G100: Group of 100 Global Women Leaders
Shelli Brunswick
Shelli Brunswick is an eminent figure in the realm of space exploration and innovation. With a wealth of experience spanning a dynamic career, Shelli’s profound insights and visionary perspective have established her as a guiding force within the global space community.
Having embarked on a remarkable journey from distinguished roles within the U.S. Air Force to her current position as the CEO & Founder of SB Global LLC, Shelli’s leadership acumen is nothing short of exceptional. Her focus on strategic engagements and advocacy reflects a deep understanding of the intricate tapestry that constitutes the global space ecosystem.
Championing key values nurtured during her military service, Shelli is a fervent advocate for space technology innovation, diversity, and inclusion. Her collaborations worldwide, uniting the commercial, governmental, and educational sectors, underscore her commitment to fostering a harmonious and progressive space landscape.
Dr. Gordana Nikolic
Dr. Gordana Nikolic is a prominent businesswoman, featured among the top 100 Croatian leaders. She is the founder, owner, and Dean of PAR University College, Croatia, the only independent higher education institution in the northern Adriatic region and among Croatia’s top 20 educational centers for entrepreneurship.
She is also the owner and director of Business Academy Rijeka. She has received many prestigious awards, including Best Woman Entrepreneur in Croatia in 2015 by the Croatian Association of Business Women – KRUG. In 2016, she received an award from the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County for the promotion of science, education, and female entrepreneurship in the region. The same year, she was also honored with the annual award from the City of Rijeka for her outstanding contribution to higher education and entrepreneurship, particularly for launching the first private higher education institution.
Marianne Egelund Siig
Marianne Egelund Siig is a recognized strategic leader dedicated to creating value and purpose for people, businesses, and society as a whole. For more than 20 years, Marianne Egelund Siig has led successful business transformations in the fields of leadership, talent, and organizational strategies and development.
She is an expert in gender equality, diversity, and inclusion. Marianne currently works as CEO for Mannaz, an international consultancy and education programs company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with offices in Sweden and the UK. (https://www.mannaz.com) In 1994, Marianne started her career as the Managing Director of the Nordic consulting firm KaosManagement.
She has collaborated with over 200 companies as a strategic advisor, keynote speaker, and facilitator of transformational training programs to co-create innovative solutions.
Karen Duys
Karen Duys is a highly experienced senior advisor to governments and social organizations who has worked for governments at local, regional, and international levels for over 30 years.
Karen is the Founder and President of Eur India Connection, a Dutch-Indo organization that works to build an international network of organizations committed to sustainable projects. She has been committed to concrete cooperation between governments (municipalities, ministries), institutions, and small and medium-sized companies between the Netherlands, Europe, and the rest of the world. She has greatly contributed to building Netherlands-India exchange.
During her work with the municipality of The Hague for more than 15 years, Karen put cooperation with India on the Dutch agenda, resulting in many delegations led by the Mayor of The Hague to Bangalore and resulting in many MOUs with the State government of Karnataka in the areas of care economy, water, and infrastructure.
Prof. Dr. Lizbeth Goodman
Prof. Dr. Lizbeth Goodman is the Chair of Creative Technology Innovation and Professor of Inclusive Design for Education at the College of Engineering & Architecture, University College Dublin, where she also directs the Inclusive Design Research Centre of Ireland, in partnership with SMARTlab. This partnership developed the award-winning practice-based PhD Programme along with the associated MAGIC Multimedia and Games Innovation Centre and Gamelab, which Lizbeth designed with industry collaborators.
Prior to joining UCD, Lizbeth was the Director of Research for Futurelab—Lord David Puttnam’s think tank for the future of education—and served in that capacity on the Prime Minister’s SHINE Panel.
As Chair of the Royal Irish Academy’s Social Sciences Committee in 2012 and Athena Swan lead for Engineering & Architecture, Lizbeth and her teams specialize in developing ground-up technology solutions with and for people of all levels of cognitive and physical ability.
