2024 Forbes Under 30 Summit

Big Sean

GRAMMY-Nominated Artist, Author and Entrepreneur

A 7x BET Award-winning and GRAMMY®-nominated superstar, Big Sean is an uncompromising force in hip hop and culture at the top of his game. Since unleashing his 2011 PLATINUM-certified debut album Finally Famous on Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam imprint, Sean has sold more than 50 million records and continues to elevate with no signs of slowing.  This year he released his eagerly awaited sixth studio album Better Me Than You (Def Jam Recordings) which includes the critically acclaimed singles “On Up,” “Yes” and “Precision.” A true multi-hyphenate, Sean is also gearing up to release his first book “Go Higher” (Simon and Schuster) that serves as a spiritual guidebook for our times and outlines his five key practices for inner work and self-acceptance. In addition to his 2011 debut album, Sean’s musical catalog also comprises PLATINUM-certified albums Detroit 2 (2020), I Decided. (2017) and Dark Sky Paradise (2015) which all debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as well as GOLD-certified album Hall Of Fame (2013). His track records boasts an impressive 21 MULTI PLATINUM, PLATINUM AND GOLD-certified hit singles including the 9x-PLATINUM No. 1 hit “IDFWU” feat. E-40, the 6x-PLATINUM “Bounce Back,” 5x-PLATINUM “Dance (A$$)” feat. Nicki Minaj, 4x-PLATINUM “Beware” feat. Lil Wayne and Jhené Aiko, as well as the No. 1 "Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay" feat. Kanye West and Roscoe Dash, and the GRAMMY-nominated “Mercy” feat. Pusha T and 2 Chainz with which he shared multi-platinum success with Kanye. Attracting an audience of 50 million across social channels, Sean leverages his platform to give back as he runs the Sean Anderson Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which assists in the education, health, safety and well-being of school aged youth in underserved communities across the country. For more information, please visit www.uknowbigsean.com.

Ankur Jain

Founder & CEO

Bilt Rewards

Ankur Jain is the Founder and CEO of Bilt Rewards - the nation's largest residential payments and neighborhood loyalty program. The program is the first of its kind to allow renters to earn points on rent payments and rewards on spend at local neighborhood businesses - all while helping build a path to homeownership.

Bilt was developed in partnership with an alliance of the nation's largest real estate owners and operators, representing over 4.5 million homes across the United States. The company is chaired by Kenneth Chenault, the former CEO of American Express, and in August 2024 was valued at $3.25 billion.

Jain is also the Founder of Kairos, a venture studio building companies to tackle the world's greatest challenges. Currently, the Kairos portfolio of brands is focused on making essential services like housing and healthcare more affordable. Over the years, Kairos has helped launch and grow over $6.5 billion worth of companies tackling problems in healthcare, housing costs, transportation networks, and more.

Before rejoining Kairos in May 2017, Jain was the Head of Product at Tinder, the world's largest social network for meeting people. He joined Tinder after it acquired his previous company, Humin, where he served as Founder and CEO.

Over the years, Jain has been recognized for a variety of achievements. In April 2024, Jain was named a billionaire by Forbes. In 2017, he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. In 2015, Forbes placed him on their "30 under 30" list. In 2012, Jain was named "30 under 30: Solution Broker" by the Christian Science Monitor and in 2011, Inc. Magazine named him the "Best Connected 21-Year-Old in the World" while also including him on their "30 Under 30" list.

Jain currently serves on the innovation board of the X-Prize Foundation, and graduated from the Wharton School of Business in May, 2011.

Jain is married to Erika Hammond Jain, and they live in New York City.

Bobbi Althoff

Comedian & Podcast Host

Bobbi Althoff is a comedian and host of The Really Good Podcast. Starting her career on TikTok in 2021, Althoff quickly gained massive success across her social media platforms due to her dry humor and sardonic wit. In April of 2023, she released her very first episode of The Really Good Podcast which was an instant triumph. Bobbi now has over 13M followers across social media, is regularly at the top of the podcast charts and clips of her interviews now obtain over 1B views and over 250M likes.

