Kimberly Bryant is the Founder and CEO of Black Girls CODE, a non-profit organization dedicated to “changing the face of technology” by introducing girls of color (ages 7-17) to the field of technology and computer science with a concentration on entrepreneurial concepts. Prior to starting Black Girls CODE, Kimberly enjoyed a successful 20+ year professional career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries as an Engineering Manager in a series of technical leadership roles for various Fortune 50 companies such as Genentech, Merck, and Pfizer. Since 2011 Kimberly has helped Black Girls CODE grow from a local grassroots initiative serving only the Bay Area, to an international organization with fourteen chapters across the U.S. and in Johannesburg, South Africa. Black Girls CODE has currently reached over 10,000 students and continues to grow and thrive. Kimberly has been nationally recognized as a thought leader for her work to increase opportunities for women and girls in the technology industry and has received numerous awards for her work with Black Girls CODE. Kimberly has been awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award for Community Service for her work to support communities in the Bay Area, named by Business Insider on its list of “The 25 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology”, and named to The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100 lists in 2013. Kimberly has been named one of FastCompany’s Most Creative People. Kimberly was named a White House as a Champion of Change for her work in tech inclusion and for her focus on bridging the digital divide for girls of color and received an Ingenuity Award in Social Progress from the Smithsonian Institute. She has been identified as a thought leader in the area of tech inclusion and has spoken on the topic at conferences nationally and internationally such as the Personal Democracy Forum, TedX Kansas City, Platform Summit, Big Ideas Festival, South By Southwest (SXSW), and many others.

Reshma Saujani is the Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, the international nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a computer programmer looks like and does. She is the author of the international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect and the New York Times bestseller Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World. Reshma’s TED talk, “Teach girls, bravery not perfection,” has more than five million views and has sparked a worldwide conversation about how we’re raising our girls. She is the host of the award-winning podcast “Brave, Not Perfect.” Reshma began her career as an attorney and activist. In 2010, she surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress. During the race, Reshma visited local schools and saw the gender gap in computing classes firsthand, which led her to start Girls Who Code. Girls Who Code is leading the movement to inspire, educate, and equip young women with the computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities. Girls Who Code has reached 500 million people and 300,000 girls through direct in-person programming in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. In 2019, Girls Who Code was awarded Most Innovative Non-Profit by Fast Company. Reshma is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and Yale Law School. Her work on behalf of young women has earned her broad recognition on lists including: Fortune World’s Greatest Leaders; Fortune 40 Under 40; WSJ Magazine Innovator of the Year; Forbes Most Powerful Women Changing the World; and Fast Company 100 Most Creative People, among others. She is the winner of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. Reshma serves on the Board of Overseers for Harvard University and on the Board of Overseers for the International Rescue Committee, which provides aid to refugees and those impacted by humanitarian crises. In addition, she serves as an ex-officio Trustee of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Reshma lives in New York City with her husband, Nihal, their sons, Shaan and Sai, and their bulldog, Stanley.

