women shaping
our future
Edition 2026
“With Women for Change, we put the spotlight on 25 Women who show us other ways. 25 women who, through bold and unwavering leadership, are actively reshaping our world for the better.“
Their leadership is, above all, a state of mind and a practice. It’s the commitment to ensure no one is left behind; to honor our deep connection with nature and to operate as an integral part of it. To stand against systems that harm people and our planet. To choose people over profit, peace over ego, and uncomfortable truths over silence.
Garance Aulagne
Women for Change Leader
The 2026 Women for Change campaign
Meet 25 women who will have a massive positive impact on the world in the next ten years. Discover those women’s unique and powerful stories. They push boundaries and are a powerful call to action for a better future, where humanity must address pressing challenges such as climate, resources, biodiversity, and the human factor.
CATHERINE
BARNARD
CEO,
World Land Trust
Bio:
Catherine Barnard has 25+ years’ experience in global NGOs and the private sector.
Before becoming World Land Trust’s CEO in 2019, she held senior roles at BirdLife International and the RSPB, leading major programmes in habitat protection and community led conservation worldwide.
Impact :
Catherine has led World Land Trust through one of its most impactful periods, bringing over one million hectares under conservation—matching its first 30 years—while driving organisational transformation for long-term impact.
She has led large-scale global projects in restoration and species recovery, championing collaboration and collective action.
Drea Burbank
Founder & CEO,
Savimbo
Bio:
Drea is CEO of Savimbo — built by and for Indigenous Peoples to access climate markets directly. She leads 300+ international delinquent savants hacking climate systems for jungle smallfarmers and forest communities.
Impact :
Drea co-founded Savimbo in 2022, creating the world’s first certified biodiversity credits. Under her leadership: 77,653+ hectares protected, 59 threatened species documented, 3 countries, 40+ projects, and >90% Indigenous staff. She built a new conservation economy that pays Indigenous communities directly — no middlemen.`
Gail Gallie
Founder, THE NAT
Bio:
Gail Gallie is the founder of THE NAT, a cultural‑advocacy platform reimagining nature conservation through fashion, art, film and finance. Formerly BBC marketing director and ad‑agency CEO, she co‑founded the global campaign unit
for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Impact :
Gail created THE NAT Gala, often called the “Met Gala for biodiversity,” in order to use culture to drive capital to conservation. The event raises substantial funds for nature projects, mobilizing millions of dollars while attracting global influencers like Billie Eilish and Stella McCartney, turning celebrity appeal into tangible support for forests, oceans, and biodiversity worldwide.
`
Rebecca Hubbard
Director,
High Seas Alliance
Bio:
Rebecca is Director of the HSA, a global coalition of
80 organisations working to protect marine biodiversity in thehigh seas. With over two decades of experience in environmental
campaigning, she unites governments, civil society, scientists
and communities to safeguard the world’s oceans.
Impact :
Rebecca led the High Seas Alliance’s ratification campaign,
which played a key role in advancing the High Seas Treaty
through entry into force, securing 80+ ratifications and
establishing the first legally binding global framework to protect
nearly half the planet’s ocean. This will help enable the creation
of marine protected areas, equitable resource sharing, and
safeguarding marine biodiversity for future generations to come.
`
Erin Gruwell
Executive Director, Educator, Author & Podcaster, the Freedom Writers Foundation
Bio:
Erin Gruwell is an acclaimed educator, author, and activist who helped vulnerable students—dubbed the Freedom Writers— graduate and pursue college. Their story became the bestselling
book “The Freedom Writers Diary,” and the film adaptation, “Freedom Writers”, stars Hilary Swank. Erin’s the founder and president of the Freedom Writers Foundation.
Impact :
Erin Gruwell continues to teach and has trained over 1,000
educators worldwide, affectionately known as Freedom Writer
Teachers. Through the Freedom Writers Foundation, she reaches
25,000+ students annually through her educational workshops.
Her multiple books and award-winning films have created
a global ripple effect of engagement, equity, and academic
transformation.
