Girl Up

Aasha Khan, a grade 10 pre-IB student from Waterloo, Canada, is a passionate activist, social entrepreneur, and dynamic public speaker focused on wome...

Aasha Khan, a grade 10 pre-IB student from Waterloo, Canada, is a passionate activist, social entrepreneur, and dynamic public speaker focused on women’s empowerment and inspiring youth to engage with their community. At the age of thirteen Aasha started a small business selling women’s empowerment calendars designed by herself to raise over $1500 for Girl Up. Through social media, Aasha connected with women-led businesses to promote their products and raise awareness about women’s empowerment. Aasha is also a TEDxYouth speaker. Her talk on how to have a constructive conversation emphasizes looking past our own biases, in order to understand different perspectives and find effective solutions for global issues. She hopes to continue using her voice to better advocate for women’s empowerment and social justice. Her time spent with ChangerMaker Labs at the University of Waterloo, provided Aasha with excellent experience in collaborating with others to innovate solutions for community organizations. As a Girl Up Teen Advisor, she looks forward to having the opportunity to help other young girls overcome the discrimination and inequality they face as women. Aasha is determined that together we can find our passion to build a brighter future.

Since starting her GirlUp journey three years ago, Angela Yang’s advocacy and public service efforts center around the STEM gender gap and LGBTQIA+ ...

Since starting her GirlUp journey three years ago, Angela Yang’s advocacy and public service efforts center around the STEM gender gap and LGBTQIA+ rights. In her Los Angeles community, she has hosted a STEM To Solve summer camp with funding from the GirlUp STEM Project Award, held all-girl robotics lessons at nearby nonprofit facilities, and is collaborating with her fellow regional leaders. On a nationwide scale, Angela served as the 2023 GirlUp USA Summit emcee and an INSPIRE Session leader. Beyond the US, last fall, she was thrilled to speak to 100+ participants in the global GirlUp STEM Innovation Lab about her efforts starting the first all-girl hackathon in her area. Angela has also collaborated and connected with girls from Russia, Nigeria, and Colombia for an international gender equity forum, menstrual equity talk, fundraising efforts, and more. In college, Angela aspires to weave together her interests in computer science and political science as she continues applying empathetic mentorship and confident youth leadership to amplify GirlUp’s mission wherever she goes. In her free time, she loves binging mystery-comedy shows, jamming out to 90s rap, and making memories with her family!

Anya Govil is a rising senior at Indian Hill High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is captain of the volleyball team, student body co-president, editor...

Anya Govil is a rising senior at Indian Hill High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is captain of the volleyball team, student body co-president, editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, and a sprinter on the track team. Anya has been apart of Girl Up since 2017 by attending the leadership summits. Upon entering high school, she started a Girl Up club that focuses on combating gender inequality in education by teaching girls in her area how to code and fundraising for computers to give to underprivileged girls in her area. Anya is very excited to continue her Girl Up journey as a 2023-2024 teen advisor in hopes to educate herself further and impact more girls!

Charlie Levy is a high school junior at Saint Ann’s in New York City. She is a dedicated dancer, passionate actress, and aspiring writer. As founder...

Charlie Levy is a high school junior at Saint Ann’s in New York City. She is a dedicated dancer, passionate actress, and aspiring writer. As founder and president of Saint Ann’s Girl Up, Charlie is committed to advocating for reproductive rights and health, as well as combating gender-based sexual violence. She works as Director of Social Media for Befriended, an eating disorder support network, is a board member for PACT, a Jewish teen philanthropy organization, and tutors for ENGin, a foundation that teaches English to Ukrainian youth. Charlie is excited to not only strengthen her leadership and advocacy skills, but also to meet the enthusiastic group she will be working alongside while serving her term as a Girl Up teen advisor.

Cynthia M. (she/her) is a current high school senior who describes herself as leader, Florida activist, and movement organizer. She has ample experien...

Cynthia M. (she/her) is a current high school senior who describes herself as leader, Florida activist, and movement organizer. She has ample experience advocating as the Youth Action Organizer and Director of Communications for Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida, the Director of Manatee County for Florida Youth Association, and the Director of Florida at the Youth Legislative Action Committee. She has also activated change as a Girl Up Gender Based Violence Workshop Leader, Florida School Speaker, and LatinX Florida Youth Voice. She joins us as a Latina, first-generation American aiming to speak up for the underrepresented and committed to fighting for the basic rights for all humans.

Emmanuela Kumi is a 15 year old student activist, particularly passionate about encouraging girls in STEM and gender-based violence from the United Ki...

Emmanuela Kumi is a 15 year old student activist, particularly passionate about encouraging girls in STEM and gender-based violence from the United Kingdom. She was selected for a scholarship to The Knowledge Society’s 2022-23 Innovate programme, deepening her passion for emerging technology and equal access to education. Emmanuela is also part of her School Council and a Senior Prefect, running a campaign called Visible Voices which helps to amplify underrepresented voices in her community. She has been recognised with a Jack Petchey Award and strives to act as a voice empowering young girls like her to thrive and reach their full potential.

