Vanessa Priya Daniel’s first book, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning, centers the work of women of color in social justice movements.. She shares the three superpowers of successful WOC leaders that we can all adopt: a 360 vision, boldness, and generosity.

Kate Compton Barr is a trailblazing advocate for democracy who made waves as the 'Can't Win' candidate for the North Carolina State Senate in 2024. Her candidacy was never about winning. Instead, it was a platform to focus the community's conversation on the un-democratic effect of partisan gerrymandering. Kate's current campaign is equally unique. She is campaigning openly as a progressive running in the Republican primary for North Carolina's US House District 14 on a platform supporting fair maps that support democracy by reflecting the bipartisan demographics of her state.

As Director of Monterey County Homeless Services Program, Roxanne Wilson is a seasoned community leader with over a decade of dedicated service to housing justice and homelessness reduction. She leads the county's efforts to integrate policy, planning, and partnerships across governmental and nonprofit sectors by overseeing strategic initiatives and homeless response systems.

Kathleen deLaski is at the forefront of designing higher education for the 21st century. She founded Education Design Lab to  help colleges begin the journey to reimagine higher education toward the future of work and she manages the deLaski Family Foundation, a 25-year grant maker in education reform. In her book, Who Needs College Anymore: Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter, Kathleen describes a multiple educational pathways through the learners lifecycle to help them find success.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium coordinates initiatives in California to establish the nation’s first statewide network of marine protected areas, prohibit the trade of shark fin products, ban plastic grocery bags and defend against expanded offshore oil and gas drilling. Aimee's team advocates for the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture around the world, to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean, and to take action on climate change.

Former California Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning reminds us that regardless of your political affiliation, voting provides the opportunity to make sure that your opinions and beliefs are represented at the local, state, and federal levels when decisions about public policy are being made. It is tempting to think that mid-term elections in which there are no major national candidates on the ballot are less important. However, every election provides you with the opportunity to make sure that your voice is heard.