`
Founder & Executive Director, Kyusa
Bio:
Noeline is Founder & ED of Kyusa – a nonprofit empowering
marginalized youth to transform their passions into sustainable
careers. She is a transformational author, trainer, mentor and
Speaker. She also leads Nea Genia Leadership Institute, focused
on nurturing young women into emerging leaders.
Impact :
Kyusa has supported more than 7,000 young entrepreneurs
running 3,600 micro and small enterprises that sustain over
7,200 livelihoods. It has also helped establish 135 social enterprises
benefiting 25,000 people. Through business study trips and
micro-grants, Kyusa has enabled cross-border trade and
supported 125 vendor businesses to recover from COVID-19.
`
Co-Founder and Chief Exploration Officer, Kidogo
Bio:
Sabrina Habib is Co-Founder and Chief Exploration Officer of
Kidogo, Kenya’s largest childcare network. Founded in 2014,
Kidogo equips women “Mamapreneurs” to provide quality,
affordable childcare, reaching 50,000+ children and enabling
mothers to work.
Impact :
Kidogo improves access to high-quality, affordable childcare in
low-income communities in Kenya. She supports local women
childcare providers, called Mamapreneurs, to deliver safe,
stimulating early learning, enabling young children to thrive and
caregivers, especially mothers, to work and earn. In 2025, she
reached over 54,000 children, with 93% meeting developmental
milestones and 90% of centres meeting quality standards.
`
Journalist, Et parfois on gagne
Bio:
Victoire Tuaillon is a French journalist known for creating the feminist podcasts and books Les Couilles sur la table and Le Coeur sur la table, which explore masculinity and modern relationships through in‑depth conversations. She now chronicles successful social movements in Et parfois on gagne
podcast.
Impact :
Victoire Tuaillon’s concret impact lies in shaping public conversations on gender, masculinity, and relationships in France and beyond. Through her podcasts and books, she challenges traditional gender norms, fosters critical reflection
on male socialization, and provides platforms for nuanced discussions that influence media, education, and societal attitudes toward equality.
`
Global Managing Partner, 500 Global
Bio:
Dr. Alaa Murabit is a Libyan-Canadian physician, global expert in
financing, health, and peace & security. UN High-Level Commissioner,
Harvard Radcliffe Fellow, and SDG Advocate. She founded
Voice of Libyan Women & Every Pregnancy, the first faith-based
collaborative for maternal mortality.
Impact :
Alaa founded VLW at 21 during the 2011 Libyan revolution, building peace infrastructure in active conflict. She coarchitected the UN Sustainable Development Goals, incepted The Beginnings Fund ($600M for maternal health), and created For Mama (now Every Pregnancy), raising $38M through Islamic philanthropy for maternal health. She has mobilized $40+ billion across health, security & development.
`
Peace Activist & Social Entrepreneur, Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre
Bio:
Ilwad Elman is COO of the Elman Peace and Human Rights
Centre in Somalia. She leads disarmament and reintegration
programs, established survivor protection systems, advances
women’s and youth leadership in shaping security, justice, and
economic recovery across conflict-affected communities.
Impact :
Ilwad co-founded Somalia’s first rape crisis centre and leads
community-based reintegration models now reflected in
national and global guidance. Her work has institutionalized
survivor protection systems, strengthened local peace and
mediation structures, expanded economic pathways for women
and youth, and informed international approaches
to stabilization and recovery.
`
Executive Director, Center for Earth Ethics
Bio:
Karenna Gore is founder and executive director of the Center
for Earth Ethics. She builds bridges between faith, ethics and ecology, mobilizing interfaith climate action and environmental justice through education, advocacy and community engagement.
Impact :
Through the Center for Earth Ethics (founded 2015), Karenna fosters moral‑grounded climate activism: convening faith, Indigenous, academic and community voices to reframe ecological crisis as an ethical imperative. She leads public programs, education, and participates in international events (COP, NY Climate Week), influencing global climate policy and elevating marginalized communities.
