Learn About Leadership And A Better Future From Five Innovative Education Experts

By Laurel Donnellan and Darryl Brown Jr. (Originally published at Forbes.com)

I have attended three of the fifteen annual SXSW (South by Southwest) Education Conferences in Austin, TX, including the inaugural event, where I heard Bill Gates speak about MOOCs and a teen education reformer speak about how to better engage his generation. It was a life-changing experience. Since then, education has taken many turns thanks to innovation, research, technology, COVID, politics, and policy changes. 

In March of this year, I covered the 2026 event for Forbes.com and met an array of incredible speakers who tackled a diverse range of themes, ranging from global initiatives to the future of tech. Tens of thousands of speaker submissions came in from around the world, and hundreds were selected and presented. I chose the sessions I attended and the interviews I conducted through the lens of compassionate leadership. 

Based on this year’s experience, I am introducing you to five incredibly inspiring leaders from the conference who are making the world better in ways that will impact us for generations. 

1. Yemi Dele Akinyemi, founder of the Moonshot Platform

Moonshot Platform was started in 2022 with the idea that young change makers hold the keys to solving some of the most pressing challenges of our generation. We met the founder and a few of the extraordinary young leaders supported by Moonshot Platform, a global organization dedicated to identifying and supporting young innovators working on solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. 

At a panel called When Young People Lead: Rethinking Education Systems Moonshot’s charismatic founder, Yemi Dele Akinyemi, introduced the audience to several of their Moonshot Platform Award recipients.  Each one was incredibly impressive: Samih Daher, a Doctor of Pharmacy and founder of The SAPHe Community, a youth-led initiative transforming sexual and physical health awareness across Lebanon and the broader Arab region; Tamara Hofer, founder of Richtungswechsel, a nonprofit working to drive evidence-based reform across Austrian and European prison systems; and Chantale Zuzi, a survivor of war and violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo who, after studying at Wellesley College, founded Refugee Can Be, an organization dedicated to expanding educational access for girls in the Rwamwanja refugee camp in Uganda.

My colleague and CLC Chief Learning Officer, Sarah Feely, who was with me at the event, noted: “Individually, they are changing lives in their corners of the world. Collectively, they are contributing to something larger: a shared narrative about what the future can look like. Hopeful. Empowering.”

2. Rebecca Winthrop, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Universal Education, The Brookings Institute and co-author of The Disengaged Teen

Rebecca Winthrop presented at a session titled How to Support Resilient Youth in an AI World. Her panel included three media/tech leaders who responded to her presentation, which included research that examined the benefits and drawbacks of AI in education. All parents, guardians, and educators are currently grappling with how to support students as AI takes off. Watching Wintrop’s presentation and panel may be the best hour you can invest in this week if you are interested in making more sense of this daunting topic.  The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better, the book that she wrote with Jenny Anderson, also provides timely insights and practical advice. 

3. Ken Oliver, President and CEO of Jump

Ken Oliver and his organization was on a panel titled Redefining Redemption Through Talent, Culture, & Opportunity,  and I had the great privilege of interviewing him for over an hour to learn more about  JUMP and its mission in a very candid interview where he shared more about his role and his background which makes him uniquely qualified to help people impacted by the justice system. 

Before his impressive career at the intersection of law, public policy, and philanthropy, Oliver spent 24 years in prison, including nearly a decade in solitary confinement. He successfully challenged the conditions of his confinement, securing an unprecedented settlement and his freedom through a landmark civil rights lawsuit in partnership with Stanford University and Mayer Brown. Oliver and his team are bringing together business leaders, policymakers, culture changers, and communities to drive sweeping, lasting change that gives people well-deserved second chances. A cornerstone of that work is confronting the very real problem of stigma and shifting narratives around people with records. 

Oliver cofounded JUMP with Larry Miller, Chairman of the Jordon Brand at Nike, whose book JUMP shares the organization’s name and tells the story of his journey from the streets of Philadelphia to prison and ultimately to leadership at Nike and the Portland Trail Blazers. 

April is now designated as Fair Chance Month (also known as Second Chance Month), a recognition of those who face and overcome many of the challenges associated with arrest records in the United States. The National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (NACDL) has a resource page to support anyone in need of assistance. 

4. Angelique Albert, CEO, Native Forward Scholars Fund

I had the great honor of seeing Angelique Albert, CEO of the Native Forward Scholars Fund, present a talk titled "Reclaiming Truth: From Erasure to Native Leadership" and to interview her one-on-one. Albert’s personal story, as well as the rich history of her organization, was woven through this excellent presentation. I found her to be a balance of wisdom and humility, deeply rooted in the nuances of tribal heritage. For example, she emphasized that for Native people, education has never been an individual achievement—it is a responsibility to the community. 

Since her organization was founded in the 1960s, they have provided over 22,000 scholarships to US Tribal citizens for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. Like many worthy not-for-profits, they are currently facing a funding gap and would like to find ways to support more deserving students who apply but cannot be accommodated. They provide financial support for American Indians and Alaska Natives seeking higher education and partner with tribes, the federal government, foundations, corporations, and individuals to ensure the growth and sustainability of scholarships. Consider donating here. 

5. Asha Varghese, President of the Caterpillar Foundation

Asha Varghese, President of the Caterpillar Foundation, spoke on a panel called Game On, Career Exploration Through Play, where she, her partners at Learning Undefeated, and a teacher showcased their unique approach to portable STEM education. They provide students and schools with mobile labs and other resources that can come to schools to offer a fun, practical, and hands-on experience linked to careers in manufacturing. These portable STEM classrooms are called Breakout Box. 

I had the great pleasure of interviewing her about her organization and her approach to leadership after seeing the impact of Breakout Box at the panel. The mission of the foundation, which started in 1952, is: We build thriving communities by investing in the skills people need to join the modern workforce, and the natural and vital infrastructure they rely upon. Their impact is far-reaching, as they are committed to helping any community worldwide where Caterpillar employees live and work. 

Varghese has an impressive background, including as an immigrant, an engineer, and an alumnus of the prestigious bipartisan Presidential Leadership Scholars program, where she learned something valuable she wants to pass on to others. ‘Reflect and find one core value, and let it be a guide when making decisions.’ Hers? Stability. And now she aims to provide that to her team and stakeholders to the best of her ability in this ever-changing and challenging world. 

The SXSW Education Conference was a exhilarating experience, thanks to these people and other compassionate leaders I met and learned from. It was a potent reminder that people waking up every day are devoted to doing the right things to make the world a better place. If you are interested in the future of education, you may want to consider participating next year. 

Meet other inspiring leaders you can learn from at the Annual Compassionate Leaders Awards on April 20, 2026.