Girl Up

Aasha Khan, a Grade 11 student from Kitchener-Waterloo, is a passionate advocate for social justice and AI literacy. She serves as the United Nations ...

Aasha Khan, a Grade 11 student from Kitchener-Waterloo, is a passionate advocate for social justice and AI literacy. She serves as the United Nations Girl Up Teen Advisor Co-Chair and introduced AskEve, a conversational AI created with Gambit Co. to offer safe, anonymous support for discussions around menstruation. Aasha delivered a TED Talk titled "How to Have a Constructive Conversation," focusing on bridging divides through meaningful dialogue. She additionally founded Youth Tech Labs, Canada’s first AI literacy organization for youth, which equips young people with essential AI skills and has received endorsement from the Prime Minister of Canada.

Beatriz Amorim is a 15-year-old student-activist from Portugal. Beatriz’s advocacy has been centered on gender justice, STEM, and the access to educ...

Beatriz Amorim is a 15-year-old student-activist from Portugal. Beatriz’s advocacy has been centered on gender justice, STEM, and the access to education. At Girl Up, Beatriz founded her own club impacting +500 people, served as an Inspire Session Speaker at the Girl Up Global Leadership Summit and represented the organisation at the CSW69 Global Adolescent Girl Leadership Town Hall. In her community, she serves as a student representative and has been involved in multiple initiatives, including the Youth Parliament. Beatriz has represented her country in multiple international debate competitions and is an active voice in the Portuguese debate movement. Regarding her passion for STEM, Betariz has participated in various programs and is currently developing her own initiative promoting equity and inclusion in the science field.

Coco Murray is from Washington D.C.! Ever since she was little, she has been running track, and it not only is her favorite hobby but also makes her f...

Coco Murray is from Washington D.C.! Ever since she was little, she has been running track, and it not only is her favorite hobby but also makes her feel so empowered as a woman. She’s grown up with four sisters, and they have taught her just how important gender equality is to the world and how she can make a change! She believes herself to be very enthusiastic, energetic, and kind, and she is so excited to be a Global Teen Advisor.

Emilia Becerra is a 17-year-old Peruvian student passionate about climate justice and gender equality. In 2019, she became a plaintiff in a climate la...

Emilia Becerra is a 17-year-old Peruvian student passionate about climate justice and gender equality. In 2019, she became a plaintiff in a climate lawsuit against the Peruvian government for its failure to address deforestation, with support from the Instituto de Defensa Legal. Moreover, her research on the role of Indigenous peoples in the environmental agenda was published in the Harvard International Review. Emilia co-founded her school’s newspaper, Periódico Ángela Ramos, which is recognized by the Peruvian Ministry of Education and is also a Girl Up Club. She has been involved with organizations like the WCS and Quinta Ola’s Feminist Political School, focusing on biodiversity conservation and feminist policymaking. Currently, she is a Young Advisor for the Youth Climate Justice Project at University College Cork, and is excited to continue her journey as a Global Teen Advisor for Girl Up, advocating for the intersection of environmental issues and feminism!

Based in Milan but forever writing love letters to her hometown of Istanbul, Eylül is a human rights advocate and a mathematics and computer science ...

Based in Milan but forever writing love letters to her hometown of Istanbul, Eylül is a human rights advocate and a mathematics and computer science student, currently co-chairing Girl Up’s Global Teen Advisory Board. In addition to her grassroots activism and the occasional speech on AI ethics at the United Nations Headquarters, she works on research projects spanning everything from detecting heart arrhythmias with machine learning to tackling NP-hard problems using music programming languages no one’s ever heard of. In her free time, she’s a writer, occasionally of code, but generally of poetry and prose, and always of run-on sentences; and a cinephile fluent in obscure sitcom references, meta-commentary, and airport gate announcements. Whether she’s analyzing gender in media or fine-tuning the parameters of a convolutional neural network model, she’s known to make time at the end of the day for a little sweet treat

Keerthisri Kannan is a 16 year old from New Jersey. A coder, writer, and flautist, she is passionate about weaving her interests within the global fig...