`
Bio:
Rosario is an SDG activist, Founder & Executive Director of The Millennials Movement, and Obama Foundation Scholar. She serves as Co-Facilitator of the LAC Civil Society Mechanism for the 2030 Agenda and is a former member of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights Youth Advisory Board.
Impact :
The Millennials Movement has engaged thousands—especially youth—in advancing the SDGs across Latin America and the Caribbean. It mobilized 38,000 Peruvians for the 2030 Agenda (2015) and 100,000 people regionally (2021), supported by 250+ youth-led partners. As a co-founder of key civil society and youth mechanisms, it has enabled over 2,000 young people annually to participate in UN SDG review processes.
`
Founder, Water Wiser
Bio:
French economist specialized in water resources, with recognized expertise in water economics. She works at the intersection of climate change, natural resource governance, and economic decision-making, advising both public and private stakeholders on water-related challenges.
Impact :
Esther Crauser-Delbourg positions water as a strategic climate and business priority. Founder & CEO of Water Wiser and lecturer in water economics, she advises companies across finance, agrifood, luxury, cosmetics, pharma, and construction. In the past two years, Water Wiser helped design strategies cutting 100 million m³
of water use by 30% across 50 countries, protecting €3.5bn in raw
materials and strengthening resilient water governance.
`
CEO & Founder, Indigenous Women Rangers Network (IWRN)
Bio:
Managing Director and Founder of the Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network (2018) and the Indigenous Women Rangers Network (2024), supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to lead land and sea management through mentoring, leadership, strong networks and national advocacy.
Impact :
The Indigenous Women Rangers Network strengthens Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s leadership in land and sea management. Since 2018, it has grown from 26 participants to more than 300 women across Australia.Through mentoring and training, it supports women to enter, remain and progress in the ranger workforce, while building partnerships that strengthen outcomes for Country.
`
Harvest Care
Bio:
Zuzanna Zielinska is an environmental nutritionist and
co-founder of HarvestCare. She is building an Agri-Health
System in Europe, bringing the Food is Medicine model to
chronically ill, low-income patients while supporting local
farmers who care for their soils and communities.
Facilitates First Food Pharmacy Randomised Control Trial in The Netherlands in 2025, with a scale-up RCT in 3 locations in 2026 for over 70 low income diabetes type 2 patients. `
Vice President, Arctic and Northern Waters, Ocean Conservancy
Bio:
‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak is of Haida, Tlingit and Ahtna Athabascan
descent and belongs to the Káat nay-st/Yahkw Jáanaas (Shark
House/Middle Town People) Clan. She has integrated ancestral
Indigenous perspectives into her work in government, education,
nonprofits and on the board of Sealaska Corporation.
‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak helped launch the Indigenous Law of the Sea, integrating Indigenous knowledge into marine policy. At Ocean Conservancy, she co-led a call from 1,000 scientists to pause industrial fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean. As a Sealaska board member, she helped create Woocheen, channeling over $500 million back to Indigenous communities. `
President, United Nations General Assembly
Annalena Baerbock is a German politician born in 1980. A leading member of Alliance 90/The Greens, she was her party’s candidate for chancellor in 2021 and now serves as the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany. She has served as President of the United Nations General Assembly since 9 September 2025.
Impact :
As Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock promotes international cooperation on climate action, human rights, and multilateral diplomacy. She also supports a feminist foreign policy, advocating for gender equality in global decision-making and international relations, while encouraging humanitarian support and sustainable, rules-based global cooperation.
`
CEO & Founder, Made For A Woman
Bio:
Eileen Akbaraly is the founder of Made For A Woman, Madagascar’s first purpose-driven, human centered social enterprise in responsible fashion. Her mission champions inclusion and sustainability, employing 1000+ artisans – mostly women from underserved backgrounds – and impacting 4000+ individuals.