Compared to Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, Althoff has cemented herself in the comedy space with her deadpan humor and understated irony, while leaving guests itching in their seats. She provides a fresh and humanizing new take interviewing today’s cultural icons including Drake, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Cuban, Offset, Shaquille O’Neal and Charlie Puth. The Really Good Podcast won Best Emerging Podcast at the 2024 iHeart Podcast Awards.

Bobbi recently launched season 3 of the podcast in partnership with Studio71. This new chapter promises the same incredibly awkward, yet hilarious conversations with notable talent while also incorporating fresh and elevated content. Furthermore, on October 10th, she will take the stage live at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, joined by co-host Sukihana, for a night of comedy featuring a surprise musical guest. The Really Good Podcast LIVE w/ Bobbi Althoff hopes to bring her unique brand of humor to cities across the country, each time with a new lineup of special guests.

Metro Boomin

GRAMMY Award-Nominated Diamond-Certified Producer, DJ and Artist

Since 2013, GRAMMY® Award-nominated diamond-certified producer, DJ, and artist Metro Boomin has defined not only the sound, but the direction of hip-hop. He impressively endures as the “Highest-Streaming Producer” in music. With dozens of smashes to his name including 52 Billboard Hot 100 hits as a lead artist, his unmatched, unprecedented, and undeniable discography encompasses the quintuple-platinum “Jumpman” by Drake and Future, quadruple-platinum “Bad and Boujee” [feat. Lil Uzi Vert] by Migos, 14x Platinum “Congratulations” [feat. Quavo] by Post Malone, 9x Platinum “Mask Off” by Future, 6x Platinum “Bounce Back” by Big Sean, and many more. Working with The Weeknd, he co-produced the Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit “Heartless” and contributed three more tracks to the chart-dominating 2020 epic After Hours. Along the way, he also joined forces with 21 Savage for the 2016 blockbuster Savage Mode and its even bigger 2020 successor Savage Mode II—which bowed at #1 on the Billboard 200, went gold, and closed out the year on multiple year-end lists. Other knockout collaborative albums included Double or Nothing with Big Sean and Without Warning with Offset and 21 Savage, both of which crashed the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. In 2018, he unleashed his full-length solo debut, Not All Heroes Wear Capes, seizing #1 on the Billboard 200 upon release, reaching platinum status. The FADER hailed him as “The Most Trusted Guy in Rap,” HIGHSNOBIETY christened this era “The Boom Years,” and The Wall Street Journal dubbed him “The Rap Producer Shaping Pop Music.” He launched his own record label Boominati Worldwide in partnership with Republic Records.

To date, he has received “Producer of the Year” at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards four consecutive years in a row (he is tied with Kanye West for having the most BMI Producer of the Year awards) and “Producer of the Year” at the BET Hip Hop Awards twice. Continuing a long creative partnership with Drake, he produced Certified Lover Boy’s “Knife Talk” [feat. 21 Savage & Project Pat], debuting in the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2021.

2022 saw him return to the top of the culture with his massively successful second full-length album, HEROES & VILLAINS. It bowed at #1 on the Billboard 200, Top Rap Albums Chart, and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart with the biggest sales week of his career. Meanwhile, it yielded a string of smashes. The double-platinum “Creepin” [feat. The Weeknd & 21 Savage] and double-platinum “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” [feat. Future & Chris Brown] each landed in the Top 10 of the Hot 100. HEROES & VILLAINS also dominated the Billboard Top Rap Albums Chart by spending a staggering 18 weeks at #1 and achieving his “longest run at the top of the chart.” Moreover, it boasted the platinum “Too Many Nights” [feat. Future & Don Toliver] and platinum “Trance” [feat. Travis Scott & Young Thug]. He notably scored 2024 GRAMMY® Award nods for “Producer of the Year” and “Best Rap Album.” Not to mention, “Creepin” gathered three top nominations at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, namely “Song of the Year,” “Best Collaboration,” and “R&B Song of the Year.”