Keerthisri Kannan is a 16 year old from New Jersey. A coder, writer, and flautist, she is passionate about weaving her interests within the global fight for gender equality. The founder and president of New Jersey’s Write to Right chapter, she loves mentoring students and giving them a platform to voice their thoughts. She has performed at open mics, and is a 2025 Youngarts Winner in poetry as well as a national gold medalist in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition. Her work often centers on womanhood, heritage, and the moon. She believes in the power of stories in uniting people. Her current science research interests include operations research and mathematical finance. She is currently working on using operations research to make reproductive treatments more accessible. As a Girl Up Global Teen Advisor, Keerthi plans to connect with girls across the world to achieve reproductive justice and center women’s health more in scientific research. Whether it be through words, music, math, or code, Keerthi believes in the power of an individual to spark change in society.

Lana (she/her) is a youth advocate from Houston, Texas, and she is dedicated to creating positive change by empowering girls to use their voices for s...

Lana (she/her) is a youth advocate from Houston, Texas, and she is dedicated to creating positive change by empowering girls to use their voices for social justice. She believes in emphasizing the intersectionality between various world issues and identities, and she values grassroots advocacy and believes it is the backbone of global movements. Lana has been involved with Girl Up throughout her advocacy journey, and she is currently the President of Girl Up Houston, leading her school’s club. Lana was a speaker at the 2024 Girl Up Global Leadership Summit, where she represented the United States on a panel about civic engagement for girls. She continues her work to promote civic engagement for youth as Chief Marketing Officer of her school’s student-led startup company, EVOtopia, a board game that instills a deeper sense of civic engagement for younger children. Further, as a woman in STEM and advocate for women’s reproductive health and access to care, Lana spearheads breast cancer awareness initiatives as a National Breast Cancer Foundation Ambassador, and she works to eradicate period poverty in her community through workshops and product drives. Lana has also served as a youth delegate at the United Nations Summit of the Future Action Days and at the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Her work has allowed her to reach advocates from across the world and work with youth from diverse backgrounds. In her free time, she dabbles in graphic design and filmmaking, and she loves playing piano and scrapbooking.

Lmar Elnajjar is half Egyptian, half Palestinian. She loves leading and public speaking, and enjoys talking about women’s empowerment like she has d...

Lmar Elnajjar is half Egyptian, half Palestinian. She loves leading and public speaking, and enjoys talking about women’s empowerment like she has done at the Girl Up Leadership Summit in Egypt. She loves her family, friends, the beach, and enjoys her culture and the country she lives in more than anything. Lmar is passionate about health equality worldwide and wants to dismantle any health disparities that women face around the world! Beyond this, she enjoys traveling the world and creating an impact wherever she goes, and she dreams of pursuing a career in fintech or software engineering!

Luiza is an energized girl, and connecting with people moves her. She lives so that her time on Earth is one of great kindness. She feels most curious...

Luiza is an energized girl, and connecting with people moves her. She lives so that her time on Earth is one of great kindness. She feels most curious about biodiversity and wishes to become a biologist to help preserve it. In her city, she leads a charity organization that organizes campaigns every month and impacts over 3,500 people. Moreover, she teaches rural students socio-emotional learning, orienting them to understand and achieve their dreams. Dreaming bigger, she founded Passaredo environmental groups and the Biology Feminine Olympiad, supported by Girl Up Project Awards. These youth-led initiatives integrate the triple planetary crisis with a social perspective. She also deeply values literature and culture, as she is always interacting with multicultural environments and using poetry to sensibilize people. She is an advocate for Girls on the Path of Change NGO and Girl Up Brazil Organic Food Campaign. She fights for collective thinking, peace, and, most importantly, love.

Mumba Chikumbi is a 16 year old from Zambia who thrives on creativity, curiosity, and finding ways to make a difference. She lives by the Latin phrase...

