AI's Impact on SDGs - Panelists

Teams of high school students around the world have worked tirelessly in the Buddies Without Borders AI's Impact on SDGs Online Forum in the past few months. Now the top proposals will be reviewed by the panelists for ranking and feedback. Please join us in thanking these leaders and educators for lending their expertise to help guide the future generation:

(from top left to right)

Lisa Brunet is the CEO and Founder of several technology companies offering innovative technology solutions for organizations leveraging AI. DLZP works closely with Amazon Web Services, Oracle, and Canon. Her two new ventures, Ren3for and Potato Tech reflect her commitment to harnessing the power of AI to create impactful and forward-thinking services.  Ren3for offers a Power and Weather Prediction solution, which empowers renewable energy companies with the ability to forecast weather conditions up to 96 hours in advance with an impressive 99% accuracy.

Miao Song is one of the 2024 GlobalCIO 100 award winners.  She led the development of technology for multiple global brands including Mars, Johnson&Johnson, Shell and Nestle.  She is currently the Global Chief Information Officer and Executive Committee member at GLP, an international business builder based in Singapore. Miao has been living and working in China, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Singapore and Belgium, etc. She is a strong sponsor and supporter of Diversity and Inclusiveness, she headed the Netherlands D&I council, also led IT Women Leadership Institution in Johnson & Johnson and sponsored Mars Digital D&I initiative.

Martin Nguyen is a senior at California State University, Monterey Bay, majoring in computer science with a concentration on data science and machine learning. He is currently developing a capstone project that leverages convolutional neural networks to diagnose brain tumors with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His academic and professional interests include philosophy, machine learning and AI. Martin is committed to increasing positive global change and promoting awareness about the importance of AI safety in society. 

Sophia Chaisson is a Communication Design senior at the California State University of Monterey Bay with a concentration in Visual Design. She currently works as an IT intern for the Monterey County Health Department and has a passion for Environmental Graphic Design and Experience Design. She devotes herself to creating designs that enhance the involvement of users and help spread awareness of the importance of inclusive design. She is extremely excited to help the students incorporate design into teaching the benefits of AI.

Kaoutar Benkaddi is a Moroccan Arabic and French language teacher.  She has worked at George Washington Academy in Morocco for the past twelve years, including five years as the IB CAS coordinator.  Her current role is the Office Coordinator for the Primary school, working with the administration to develop positive interpersonal relationships with the community. She is also a member of the AISA (Association of International Schools in Africa) Service learning group, building a global community in which everyone belongs and feels valued to promote positive change towards a better future and where societies are fair for all.  Her goal with GED is to offer a global citizenship education experience to students.

Ango Mwakisu has been serving as a recruitment and admissions officer for more than 10 years.  Originally from the beautiful land of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, Tanzania, Ango is an alumnus of Jacobs University in Germany where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communications, Systems and Electronics. He is an active member of the International Advisory Committee (IAC) of the Collegeboard and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee of the International Association for College Admission Counseling. 

Elisa Melendez Martin is the Head of Global Markets for Undergraduate programs at IE University managing a team of more than 30 international professionals based both in Madrid and at our international offices around the world. Elisa holds a Master's in Marketing Management and a PS in Lobby & Advocacy from IE University, Master's in Prevention of risk at Work, Specialization in Security from the Centro Tecnológico Castilla y León, a Certificate in Crisis Management by IMD and a BA in Translation & Interpreting from the Universidad de Valladolid.

The Honorable  Dr. Teta V. Banks is a diplomat, educator and human rights advocate. Her parents were civil rights colleagues of Dr. King and Mrs. Rosa Parks.   Dr. Banks is the first woman of African descent to be elected as Chair of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) and also previously as Chair of the United Nations Association- USA.  She is also Vice-President of the Council of Organizations.  Her company,  the International Forum, is a leading educational and corporate consulting organization that provides training, analysis, research, speakers' series, curriculum development, and educational international experiences throughout the world. It has collaborated with corporations, government agencies, and NGOs to advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

With tertiary qualifications in English Literature and Language, Sociology and Education, Andrew Hand is a broadly experienced secondary educator who served 40 years as a teacher, administrator and educational leader in state and international schools in Australia, Malaysia, Switzerland, the United States and Germany, including the International School of Geneva and the United Nations International School, New York. Most recently he has recruited students for Forward College in Europe. He has led international education committees within the Educational Collaborative for International Schools and the Association of Australasian IB Schools.  Andrew has also served on the Advisory Board of Pioneering Schools.