In 2023, he architected the official soundtrack for Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. The album—Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse—became his “6th Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200” and “4th #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart” in addition to logging seven straight weeks on the Billboard Top Soundtrack Albums Chart. It garnered a 2024 Annie Award in the category of “Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature” as well as receiving nominations at the 2024 NCAAP Image Awards, Black Reel Awards, and more. Nearing 1 billion global streams, it spawned six Hot 100 hits.

In 2023, It’s no wonder Variety crowned him its ‘”Producer of the Year,” Time touted him on the “Time100Next,” and he took home BET Hip Hop Awards for “Best DJ of the Year” and “Best Producer of the Year.”

2024 saw him level up even higher. He made history by joining forces with Future and delivering back-to-back #1 albums on the Billboard 200 with We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You. The flagship single “Like That” [with Kendrick Lamar] catapulted to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and toppled the chart for three weeks straight. This success enshrined the duo as the “First Collaborators in Billboard 200 Chart History to Hit #1 with Two Joint Projects,” while “Like That” popped off as “The First Hip-Hop Song Since 2018 to Clinch #1 on the Hot 100 for Three Consecutive Weeks.” Simultaneously, he emerged as “the first producer to perform at the Pyramids in Egypt.”

However, Metro never stops, and 2024 will be no exception.

Drew Afualo

Content Creator, Women’s Rights Advocate, Podcast Host and New York Times Best-Selling Author

Drew Afualo is a content creator, women’s rights advocate, podcast host and New York Times bestselling author best known as the internet’s “Crusader for Women”. From her hilariously witty content to her no-BS approach to shoveling misogyny out of the TikTok app via viral takedowns, Drew takes female empowerment to new levels and has established herself as a preeminent feminist leader of her generation with an audience of over nine million of social media. She was named one of Forbes’ Top Creators of 2023, one of TIME Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders, Adweek’s 2022 Digital & Tech Creator of the Year and Meta’s Creator of Tomorrow. Drew also served as the official red-carpet correspondent at the 2023 Academy Awards and hosts the top-charting Spotify-exclusive podcast The Comment Section. Her New York Times best-selling book, LOUD: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve, published July 30th, 2024 via Questlove’s literary imprint AUWA Books.

Ken Chenault

Chairman & Managing Director, General Catalyst and Former Chairman & CEO

American Express

Kenneth I. Chenault is the Chairman and a Managing Director of the venture capital firm, General Catalyst. As a managing director of the firm, he focuses on investing in fast-growing companies that have the potential to become large, fundamental institutions. He also provides invaluable guidance to portfolio companies, particularly to those with an eye towards global markets and responsible innovation, as they scale their teams and products. As chairman, Ken leverages his renowned leadership abilities and experience to continue to evolve General Catalyst into a formidable and enduring firm.

Prior to joining General Catalyst, Ken was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express Company, a position he held from 2001 to 2018. He joined American Express in 1981 as Director of Strategic Planning and served subsequently in a number of increasingly senior positions, including Vice Chairman and President and Chief Operating Officer, until his appointment as CEO. Under his leadership, American Express built one of the world’s largest customer loyalty programs – Membership Rewards – and earned global recognition as a leader in customer service. Upon Ken’s retirement from American Express, Warren Buffett, the company’s largest shareholder stated, “Ken's been the gold standard for corporate leadership and the benchmark that I measure others against.”

Ken is recognized as one of the business world’s experts on brands and brand management. He has been honored by multiple publications including Fortune Magazine, which named him as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders in its inaugural list in 2014 and, most recently, in 2021. TIME celebrated Ken together with Ken Frazier in the TIME100 Most Influential People of 2021 list for their corporate and social activism – specifically, for mobilizing hundreds of corporate leaders to advocate for equitable voting rights in the U.S., and for co-founding OneTen, a coalition of leading organizations committed to upskilling, hiring, and promoting people without four-year degrees into family-sustaining jobs with an emphasis on Black Americans.