Mumba Chikumbi is a 16 year old from Zambia who thrives on creativity, curiosity, and finding ways to make a difference. She lives by the Latin phrase Sui Generis meaning one of a kind and she believes in carving her own path while empowering others to do the same.
Her passion for technology and education led her to launch Youth Skilled, a registered organization dedicated to equipping young people with practical skills to tackle unemployment in her country. Over the past two years, she has built her expertise in web development, earning a Diploma in CSS and HTML and expanding into JavaScript, PHP and database management.
Outside of tech, Mumba serves as the Clubs Prefect at her school, where she works to create a strong sense of leadership and community. She also enjoys poetry, bracelet making and exploring philosophy, always seeking new ways to connect with others and inspire positive change.

Niyamat, 17, is a passionate advocate for gender equality and social justice from India. She founded Menstra, an initiative tackling menstrual health,...

Niyamat, 17, is a passionate advocate for gender equality and social justice from India. She founded Menstra, an initiative tackling menstrual health, sustainability, and period poverty, and HerCode, a Girl Up-funded project bridging the gender gap in STEM by equipping girls with coding skills. Committed to inclusive policies and safer spaces, she actively fights for LGBTQI+ rights and representation. Her work explores how gender intersects with technology, education, and economic opportunity, recognizing that equity requires dismantling barriers across multiple spheres. She has shared her vision on global platforms like the Girl Up Global Leadership Summit and WiSci Camp, pushing for systemic reform. Beyond advocacy, she enjoys cooking, practicing yoga, and reading fashion magazines, always seeking new ways to challenge patriarchal traditions and create a more inclusive future.

Sara Parthiban is a teenage social justice activist from India. Being a tedX speaker and working on research projects, she is a public speaker focused...

Sara Parthiban is a teenage social justice activist from India. Being a tedX speaker and working on research projects, she is a public speaker focused on empowering women in rural parts of India. Her journey started when she founded a non profit to advocate for gender equality which gave her the opportunity to help a lot of young girls. As a teen advisor, sara hopes to help more young girls and raise their voices.

Cathie and her husband Stuart Giles co-founded Australia’s Epic Pharmacy Group in 1998 and also co-founded Australia’s largest dedicated cancer ca...

Cathie and her husband Stuart Giles co-founded Australia’s Epic Pharmacy Group in 1998 and also co-founded Australia’s largest dedicated cancer care provider, the Icon Group in 2012 which was valued at $2.4b by the time they exited in 2022. In 2020 Cathie and Stuart established their family office Arc31, where her long term activity in the healthcare and technology sectors is providing insights and access to a wide range of global investment opportunities.

Their philanthropic actives are co-ordinated through SpArc Foundation, which supports improved health outcomes with a particular goal of seeing a balance of gender equity and assisting in Closing the Gap in Indigenous health. Cathie’s involvement with Girl Up dates back to 2013.

She is the Chair of ASX listed AUCloud, a Director of the Brisbane Lions Australian Rules Football club, and served as the Deputy Chair of the Federal Government’s Cybersecurity Industry Advisory Committee until November 2022. She’s also a Future Astronaut with Virgin Galactic, and eagerly awaiting the opportunity to travel to space for the ultimate delivery of her long held mindset on the importance of looking at the world from a different perspective!

Cathie was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2019 for services to healthcare and philanthropy, and has been recognised throughout her career with numerous awards.

Emily Courey Pryor is a social impact executive, entrepreneur, and gender equality advocate. She was founding executive director of Data2X, launched i...

Emily Courey Pryor is a social impact executive, entrepreneur, and gender equality advocate. She was founding executive director of Data2X, launched in 2012 to decrease gender bias in global data sources and increase use of gender data for better, smarter decision making. Emily's career has spanned women's and girls’ empowerment, global health, economic development, and climate change, through roles at the United Nations Foundation, Gilead Sciences, and the American Red Cross. As an investor, she has focused on climate and renewable energy. Emily received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and her graduate degree from the University of Michigan. Always up for adventure, she now lives in Portugal with her family.

