Join today’s most impactful changemakers for deeply human conversations centered around living a purpose-driven life.
Learn directly from experienced leaders who are addressing challenges across the globe. Unlike traditional lectures, each conversation is live, unscripted and student-led, featuring alumni moderators and questions from students.
Global Citizen Year is proud to offer these monthly speaker events to our community of students and alumni. Select events are also open to the public.
Upcoming Events
Paving the Way Through Laughter with Faiza Saleem
Comedienne, Actress & Founder, The Khawatoons
Friday, Feb 3rd at 9am PT
Open to public
REGISTERJoin Faiza Saleem as she talks about her journey to becoming Pakistan’s first female social media entertainer and the first woman of her generation to pursue standup comedy in the country. Faiza has created and trained the subcontinent’s first all-female improv comedy troupe, The Khawatoons.
This inspiring and intimate fireside chat is exclusive to students and alumni, BUT we have limited spots available for changemakers like YOU to join. Register now to save your spot!
Moderated by Arman 'Karl' Singh (Academy Fall '21)
Please enter your provided access key.
Creating Tangible Change with Olivia Julianna
Activist, Director of Politics & Government Affairs, Gen-Z for Change
Friday, Mar 17th at 9am PT
Open to public
Join Olivia Julianna as she talks about her journey serving as the Director of Politics & Government Affairs at Gen-Z for Change, initiating the takedown of a whistleblower website that targeted those in the state of Texas who aided in abortion access, working with Democratic campaigns across the country, and raising $2.2 million for abortion funds.
This inspiring and intimate fireside chat is exclusive to students and alumni, BUT we have limited spots available for changemakers like YOU to join. Register now to save your spot!
Moderated by Sahar Thomson (Fellow, Ecuador ‘17)
Redefining Mental Wellness with Ariela Safira
Founder & CEO, Real
Friday, May 12th at 9am PT
Open to public
REGISTERJoin Ariela Safira as she reflects on her path to building a new therapy model rooted in health equity with "Real." Ariela biked across multiple countries to fundraise for suicide prevention and is the recipient of the 2019 American Psychiatric Association’s Innovation Award, recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30, and Inc’s Top 100 Female Founders. Join us as we learn a new way to understand ourselves and our mental wellness.
This inspiring and intimate fireside chat is exclusive to students and alumni, BUT we have limited spots available for changemakers like YOU to join. Register now to save your spot!
Moderated by Manya Gupta (Academy, Fall ‘20)
Past Speakers
Abby Falik
Founder, Global Citizen Year
Adam Grant
Organizational Psychologist, Wharton School of Business
Agapi Stassinopoulos
Author, motivational speaker & Thrive Global facilitator
Alexandra Bernadotte
Founder & CEO, Beyond 12
Amy Brooks
Chief Innovation Officer, National Basketball Association
Andrew Youn
CEO, One Acre Fund
Angelia Trinidad
Founder & CEO, Passion Planner
Arianna Huffington
Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
Ariela Safira
Founder & CEO, Real
Ashanti Branch
Founder & Executive Director, Ever Forward
Baratunde Thurston
Writer, Actor & Comedian
Bill George
Senior Fellow, Harvard Business School
Chido Govera
Founder, The Future of Hope Foundation
Courtney Martin
Journalist
Deepak Chopra
DeRay Mckesson
Civil Rights Activist, Educator, Podcaster, & Author
Dereca Blackmon
CEO, Inclusion Design Group
Doug Hirsch
Co-founder & Co-CEO, GoodRx
Dr. Akilah Cadet
Founder & CEO, Change Cadet
Jennifer Aaker
General Atlantic Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Raj Panjabi
Last Mile Health & Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
Eddie Ndopu
United Nations Secretary-General's Global Advocate for Sustainable Development
Edel Rodriguez
Artist
Edgard Gouveia Júnior
Founder of Livelab & Ashoka Fellow
Erin Lewellen
CEO, Global Citizen Year
Faiza Saleem
Comedienne, Actress & Founder, The Khawatoons
Garvita Gulhati
Founder, Why Waste?