Ken serves on the boards of Airbnb, Berkshire Hathaway, Bilt Rewards, Chief, Guild Education, and the Harvard Corporation. Ken is on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Concordance, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Human Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute Advisory Council at Stanford University, and the Smithsonian Institution’s Advisory Council for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, of which he formerly served as chair. He also serves on the board of trustees for NYU Langone Health, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and as co-chair of Concordance’s First Chance campaign to end the cycle of reincarceration.

Ken holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA in history from Bowdoin College. He has also received honorary degrees from several universities and awards from a wide variety of civic, social service, and community organizations.

He and his wife, Kathryn, live in New York City, and they have two sons.

Ken Frazier

Chairman of Health Assurance Initiatives, General Catalyst and Former Chairman & CEO

Merck

Kenneth C. Frazier is Chairman of General Catalyst’s Health Assurance initiatives. Ken plays an important role in guiding GC’s Health Assurance strategy, which requires building and connecting an extended healthcare ecosystem -- including a closer partnership between healthcare and pharma, and a focus on health equity to ensure quality healthcare is accessible to all. Ken focuses on investments and partnerships, and providing mentorship to founders building companies that are well positioned to transform the healthcare industry through collaborative innovation.

Ken is the former executive chairman of the board of directors of Merck, following his retirement from a decade-long tenure as the company’s President and CEO from 2011 to 2021.

Under Ken’s leadership, Merck delivered innovative lifesaving medicines and vaccines as well as long-term and sustainable value to its multiple stakeholders. Ken substantially increased Merck’s investment in research, including early research, while refocusing the organization on the launch and growth of key products that provide far-reaching benefits to society. He also led then formation of philanthropic and other initiatives that built on Merck’s 130-year legacy.

Ken joined Merck in 1992 and held positions of increasing responsibility, including general counsel and president. Prior to joining the company, Ken was a partner with the Philadelphia law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath.

Ken’s contributions, especially in the legal, business, and humanitarian fields, have been widely recognized. He is co-founder and co-chair of OneTen, a coalition of leading organizations committed to upskilling, hiring, and promoting people without four-year degrees into family-sustaining jobs with an emphasis on Black Americans. OneTen is committed to facilitating a meaningful, measurable, and lasting impact on racial and economic justice. Ken is the chair of the board of directors of GC portfolio company, Transcarent, and also sits on the boards of GC portfolio companies Eikon Therapeutics and Paradigm. Ken is on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including the National Constitution Center, Cornerstone Christian Academy in Philadelphia, PA, Weill Cornell Medicine, the Smithsonian Institution’s Advisory Council for the National Museum of African American History & Culture, and the Harvard Corporation. Ken also is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, The Business Council, the Council of the American Law Institute, the American Bar Association, and a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Additionally, Ken is co-chair of the Legal Services Corporation’s Leaders Council.

As a strong advocate for social justice and economic inclusion, Ken is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Anti-Defamation League Courage Against Hate Award, the Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics from Columbia Business School, the Legend in Leadership Award from the Yale School of Management, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund National Equal Justice Award, and the National Minority Quality Forum’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2018, Ken was named one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune magazine and also was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People. In 2019, he became the first recipient of the Forbes Lifetime Achievement Award for Healthcare. In 2021, his peers named him Chief Executive magazine’s CEO of the Year.

Ken received his bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Tori Dunlap

Founder & CEO

Her First $100K

Tori Dunlap is an internationally-recognized money and career expert, New York Times bestselling author, and podcast host. After saving $100,000 at age 25, Tori quit her corporate job in marketing and founded Her First $100K to fight financial inequality by giving women actionable resources to better their money. She has helped over five million women negotiate salary, pay off debt, build savings, and invest.