LaVerne began her career as an intrapreneur over 35 years ago. She is globally recognized as a transformational leader focusing on people over product...

LaVerne began her career as an intrapreneur over 35 years ago. She is globally recognized as a transformational leader focusing on people over product and outcomes over activity. She is a global operations and information technology strategist and change agent, and her experience as a senior international executive gives her a unique perspective as an influencer, advisor, and coach. She is a founder, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Emerald One, and Certified Advanced Personal and Executive Coach. She is a board director at Concentrix, Thomson Reuters, ConMed, and Girl Up (UN Foundation Board).

LaVerne’s work as a global IT executive with organizations such as Johnson & Johnson, Dell, Inc., and Ernst & Young, LLC gives her a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges faced by both CxO executives and their employees. In her role as part of President Obama’s cabinet, as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Information and Technology and Chief Information Officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs, LaVerne not only created the technology strategy, investment, and implementation for the largest civilian agency in the federal government, she transformed the executive leadership team to the most culturally diverse in the federal government.

LaVerne focuses on the health of an organization, the cohesion of the team, and the strength of the individual, weaving the professional path with personal development. A volunteer since the age of 5, LaVerne advises leaders and teams on servant leadership, spotlighting the unique gifts each person brings to the team and using oneself to improve the lives of others.

Awards and Accolades

● Top 10 Global Leaders & Change Agents Award

● Top 10 Global Leaders & Innovators Award

● Meritorious Service Award – highest honor for civilian federal employee

● Golden Gov: Federal Executive of the Year Award

● Forbes.com - Technology’s Power Women in their Tough, Tech-Smart, and Female

● Twice named FedScoop Top 50 Women in Information Technology

● Inducted into the Illinois State University Business Hall of Fame

● New Jersey Technology Council’s CIO Hall of Fame

● Healthcare Data Management’s Most Powerful Women in Healthcare Information Technology

● Featured in Chief Supply Chain Officer Insights as one of the top Supply Chain Leaders of the last 20 years

● Business Trends Quarterly Top 5 CIOs in America

Global leader passionate about gender equality, human rights, inclusion, and sustainable development, with over three decades providing strategic cont...

Global leader passionate about gender equality, human rights, inclusion, and sustainable development, with over three decades providing strategic contributions to national and international policies. Leading inclusive collaboration with government counterparts, UN agencies, international organizations, and civil society towards advancing equitable sustainable development. Lorena has field experience in more than 50 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Ms. Aguilar also served as Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. At present she is the Executive Director Kaschak Institute, Binghamton University.

Michelle Milford Morse is the United Nations Foundation’s Vice President for Girls and Women Strategy. She leads the Foundation’s organization-wid...

Michelle Milford Morse is the United Nations Foundation’s Vice President for Girls and Women Strategy. She leads the Foundation’s organization-wide efforts to promote gender equality and the rights and agency of all girls and women, working in collaboration with the United Nations and its partners.

Michelle has worked on global health and development issues with a range of UN, private sector, and civil society partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, LIVESTRONG, UNICEF USA, Sesame Workshop, the UBS Optimus Foundation, mothers2mothers, amFAR, ICRW, and the University of Texas. Through her work she has helped organizations define strategic paths and advance specific global development causes – including on child development, regulatory action on HIV treatment, maternal mortality, mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and violence against children. She previously advised the UN Foundation and led a range of projects related to gender equality, including serving as the Foundation’s co-convener on the Girl Declaration. Michelle was also the press secretary and communications director for U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett.

Michelle earned a Master of International Affairs and a Master of Public Health at Columbia University, and pursued her graduate research at the Rakai Health Sciences Program in Kalisizo, Uganda. She is a proud graduate of the University of Texas (Hook ’em!). Michelle is the past chair of the Ann Richards School Foundation board. She serves on the board of directors for the Livestrong Foundation and the She Runs It Foundation and is a member of the Global Advisory Council for the Miracle Foundation. Apolitical named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy in 2021.