Eylül is a teenage human rights advocate from Istanbul, Türkiye. Her work so far has been through her own non-profit organization, ranging from orga...

Eylül is a teenage human rights advocate from Istanbul, Türkiye. Her work so far has been through her own non-profit organization, ranging from organizing resume workshops for women who seek to gain financial independence to fundraising for the donation of thousands of female hygiene products. Committed to bringing about the change she has wished to see in the world ever since she was just a child, Eylül strives to make an impact not only through activism but also through her work in computer science and the arts. Apart from activism, her time is largely devoted to conducting research projects for the good of humanity, writing and directing plays for the film and theater club she founded, and trying to get the most recent edition of the magazine Chai Monthly ready for publication in time.

Gabriella is a senior, student activist, and writer from Salt Lake City, Utah. She is passionate about all things having to do with reproductive justi...

Gabriella is a senior, student activist, and writer from Salt Lake City, Utah. She is passionate about all things having to do with reproductive justice, racial equality, gender equity, and cultivating empowerment through education and intersectionality. Within her community, she works as an educator for Planned Parenthood as a member of their peer-led sex ed council, serves on the American Institute of Research's national "Youth Engaged 4 Change" editorial board creating content for other youth advocates, and founded her school's "Girls of Color" affinity group. She's worked for the Library of Congress, developing resources centered on activism for their youth-focused exhibits, as well as local non-profits focused on legislative activism. Gabriella adores writing, art history, and anything by Sally Rooney.

Gloria is an inquisitive young creator from Kenya. She is passionate about football (soccer), STEM and connects them by their lack of gender equity.

Gloria is an inquisitive young creator from Kenya. She is passionate about football (soccer), STEM and connects them by their lack of gender equity.

Hi my name is Isidora and I am 15 year old activist from Viña del mar, Chile. I thoroughly enjoy STEM, specifically neuroscience and AI. Despite bein...

Hi my name is Isidora and I am 15 year old activist from Viña del mar, Chile. I thoroughly enjoy STEM, specifically neuroscience and AI. Despite being an overall scientific person, I enjoy reading and debating as well. Hence, I am keen on closing the gender gap in STEM and fighting for girl's education all around the world through public speaking and activism. That is why I founded my school's debating club and form part of the directory of an organization called AMUJI (association of women for ideas). Moreover, I have participated in MUN conferences, which rose my interest in cyber security rights and biases in AI. This endeavors, though seemingly different, share a common denominator - to build a community where every individual regardless of their background, can thrive on a level playing field. Empowering girls to be the leader they aspire to be

Kelly Chaves is a 16-year-old student from Brazil. She is a passionate advocate for education, gender equality, child protection and women in STEM. Cu...

Kelly Chaves is a 16-year-old student from Brazil. She is a passionate advocate for education, gender equality, child protection and women in STEM. Currently a rising high school sophomore, she is committed to her role as a class representative and firmly believes that education is the key to changing the world. Passionate about science, Kelly actively participates in scientific olympiads, where she has been recognized with awards and launched initiatives to promote girls' participation in science olympiads. As an education advocate, Kelly has been involved in various initiatives such as the Latin American Leadership Academy and UNICEF, firmly believing that empowering youth paves the way to a positive impact on society. Committed to global issues, Kelly is striving to contribute through her advocacy and passion to a more equitable and sustainable world. With a profound interest in medicine and politics, she intends to pursue either medicine or political science. Serving as a Teen Advisor for Girl Up, Kelly strives to be a voice empowering girls everywhere.

Lilian Paredes, 16 years old, is an outstanding Peruvian activist. Her passion leads her to actively dedicate herself to the promotion of gender equal...

Lilian Paredes, 16 years old, is an outstanding Peruvian activist. Her passion leads her to actively dedicate herself to the promotion of gender equality, access to fundamental rights for children and adolescents, the fight for quality education, the dissemination and appreciation of Peruvian culture, and the creation of STEM opportunities for women. Her commitment is reflected in her collaboration with various organizations both nationally and internationally, including Quinta Ola, Save the Children and WHO Peru. Lilian has strengthened her background by participating in programs such as Girl Gov Peru 2020, Voces Activistas 2022, and Chamas en Acción 2022, among others. She also plays leadership roles in youth organizations in Peru, such as ConexEDU, Interact Pachacamac and Sonqo Activismo. Looking to the future, Lilian firmly intends to pursue a career in computer science. Through her tireless work, she seeks to foster positive change in her community and beyond, driving inclusion, equity and empowerment for women in all areas of society.