Ersilia Vaudo
Ersilia Vaudo serves as Chief Diversity Officer and Special Advisor on Strategic Evolution at the European Space Agency (ESA),
She holds a degree in Astrophysics and an executive certificate from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard Kennedy School.
Over her 30-year career spanning Paris and the USA, she has undertaken numerous roles, including in strategy, finance, and international relations, also serving as Executive Secretary of the scientific-technological committee for the selection of missions to Mars. From 2002 to 2006, she was the Deputy Head of ESA’s Washington, D.C., office, in charge of relations with US and Canada stakeholders, including NASA. She has also served on the Board of Directors of Women in Aerospace US.
Ersilia Vaudo is the President and co-founder of the “Il Cielo Itinerante” Association, which promotes STEM education by bringing “the sky where it doesn’t reach.” Using telescopes and experiments carried on a minibus, the initiative engages children in disadvantaged areas through hands-on STEM activities.
Sulajja Firodia Motwani
Sulajja Firodia Motwani is an Entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions Limited, a company specialising in green mobility solutions. She is also the Vice Chairperson of Kinetic Engineering Limited, which is part of the Kinetic Group, a pioneer in the Indian automotive industry. Sulajja is credited with leading Kinetic’s diversification into clean energy vehicles, including electric scooters, three-wheelers, and small electric vehicles for last-mile connectivity.
Sulajja was born into the prominent Firodia family, known for its contributions to India’s industrial growth. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Pune and later pursued an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Carnegie Mellon University in the United States.
Sulajja began her career in the finance sector, working with investment firms in California before joining the Kinetic Group. Upon her return to India, she played a pivotal role in modernizing the company’s strategies.
H.E. Ouided Bouchamaoui
H.E. Ouided Bouchamaoui was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015. Tunisia is a businesswoman and the past president of UTICA (Tunisian Industry Confederation), the first woman elected to this role.
Ouided Bouchamaoui is the co-laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize 2015 as a member of the National Dialogue Quartet, where she played a historic and legendary role in helping her country navigate through a time of crisis during the Arab Spring, moving Tunisia towards a more transparent and collaborative society with democratic processes, a constitutional framework, and transparent elections.
Ms. Bouchamaoui has also been a member of the Oslo Business for Peace Award Committee since January 2016. She describes the open secret of her success as the ability to build win-win partnerships and relationships, even among opponents.
Charlene Doak-Gebauer
Charlene Doak-Gebauer is the Founder and Chair of the federal Canadian charity “Internet Sense First,” and the AICET Council (Anti Internet Child Exploitation Team). An eminent expert in child protection, she is the author of two books – “Digital Sexual Victims: True Cases,” which was nominated for an international award by the Delta Kappa Gamma Society of educators, and her newest release, “The Internet: Are Children In Charge?”. Both books are available on 40,000 distribution channels worldwide. The objective of her organizations is to educate the public regarding the Theory of Digital Supervision for proactive online child protection. Internet Sense First provides funding for therapy for victims of Internet child exploitation.
She has researched and written her Theory of Digital Supervision for proactive online child protection and is considered an expert in her subject. She travels globally to share her expertise and leads audiences toward digital child and family protection. She is a global speaker and has been a keynote speaker for several conferences, including Crime Stoppers, schools, teacher conferences, corporate conferences, international conferences, and others.
Michelle Ferrari
Michelle Ferrari is the CEO of Great Culture to Innovate®️ in Mexico, a global firm promoting and developing innovative cultures, and Partner of Great Place to Work, which she led as CEO for two decades. She works with many multinationals and Fortune 500 companies such as Manpower, UBER, Baxter Pharmaceutical, Edenred, Newell Rubbermaid, USANA, and KPMG. She is credited with building a pioneering certification program, now benchmarked by corporations throughout Mexico, making it the gold standard for measuring workplace culture. Michelle chairs several boards, including AmCham and Young President Organization (YPO), and is a member of the Global Leadership Council of Great Place to Work.
