Person Type: World Fellow
Mikhail Zygar
Mikhail Zygar is a journalist, historian, and best-selling author, known for his work on Russian politics, propaganda, and authoritarianism. He was the founding editor-in-chief of TV Rain (Dozhd), Russia’s only independent news television channel, which became a critical voice against state censorship until he was forced into exile. Zygar is the author of several internationally acclaimed books, including "All the Kremlin’s Men," a best-seller that provides an insider’s account of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle; "The Empire Must Die," a deeply researched narrative on the fall of the Russian Empire and the revolutionary forces of the early 20th century; and "War and Punishment," which was named one of The New Yorker’s…
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Wei Xing
Wei Xing is the founder of China Fact Check, the first independent fact-checking program in China. He built a network of online volunteers to be able to operate in a challenging media environment. Wei also promotes media literacy among the Chinese public through training, workshops, speeches, and media interviews. He published The Fact-Checking Handbook, the first of its kind in simplified Chinese. As a media entrepreneur, he co-founded Pear Video, China's first short-form news video platform in 2016 and has served as deputy editor-in-chief since then. Prior to that, he founded Sixth Tone, a must-read publication for China watchers around the world for its unique, critical, on-the-ground China reporting. He…
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Mathias Wikström
Mathias Wikström is a renowned Sweden-based sustainability business leader and creative strategist who aims to drive innovation and simplify complex communication. Together with Johan Pihl, he founded Doconomy, a company that provides financial services with climate consciousness, and spearheaded globally awarded projects at the forefront of finance, sustainability and human rights. He has received an Executive MBA with honors from Stockholm School of Economics, specializing on leading innovation, and is an IMAGINE Leader as well as a member of The Explorers Club. A highly decorated creative, Mathias has won multiple Grand Prix at Cannes Lions and has served as jury president for innovation at Eurobest, among other prestigious award juries….
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Rhea See
Rhea See is the co-founder and CEO of She Loves Tech, the world’s largest tech startup competition and accelerator dedicated to women tech entrepreneurs. Under her leadership, She Loves Tech grew from a single-country initiative to a global platform spanning 80 countries, building a robust pipeline of 15,000 women-led tech startups across 110 nations. Her work has led to more than $600 million in funding raised post-competition. By 2030, she aims to mobilize $1 billion in capital for women entrepreneurs worldwide. Rhea is redefining the global investment landscape by directing capital toward meaningful innovations. She extends her influence as an investor and venture advisor with Kaya Founders and other venture…
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Stav Shaffir
Stav Shaffir is a social entrepreneur, a former member of Parliament, and a global leader in democracy and transparency. At 27, she became the youngest woman ever elected to the Israeli Parliament after leading Israel’s largest social movement for social justice. In the Knesset, she transformed political culture, introducing new standards of transparency, public participation, and activism into a rigid system. As chair of the Transparency Committee, she exposed corruption and reformed budget oversight, later leading the OECD’s global parliamentary committee on transparency and anti-corruption. A relentless advocate for democracy and peace, Stav played a pivotal role in uniting pro-democracy forces during Israel’s political crisis, pushing for cross-partisan collaboration to…
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Mohammed Rezwan
Mohammed Rezwan is the founder and executive director of Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, an award-winning organization that transforms the lives of communities in Bangladesh’s flood-prone regions through innovative design and sustainable solutions. An architect by training, Rezwan has spent over two decades developing solar-powered floating schools — mobile classrooms that ensure children’s education remains uninterrupted, even during seasonal floods. These schools are a symbol of resilience, providing not only education but also healthcare, vocational training, and food security, proving that ingenious and community-driven solutions can thrive in the face of climate challenges. Rezwan’s floating farms (duck, fish, and vegetables), clinics, and training centers are part of an integrated development approach to…
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Carlos Quintero Herrera Lasso
Carlos Quintero is a lawyer, community organizer, and public policy strategist with extensive experience spanning government institutions, private companies, and grassroots movements throughout Mexico, the U.S., and Latin America. His work has focused on justice reform, digital and financial inclusion, and community empowerment — driving systemic change through policy and collective action. Carlos recently spearheaded public policy efforts in fintech and digital access, serving as public policy director at leading technology firms. Previously, as legal counsel to the president of Mexico, he designed and negotiated the approval of Everyday Justice, the country’s most significant legal and constitutional access-to-justice reform in decades. He also founded "Ensamble" and "¡SĂ Se Puede!," grassroots…
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Garo Paylan
Garo Paylan is a visiting scholar with the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. His research focuses on the South Caucasus and TĂĽrkiye. Garo is a former member of the Turkish Parliament and a prominent human rights activist. He served in the Turkish Parliament for two terms as a representative of Istanbul (2015-2018) and later Diyarbakir (2018-2023). Garo is one of the leading advocates for minority rights in TĂĽrkiye. He has been a frequent commentator on politics and economy for Turkish and international media organizations. Garo has also been a vocal advocate for normalization between TĂĽrkiye and Armenia, as well as peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During both of…
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Trinh Nguyen
Trinh Nguyen is a strategic development leader and the first Vietnamese country director of TRAFFIC International in Vietnam, where she manages a multi-million-dollar portfolio of wildlife trade and conservation projects. A pioneer in behavioral change approaches, she revolutionized conservation efforts through the innovative Chi initiative, which addresses the complex cultural and social dynamics driving wildlife consumption in Southeast Asia. Prior to her current role, Trinh served as TRAFFIC's senior program manager, where she established groundbreaking partnerships with Vietnam's National Assembly and helped strengthen the country's wildlife protection legislation. Her work has resulted in one of the region's strongest legal frameworks for wildlife conservation, combining enforcement measures with evidence-based behavioral science…
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Vivian López Núñez
Vivian LĂłpez Núñez is a leading judicial figure in Paraguay, recognized for her contributions to legal modernization and gender equality. With more than 28 years in the judiciary, she is known as a trailblazer in the implementation of Paraguay's first electronic docketing system, revolutionizing case management and judicial transparency. A passionate advocate for women's rights, Vivian actively advises women legal professionals and advocates for gender-sensitive judicial reforms. Internationally, she has represented her country in global legal discussions, including engagements with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Paraguay Focal Point for workshops and conferences on the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Integrity and guidelines for judges' use of social…
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