Geeta Rao Gupta is the fourth Ambassador-at-Large for the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State. She previously served in senior roles at the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Rao Gupta has chaired boards and received numerous awards for her leadership, including InterAction’s Julia Taft Award for Outstanding Leadership.

Thomas West serves as the State Department’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, with prior key roles in South Asia. He was the State Department’s senior diplomat in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, and served as Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the National Security Council. West has extensive experience in diplomatic and strategic advisory, including serving as Special Assistant for South and Central Asia to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

Zala Ahmad, with over 15 years in Afghan international development, focuses on education, human rights, and economic development. As director of HOLD Afghanistan from 2010 to 2017, she implemented programs with USAID, UNESCO, DFID, and others, including a women’s center benefiting over 1000 girls. In 2020, she co-founded Safe Path Prosperity, empowering Afghan women through education, employment, and health initiatives. Zala, a Fulbright scholar with an M.A. from Brandeis University, received the Amel Zenoune-Zouani Rights & Leadership Award in 2023 for her dedication to Afghan women's advancement.

Fahad joined Education Above All in December 2012 as director of administration and finance, where he established the foundation’s management system and contributed to its strategy. He drives EAA’s resource mobilization and oversees the establishment of its UK entity. Promoted to Deputy CEO in January 2015 and then CEO in January 2016, Fahad’s pivotal role at EAA is evident. Prior to EAA, he managed finance and administration for a Qatar Foundation-sponsored mega project. Earlier, Fahad held key roles in retail, international, and corporate banking at Qatar National Bank. He holds a BSc in business administration and an EMBA from HEC. Fahad is also a dedicated sportsman, having played professional tennis for Qatar.

Rachel Brulé is an Assistant Professor of Global Development Policy at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and Associate Director of the Human Capital Initiative at the BU Global Development Policy Center. She leads BU's representation to the Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience. Her book, "Women, Power, and Property," received a 2021 Luebbert Prize. Brulé's articles are published in prestigious journals and featured in prominent media outlets. She will receive a 2024 National Science Foundation CAREER Award.

Deputy Administrator Coleman oversees USAID’s policy and programming, guiding crisis response and representing USAID on the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council. Previously, she served as U.S. Ambassador to the UN for Management, Reform, and Special Political Affairs. Coleman has a background in consulting, COO roles, and senior fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations. She holds degrees from Princeton University and Oxford University.

Sofia Jelanizada DeBlanc is a Senior Manager at Deloitte with focus in financial assurance, risk, and regulatory compliance. With a rich background in both federal and commercial sectors, Sofia is a seasoned professional in navigating complex financial regulations, business process improvements and strategic program support. She holds a BS in Business Administration and is a certified CPA.

Originally from Afghanistan, Sofia arrived in the U.S. in 2006 on a merit scholarship from the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women (IEAW).

Amb. Rahmani, Chair of Delphos International, expands the firm’s global networks and impact. She's also a Senior Advisor at the Atlantic Council's South Asia practice and a Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation. As the first female Afghan Ambassador to the US and Indonesia, she's recognized internationally for her leadership, including features in prominent media outlets and distinctions such as "People's Ambassador" by Indonesia Tatler and inclusion in Time Magazine's "100 Next List" in 2019.

Scott Taylor, Dean of BU's Pardee School of Global Studies and Professor of International Relations, specializes in African politics and the economy, with a focus on business-state relations and governance. He's authored several books, including "Politics in Southern Africa: Transition and Transformation" (with Gretchen Bauer), "Culture and Customs of Zambia," "Business and the State in Southern Africa: The Politics of Economic Reform," and "Globalization and the Cultures of Business in Africa: From Patrimonialism to Profit," alongside articles in political science and area studies journals.

Muqaddesa Yourish, formerly a deputy minister for commerce and industry in Afghanistan, is now a Visiting Professor of International Affairs at George Washington University’s Elliott School. Yourish has extensive experience in high-level roles in Afghanistan's government and private sector. Yourish is a passionate advocate for Afghan women, girls, and youth, recognized as a leader by Vital Voices and recipient of the Diane Von Furstenberg Leadership Award. She engages in commentary on Afghanistan’s political landscape and has been featured in the New York Times.