Lilianne Asokwah is a 16-year-old writer and activist from Mansfield, Texas. Her passions lie in mitigating period poverty and ensuring every girl has...

Lilianne Asokwah is a 16-year-old writer and activist from Mansfield, Texas. Her passions lie in mitigating period poverty and ensuring every girl has the right to an education. Lilianne founded and currently leads a Girl Up club at her school where she organizes annual menstrual products drive and works to engage her local community in intersectionality. Alongside Girl Up, Lilianne currently serves on her city's youth council and is affiliated with many youth-led nonprofits. As a first-generation Ghanaian-American, Lilianne cares deeply about geopolitics and hopes to pursue international human rights law at an NGO. In her free time, Lilianne enjoys binging reality tv-shows centered on love, ranging from Married At First Sight to the entirety of the 90 Day Fiance franchise and listening to Taylor Swift.

Luna Ramírez is a high school student and teen leader from Bogotá, Colombia. She is a passionate learner who aims at advancing sustainable practices...

Luna Ramírez is a high school student and teen leader from Bogotá, Colombia. She is a passionate learner who aims at advancing sustainable practices through the connections between gender equality, climate justice and environmental sciences. She aspires to work in rural development, environmental conservation and target the climate crisis by supporting girls to have greater involvement in climate action. Pursuing a career in biological and environmental engineering with an emphasis on development studies, she is currently a Research Editor at Youth STEM Matters, an international youth-led scientific journal, and has participated in the International Junior Science Olympiad after being awarded Second Place at the Colombian National Science Olympiad. Through her work, she has developed initiatives to advance the outreach of Comprehensive Sexuality Education to vulnerable communities, promote environmental education and youth advocacy as an organiser of COPinBogotá and worked towards peacebuilding and female empowerment through STEM as an Operations Manager in ASOFI (Women's Association of Innovation for Rural Development).

Hi! My name is Lutfiya and I am a 17 year old activist from Ghana. I am passionate about advocating for SRHRJ, Education, and Gender Based Violence an...

Hi! My name is Lutfiya and I am a 17 year old activist from Ghana. I am passionate about advocating for SRHRJ, Education, and Gender Based Violence and heavily involved with volunteer initiatives in my community. I love music and am hoping to improve my critical thinking and problem solving skills during my time on the Teen Advisor Board.

Hi my name is Nirvana Talukder. I am a 16-year -old high school senior at Sydney Girls High School. I am a climate justice and gender equality advocat...

Hi my name is Nirvana Talukder. I am a 16-year -old high school senior at Sydney Girls High School. I am a climate justice and gender equality advocate who's work primarily focuses on the intersection between the climate crisis and gender inequality. In 2022, I joined the Sydney and Australia (national) contingents of School Strike for Climate, the organisation behind the Fridays4Future movement. My work in advocating for a sustainable and equitable future extends through my participating in other climate committees such as AYCC. From here I have gone on to work with countless communities across the country to resolve issues surrounding climate justice, whilst working with grassroots organisations and communities by first nations and female activists to address key issues in the movement. From working with policymakers and government officials to students within the school community, to ensure the voices and concerns of youth are heard and addressed. Serving as the Public Speaking captain at my girls school, I value the importance of empowering and enabling young women to express themselves and create their own mark in the world, championing for gender equality and equal female representation in public speaking and leadership spheres. In late 2022, I launched my youth-powered organisation, Our People's Aid, a digital forum for storytelling that amplifies the narratives of women across the world.

Pranavaa Giri is a passionate 16-year-old Girl Up Club Leader and Teen Advisor from Tamil Nadu, India. Her Girl Up journey started in 2021 when she st...

Pranavaa Giri is a passionate 16-year-old Girl Up Club Leader and Teen Advisor from Tamil Nadu, India. Her Girl Up journey started in 2021 when she started her own club to advocate positive social change in the small city she resides in. She is currently the School Pupil Leader of her school, president of Girl Up TIPSE, an avid MUNer and speaker. Pranavaa believes in the power of creating cohesive solutions to solve global problems through research and debate. She cares about issues of Violence against Women, Mental Health and Education. During her downtime, one will probably find her listening to music (particularly Taylor Swift) and writing poetry in her journal, which she will post on her personal blog later. Pranavaa hopes to continue making the world more inclusive and to empower girls all over the world, especially in developing countries.

Saranya Singh (she/her) is a rising senior at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, California. Last year, she was the Girl Up Northern California ...

Saranya Singh (she/her) is a rising senior at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, California. Last year, she was the Girl Up Northern California Coalition leader and led 40+ clubs in the Bay Area, organized a coalition summit, and met with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Mark DeSaulnier to advocate for the “Keeping Girls In School Act”. As a Black Belt in Taekwondo, she is passionate about self-defense and has hosted many self-defense workshops for young girls, including at the Girl Up 2020 Leadership Summit and at Girl Up Sports Bootcamps. Outside Girl Up, Saranya is an active LD debater. She is president of her school’s Speech and Debate Team, the national organization for gender minorities in debate (Women in debate), and the national organization for low-income and small school debaters (Peptalk). In her free time, Saranya likes to read and play with her pet cockatiel, Don.