Rym Badran is a youth activist from Beirut, Lebanon. She is the founder of Girl Up Lebanon and Girl Up Arab World. She previously served as Girl Up’...

Rym Badran is a youth activist from Beirut, Lebanon. She is the founder of Girl Up Lebanon and Girl Up Arab World. She previously served as Girl Up’s Teen Advisor for the 2019-2020 class and as the Regional Leader for the Arab region. Rym further served as one of the Adolescent Girl leaders for the Arab States at UN Women, leading strategic projects to amplify Arab youth representation within the organization. Rym also advised She Decides on their strategies as a member of the Youth Accountability Panel. Currently, Rym is a member of the advisory board for the MENA region at Girl Up. Rym is completing her Bachelors of Arts in Political Science & International Affairs at the Lebanese American University and her Bachelors of Laws (LLB) at the Paris II Panthéon Assas

Tara Abrahams is the head of impact at The Meteor, a multi-media collective which uses the power of storytelling, journalism, and art to advance one o...

Tara Abrahams is the head of impact at The Meteor, a multi-media collective which uses the power of storytelling, journalism, and art to advance one of the greatest causes of our time: the freedom and dignity of all women. Tara is also the board chair of She’s the First, a global girls’ rights organization that reaches 150,000 girls around the world every year, and of the International Center for Research on Women, the world’s premier research institute focused on tackling challenges facing women and girls worldwide. In 2021, Tara founded kahani, a print magazine and media platform specifically designed to amplify the stories of adolescent girls around the world. To date, kahani has featured the contributions of more than 125 girls from 37 countries in 26 languages. Tara began her work in girls' education and women's empowerment as the president and deputy director of Girl Rising, a global campaign that raises awareness about the importance of educating girls in the Global South. Named to Apolitical’s 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy in 2021 and a Presidential Leadership Scholar in 2022, Tara has invested in multiple female-founded ventures and advises CEOs on social impact strategy.

Valeria Colunga (she/her) is a 23-year-old activist, social entrepreneur and consultant from Monterrey, Mexico. In 2023 she was appointed as Mexican D...

Valeria Colunga (she/her) is a 23-year-old activist, social entrepreneur and consultant from Monterrey, Mexico. In 2023 she was appointed as Mexican Delegate for the G20's Youth20 Summit to negotiate in the track "Shared Future: Youth in Governance." That same year she graduated from the University of Oxford with an MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy. In 2021, Valeria was appointed by the United Nations Foundation as one of the eight Next Generation Fellows to write “Our Future Agenda,” which fed young people’s policy proposals for the United Nations Secretary-General’s landmark report “Our Common Agenda.” In 2022, she completed a dual degree in Latin American Studies and International Relations & Global Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. Valeria was the founding president of Girl Up Monterrey, the first international club to achieve the "Top Club of the School Year." From Teen Advisor to Coalition Co-leader, Valeria has held multiple leadership positions in Girl Up to aid the organization's expansion in Mexico, Latin America, and around the world.

The 19-year-old, Texas-based identical twins burst onto the scene back in 2013 with their YouTube channel, BrooklynAndBailey. They bill their channel...

The 19-year-old, Texas-based identical twins burst onto the scene back in 2013 with their YouTube channel, BrooklynAndBailey. They bill their channel as being "devoted with all things fun... including family vlogs, college life, crafting, fashion and beauty." As of this writing, the channel has racked up more than 6 million subscribers. Over on Instagram, the girls have more than five million followers on their joint account.

“I’m truly honored to add my voice to the work Girl Up is doing to empower young women and create an entire generation of female leaders. As I’v...

“I’m truly honored to add my voice to the work Girl Up is doing to empower young women and create an entire generation of female leaders. As I’ve traveled the world, I’ve seen the power that investing in girls can have. An empowered and supported girl is an incredible force for change; a change I am now excited to be a part of,” said Cara Delevingne of her new role as a Girl Up Champion.

