Moonshot Camp 2024

Moderators

Moderators, who designed the curriculum, lead thought provoking discussions in the seminar rooms and guided the cohorts through the program.

Yemi A.D.

Founder & CEO, Moonshot Platform Inc.

Nike Irwin

Managing Director. Civil Society Fellowship

Yemi A.D.

Yemi A.D. is a multidisciplinary creator and social innovator. With over 20 years of experience, Yemi has honed his skills as a choreographer, director, and producer, establishing himself as one of the most sought-after creatives in his field. He has collaborated with high-profile clients and designed global concerts, tours, and music videos, including a VMAs performance (2010), the short film Runaway (2010), or a series of performances for Saturday Night Live (2010). Yemi's creative development has led to internationally acclaimed campaigns for Google, Apple, and Mercedes Benz. Yemi is the Ambassador of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for the Czech Republic and was appointed the Czech Goodwill Ambassador by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2019. Additionally, he devotes his time to work with disadvantaged children in Indonesia, where he founded an elementary school; in India, where he presented a program for kids with impaired hearing sense; in Nigeria where he established a program granting EU scholarships to talented students; and in the Czech Republic working with children with disabilities. In 2021, Yemi founded Moonshot Platform Inc., a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks and accelerates emerging leaders and their organizations around the world who work on solutions to the 21st Century Grand Challenges & SDGs-focused innovations. The platform, supported by former U.S. Secretary Madeleine Albright & Resnick Aspen Action Forum, has reached over 3 million people. In December 2022, out of 1 million applicants, Yemi was selected as a crew member of the dearMoon space mission operated by SpaceX, becoming the first person of colour to orbit the Moon.

Tommy Loper

Vice President Enterprise Development, The Aspen Institute

Tommy Loper

Tommy Loper is passionate about building a better tomorrow for humankind by bringing people together in meaningful work and relationship. He is Vice President, Office of Operations & Strategic Initiatives, for the Aspen Institute’s Leadership Division where he oversees cross-cutting efforts to deepen impact as well as imagining and building strategic futures. Since joining the Institute in 2008, Tommy has launched multiple endeavors to broaden and deepen Aspen’s mission for a more just, free and equitable world. Such initiatives include supporting the launch of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, co-founding the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, and co-founding Weave: The Social Fabric Project with David Brooks of the NYTimes. Prior to joining the Aspen Institute, Tommy worked at two start-up event production agencies and at age 35 was recognized as a top 20 conference producer in the United States on the BizBash 1,000. He serves on the boards of Friends of New Orleans and The Quorum Initiative. Tommy is a graduate of the School of International Service at American University, he studied at La Universidad Diego Portales in Chile, L’Université libre de Bruxelles in Belgium, and most recently participated in Georgetown University’s Nonprofit Executive Management program. Originally from Massachusetts, he resides with his husband Dirk Sellers, in Washington, DC. Tommy is an avid runner, aspiring chef, space enthusiast and dog lover.

Carla Piñeyro Sublett

Chief Eleveation Architect, Former CMO of IBM, Board member, Henry Crown Fellow

Ranji Nagaswami

Chief Executive / Investment Officer at leading global asset management firms

Esther Turner

Esther Turner is the Director of Impact & Engagement for the Henry Crown Fellowship. In this role, she leads the Fellowship’s alumni engagement by creating, launching, and delivering initiatives and events to increase the ability of Henry Crown Fellows to make an impact in the world – from social impact ventures to board governance. Previously, Esther worked as a Senior Account Executive for an advertising agency and was the Director of Regional and Strategic Partnerships for the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area. Esther sits on the board for Visit Loudoun, the destination marketing organization for Loudoun County, VA, and chairs their diversity, equity, and inclusion steering committee. Esther is also a 2011 graduate of Leadership Loudoun. Certified as a Tourism Ambassador by the Tourism Ambassador Institute, Esther also holds an Event Management Certification through George Washington University, a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Old Dominion University, and an MBA in International Business from Southern New Hampshire University. Over the course of a career now spanning two decades, Esther has played pivotal roles in nearly every aspect of marketing, event management, and tourism from the creation and execution of media, marketing, and event plans to public speaking, program development, and fundraising.

Chris Valeras

Founding Partner at Riverwood Capital, Moonshot Board Member

Dele Olojede

Founder & Host at Africa in the World

Heather Sonn

Director, Gamiro Investment Group

Chris Varelas

Chris Varelas is a founding partner of Riverwood Capital, a private equity firm focused on high growth technology and technology-related companies in need of capital and expertise to scale on a global basis. The firm’s successful investments include ALOG, GoPro, Globant and Nutanix. His personal successful early stage investments include Berkeley Lights, FIGS, Forge and Glam Street. Prior to establishing Riverwood, Chris worked at Salomon Brothers/Citi as Global Head of Technology, Media & Telecom Investment Banking, Head of Citi’s National Investment Bank, member of Citi’s Global Operating Committee and Culture Czar for all of Citi. As an investment banker, Chris’ primary focus was Mergers & Acquisitions, working on many of the landmark transactions that shaped the technology industry including Compaq/HP, Peoplesoft/ Oracle, IBM/PWC, Lucent Fiber and Flextronics/ Solectron. In addition, he was the lead team member for the Chapter Nine reorganization of the County of Orange, California. Chris was selected as one of the 100 most important deal makers by the New York Times and was named top “rainmaker’ in the technology sector by Dealmaker Magazine. He a moderator for the Aspen Institute for which he co-founded the Aspen Finance Leaders Fellowship program, created to produce effective enlightened leaders in the financial services industry. He also sits on the boards of Elemental Cognition, Insider, MotionPoint and NextDoor, and the Advisory Boards for Streamlined Ventures, Global Ventures and the RAND Corporation’s Center for Global Risk and Security. Chris earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a BA from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California for which he serves on the Board of Trustees and leads the Investment Committee. Chris was selected as the 2020 Occidental Seal Award recipient for Professional Achievement. Chris is the author of How Money Became Dangerous: The Inside Story of Our Turbulent Relationship with Modern Finance.