Japan Center for Diplomacy. Leads programs advancing regional development, with focus on Asia-Pacific. Champion of inclusive societal transformation. Graduate in Business Administration, Waseda.
dr. Karine sargsyan
Advisor to the Republic of Armenia. Medical doctor, geneticist, and futurist. Educator and global health advocate. Scientific Director, Oncobiobank, Cedars-Sinai. Managing Director, Biobanking, Graz University. Leads global biomedical collaborations worldwide. Pioneer in precision health advancement.
dr. Maria Cândida
Member, Brazil President’s Advisory Council. Professor, Researcher in Energy and Environment. Doctorate in Knowledge Diffusion Studies. Advisory Board Member, Federal Institute Bahia. Expert in sustainability and governance. Advances environmental education and innovation. Leader in Brazil’s green development.
KIRSI WHITE
Senior Specialist, Finland’s Environment Ministry. Expert in sustainable construction and housing. Developed and delivered university law programs. Focus on marine and coastal protection. Advocates ocean-centered legal reform. Passionate about environmental justice globally. Doctoral researcher, Turku University.
dr. TAMAS Landesz
Director, Administration and Finance, WHO. Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum. Expert in global health governance. Leads organizational strategy and reform. MALD, Fletcher School of Diplomacy. MBA, Vienna University. PhD from Paris, France. MPA, Harvard University.
DR. DEBRA ROWE
President, US Partnership for Sustainable Development. Mobilizes leaders for the 17 SDGs. Co-authored UNEP’s Green Jobs Guidance. Leads HESI action and education networks. Oversees 60+ higher education initiatives. Champion for green futures and transformative sustainability leadership.
dr. AYAKA Yamashita
Co-founder of Edaya, multidisciplinary collective. Researcher, educator, and cultural producer. Adjunct lecturer, University of Nagano, Japan. Work bridges ecology, anthropology. Advocates for sustainable cultural ecosystems. Integrates science, community, and creativity. Doctoral candidate, Harvard Graduate School Design.
Dr. Tomoko Imai
Director of Education, Jiyugaoka Gakuen High School. Steering Committee Member, Karanga Global Alliance. Expert in social-emotional learning innovation. Leader in holistic learning and future-ready education reform. Master’s degrees from Illinois and Keio. PhD, Computer Science, Tokyo University.
VR Ferose
Head, SAP Academy for Engineering. Leads next-generation global innovation talent. Former Head, SAP Globalization Services. SAP Labs Managing Director at 33. Champion of purposeful global innovation. Founder India Inclusion Summit. Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum.
IRENE Nagudi
Founder and CEO, Kichini Gardeners Initiative. Conservation educator and agroecology advocate. Mentee, African Women Leaders in Agroecology. Promotes sustainable farming and biodiversity. Focuses on climate resilience in Africa. Kofi Annan Change Maker, Class of 2021.
dr. Tatiana Mitrova
Professor and Research Director, Energy Centre, Moscow. Scientific Advisor, Energy Research Institute, RAS. Distinguished Fellow, Institute of Energy Economics, Japan. Leader in international energy research. Advises governments on energy strategy. Research Scholar, Columbia University Energy Policy.
Dr. Mahelet G. Fikru
Professor of Economics, Missouri University S&T. Researches sustainable energy technologies globally. Focuses on policy-driven social outcomes. Integrates economic theory with data science. Leads interdisciplinary research collaborations worldwide. Champion of evidence-based sustainability policy.
DR. Zisis Kozlakidis
Head, Laboratory Services and Biobank, IARC, Lyon. Former President, International Society for Repositories. Leads global health research infrastructure and environmental biobanking. Focuses on cancer and pathogen studies. Leader in biomedical research excellence. PhD, Microbiology, Imperial College.
HON. Sahar Albazar
Egyptian MP. Deputy Chair, Foreign Relations Committee. President, Forum of Young Parliamentarians, IPU. Represents voices from 179 nations globally. Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum. Yale University World Fellow. Diplomacy and global policy expert. MPA, Harvard University.
TARJA WIKLUND
Vice President of a family office in NY and co-founder of PrivatCap Oy in Helsinki. Financier with over two decades of global experience in Europe, the USA, Canada, and Emerging Markets. Multilingual speaker. Degrees from Stanford, Vaasa, and Laurea universities.
IZABELA LUNDBERG
C-suite advisor and strategist driving the global AI Evolution 3.0, guiding leaders through AI-powered transformation, innovation culture, cybersecurity, and strategic change. Supports start-ups, Fortune 500s, and government agencies with high-impact, data-driven leadership and organizational solutions.
MEHMET OGUTCU
Global authority on energy and climate. Advised Turkish Prime Minister and held diplomatic posts in Beijing, Brussels, and Paris. Chairs Global Resources Partnership and leads major energy clubs. Advises international companies. Held senior roles at the IEA, OECD, British Gas, and ADB.