Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning journalist, philanthropist, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues. This year, she served as Executive Producer of the HBO documentary short “The Devil Is Busy,” now streaming, as well as “The Perfect Neighbor,” which earned the Best Director award at Sundance, and is currently the number one–streamed documentary on Netflix. O’Brien’s work has been recognized with ten Emmy awards, three George Foster Peabody Awards, and many others. Her passion for supporting young people is realized by way of her foundation, PowHERful, which has helped thousands of young women get to and through college. Soledad lives between New York and West Palm Beach with her husband Brad, and her four children.

Brad Raymond serves as a Global Co-Head of Global Institutional Equities & Advisory at Stifel. He joined Stifel in 2010 following the acquisition of Thomas Weisel Partners.

Brad has over 20 years of technology investment banking experience. He joined Thomas Weisel Partners in 2004 and was elevated to Co-Head of Investment Banking in 2007. Prior to that, he was Co-Head of Software Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley and was in the Technology M&A Group at JP Morgan. Brad began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Alex. Brown & Sons.

Brad received an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley and a B.A. from Harvard University. Brad serves on the Board of PowHERful Foundation and is a Trustee for the Westminster School.

Melvin and Monique Rodriguez are visionary entrepreneurs, investors, and philanthropists whose leadership has transformed the beauty industry while empowering communities around the world. As the powerhouse duo behind Mielle Organics, one of the fastest-growing Black-founded and woman-led beauty brands globally, they grew the company from a single product in 2014 into a multicultural beauty leader with distribution in 90+ countries and over 100,000 U.S. stores. Their strategic marketing and operational prowess, coupled with their unwavering belief in purpose has led to milestone achievements, including a groundbreaking nine-figure investment from Berkshire Partners and a historic partnership with P&G.

Monique, an award-winning CEO recognized by Glossy 50, WWD Power Players, and Fast Company’s Brands That Matter, has cultivated a movement of over one million Mielle Mavens who are inspired by her story, approachability, and transparency. She is a testament to what could be with the right vision, focus, discipline, and partner. Melvin, as COO, has leveraged two decades of engineering and operational excellence, and a faith-first approach to entrepreneurship to help architect the company’s meteoric growth while championing initiatives that uplift underserved communities alongside his wife. Melvin’s influence reaches beyond business through his multimedia ventures, Stay Blessed Studios and The Blessed Code podcast, which amplifies conversations around mental health, fatherhood, leadership and faith.

Together, they lead with integrity, service and deep spiritual conviction—championing youth development, education, and economic mobility through the Mielle Cares nonprofit and programs like “More Than a Strand.” Both serve on Executive Leadership Advisory Boards for Hope Chicago and Building Brighter Futures, extending their influence beyond business. They also invest in emerging entrepreneurs and businesses through the MJR Venture Capital Fund.

Grounded in faith, passion, and service, Melvin and Monique Rodriguez continue to redefine black excellence while creating pathways of opportunity for future generations. They are also the proud parents of two daughters, Mia and Mackenzie

Caroline Roan was the Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Health & Social Impact at Pfizer Inc. and served as President of The Pfizer Foundation. Caroline oversaw Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), global health, and patient advocacy work across Pfizer to help build a healthier, more prosperous, more sustainable world for all.

Together with her global team, Caroline leveraged the full scope of Pfizer’s resources to ensure better health for everyone, everywhere by fully integrating their global focus on patients with their commitment to environmental, social and governance issues. She also led Pfizer’s patient advocacy team, which worked in close collaboration with a range of internal and external stakeholders in the research, development, and delivery of their medicines and vaccines to help address patients’ needs.

Prior to joining Pfizer, Caroline worked on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Community Health Team, which focused on promoting individual and community health by increasing social support and connection. Caroline also served as Associate Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) at Yale University’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health.

Caroline served on the U.S. Global Leadership Campaign, the advocacy arm of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. In 2022, Caroline was named CSR Professional of the Year in PRNEWS’ Social Impact Awards. In 2023, Caroline was listed in the PharmaVoice 100 list, and in 2024, Caroline was included in Women We Admire’s Top 25 Women Chief Sustainability Officers list.

Caroline received her Bachelor of Arts in sociology and anthropology from Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana, and her Master of Public Policy from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University.

Dr. Leslie D. Mancuso, PhD, RN, FAAN, is the President and CEO of Jhpiego. She serves at the nexus between health care, business and the nonprofit sector. A recognized international business leader, Dr. Mancuso has decades of experience developing public-private partnerships with organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Merck for Mothers, Roche, Organon and Johnson & Johnson—as well as the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies. She engages with business leaders across global health, at the same time listening intently to countries’ wants and needs articulated by ministers of health and community leaders.

Dr. Mancuso oversees Jhpiego’s longstanding and extensive relationships with international agencies, governments and ministries of health, nursing, midwifery and medical schools, professional associations and nongovernmental organizations. She has a proven track record in bringing accountability to and navigating changes in the international nonprofit sector. Through her leadership, Jhpiego has grown exponentially not only in staff and budget, but also in areas of impact and countries reached. During her tenure, Jhpiego’s budget has increased from $5 million to as high as $420 million, and the number of awards has expanded from four to 156, while the staff increased twenty-fold, with the majority living and working in their home countries. Today, Dr. Mancuso oversees programs that touch the lives of one billion people across 41 countries and three continents.