Her work has impacted hundreds of companies with thousands of employees, reaching more than 1 million people through this methodology, which has transformed how leaders view human capital and Human Resources, and the impact it has on their business, social responsibility, and employer branding. Her efforts have also involved many important media partners and strategic alliances to distribute content, especially for the Women Economic Forum (WEF) Iberoamerica editions, generating more than 3 million media impressions, streaming on the most visited platforms, and several universities with a reach of 110,000 persons per day.
H.E. Justice Carmen R. Velasquez
H.E. Justice Carmen R. Velasquez is a NY Supreme Court Justice and the Immediate Past President of the Association of Justices of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Judge Carmen is recognized for her dedication to public service. She serves as a Supreme Court Justice in the 11th District of the State of New York and is the first Ecuadorian-American judge in the U.S. She previously served as a judge for the New York City Civil Court of Queens County. She is a founding member and past president of the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County.
Her other leadership roles include NAWJ-NY Board Member, IAWJ International Committee’s Commissioner, US Chapter of the Pan American Commission of Judges on Social Justice, Vice-President of Supreme Court Justices for the City of NY, Founding Member-Advisory Board of the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County, and Founder & CEO of Brigada de Esperanza NY. Judge Velasquez says, “It has not been easy for me, but I am grateful for the opportunity to attend school and get an education, and the opportunity to help others through my extensive pro bono work when I was a lawyer and now to preside in court with dignity and respect.”
H.E. Chief Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor
H.E. Chief Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor is the Former Vice President of the Republic of Liberia and President of the Liberian Senate. H.E. Dr. Taylor is Liberia’s foremost advocate for increased and improved opportunities for women. Her Excellency Dr. Taylor is a visible and highly involved stateswoman, with a vision for affordable yet quality education, a transparent justice system, an improved and accessible health system, women’s economic and political participation, and an accountable public service system. She is a critical voice on cross-cutting issues at many frontlines in the battle to reposition Liberia for vibrancy, productivity, and good democratic governance.
Dr. Taylor currently serves in many capacities, including Vice President of the Republic of Liberia. She has also served as a senior ranking member of the Liberian Senate on several strategic committees such as: Chairperson of the Women Legislative Caucus of Liberia; Chairperson of the Education and Public Administration Committee; Co-Chairperson of the Planning and Development Committee; Member of the Joint Legislative Modernization Committee; Member of the Committee on Judiciary; Member of the Committee on Autonomous Commissions.
H.E. Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr
H.E. Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr is the Former Vice President. She is the first woman of African descent to be vice president in Costa Rica and in Latin America. Formerly, she was also Foreign Minister of Costa Rica. She has been a member of the Costa Rican National Assembly. Excellency Campbell has been active in Afro-Caribbean affairs since entering politics. In 1996, she founded the Women’s Forum for Central American Integration, which she coordinated until 2001. Concurrently, she also coordinated the Network of Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Women.
Diah Yusuf
Diah Yusuf is very enthusiastic about involving and dedicating her time to various social communities and working on government projects to develop SMEs in Indonesia since 2005, as well as developing her own business. She founded Indonesia Prima, a strategic business support organization with a global network dedicated to developing accountable Indonesian enterprises aligned with sustainable development for a better life. The organization serves as a development center for exploring, maintaining, and leveraging entrepreneurial mindsets, skillsets, and spirits for a better life. Indonesia Prima provides continuous improvement acceleration for entrepreneurs seeking the best support for their optimum achievement, including preparation for connecting with investors. Diah has also actively learned from and completed several local and international entrepreneurial workshops and certifications.
She holds a Ph.D. from Rai University in India, awarded in 2022. The honorary doctorate was given in appreciation of her dedication to empowering small and medium enterprises globally.
Tove Lovisa Bergkvist
Tove Lovisa Bergkvist is the Founder and CEO of Real Dubai, a real estate company in the UAE. An entrepreneur and author of the book “Sixth Sense Success – Embrace Your Feminine Intuition in Business,” she provides a guide for women to utilize their natural abilities while navigating their professional journeys. A business consultant with a natural passion for empowering others, she is driven by the potential to make the world a better place. She believes that we are all part of the collective evolution, and her mission is to accelerate social, environmental, and financial sustainability worldwide through global collaborations and bridge-building between people, businesses, cultures, and economic levels.