Author of the instant New York Times bestselling book “Financial Feminist”; host of the #1 Business Podcast, Financial Feminist; a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree; and co-creator of Treasury, an investing education platform that has over $60M invested (featured on New York Times Business front page), Tori's work has been featured on Good Morning America, the Today Show, the New York Times, CNN, BBC and more.

Tori now travels the world writing and speaking about personal finance, online businesses, and confidence for women.

Bill Shufelt

Cofounder & CEO

Athletic Brewing Company

Bill is the Co-Founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing Company based in CT & CA. Founded in 2017, Athletic Brewing is widely credited with jumpstarting and de-stigmatizing the non-alcoholic beer segment to being the fastest growing and most exciting category in beer. Bill brought his financial background and a love of beer to a partnership with highly awarded brewer John Walker to bring Athletic to life. Bill's love of the outdoors is evident in all elements of Athletic branding.

Since launching in 2018, Athletic Brewing has grown to become a Top 10 craft brewery and the largest non-alcoholic beer brand in the U.S. In 2022, Athletic was ranked as the 26th fastest-growing private company in America by Inc. Magazine and twice named one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential Companies.

Kathryn Newton

Actress

Kathryn Newton will next be seen opposite Emilia Jones, Connie Britton, Zach Galifianakis, and Danny Ramirez in WINNER, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and will open in theaters on September 13th. Recently, she starred in Universal’s ABIGAIL alongside Giancarlo Esposito, Dan Stevens, and Angus Cloud and opposite Cole Sprouse in Zelda Williams’ directorial debut, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, which was written by Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. Additionally, she starred in the coming-of-age comedy, GRIFFIN IN SUMMER, alongside Melanie Lynskey and Own Teague’s, which won three awards at the Tribeca Film Festival. She also recently wrapped production on the neo-noir thriller, LIPS LIKE SUGAR, alongside Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson, and Juliette Lewis.

Previously, Newton starred in Marvel’s ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA, in which she stars as ‘Cassie Lang’ opposite Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer – the film made almost $500 million at the box office and was nominated for a 2024 People’s Choice Award for “Action Movie for the Year.” Upcoming, she will be one of the few new actors that will lead Marvel’s next iteration of the MCU in Phases 5 & 6.

Newton is well known for starring in HBO’S Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning series, BIG LITTLE LIES, for which she was nominated for a SAG Award as part of the ensemble. She also starred in Netflix’s popular series, THE SOCIETY; Kay Cannon’s BLOCKERS, which made almost $100 million at the box office and was the highest earning R-rated comedy of 2018; and POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU opposite Ryan Reynolds, which made $450 million.

Newton’s other film credits include Amazon’s THE MAP OF TINY PERFECT THINGS; THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI for which she was nominated for a SAG Award as part of the ensemble; Universal’s FREAKY opposite Vince Vaughn; Greta Gerwig’s LADY BIRD; and Peter Hedges’ BEN IS BACK.

Newton is also an extremely accomplished golfer, having played in some of the most prestigious international golf tournaments including the Celebrity Ryder Cup. She is a champion for women in the sport and was recently named as an ambassador for the R&A.

Shaboozey

Singer-Songwriter & Producer

Rising multi-faceted artist Shaboozey is building his own world, carving his lane in the alternative country and hip-hop space. Born to parents of Nigerian descent and raised in the small town of Woodbridge, VA, Shaboozey grew up on an eclectic mix of music encompassing everything from classic hip-hop and R&B, to country and blues icons like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks, and Lead Belly, to master lyricists, such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. A true crossover artist, he began his epic 2024 run in March with two standout features on Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER—the only artist with multiple appearances on the album. His latest body of work, the critically acclaimed masterpiece Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200 and was praised in The New York Times for “bring[ing] hip-hop grit to country. The album’s smash single “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which is 3X RIAA-certified platinum and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Country Airplay Chart, launched him to mainstream stardom and has become the song of the summer. With the meteoric rise of “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey and Beyoncé became the first Black artists to score back-to-back leaders in the Billboard Hot Country Songs’ 66-year history. True to his Virginia roots, Shaboozey aims to continue the region’s long-standing tradition of prolific creativity, this time by expanding the scope of contemporary hip-hop and introducing modern Americana to a global audience.