Jay Shetty
Storyteller, Podcast Host, Former Monk
Jennifer Kaberi
Founder, Mtoto News
Jennifer Morgan
Executive Director, Greenpeace International
Jeremy Heimans
Co-Founder & CEO, Purpose
Jerome Foster II
Executive Director & Founder, OneMillionOfUs
Jéssica Silva Rios
Partner & Leader of the Impact Management & Measurement Strategy at Vox Capital
Joey Hubbard
Chief Training Officer, Thrive Global
Jonas Vannar
Indigenous Sami Reindeer Herder & Activist
Julie Lythcott-Haims
Author, former Stanford dean
Lauren "Lolo" Spencer
Disability lifestyle influencer, Actress, Founder & CEO, Live Solo
Laurene Powell Jobs
Founder & President, Emerson Collective
Mandana Dayani
Creator & Cofounder, I am a voter.
Matt Dalio
Founder, Endless
Maxine Williams
Chief Diversity Officer, Facebook
Melinda Gates
Philanthropist, Author, & Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Michael Brun
Haitian DJ & Record Producer
Miguel Mckelvey
Co-Founder, WeWork
Niketu Iralu
Social Worker restoring community relationships in India and Myanmar
Olivia Julianna
Activist, Director of Politics & Government Affairs, Gen-Z for Change
Oriol Pamies
Spanish Entrepreneur & LGBTQ+ Activist
Paul Ninson
Photographer & Filmmaker
Premal Shah
Co-founder Kiva.org
Priti Krishtel
Co-Executive Director, I-MAK
Rainn Wilson
Actor, Writer, Producer and Philanthropist
Rufus Gifford
U.S. Ambassador (fmr)
Selena Sermeno
Psychologist, Educator and Facilitator
Selina Tobaccowala
Chief Digital Officer, Openfit
Seth Godin
Author, Teacher, akimbo.com
Shawn Mendes
Singer/Songwriter
Sheryl Sandberg
Chief Operating Officer, Facebook
Simona Levi
Playwright, Activist, & Technopolitical Strategist
Sonal Shah
Founding President, The Asian American Foundation
Sophia Bush
Actress & Activist
Sundar Pichai
CEO, Google and Alphabet
Toni Townes-Whitley
President, US Regulated Industries
Valarie Kaur
Varshini Prakash
Executive Director and Co-founder of Sunrise Movement
Wendy Kopp
CEO & Co-founder, Teach For All
Wes Moore
CEO, Robin Hood
Yinuo Li
Yolanda Coentro
Ziad Ahmed
21-year-old entrepreneur, student, and speaker
Alumni Moderators
Adya Sinha
Academy, Fall '21
Aiman Marzio
Fellow, Senegal ‘15
Alejandro Flores Monge
Fellow, India '17
Alexander Taylor
Fellow, Senegal '19
Angela Busheska
Academy, Fall '20
Arman 'Karl' Singh
Academy Fall '21
Emiliana Reinoso Gutierrez
Fellow, India '19 & Academy Spring '21
Erica Gonzales
Fellow, Brazil ‘16
J.I. Cruz
Fellow, Senegal '15
Jazzie Jelks
Academy, Fall '22
Joan Hanawi
Fellow, Ecuador ‘12
Jordan Lee
Fellow, Ecuador ‘13
Lara Solis
Fellow, India ‘20
Lauren Starre Guido
Fellow, Ecuador '14
Leandra Pedretti
Fellow, Ecuador '18
Madeline Lisaius
Fellow, Ecuador ‘14
Manya Gupta
Academy, Fall ‘20
Marvellous John
Fellow, Senegal’17
Maya Foster
Fellow, Ecuador ‘19
Munya Munyati
Fellow, Ecuador '16
Rara Dzikrina Istifadah
Academy Fall '20
Sahar Thomson
Fellow, Ecuador ‘17
William Shain
Fellow, Ecuador ‘19