The Aspen Institute’s Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, is excited to announce “Act III: Leadership and Legacy Laureates,” a transformative 16-month initiative designed for accomplished leaders who are ready to reimagine their impact, leadership, and legacy to drive positive change.
As the Aspen Institute celebrates its 75th anniversary, Act III represents the organization’s foundational belief in the power of dialogue and leadership as catalysts for societal transformation. This initiative will utilize the Institute’s proven seminar model, which unlocks moral courage and action through deep reflection and discussion, and is a part of the Global Inclusive Growth Partnership (GIGP), a collaborative platform created by the Aspen Institute and Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth that enables private sector leaders to build impact-focused partnerships that drive commercially sustainable social impact.
The Act III cohort brings together 17 distinguished leaders—many a part of the AGLN—whose work spans continents and sectors. The cohort represents organizations and initiatives that shape industries, inform policy, and empower millions around the world.
The Act III Laureates are:
- Mehrdad Baghai – Co-founder and Co-CEO, Future Secure AI | Henry Crown Fellowship Program
- Beth Brooke – Former Global Vice Chair, Public Policy, EY | Henry Crown Fellowship Program
- Sylvia Mathews Burwell – Distinguished Fellow in Residence, Sine Institute; Former President, American University | Henry Crown Fellowship Program
- Sylvia Gereda – CEO, Tecnología y Comunicaciones Masivas S.A. | Central America Leadership Initiative
- Martin Kimani – President & CEO, The Africa Center; Former UN Permanent Representative, Kenya | Africa Leadership Initiative – East Africa
- Manisha Koirala – Actress & UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador (1999 & 2015)
- Vivek Murthy – 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States
- Maria Ressa – Co-founder & CEO, Rappler; Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist, Professor, Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs
- Isabel Saint Malo de Alvarado – Former Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Panama | Central America Leadership Initiative
- Shamina Singh – Founder & President, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth & Executive Vice President, Sustainability at Mastercard | Henry Crown Fellowship Program
- Gayle Smith – Writer, Former CEO, ONE Campaign; Former Administrator, USAID
- Alan Storey – Methodist Minister and Social Justice Leader | Africa Leadership Initiative – South Africa
- Amy Stursberg – CEO, Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation
- Sally Susman – EVP, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Pfizer
- Dylan Taylor – Chairman & CEO, Voyager Technologies | Henry Crown Fellowship Program
- Tim Westergren – Founder & CEO, HelloCreator; Founder, Pandora | Henry Crown Fellowship Program
- Belinda Wong – Former Chairman & CEO, Starbucks Coffee China | China Fellowship Program
These influential leaders have wide-ranging experience leading Fortune 500 companies, innovative start-ups, civil society organizations, and government agencies. With representation from North America, Central America, Africa, and Asia, and sectors including business, public health, media, finance, education, technology, and government, cohort members bring decades of experience transforming organizations and systems.
The selected Laureates have demonstrated their commitment to building a world where everyone thrives. Through Act III, they will engage in a unique two-seminar arc focused on deep personal inquiry and clarifying values, designed to help them shape legacies and advance impact.
“Today’s global challenges require a different kind of leadership—one that combines experience with deep reflection and a commitment to dialogue and collaboration,” said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “The Act III Laureates bring a proven capability for serving society, and will gain new perspectives and partnerships through this initiative that will help to ensure that they continue to create lasting, positive impacts for people and communities around the world.”
“As the world continues to change, it is incumbent on today’s leaders to create a future that provides opportunities for all,” said Jon Huntsman, vice chairman of Mastercard and board director of the Mastercard Impact Fund. “Act III will support these leaders on their journey from significance to consequence, setting the stage for transformative change and impact.”
The cohort will begin its experience in September 2025 and complete it in March 2026.
