Recognizing the World’s Most Inspiring Youth Leaders

Hugh Evans, Global Citizen’s CEO and Co-Founder, grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and over the
course of his life has become one of the most recognized leaders in international development.
Over the past decade, Hugh has built a movement of millions of people around the world who
are working to end extreme poverty by 2030, in support of the United Nations Global Goals.
For his efforts, Hugh has been named Young Australian of the Year (2004), featured on Forbes
30 Under 30 (2012), was named as one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in
Business (2014), received the GQ Man of the Year Award for Chivalry (2014), recognized with
the Diamond Ball Award for Humanitarian Work (2018), and was also honored in Town &
Country’s Philanthropy Summit (2021). Hugh has also been honored as Billboard magazine’s
Humanitarian of the Year (2015), his life story was profiled in 2017 in a CNBC special titled, The
Brave Ones, and Global Citizen, currently owns two Guinness Book of World Records, has won
multiple Webby awards, and was named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Businesses in
2021. He has spoken at major international forums including the World Economic Forum, Cannes
Lions, SXSW, CES and more.

As Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer at Cisco, Francine Katsoudas brings together people and technology to drive positive impact for the company and global communities. Her work advances Cisco's Purpose to Power an Inclusive Future for All, and her leadership on critical policy and social issues has forged strategic public-private partnerships addressing some of the world's most pressing concerns.

In her role at Cisco, Fran leads a global team spanning People & Communities, Sustainability, Social Impact & Inclusion, Government Affairs & Policy, Workplace Resources, and Cisco's Digital Impact Office - all on a mission to put Cisco's Purpose into practice while driving growth for Cisco's business, people, and communities. During her 29 years at the company, Fran has led large-scale organizational transformations, cultivated new generations of leaders, and stewarded Cisco's renowned employee-first conscious culture.

Fran has supported underrepresented groups since her youth, and today focuses her advocacy on women's leadership, homeless youth, and narrowing the digital divide. Fran is also Cisco's executive country sponsor for Mexico, Poland, South Africa, and India. She has been recognized on the Forbes and Know Your Value 50 Over 50 list, honoring female leaders and entrepreneurs who are breaking new ground. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for ADP and for Global Citizen as Co-Chair. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Fran lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two children.

Ricardo is an environmental engineer from Bogotá, Colombia, and the Co-Founder and CEO of the social enterprise Eko Group H2O+. Through this company, he provides environmentally sustainable technologies to address global water access issues. His expertise has sensitized over 150 communities, with 15000 active users benefiting from the 350 Ekomuros H2O+ tanks installed across Colombia and LATAM, ultimately reaching over 85,000 indirect beneficiaries. In 2023, Eko Group H2O+ was honored for the second time  as the national winner of the prestigious Energy Globe Sustainability Award, receiving support from renowned institutions such as the Royal Academy of Engineering in London and the organization One Young World. Ricardo's commitment to environmental sustainability and social impact underscores his powerful leadership in tackling one of the world's most pressing challenges. Ricardo’s parents are his biggest inspiration. “Since we were young our parents taught us to love and care for the planet Earth. Our mother, being a Natural Science teacher, gave us a love for this knowledge. Our father, an architect, inspired us to work on sustainable eco-efficient projects.”

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is former United Nations Under- Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women. She was awarded a doctorate in Technology andEducation from Warwick University. She has authored several scholarly and other opinion pieces. A Hauser Leader at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership.She became a Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister of Department of Trade and Industry, Minister of Minerals and Energy, and finally as Deputy President of South Africa in 2005 to 2008, Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka worked tirelessly on programmes and policies to reduce inequality. As the head of the UNwomen, she has been a global advocate for women and girls. She established initiatives such as the HeForShe for men and boys to address gender Equality.She also successfully mobilized an historic $40 billion USD   for women and girls around the world. She is a founder and leader of Umlambo Foundation which is dedicated to improvement of education and digital literacy training for educators.

Gargee Ghosh leads the foundation’s work in international political and economic affairs, overseeing relationships with governments, intergovernmental organizations, advocates, and philanthropic partners worldwide. Her role includes overseeing the foundation’s offices in Washington, D.C., Europe, and China.
Gargee holds graduate degrees in economics and international relations from Oxford University and Georgetown University, respectively, and an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Victoria. Her career has spanned the public and private sectors, from the United Nations to McKinsey &Co., the Center for Global Development, and Google. She traces her interest in international development to her family’s roots in West Bengal, India.

Gargee lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, two active children, and one lazy rescue dog.