Brittany Hogan is a native of Chicago, she holds a Bachelor of Art in Psychology from Hampton University and a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. Brittany currently serves as the Director of Educational Equity & Diversity for the Rockwood School District in the St. Louis region. Brittany specializes in district level and school-based initiatives around educational equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Dr. Miguel A. Cardona was sworn in as the 12th Secretary of Education on March 2nd, 2021. Secretary Cardona previously served as the Commissioner of Education in Connecticut, a position he held after being appointed by Governor Ned Lamont in August 2019. In this position, he faced the unprecedented challenge of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and led the safe school reopening efforts in Connecticut. To do so, Secretary Cardona and his Department provided school districts with the balance of guidance, local autonomy, and oversight needed to ensure equitable and meaningful educational opportunities for students while also prioritizing public health mitigation measures. Secretary Cardona and the State of Connecticut focused on equity by arranging for student access to technology to support remote learning, helping the state become first in the nation to provide learning devices to fulfill the identified need for all students. Recognizing the increased importance of providing resources for the social-emotional health for students and staff, Secretary Cardona and his team collaborated with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and other stakeholders to provide free social and emotional learning courses. Secretary Cardona’s approach to leadership in Connecticut focused on partnerships: within his Education Department; between State agencies; and with local boards, educator unions, school administrator associations, child advocates, and most importantly, students and families. He attributes his success in Connecticut in part to the strong backing of those partners, as well as support from the members of the Connecticut State Board of Education and his staff at the Connecticut State Department of Education. Under Secretary Cardona’s oversight - despite the pandemic - Connecticut launched a statewide FAFSA Data Dashboard; procured a comprehensive statewide Special Education Data System (CT-SEDS); announced the State’s highest ever extended graduation rates for students with disabilities and English Learners; reached a new stipulated agreement in the landmark school integration case Sheff v. O’Neill, established the first national requirement for high schools provide courses on black and Latino studies; and initiated systemic improvement protocols that can reach every corner of the state. His focus on equity and excellence for all learners has driven his work at all levels. Secretary Cardona has two decades of experience as a public school educator from the City of Meriden. He began his career as an elementary teacher. He then served as a school principal in Meriden in 2003 where he led a school with outstanding programming for three to five-year olds, students that were bilingual, and students with sensory exceptionalities. He proudly served in this role for ten years. In 2012, Miguel won the 2012 National Distinguished Principal Award for the State of CT and the Outstanding Administrator Award from UCONN’s NEAG School of Education. Secretary Cardona then transitioned to lead the work of Performance and Evaluation in the district. He then assumed the role of Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, overseeing teaching, learning, and leadership alignment. A lifelong Meriden resident, Dr. Cardona attended Meriden Connecticut Public Schools, and graduated from Wilcox Technical High School. He attended CCSU for his bachelor’s degree and UCONN where he completed Master’s in Bilingual/Bicultural Education, Administrator Preparation Program, Doctorate in Education, and Executive Leadership Program (Superintendent) Certificate. Secretary Cardona is very active in his community, serving on several non-profit charitable organization boards of directors. He has had several articles published in AASPA Perspective, National School Boards Association, District Administration and the Scholars Strategy Network. His greatest source of pride, however, is his family. Secretary Cardona and his beautiful wife Marissa are the proud parents of two children.

Dr. Tinisha Parker has dedicated her life and twenty-year career to educating and supporting young people as they navigate life's challenges. She has served students directly in the capacity of teacher, counselor, and administrator. She spent seven years supporting school counselors directly at the district level and was promoted to a executive leadership position where she currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Services for Gwinnett County Public Schools. In this role, Dr. Parker supports school counselors, social workers, and school nurses in addition to several student service programs including homeless, foster care and the career academy programs. She is also the Chair of the Board for the American School Counselor Association, which represents over forty thousand counselors nationwide, and a Past President of The Georgia School Counselor Association. Dr. Parker enjoys learning from others and sharing her knowledge, has presented, and addressed audiences at the local, state, and national levels on a variety of issues plaguing young people and educators today. Many including national education associations, state associations, state leaders, and district leaders across the nation have called on her expertise. Dr. Parker is a lifelong learner and has earned degrees in education, leadership, school counseling, and industrial-organizational psychology. Full of gratitude, Dr. Parker believes that she is blessed to work in a field that is so fulfilling and one that consistently provides opportunities for self-growth and development. She looks forward to embracing the opportunities of each day and teaches others to do the same. Stay connected @DrTinishaParker

