Iris Nxumalo-De Smidt increasingly identifies as a feminist systems innovator who leverages research, facilitation, and organisational development to support feminist movement building and systems change in philanthropy. She is the Founding Director of Lorha Nakambe Innovation Consulting, a feminist consulting practice which embodies an invitation to transform the ways we advance social change by organising differently to realise the justice, healing, liberation, and equity we long to see in the world. She has spent almost a decade supporting strategic grant-making and systems change initiatives through feminist movement-building, Pan-African youth advocacy, teaching, and conducting research in five countries spanning three continents. She holds an MSc in African Studies from Oxford University, and is currently reading for an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business as a Bertha Scholar. Her research focuses on the systems innovation efforts of feminist philanthropic actors.

Caren Akoto-Adade is a feminist, writer, teacher and filmmaker based in Accra, Ghana. She is currently the Communications and Fundraising Assistant at the African Women’s Development Fund and a meth Young Feminist Collective, an organisation in Accra dedicated to creating a safe space for young feminist women to deepen their politics and activism. When Caren is not busy falling into a book, a conversation or her phone, she’s very likely to be advocating the importance of a good cup of tea, pets and hugs.

Somer Nowak is a mixed, Black feminist committed to amplifying, resourcing and connecting movements for racial, gender and economic justice across the US and Global South. She brings nearly 10 years of experience working with global feminist organizations and philanthropic institutions, where she has supported young feminist activism at the International Women’s Health Coalition and managed grantmaking to feminist and LGBTQ-led movements at Foundation for a Just Society and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. Somer’s lived experience as a community birthworker and healing practitioner informs her belief that collective care is critical for sustaining our movements, communities, and the planet. She currently works with the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights where she leads a strategy to resource and strengthen healing justice movements and collective care infrastructure in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the US. Somer is from Milwaukee, WI and based in Phoenix, AZ. She is a Fulbright Scholar and holds a B.A. in International Affairs, Spanish and Africana Studies from Marquette University.

Xiomara Carballo Briceño is a Afro- Costa Rican feminist, Human Rights activist, sexual and reproductive rights advocate, with more than 12 years of experience in transformative processes for social justice, through participatory methodologies, collective education, innovative activism, political advocacy, conscious leadership, strategic planning for social development and movement building, intercultural- intersectional approaches, trust and collective care based philanthropy with cooperation agencies and grassroots organizations and human right defenders across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Strong negotiating and leadership skills, strategic thinker, able to work independently while consciously engaging and creating safe space for team work. Able to work and communicate at professional level in Spanish, English and Portuguese with a lifetime of experience on the meaning of social justice.

Annetta Jackson is an Antiguan and Barbudan advocate, Caribbean Feminist, and creative. She is a Law Graduate, certified Mediator and Barrister called to the Bar of England and Wales. She is also the holder of a Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School and is admitted to practice as an Attorney-at-Law in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Antigua and Barbuda. Annetta currently works in Gender Mainstreaming as a Programme Officer with responsibility for Legal and Institutional Frameworks at the Directorate of Gender Affairs in Antigua and Barbuda. Outside of her legal pursuits, she is engaged in feminist movement work and serves as a Storyteller for Intersect Antigua and as Communications Consultant for Black Feminist Fund. She has written for the Equality Fund to launch their Women’s Voice and Leadership Caribbean Grantmaking. Annetta also is an avid photographer, enjoys reading, and loves spending time at the beach.