Soumya Balasubramanya is a researcher at the International Water Management Institute. Her expertise includes environmental economics, non-market valuation, development economics, micro-econometrics, and program evaluation. Soumya’s research has been used by bilateral and multilateral financial organizations, and governments, to guide investments and policy in water, sanitation, agriculture, and climate sectors. She is currently working in South, Southeast, and Central Asia and coordinates IWMI’s programming in Bangladesh.

Spencer F. Kirk is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and managing director of Kirk Humanitarian. He and his wife Kristen founded Kirk Humanitarian in 2002 with the mission of improving maternal health around the world. Kirk Humanitarian is the leading purchaser and donor of high-quality and safe multiple micronutrient supplements for low- and middle-income countries governments and NGO partners. Kirk co-founded Megahertz Corporation in 1985 and served as CEO at Extra Space Storage, Inc. from 2009 to 2016. He maintains his role as a director of the board at Extra Space Storage, Inc.

Stacey Knobler joined the Sabin Vaccine Institute in 2018 to lead an initiative dedicated to accelerating the development of a universal influenza vaccine. Stacey has more than 20 years of experience as a global health and development professional, with expertise in research, program design and implementation, and strategic planning. She previously served as a senior adviser and scientific program director for multiple large-scale initiatives for the Division of International Epidemiology and Population Studies at the Fogarty International Center (FIC), within the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Stacia George is a director in Chemonics’ West and Central Africa and Haiti Division. She previously served as the deputy director for USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives and is an expert in conflict management and international development with specializations in conflict-affected environments, stabilization, democracy, and community-driven development programming. Prior to this George was a foreign policy fellow for Senator Chris Coons and also worked at Caerus Associates. She held an international affairs fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations and previously spent 11 years with USAID.

Stefaan Vande Walle is the global strategic education adviser for VVOB — education for development. He has more than 20 years of experience of working in education, development and research and advises on primary education programs, particularly those linked to foundational numeracy and primary math, and ICT in education.

Stefaan G. Verhulst is co-founder and chief research and development officer of The GovLab at New York University where he is building a knowledge foundation on how to transform governance using advances in science and technology. Before joining NYU, Verhulst spent more than a decade as chief of research for the Markle Foundation, where he continues to serve as senior advisor.

Stefan Dercon served as chief economist of the U.K. Department of International Development from 2011 and 2017. In this position, he provided strategic advice, and was responsible for ensuring the use of evidence in decision making. He is currently the professor of Economic Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and the Economics Department, and a fellow of Jesus College at the University of Oxford. He is also director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies.

Stefan Grundmann is president and CEO of BrightLife, a social enterprise by FINCA International in Uganda. BrightLife provides last-mile distribution and end-user financing for basic service products, including solar home systems, improved cookstoves, and productive use assets.

In early 2012, Dr. Stefan Liebing took over as chairman of Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft e.V., the German-African Business Association, a prestigious industry association that is active across Africa with around 600 members from German industry. In 2014/2015 he also acted as the chairman of the European Business Council on Africa and the Mediterranean. In his main profession, Stefan Liebing is the owner and director of Conjuncta GmbH, a boutique consultancy and project development company. In addition, he is a member of the advisory boards of several investment and consultancy companies.

Stefan Schmitz is a German geoscientist and an advocate for crop diversity and food security. For many years, he has led initiatives in food security, agriculture, and rural development within the German federal administration and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. In 2020, he became the executive director of the Crop Trust.