Her goal is to co-create opportunities for people to work together towards a positive shift for humanity and support the vision of a better future. She was honored with the “Global Women for Change” award from the Women Innovation Entrepreneurship Foundation in 2022. She started her journey with women’s empowerment in 2011 by co-creating the business concept for the Norwegian social enterprise “Sisters in Business,” with a commitment to make a difference for immigrant women in their social and professional lives. This was realized through innovative partnerships with Norwegian companies, aiming to enable the women in the network to become financially independent and own their future.
Brunhilde Schram
Brunhilde Schram is the Founder and Honorary President of the CSR Dialogue Forum, Association for the Promotion of Sustainable Business in Consultative Status with the United Nations. She is also the Managing Director of ECCOStandards & More KG, Austria. Her company specializes in sustainability management and is a strategic cooperation partner with Quality Austria, which is represented in 48 countries. They focus on the measurement and assessment of development measures for companies, enabling sustainability ratings for organizations that wish to see themselves as impact investors. An accredited member of the Club of Rome, she is also the founder of WIKOM, the Institute for Work, Culture and Learning, and the Implacement Foundation (a cooperation with the government and various companies and organizations). She has been part of Boardsearch, a platform for female supervisory board members, and the national spokeswoman of the CSR Experts Group/WKO for sustainable management.
A consummate community leader across a wide spectrum of interconnected fields, she is a founding member of the Human Health Development Institute for Organizational and Structural Health, as well as the Association for the Promotion of New Entrepreneurship.
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati is a renowned spiritual leader, author, and motivational speaker based in Rishikesh, India. She is the President of the Divine Shakti Foundation, which runs free schools, vocational training programs, and empowerment programs. She is also the director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, which has been covered in Time, CNN, the New York Times, and other prestigious publications and has been addressed by both the Prime Minister and Vice President of India.
She serves on the United Nations Advisory Council on Religion and on the steering committees of the International Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) and the Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty, a campaign by the United Nations and the World Bank. She is the author of the newly released #1 bestselling memoir, “Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation.” Originally from Los Angeles and a graduate of Stanford University, Sadhviji was ordained into the sacred order of Sanyas by her guru, HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, and has been living at Parmarth Niketan Ashram for the past twenty-five years.
Jennifer Randive
Jennifer Randive is the Maverick CEO, stands for Being the Change. As a catalyst, paradigm buster, mindset shifter, coach, mentor, counsellor, and consultant, she believes that “different strokes for different folks” is the key to impactful leadership, where one size does not fit all. As the owner and CEO of Focus Direct Management Consultants, Jennifer began with executive search and recruitment, later transitioning into guiding organizations, communities, and individuals through transformative change. She has consistently challenged the status quo, offering fresh solutions that create lasting impact. Her innovative approach to operating systems ensures that organizations and individuals alike are empowered to transform and reach their full potential. Her work has empowered numerous organizations and individuals to thrive, becoming invaluable contributors to their fields and communities.
Ambassador H.E. Liliana Fernández
Ambassador H.E. Liliana Fernández is the Ambassador of Panama and has represented her country in various parts of the world in diplomatic, consular, and commercial roles, in addition to handling issues in multilateral organizations. Her degrees are in Economics and Political Science, with a master’s in Development. Excellency Fernandez has been an advisor in development and international business, with expertise in public and private sector liaison. With more than 20 years of experience, she has served in national and international organizations.
In recent years, her focus has been on “South-Global Cooperation,” seeking collaborative solutions to the development challenges that countries face. Her focus has also been on foreign policy with a gender perspective, promoting female empowerment, supporting victims of gender violence, and fighting for women’s rights, inclusion, and gender equality. In her position as Ambassador, she is a great leader, an image of female empowerment, and committed to the well-being of her team. A dear soul sister, she wishes to share the knowledge acquired throughout her career and forge a path of progress and prosperity for people across continents.
