Lynsey Farrell is a cultural anthropologist, social innovator, and strategic leader with over two decades of experience driving change at the intersection of community leadership, youth livelihoods, and social entrepreneurship. She has lived and worked across Africa and the U.S., researching and designing programs that amplify the power of underrepresented communities—whether youth shaping their futures or grandmothers leading grassroots movements.

Lynsey co-founded The Grandmother Collective, harnessing the wisdom of older women to drive social, environmental, and political change, and she has worked with institutions like Ashoka, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania to advance research and initiatives on changemaking, intergenerational collaboration, and the future of work. She also currently serves as Executive Director of Penn’s Village, supporting older adults to age in place with independence and purpose in Philadelphia.

A sought-after facilitator and speaker, Lynsey brings a sharp analytical lens, deep community engagement experience, and a commitment to building sustainable, people-centered solutions. She holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Boston University.

Karen Smith is a skilled communicator, community builder, and longtime advocate with a diverse background spanning nonprofit leadership, strategic communications, education, and editorial work. As Community Manager at The Grandmother Collective, she supports grassroots leadership and volunteer engagement, helping build a thriving, intergenerational movement for social change.

Karen brings decades of experience—from leading communications at Boston Boatworks to writing, editing, and fact-checking publications focused on climate change, gender, and conflict for international NGOs. She also spent several years homeschooling her two daughters, who went on to earn advanced degrees from Dartmouth, the London School of Economics, and UMass Amherst.

Now based on Cape Cod, Karen is passionate about storytelling, sustainability, and connection. She spends her free time photographing wildlife, sailing regattas, and adventuring with a joyful pack of dogs.

Leigh Anne Duncan is a seasoned operations leader with over 20 years of experience supporting churches and public institutions through her expertise in finance, administration, facilities management, and human resources. She currently serves as the Director of Operations at Sardis, a role she has held since 2024, where she brings her deep sense of calling to serve God through the vital, behind-the-scenes work that sustains mission-driven organizations.

Leigh Anne began her career in public service after earning a BA from George Mason University and a Master of Public Administration from James Madison University. She has held positions as a Budget Analyst for the Governor’s Office in Kansas, a Grant Auditor and Budget Analyst at the U.S. Department of Justice, and a project and HR manager at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. A native of Virginia, Leigh Anne now spends her free time with her two children and enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, and the arts.

Caroline Burwell is a senior communications strategist with over 15 years of experience leading award-winning campaigns for public health, advocacy, philanthropy, and global organizations. Most recently, she served as Senior Director of Account Leadership at Avōq (formerly Subject Matter and Kivvit), where she oversaw high-profile communications efforts for clients including the Women’s Heart Alliance, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and Trust for America’s Health.

Caroline brings deep expertise in message strategy, media engagement, thought leadership, and cross-sector collaboration. Her work has earned national recognition—including campaigns that generated hundreds of millions of impressions and helped shape public conversations around women's health, addiction, and child protection. She has held senior roles at the NYC Department of Health, Wheelhouse Group, and served as an advisor to global advocacy organizations and federal agencies.

With a B.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and an M.S. in Public Relations from NYU’s School of Professional Studies, Caroline is known for her creative vision, strategic insight, and commitment to impact-driven storytelling. She currently serves as Communications Consultant to The Grandmother Collective.

Jennifer Hanks-Allaire co-founded and chairs the Board for the Grandmother Collective. Jen brings a broad range of private sector experience and perspective to this work with 20 years of professional experience in strategy & operations across media and digital publishing. Jennifer held several leadership roles at both The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune and has consulted for blue-chip media organizations across the globe. Ms. Hanks-Allaire graduated from Columbia University in Anthropology and holds a Masters of Science in Public Management from The London School of Economics, with a focus on developing world NGOs.  Jennifer is personally inspired by her grandmothers and her belief in the power of women to improve the world for all.