Saundarya Nair is a Girl Up Leader from India, who is passionate about SRHRJ, gender based violence and women in sports amongst other issue areas. She...

Saundarya Nair is a Girl Up Leader from India, who is passionate about SRHRJ, gender based violence and women in sports amongst other issue areas. She is an active part of multiple missions and projects based on climate action, menstrual hygiene, promoting gender-safe spaces, cultural awareness, and financial independence for rural women. She is also an enthusiastic public speaker, and has represented both Girl Up and Girl Up India in events ranging from The Pad Project's annual Bleed Green event to UNA-USA's InterGenerational MUN and YOUNGA's delegate training programmes. Her favourite Girl Up memories include interviewing WNBA star Candace Parker, leading an INSPIRE Session on intersectional feminist history at Girl Up's Global Leadership Summit, co-hosting a Summit workshop on the mental and reproductive health of female athletes, presenting at the inaugural Sports Innovation Lab, facilitating the GBV pilot programme and being a Teen Advisor in 2022-23 class.

Shanum Sarkar, is a student based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is driven by social justice (but fueled by caffeine and raccoon memes :)). Dedicated to cr...

Shanum Sarkar, is a student based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is driven by social justice (but fueled by caffeine and raccoon memes :)). Dedicated to creating a safer environment for neurodivergent students, Shanum actively advocates for their rights. In her free time, she enjoys writing about pressing issues, delving into novels that have shaped feminism, and expressing creativity through painting.

Tessa Kiyonaga is a passionate advocate for social justice, education equity, mental health and juvenile justice issues. She is a rising junior at Sto...

Tessa Kiyonaga is a passionate advocate for social justice, education equity, mental health and juvenile justice issues. She is a rising junior at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Maryland where she advocates to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community as a member of the Morgan’s Message club and, as a member of the Denim Ribbon Project, works to raise awareness about rare disease. Tessa has been selected to participate in the National Sacred Heart Network’s Juvenile Justice service program and to serve as a high school volunteer at Washington DC’s Children’s National Hospital Center. Since middle school, Tesaa has been a member of GirlsUP, Inc., a DC non-profit committed to inspiring a deep and authentic sense of self in young girls. Throughout her high school years, Tessa has been a vibrant member of the GIrlsUP Teen Advisory Board, where she has served as a co-leader of its Communication and Team-Building Committees. In her free time, Tessa loves to read, write, bake, go for walks, and play the piano.

Tessa (she/her) is currently a junior in high school living in Washington D.C. I love listening to music (mostly Taylor Swift), talking with friends o...

Tessa (she/her) is currently a junior in high school living in Washington D.C. I love listening to music (mostly Taylor Swift), talking with friends over coffee, and traveling. I also row crew for my school and for my local club team in D.C. I love making new friends, talking about important topics, and learning more about the world around me. I’m so excited for this coming year and to be a Girl Up Teen Advisor!!!

Yehansa Dayarathna is a sports and STEM enthusiast from the UAE. Yehansa has been a basketball player for over eight years, significantly shaping her ...

Yehansa Dayarathna is a sports and STEM enthusiast from the UAE. Yehansa has been a basketball player for over eight years, significantly shaping her into who she is today. She believes that sports bring out the best in people and aims to inspire and empower girls worldwide to embrace sports and their many opportunities. She aspires to pursue a career in the healthcare and research field to help support women’s health and advocate to help overcome the underlying problems women face regarding their well-being, including mental health, period poverty, etc. Her love for the game and science led to many achievements, including being part of the NBA Basketball school in Dubai. In addition, she has won numerous awards for her achievements, which are, being on Live NBA TV and winning multiple international competitions ranging from olympiads to research programs! As a learning enthusiast, she believes knowledge is power and strives to help bridge the gap in STEM fields and establish gender equity. She has been involved with Girl Up for more than three years and founded the GirlUp@Dubai Scholars in her community. During the past two years, she has been allowed to grow her activism by participating in forums, podcasts, or meeting people worldwide. Yehansa is excited to continue her journey with Girl Up this coming year and hopes to have an impact on young girls like herself.

Zoe Lenz (she/they) is a student activist based in Arizona. All her life, she has been a feminist. Zoe works to make her school, state, and world safe...

Zoe Lenz (she/they) is a student activist based in Arizona. All her life, she has been a feminist. Zoe works to make her school, state, and world safer for LGBT+ students. She is the president and founder of her school GSA and literary magazine, and the Vice President of the Herstory/Girl Up club. In her free time, she likes to read, write, act in local and school plays, and spend time with friends.

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.