Andreea Marinescu
Andreea Marinescu is Founder and CEO of Tech AddVenture, a global business accelerator, she is dedicated to supporting startups in scaling and raising capital. Associated with Tech AddVenture is Tech AddVenture Capital, a €10 million venture capital fund that will invest in the health and biotech industries.
A prolific entrepreneur, Andreea has many ventures and successful exits to her credit. She earlier led a software development company in Europe, specializing in AI, machine learning, and blockchain technologies. Under her leadership, the company grew to 18 employees and achieved $3 million in revenue. She completed a successful exit from the company.
The initiative of her business accelerator focuses on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the technology sector, particularly in FinTech, EduTech, HealthTech, and AI solutions. The program aims to facilitate the expansion of these companies into the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region while also aiding them in securing investment funding to fuel their growth and innovation.
Lucia de Luca
Lucia de Luca is an equity champion and community-builder, and the former Managing Director of Women Political Leaders (WPL) (2019-2021), the worldwide network of women politicians. With more than 20 years of experience in international cooperation, strategic communications, and community creation, Lucia has been instrumental in steering WPL through the unprecedented times of the pandemic, setting it on a path of growth. She mobilized communities and partners, motivating staff to create impactful societal change.
Previously, Lucia worked for the European Food Safety Authority (2004-2018), where she managed reputational crises and international relations. As an expert in stakeholder engagement, she redesigned stakeholder policies for various public bodies. Lucia also worked as a policy and media specialist for a renowned consultancy in Brussels, and in public relations for an innovative international airline. She has experience at the European Parliament (2007-2009).
Adriana Basulto
Adriana Basulto is a prominent businesswoman, recognized for her extensive 20-year career in the luxury real estate industry. She has successfully established influential enterprises in this field, including Bya Inmobiliaria, which was recognized as “Mexico’s Best Luxury Real Estate Office.” Her company Anael Capital Investment has become a benchmark, distinguished for its strategic focus on investments in high-end properties, both domestically and internationally. Adriana has led this company with vision and passion, fostering strong relationships with clients and collaborators, and building a portfolio of luxury properties that reflects her commitment to excellence. In addition to her business accomplishments as founder and leader, Adriana Basulto was recognized by the Senate of the Republic as a “Mexican Woman Who Inspires” for her outstanding work. She was also awarded for her dedication as a ¨Social leader¨ for her comitment to humanitary causes. These recognitions underscore her significant contributions to society.
Alexandra Maramenides
Alexandra Maramenides is the Founder of Rêve Agency, a literary and screen agency. A graduate of the University of Cambridge, Alexandra has spent her career at the forefront of the the creative publishing industry, collaborating with leading companies worldwide. She is passionate about global storytelling and building businesses with a powerful purpose.
A commercially driven leader, Alexandra founded Rêve after serving as Managing Director and CEO of publishing houses in the UK and Australia. She brings extensive expertise in leading businesses, specializing in the creation, production, licensing, sales, and distribution of content across various formats and genres. Her strategic vision has fostered successful partnerships and driven the global expansion of renowned publishing brands.
H.E. Evelyne Huytebroeck
H.E. Evelyne Huytebroeck is delegate from the European Green Party (EGP) at the Federation of Global Greens and was co-chair of EGP between 2019 and 2022. She served as the Minister for Climate and Environment in Belgium from 2004 to 2014.
Her career began in journalism, where she worked from 1980 to 1989, before transitioning into politics. she has been a Member of regional Parlement in Brussels from 1989 to 2019 and is fluent in Dutch, French, and English. From 2002 to 2004, she was the Co-president of the Belgian Green Party, Ecolo.
During her tenure as Minister, she held portfolios for Environment, Energy, Urban Regeneration, Youth and Aid to Persons. She was an active participant in the European Environment Council and a negociator at Cop meetings between 2004 and 2014.
