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