Anoushka Jolly is the 15-year-old founder of Kavach who embarked on her journey as a response to distressing childhood experiences with bullying.

Her mission began at just nine years old when she founded the Anti-Bullying Squad (www.antibullyingsquad.com), an impact enterprise that worked on creating awareness against bullying amongst children; she's since impacted over 2 million people in 20,000 schools.

After collaborating with a few NGOs and doing some more groundwork on bullying, she observed that the main reason bullying is such a big issue is that it isn't reported. Based on this ideology and the current education infrastructure, she created an app called Kavach, which is a bullying reporting mechanism.

At the age of 13, Anoushka became the youngest entrepreneur to receive funding for Shark Tank India. In 2023, she won the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (the highest civilian honour for a child) from the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, in the field of social service. As a social entrepreneur and changemaker, she strongly believes in the power of technology for the betterment of mental health, as evident in her work.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Defining Bullying.

• How one can empower oneself.

• Significant role of grandparents.

• Inspiration drawn from Shark Tank.

• Inspiration behind the anti-bullying journey.

• The dynamic with parents as business partners.

• Standing up for oneself without disrespecting others.

• How can the family empower rather than solve problems.

• The role of the school counsellor is to help build empathy and forgiveness.

• Balancing entrepreneurial pursuit, academic commitment, and personal life.

• Expressing emotions in a safe space has the therapeutic effect of releasing pent-up anger.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

NASA’s first South Asian female flight director, Pooja Jesrani has a unique lens on building inclusive environments in high stakes circumstances.

As one of the 24 NASA Flight Directors, apart from guiding mission control Pooja is responsible for managing operations for all human spaceflight programs including the International Space Station (ISS), a habitable artificial satellite and microgravity laboratory that is maintained as a multinational collaborative project.

Pooja has managed life support and motion control systems on the ISS and has also been a capsule communicator (CAPCOM), speaking directly with the astronauts in space.

Recently, Pooja has been working to integrate mission operations for the upcoming commercial crew flights.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Bringing authenticity and vulnerability to leadership.

• Importance of building relationships as Individuals vs team members.

• Finding the balance, you can't have it all.

• Mentoring and Supporting other women.

• Setting your reputation at get go.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Vedika Bhandarkar, Chief Operating Officer for Water.org, is responsible for the operating efficiency and effectiveness of Water.org and for the attainment of strategic objectives and annual organizational goals. She works closely with the CEO, the executive team, and the President of WaterEquity to support the mission and vision of Water.org. She previously served as Water.org's Chief Global Impact Officer and the Managing Director of India.

Vedika has more than 25 years of experience building teams and businesses with Indian and international financial institutions. Prior to joining Water.org in January 2016, she served as Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Credit Suisse Securities (India) Private Limited from 2010-2015. Previously, she served as the Managing Director and head of Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan, where she worked for over 10 years. She started her career with ICICI Limited in Mumbai.

Vedika serves as an Independent Director on the boards of several companies. She also serves as a board member of the Jai Vakeel Foundation, an institution focused on children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Attitude and Competence.

• Seeing change as an adventure.

• Joy as a leader is the definition of success.

• Recognizing that you don't have all the answers.

• Fostering Allyship, building a network of cheerleaders.

• Trusting Your Gut by listening to your intuition and instincts.

• Embracing Humility, leaving behind preconceived notions and biases.

• Managing Imposter Syndrome: it doesn't go away, but learning how to manage it.

• Not Fearing Mistakes: considering the worst-case scenario when fearing mistakes.

• Embracing Setbacks, viewing them as opportunities. Learning from mistakes and taking ownership of them.

• Learning from the Past, you can't change it, so not obsessing over it. Prioritizing the present and future.

• Prioritizing Ruthlessly by being decisive. Making conscious choices instead of compromising.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website

>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Brenda Soya is the Public Affairs Officer at the Consulate General in Mumbai. She directs public diplomacy and outreach efforts to reach 400 million people in western India, further U.S. policy, and strengthen people-to-people relations. She leads Consulate General Mumbai's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility organization and is committed to the aspirational goal of women's economic empowerment. Her State Department career includes working in Sierra Leone, the Holy See (Vatican), Togo, and Burkina Faso.