A seasoned executive leader of projects, money, and people, Christina Hartman has raised millions of dollars from government, foundations, major donors, and digital operations for non-profits such as the National Democratic Institute, The Joyful Heart Foundation, her consulting clients, and her own political campaigns. She is a strategic thinker who excels at building projects and organizations from scratch, executing turnarounds, and completing good-to-great transitions in challenging international and domestic environments. Thanks to her runs as a red-to-blue Congressional run in 2016 and for Pennsylvania Auditor General in 2020, Christina has extensive political experience at local, state, national, as well as international levels, and a proven track-record of building broad coalitions between American, international, government, civil society, labor, business, and other stakeholders. As a former non-resident fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Christina applies her international and domestic policy expertise to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizational systems and raising awareness of and challenging structures that perpetuate conformist, inequitable, and exclusionary systems. 

Meenakshi Gupta is the Co-Founder of Goonj, a pioneering social enterprise repositioning human dignity at the center of development. Over the last 25 years, Goonj has focused on turning underutilized urban resources into tools for development, bridging gaps in dignity and opportunity, with civic participation. Meenakshi plays a central role in shaping Goonj’s programs, fostering partnerships, and driving initiatives that connect urban and rural communities in meaningful ways. Currently, she is leading efforts to explore and replicate Goonj’s approach across Asia and Africa, working with global teams and networks.

As a founding member of Catalyst 2030, a global network of social entrepreneurs, Meenakshi is part of its governing council and co-chairs its Disasters Working Group, focusing on community-driven disaster response. Her commitment extends to supporting women leaders in the development sector, emphasizing emotional well-being and resilience for those working in challenging conditions.

Before founding Goonj, Meenakshi had a 15-year corporate career, including an eight years stint as South Asia Publicist for the BBC. Her background in commerce and communications has equipped her with the skills to lead Goonj’s impactful, people-centered initiatives. Meenakshi’s work is about building connections—between resources, communities, and individuals—while fostering empathy and action. She continues to champion grassroots leadership and sustainable solutions, inspiring collective efforts for a more equitable and resilient world. Meenakshi lives in Delhi, India with her husband and two cats.

Silvia von Gunten is a strategic leader with more than 20 years of international experience who combines systems thinking with public-private community building to drive positive social impact. Her global network and holistic approach bring together diverse voices from across the innovation ecosystem – from startups to Fortune 500 companies, from NGOs to government ministers. 

Working directly with C-suite executives and founders worldwide, she has designed and led numerous global initiatives that collaboratively align on the shared goals of businesses, governments and civil society. As member of the leadership team of the World Economic Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, she worked with multiple stakeholder communities to ensure emerging technologies benefit both society and the planet. 

Currently residing in Belmont, MA, Silvia has lived and worked in six countries across East Asia, Europe, and North America. She brings a global, local, and innovative perspective to all that she does and in particular her roles as a non-executive board director, mentor for women leaders, and advocate for inclusive communities.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Dr. Lori Esposito Murray is a global affairs consultant with deep expertise in international policy and a distinguished career advising senior leaders across government, business, and academia. She most recently served as a senior fellow for national security and managing director of CEO programs at the Council on Foreign Relations, and previously as president of the Committee for Economic Development, where she led efforts to shape policy on geoeconomic and geopolitical issues. Dr. Murray also held the national security chair at the U.S. Naval Academy and served as president and CEO of the World Affairs Councils of America.

Her bipartisan government service includes senior roles in the Executive Branch and Congress—ranging from special advisor to the president on the Chemical Weapons Convention to assistant director at the U.S. Arms Control & Disarmament Agency. She chaired the Secretary of Defense’s Federal Advisory Committee on Gender-Integrated Training, consulted for President George W. Bush’s WMD Commission, and advised Senator Nancy Kassebaum for nearly a decade. A Yale and Johns Hopkins SAIS graduate, Dr. Murray is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the boards of CED and the Global Interdependence Center.