Impact :
Made For A Woman unites cultural preservation, environmental
stewardship, and social impact into a scalable model of
responsible fashion. It provides fair jobs to 1,000+ people, along
with healthcare, education, and family support, while protecting
Madagascar’s heritage and biodiversity. Forbes 30 Under 30
honoree and Vogue Business 100 Innovator, Eileen drives
transformative, ethical, and scalable business with empathy
and purpose.
`
Eva Morel
Secretary General, QuotaClimat
Bio:
Trained in environmental policy, Eva Morel co-founded
QuotaClimat in 2022, an NGO working to improve climate
media coverage and tackle climate disinformation in
mainstream media.
Impact :
QuotaClimat obtained the first financial penalty for uncontradicted climate disinformation in 2025 in France, developed a tool that automatically detects climate disinformation in mainstream media in 5 countries and wrote a bill currently championed at the French Parliament.
`
Founder and Executive Director, EmpoderaClima
Bio:
Renata Koch Alvarenga is a Brazilian social entrepreneur
driving gender-just climate action. As founder of
EmpoderaClima, she links climate resilience, women’s
leadership, and education, connecting global advocacy
with grassroots youth and women’s mobilization across
Latin America.
Impact :
Through EmpoderaClima, Renata built a pioneering organization advancing gender-responsive climate solutions in Brazil. In seven years, she mobilized 100+ volunteers, trained 350+ women leaders and students, and reached 50,000 people across 19 territories through climate education, feminist leadership, and disaster preparedness initiatives.
`
President & CEO, The African Women’s Network for Community Management of Forests
Bio:
Cécile is one of the well-known leaders of CSO in Africa, a women’s
rights and gender advocate. Her extensive experience includes
work that addresses gender’s intersection with tenure, forest, conservation and climate change. Agronomist and Social Forester, Cecile holds a PhD in Social Sciences.
Impact :
Through REFACOF, Cécile Bibiane Ndjebet strengthened land rights and climate governance, secured 30% women’s representation in forest decision-making, and advanced legal reforms. Globally recognized with the Wangari Maathai Award,Kew International Medal, and UNEP Champion of the Earth award.
`
Co-Founder and CEO, EarthEnable
Bio:
Gayatri, co-founder and CEO of EarthEnable, improves living
conditions by eliminating dirt floors. She worked at Dalberg
and the World Bank, consulting globally. Under her leadership,
EarthEnable provides affordable, eco-friendly flooring, trains
local masons, and reaches thousands of homes.
Impact :
At EarthEnable, Gayatri and her team eliminate dirt floors to improve health and dignity for low-income communities. They provide affordable, durable, eco-friendly flooring, train local masons and customer sales officers, and recently launched Full houses to expand access. To date, they have reached tens of thousands of homes across Africa, improving public health and demonstrating scalable, sustainable housing solutions.
`
CEO, AfroClimate
Bio:
A social architect turning fragmented local initiatives into investable
ecosystems across Africa. She co-founded Mo Angels and
Living Labs, mobilising capital & global networks for emerging
entrepreneurs. A former private equity partner, she leads climate
work through AfroClimate. She joined the Obama Foundation
community by becoming an Obama Leader in 2023.
Impact :
AfroClimate empowers African climate entrepreneurs through
grants, mentorship, and ecosystem building, transforming fragmented
local initiatives into continent-wide movements. Since
founding, Nassima and her team have supported 70+ ventures
and 20 incubators across 10 countries, mobilizing 50+ global experts
and improving 50,000+ lives. In 2025 alone, they delivered
469 mentoring hours.
`
Solo Sailor, Writer & Speaker, Sardinha
Bio:
Tamara Klink is a Brazilian-born architect, writer turned Arctic
solo sailor. She has overwintered single-handed on the Arctic
sea-ice, completed the Northwest Passage alone & crossed the
Atlantic twice on her own.
Impact :
Through her solo expeditions in the polar regions and public storytelling, she raises global awareness about the rapid
transformation of polar landscapes, inspires climate action, and empowers young women to pursue ambitious goals.
`
