Leslie Gamero has served as the country director for ChildFund International Honduras since 2013. She has more than 20 years of experience working with vulnerable and excluded populations, focusing most recently on child protection, and crime and violence prevention. Prior to her work with ChildFund, Gamero led innovative development programs funded by various international donors, including the World Bank and USAID, with whom she also worked as a consultant.

Lester Munson is co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network and a principal at BGR Group, where he consults with foreign governments, corporations, and advocacy groups. Lester joined BGR Group in November 2015 after a 26-year career on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch. He was most recently staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Dr. Lewis Schrager is vice president of scientific affairs at Aeras. He oversees and maintains key external relationships focused on research and development, including the regulatory affairs, global affairs, safety and pharmacovigilance and medical writing departments. He previously served chief of vaccine clinical review at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He previously worked for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Li Junhua is the undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the secretary-general of the U.N.’s Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, 2025. Information about the conference is available on the United Nations website.

Li Yong, director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, has had an extensive career as a senior economic and financial policymaker. As vice-minister of finance of the People’s Republic of China and member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank for a decade, Mr. Li was involved in setting and harmonizing fiscal, monetary and industrial policies, and in supporting sound economic growth in China. He pushed forward financial sector reform, and prompted major financial institutions to establish corporate governance, deal with toxic assets and strengthen risk management.

Lia Russell is currently completing her Master’s degree in International Development at American University, concentrating in the intersection of development, conflict, and human rights. She previously served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Rwanda, where she taught English for two years.

Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin, MD, MHA, is the executive director for the Center for International Reproductive Health Training at the University of Michigan. She previously served as project director for the Maternal and Child Survival Program at Jhpiego Ethiopia. She earned her doctor of medicine and master of health care administration at Jimma University, and specialized in obstetrics and gynecology at Addis Ababa University.

Liam Kennedy is director of the Clinton Institute for American Studies at Dublin's University College Dublin. Author and editor of several books, his research interests and teaching experiences ranges from U.S. urban studies, visual culture and globalization to transatlantic relations.

Liana is a former Manila-based reporter at Devex focusing on education, development finance, and public-private partnerships.

Lida Hedayat is a versatile international development manager and gender expert with 16 years of experience on USAID projects and with nongovernmental organizations. Hedayat served as chief of party and project manager for the for USAID’s Women’s Leadership Development project.