Four-time Emmy and Golden Globe nominated Connie Britton, is an actress who continually receives accolades for her work in television and film. After stand-out roles on series such as “Spin City,” “24,” and “The West Wing,” she starred in one of the best reviewed shows on television, NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” created by Peter Berg, for which she received an Emmy nomination in 2010 and then again in 2011. Britton returned to the small screen fall of 2012 starring in ABC’s “Nashville,” in which she played Rayna James, a legendary country music superstar, earning Britton her first Golden Globe nomination and forth Emmy nomination. Britton also starred as the female lead in the first season of “American Horror Story,” Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s Golden Globe and Emmy nominated series for FX for which she also received another Emmy Nomination. She teamed up with Murphy again in “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson” for FX, in which she played Faye Resnick and in 2018 for Murphy’s FOX procedural first-responder drama, 9-1-1, alongside Angela Bassett and Peter Krause. On television, Britton most recently starred in the first season of Bravo Media’s scripted anthology series “Dirty John,” based on the articles and breakout true crime podcast of the same name from Los Angeles Times reporter Christopher Goffard. She played Debra Newell, a successful interior designer and single mom from Orange County who falls in love with John Meehan, a charismatic and mysterious man who first divides then terrorizes her family. She also served as an executive producer and has earned an Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice nomination for her portrayal of Debra. Britton also guest starred in Frankie Shaw’s Golden-Globe nominated comedy SMILF for Showtime. She recently wrapped production on the Mike White satirical limited series “The White Lotus,” which will premiere on HBO later this year. In film, Britton can currently be seen in the critically acclaimed “Promising Young Woman,” which premiered at Sundance and is directed, written, and produced by Emerald Fennell, in her feature directorial debut. She will next be seen starring alongside Mark Wahlberg in “Joe Bell,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Her other film credits include: “Bombshell,” “The Mustang,” “Professor Marston & The Wonder Woman,” “Beatriz at Dinner,” “Me & Earl & the Dying Girl,” “This Is Where I Leave You,” “The To-Do List,” “Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World,” “American Ultra,” and “Land of Steady Habits.” In April 2014 Britton was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme. In this role, she raises awareness of UNDP’s work in poverty eradication and women’s empowerment, advocating to the American and global public. Twitter: @conniebritton Instagram: @conniebritton Facebook: theconniebritton

Elisa Villanueva Beard’s journey with Teach For America started as a 1998 corps member in Phoenix. She joined staff in 2001 to lead the organization’s work in her hometown in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Four years later, she became chief operating officer, leading Teach For America’s field operations as the organization expanded from 22 to 48 regions, growing its network from 12,500 to more than 43,000 leaders in 2013 while improving student outcomes each year. In 2015, Elisa became chief executive officer of Teach For America. Today, under her leadership, Teach For America corps members impact hundreds of thousands of students each year in nearly 2,300 schools across the country. The Teach For America network of 64,000 leaders is working inside and outside the education field to ensure that all children have the access and opportunity to reach their full potential and achieve their dreams. Elisa holds a B.A. in sociology from DePauw University. She sits on the boards of the Holdsworth Center and Leadership for Educational Equity. She lives in Houston with her husband, Jeremy, and their four sons.

Nia Farrell is a creator, performer, and Mundane Afrofuturist who focuses on developing new work that celebrates the dreams and stories of Black communities. Her favorite artistic spaces are community-conscious and community-driven as they are opportunities to explore identity and belonging. She studied experimental and collaborative theatre-making at NYU Tisch School of the Arts where she received a BFA in Drama. During her studies, she participated in the MLK Scholars program and graduated with honors. Her work has since been presented at Ars Nova ANT Fest and will be in Theatertreffen Stückemarkt 2021. Nia is a finalist for SPACE on Ryder Farm’s Creative Residency 2020 and is a member of Theater Mitu’s Hybrid Arts Lab as well as the 2019-21 Writer / Director Lab at Soho Rep. When Nia’s not dreaming and scheming new Afro-futures, she is the Development Coordinator and Nine Muses Lab Research Associate for Nine Muses Entertainment, founded by Bryce Dallas Howard.