A nurse and American Academy of Nursing Fellow, Dr. Mancuso has driven the organization’s work to expand access to lifesaving care for people in the world’s most challenging areas for health for more than 20 years, with an emphasis on strengthening human resources for health. Dr. Mancuso’s vision for Jhpiego is rooted in her belief that the organization must engage with and support governments and country partners to realize their vision of a strong health system with a well-prepared network of health care professionals to ensure healthy communities and families for years into the future.

For 20 years, Dr. Mancuso has championed innovation across Jhpiego’s technical areas. Most recently, this work has included advancing self-injectable contraceptives and HPV self-sampling to screen for cervical cancer, the use of mobile apps by community health workers to ensure their clients living with HIV receive the care they need, and team-based strategies and virtual mentorship to strengthen the surgical skills of health care professionals in facilities providing cesarean section and other lifesaving procedures.

She is committed to gender equality both within and outside the organization. Recently, Jhpiego was recognized as a high-performing global health organization in advancing gender equality for the fourth consecutive year. Jhpiego’s gender programming spans the technical areas in which the organization works, and includes the development of toolkits and training packages that cover topics such as global disparities in women’s leadership, gendered patterns of communication, and linkages between power, gender norms and sexual harassment.

Dr. Mancuso has been the recipient of many prestigious business and professional awards, including the Regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Smart CEO BRAVA Business Women Achievement Award, the Maryland International Business Leadership Award from the World Trade Center Institute, the Top 100 Women “Circle of Excellence” award and the Baltimore Daily Record Innovator of the Year Award. In 2016, she was inducted into the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame. Under her leadership, Jhpiego has received numerous high-profile awards, including the 2014 United Nations Population Award, the 2014 CLASSY Award for Health, the Sigma Theta Tau International Archon Award and a 2017 Webby Award.

Dr. Mancuso serves on numerous boards, including the Board of Directors of the World Trade Center Institute, and as Chair of the Health & Life Sciences Committee for the US-ASEAN Business Council. A passionate advocate for the nursing profession, she also lends her expertise to the Advisory Council of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Dr. Mancuso received her undergraduate degree in nursing from Southern Connecticut University, a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, a doctoral degree in education/organizational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and an Executive Leadership Certificate from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She holds a joint appointment at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing’s Department of Community-Public Health and is an Adjunct Professor at both the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, and James Cook University in Cairns, Australia.

Gabrielle Union is an actress, producer, activist, and best-selling author. Union served as executive producer for Amazon MGM Studios’ THE IDEA OF YOU, starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. The film was released in May 2024 to 50 million worldwide viewers and became the number one most watched Amazon original film on Prime Video in 2024. Earlier this year, Union was seen starring alongside Bill Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, and Ed Harris in the crime comedy RIFF RAFF. Union also recently wrapped production on the horror film THE CASKET GIRLS, in which she stars and executive produces. Up next, Union will lend her voice in the animated film GOAT, alongside Stephen Curry, which is set to hit theatres on February 13th, 2026. Currently, Union is in production on the new Amazon Prime romantic comedy BLAME IT ON ROME, starring opposite Michele Marrone.

In 2023, Union starred in and executive produced the Netflix romantic comedy THE PERFECT FIND, which earned her a NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance. Union also executive produced her 2023 BET+ docuseries, “My Journey to 50” which chronicles her time in Africa celebrating her heritage and 50th birthday.

Union starred in the A24 drama THE INSPECTION, opposite Jeremy Pope, which premiered to acclaim at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival ahead of its theatrical release. For her supporting role as Inez French, Union was nominated for a Gotham and Independent Spirit Award. She is also featured alongside Octavia Spencer in Season 3 of Apple TV+’s “Truth Be Told”, as well as in the 2022 Walt Disney Pictures animated film STRANGE WORLD.

In 2021, Gabrielle released her children’s book, “Shady Baby”, with her husband Dwyane Wade. The follow up “Shady Baby Feels” was released in August 2022. Union’s autobiographical books, “We’re Going To Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated and True,” and “You Got Anything Stronger?” both became New York Times best sellers.

In 2018, Union formed her production company I’ll Have Another, with the goal of telling authentic stories that feature the point of views of marginalized communities. I’ll Have Another develops broadcast, cable, and streaming series for television, as well as feature films.

Union pioneers businesses centered around inclusion, accessibility, and affordability. In 2020, she launched the haircare line Flawless by Gabrielle Union for textured hair. Union also co-founded Proudly, a baby care brand specially formulated to meet the unique needs of Black and brown babies and their extra-special skin. Union’s film and TV highlights include CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, THINK LIKE A MAN, BAD BOYS II, DELIVER US FROM EVA, LOVE & BASKETBALL, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, SHE’S ALL THAT, BRING IT ON, along with “Being Mary Jane” and “LA’s Finest”.