Brenda received a master's degree in security studies at the Naval War College in Newport, RI, and used that degree to teach International Relations at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Brenda has a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Colorado at Boulder, was a Presidents Leadership Class and a Boettcher scholar.

In this conversation, Brenda is sharing her personal ideas and not as a representative of any organization or of the U.S. Department of State.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Mind is Your Worst Enemy.
• The Many Layers of Culture.
• Recognizing and Managing Self-Doubt.
• Creativity as a Tool for Problem-Solving.
• Seeking Out Advice, When Ready for Feedback.
• Shadowing Adults to Broaden One's Perspective.
• Work-Life Integration: to Achieve Holistic Well-being.
• Living in a Diverse Community, Adapting to a Mountain Lifestyle.
• Making choices, serving one's Country, and sharing one's own Culture.
• Embracing Change: Focusing on the Potential for New Experiences.
• Navigating Cultural Differences, Cultural Faux Pas, or Cultural Shock.
• Being Open to Seizing Opportunities, Even if They Entail Uncertainty.
• Connection Between Language and the History and Culture of a Country.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Judy Vaughan, CSJ, is the Founding Director of Alexandria House, a transitional residence and neighborhood center supporting women and children in need since its establishment in 1996 in LA.

Before returning to Los Angeles, Judy served as Project Coordinator for Women for Guatemala, a solidarity organization committed to raising awareness about human rights abuses in Guatemala.

Judy also served as the National Coordinator for the National Assembly of Religious Women, a Catholic feminist organization dedicated to advocating for justice in church and society and has co-facilitated over 100 "Multicultural Look at Racism" workshops across the United States.

Judy holds a Ph.D. in Religious Social Ethics and an M.A. in Religious Studies and Sociology from the University of Chicago. She also earned an M.A. in Sociology from San Diego State University. Judy holds a B.A. in Sociology (Magna Cum Laude) from Mount St. Mary's College.

Judy is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Los Angeles and co-parents her 25-year-old daughter.

Judy has received numerous awards, including recognition as a "Woman of Justice" by NETWORK, as an "Outstanding Founder" at the National Philanthropy Day, and as a "Woman of the Year" by the Los Angeles County Commission for Women.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Who gets to write the narrative.
• DNA does not make a family love us.
• Co-parenting Renisha: A Miracle for Sister Judy.
• Those who have the least deserve the very best.
• The work at Alexandria house is really justice work.
• Witnessing miracles and seeing radical changes in individual lives.
• The housing crisis in LA, 84,000 homeless people and 11,000 shelter beds.
• Ensuring a sense of community support, home, friendship, and respect.
• Colonization of the mind, how societal structures legitimize unjust behaviours.
• Blaming those who are struggling to survive, obscuring the systemic obstacles.
• Being more than just t-shirt activists, finding issues that stick in your throat like a washcloth.
• Challenging the dichotomy between liberalism and radicalism, embracing the radical path.
• The transformative impact of engaging with an international community, juxtaposing experiential learning with formal academic education.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website

>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Claudia is a lecturer and Deputy Programme Lead at the University of York in London, where she contributes her expertise to the MSc in International Humanitarian Affairs (MIHA). Her research endeavors focus on critically examining learning approaches that empower girls and women from marginalized and rural backgrounds across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. She engages with ancient wisdom from the Global South, seeking innovative solutions to contemporary challenges, particularly in the realm of climate change.

Central to Claudia's work is the exploration of non-mainstream pedagogical approaches within contexts marked by disasters, conflict, and uneven development. Her efforts extend beyond academia, as she has actively engaged with grassroots initiatives, primarily in Uganda and Colombia, since 2016.

Claudia holds a PhD from the University of York, where her research focused on the role of education (formal, informal, and non-formal) in empowering women from the Global South. She has also completed an MSc in International Humanitarian Affairs and an LLB (Hons) Law Degree. Claudia's multifaceted background underscores her commitment to fostering inclusive and sustainable development, informed by both academic rigor and practical engagement.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Challenging the status quo.
• Impact of domestic violence.
• Education isn't always granted.
• Empowerment is an internal quality.
• Education can lead to arrogance about knowing more.
• Colombia's class disparities and the Medellin Cartel's influence.
• Human flourishing and creativity are essential components of education.
• African philosophy of Ubuntu and South American philosophy of Ainí.
• Adapting personal experiences to shape one's narrative and perspective.
• Equal humanitarian platform rather than a missionary approach to charity.
• We often focus on differences rather than connecting through shared experiences.
• Need for collaborative education, where learners co-create their learning experiences.
• The importance of education in emergencies is sometimes prioritized over food and shelter.
• PhD fosters critical thinking, personal development, and intellectual growth beyond academia.
• Displacement encompasses physical relocation and a loss of cultural connection and belonging.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website