Dr. Michael J. Sorrell is the longest-serving President in the 148-year history of Paul Quinn College. During his 13 years of leadership, Paul Quinn has become a national movement for its efforts to remake all of higher education to become more responsive to student and societal needs. Included among Paul Quinn’s numerous accomplishments during President Sorrell’s tenure are the following: winning the HBCU of the Year, HBCU Student Government Association of the Year, and HBCU Business Program of the Year awards; achieving recognition as a member of the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll; creating the New Urban College Model; demolishing 15 abandoned campus buildings; partnering with PepsiCo to transform the football field into the WE over Me Farm; achieving full-accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS); creating the College’s first faculty-led study abroad program; and rewriting all institutional fundraising records. Michael received his J.D. and M.A. in Public Policy from Duke University and his Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania (where his dissertation defense was awarded “with Distinction”). While in law school, he was one of the founding members of the Journal of Gender Law & Policy and served as the Vice President of the Duke Bar Association. Michael was a recipient of a Sloan Foundation Graduate Fellowship, which funded his studies at both Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (as a graduate fellow) and Duke University. He graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Government, served as Secretary-Treasurer of his senior class, was a two-time captain of the men’s varsity basketball team, and graduated as the school’s fifth all-time leading scorer. President Sorrell is one of the most decorated college presidents in America. Recently, President George W. Bush and the George W. Bush Presidential Center awarded him the Bush Institute Trailblazer Citation. He has been named one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine; is the only three-time recipient of the HBCU Male President of the Year Award (2018, 2016 and 2012); won Higher Education’s President of the Year award as named by Education Dive; and Time Magazine listed him as one of the “31 People Changing the South.” Washington Monthly Magazine identified him as one of America’s 10 Most Innovative College Presidents and Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and PUSH/Excel honored him with its Education Leadership Award. These are just a few of the many awards and accolades that President Sorrell has received. President Sorrell is married to the former Natalie Jenkins. Natalie is an alumna of Spelman College and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. They have two wonderful children, Michael Augustus and Sage Louise-Sinclair.

Bryce Dallas Howard is a versatile and dynamic talent, both on-screen and behind the camera. As a filmmaker, she directed on both seasons of the live-action Star Wars series, THE MANDALORIAN and the feature-length documentary, DADS. As an actor, she starred in Paramount’s ROCKETMAN and is currently filming the third installment of the Jurassic World franchise: JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION. Bryce made her directorial debut with Canon’s Project Imagination and has gone on to screen her short films at Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard selection). She has received numerous accolades for her work including being shortlisted for an Oscar for her short film WHEN YOU FIND ME and a SAG Award nomination for her work in the “Nosedive” episode of BLACK MIRROR. Bryce’s love of storytelling has led her to create Nine Muses Entertainment and become part of the guest faculty at NYU Tisch Drama. Photo by Martina Tolot.

Mia Charity currently serves as the Chief Development Officer at the Close Up Foundation. She is responsible for the Foundation’s fundraising, government relations, and communication efforts. Her work helps support the Foundation’s priority to serve and empower students and teachers from all backgrounds, including those from vulnerable and politically underrepresented communities. Before her current role, she managed Close Up’s outreach efforts and worked with teachers and schools across the country to participate in Close Up programs.

Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc is President of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and a member of the Board of Directors at Chegg, Inc. Since 2003, under Paul’s leadership, SNHU has grown from 2,800 students to over 135,000 learners and is the largest nonprofit provider of online higher education in the country.

Paul immigrated to the United States as a child, was the first person in his extended family to attend college and is a graduate of Framingham State University (BA), Boston College (MA), and the University of Massachusetts (Ph.D.). From 1993 to 1996 he directed a technology start-up for Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company, was President of Marlboro College (VT) from 1996 to 2003. By becoming President of SNHU, he began his lifelong goal of revamping the education system to address student needs.

His work at SNHU led the university to be #12 on Fast Company magazine’s “World’s Fifty Most Innovative Companies” list and was the only university included. Forbes Magazine has listed him as one of its 15 “Classroom Revolutionaries” and one of the “most influential people in higher education.” Washington Monthly named him one of America’s ten most innovative university presidents. In 2018, Paul won the prestigious TIAA Institute Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education, joining some of the most respected university and college presidents in American higher education.

Previously, Paul served as Senior Policy Advisor under Secretary Ted Mitchell at the U.S. Department of Education, working on competency-based education, new accreditation pathways, and innovation. Currently, he serves on the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) and on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Board on Higher Education and Workforce. Additionally, Paul serves on the ACE Board and chairs the AGB Council of Presidents.

His wife Patricia is an attorney and they have two daughters, Emma and Hannah. Annie, their black Labrador Retriever, studies sleeping on the couch and ways to steal food from the countertops.