Missouri native Katherine McNamara is an up-and-coming young starlet who can currently be seen starring as the lead ‘Clary Fray’ in the brand new ...

Missouri native Katherine McNamara is an up-and-coming young starlet who can currently be seen starring as the lead ‘Clary Fray’ in the brand new Freeform series “Shadowhunters,” (January 2016); a book-to-screen adaptation of the bestselling “The Mortal Instruments” book series. News of her casting traveled fast and wide, including Deadline, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Wrap, to name a few. The series premiered to stellar ratings, being the #1 series debut in more than two years.

Actress Malia Baker, the breakout star of Netflix's hit series "The Baby-Sitter's Club," was born in Botswana and moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada as a ...

Actress Malia Baker, the breakout star of Netflix's hit series "The Baby-Sitter's Club," was born in Botswana and moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada as a young girl. Malia's global perspective has been shaped by her experiences as a child in Botswana, fully understanding the need for humanity and compassion. She uses her platform to inspire and empower young girls to use their voices for change and equality.

Monique Coleman is most recognized as Taylor McKessie from the tremendously successful High School Musical franchise, as well as the 4th place contest...

Monique Coleman is most recognized as Taylor McKessie from the tremendously successful High School Musical franchise, as well as the 4th place contestant on season 3 of ABC's hit show, Dancing with the Stars. Adding to her list of many achievements, Monique has received two Teen Choice Awards, a Billboard Award, an NAACP Legacy Award, and a Camie for her role in the Hallmark Film,The Reading Room, starring opposite James Earl Jones.

Nigel Barker, internationally renowned fashion photographer, filmmaker, TV personality, author, humanitarian and father of two, is supporting the Girl...

Nigel Barker, internationally renowned fashion photographer, filmmaker, TV personality, author, humanitarian and father of two, is supporting the Girl Up as one of its champions, joining the movement to improve the lives of adolescent girls in the developing world. Nigel is best known as a photographer and judge on the show, America’s Next Top Model.

An award-winning Bollywood icon who has appeared in more than 40 films, Priyanka Chopra is one of India’s and America's most celebrated actresses. S...

An award-winning Bollywood icon who has appeared in more than 40 films, Priyanka Chopra is one of India’s and America's most celebrated actresses. She made her acting debut in the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan and has since won a National Film Award for Best Actress and Filmfare Awards in four categories.

As a Girl Up champion, three-time Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni will go from shattering world swimming records to mobilizing American girls to advocat...

As a Girl Up champion, three-time Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni will go from shattering world swimming records to mobilizing American girls to advocate for the world’s most marginalized girls, particularly in developing countries. “Through my partnership with Girl Up, I’m excited to encourage American girls to channel their energy and compassion into becoming powerful forces for change in the lives of their peers in developing countries,” said Soni.

Victoria starred in her own hit Nickelodeon series, “Victorious.” She played the musically talented “Tori Vega,” who unexpectedly finds hersel...

Victoria starred in her own hit Nickelodeon series, “Victorious.” She played the musically talented “Tori Vega,” who unexpectedly finds herself navigating life as a student at an elite performing arts high school.  Throughout the show’s duration, Victorious was the #1 live action comedy series in it’s time slot on all TV, with kids 6-17, reaching 40.4 Million kids, teens and tweens each quarter. Victorious also won “Favorite TV Show” at the Kids Choice Awards in 2012 and 2013.

Former NFL player Wade Davis is a thought leader, writer, public speaker, and educator on gender, race, and orientation equality. Wade is the NFL’s ...

Former NFL player Wade Davis is a thought leader, writer, public speaker, and educator on gender, race, and orientation equality. Wade is the NFL’s first LGBT inclusion consultant and currently consults for numerous professional sports leagues on issues at the intersection sexism, racism, and homophobia.

Beyond his work in sports, Wade currently consults for Netflix, Google, Viacom, and others to co-create transformative solutions to build inclusive corporate cultures.