>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Shaheen was born in Mumbai, grew up in five countries around the world and at the age of eighteen, returned to Mumbai to do something about the unequal opportunities that children have in India. Shaheen founded the first Akanksha (“aspiration” in Sanskrit) centre in 1989 with 15 children. The Akanksha Foundation today runs 26 Akanksha Schools across Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur impacting over 14,000 students and 4,000 student alumni.

In 2008, searching for a way to impact more children and inspired by the Teach For America model, Shaheen founded Teach For India with the audacious vision of providing an excellent education to all children across India by building a movement of leaders. Today, Teach For India impacts 34,000 children through the direct work of over 1000 Fellows. Additionally, the Teach For India Alumni community is 4200+ members strong, impacting 1 million children directly and reaching 50 million children indirectly.

Shaheen is an advocate for student voice and partnership, and has created high-impact initiatives like the Maya Musical, the Kids Education Revolution, and The Greatest Show on Earth which explore student leadership.

Driven by the need to reach the last child in India, Shaheen started TFIx, which is an incubator for passionate education entrepreneurs who are willing to adapt Teach For India’s model to their context and region in rural areas.

She is the author of the book, Redrawing India and the Miss Muglee children’s books.

Shaheen serves on the boards of The Akanksha Foundation and the Advisory Board of Museum of Solutions. She has been an Ashoka Fellow, a Global Leader for Tomorrow at the World Economic Forum, and an Asia Society 21 Leader. Among many accolades, she has been a recipient of the Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Development and Welfare of Women and Children in 2019 and the Beyond Business - ET Prime Women Leadership Award for 2020, Niti Aayaog’s Women Transforming India Award.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Defining Education.
• How Letting go was a Gift.
• Love being Central to every Action.
• Upholding Values and Pursuing Excellence.
• Understanding that as Humans we are all Flawed.
• Caring for people, not only as Professionals, but as People.
• It's the little things that matter, getting Inspired by tiny steps.
• Understanding the needs of the Beneficiaries and Growing from there.
• Everybody wants to do Good, often people just don't have that Platform.
• Building culture, Hiring the people who share those core values and beliefs.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli’s website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Katherine has over 30 years of diverse leadership experience across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors and a strong track record of developing leaders and connecting them across sectors to achieve collective impact.

Katherine is a graduate of Leadership Victoria's flagship Williamson Community Leadership Program, which she celebrates as a pivotal point in her life.

Katherine comes to Leadership Victoria from Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic), where, as CEO, she forged a stronger youth sector and led innovative growth against the challenging backdrop of the pandemic and climate disasters. She previously worked in London as Director of Youth Affairs at the Commonwealth of Nations, where she focused on youth empowerment and leadership policy and programs across 53 countries.

Earlier, Katherine spent over a decade in the private sector, working both in Australia and internationally in a variety of analysis, strategy, and corporate social responsibility roles.

Katherine holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, a Master in e-Business, a Bachelor of Commerce, and a Diploma of Youth Work.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Putting your hand up.
• Being an adaptive leader.
• Fair compensation in the social sector.
• It's good to know what you're not good at.
• Vulnerability is both an art and a science.
• Sharing your ambitions and hopes with others.
• Tough experiences build resilience and gratitude
• Intangible rewards of working in the social sector.
• Recognizing when you are plateauing and losing your freshness.
• Leaders tend to support people who remind them of themselves.
• Recognizing one's strength and understanding others' expectations.
• People who bully often have underlying deficits they're grappling with.
• Transferring skills from the private sector while preserving its essence.
• Recognizing the tendency for leaders to favor individuals who resemble them.
• Finding like-minded individuals provides a sense of permission to be authentic.
• Strong moral compass instilled by parents, values of social justice and integrity.
• Engaging with young people creates a safe environment to appreciate their uniqueness.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/