Rupi Kaur

Poet, Artist and Performer

Rupi Kaur is a poet, artist, and performer.

A breakout literary phenomenon and #1 New York Times bestselling author, Kaur wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first poetry collection, milk and honey (2014). Next came its artistic siblings, the sun and her flowers (2017) and home body (2020), both debuting at #1 on bestseller lists across the world, followed by Healing Through Words (2022). Together, these collections have sold over 12 million copies and have been translated into over 40 languages, with milk and honey becoming one of the highest-selling poetry books of the 21st century. In October 2024, Rupi will be releasing the 10th anniversary collector's edition of milk and honey, which will include a new chapter of poems, annotations from Rupi and some of today's most respected voices, and so much more.

In 2021, Kaur produced Rupi Kaur Live, a first-of-its-kind poetry special on Amazon Prime Video. Kaur also executive produced the film This Place, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022, and the 2024 Academy Award–nominated film To Kill a Tiger.

Kaur has graced stages across the globe and completed her third sold-out world tour in 2023. Her shows are poetic theatrical experiences interlaced with Kaur’s own touch of stand-up comedy. Kaur’s work encompasses love, loss, trauma, healing, femininity, and more.

Amber Venz Box

Cofounder & President

LTK

Content creator turned co-founder and president of multi-billion dollar company, LTK, Amber Venz Box is the mother of creator commerce - pioneering an industry that has changed the way people shop and paved a path for today’s creators to build and grow sustainable businesses doing what they love. Her journey as a creator began with an astute observation - a realization that creators possessed a unique ability to captivate audiences and inspire consumer behavior.

Still a creator today, Amber’s unwavering commitment to empowering and championing entrepreneurship for creators has provided hundreds of thousands of creators with the tools to build thriving businesses while enabling brands to forge relationships with their audiences.

Today, LTK is the leading creator-guided shopping platform with over 40M monthly shoppers purchasing more than $4.1B annually from LTK creators, over 8,000 retailers and 1M+ brands on the platform and investment in creators on the platform hitting more than $2.7B. What was once a taboo hobby (blogging) has grown into a billion-dollar industry, and Amber has been at the forefront of helping creators monetize their content and turn it into a full-time career.

Katie Welch

Chief Marketing Officer

Rare Beauty

Katie Welch, Chief Marketing Officer for Rare Beauty, is a creative thinker and brand storyteller with more than 20 years of marketing experience. As a founding member of the Rare Beauty team, Katie works to bring Selena Gomez’s mission and vision for Rare Beauty to life. Since launch, Rare Beauty, known for its mental health mission and innovative products, has become one of the leading global beauty brands at Sephora. In previous marketing roles, she worked with globally respected beauty brands to tell their story, including Hourglass, Bliss, Burt’s Bees, Unilever and Victoria’s Secret Beauty. She was named to the 2024 Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO 50, Campaign US 2023 CMO 50, and Glossy 2022 Top Marketer lists. Her passion is mentorship; she mentors young marketing professionals as an Adweek Executive Mentor (2022, 20223, 2024). Additionally, she fostered a community of nearly 100k by creating marketing and career content on TikTok, @katiewelch. Katie has spoken to students at Harvard Business School, UC Berkeley, USC, and more.

Beatrice Dixon

Cofounder & CEO

The Honey Pot Company

Beatrice Dixon is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Honey Pot Company, the personal wellness brand “made by humans with vaginas, for humans with vaginas.” Beatrice created The Honey Pot Company in 2014 out of great personal need during an eight-month battle with bacterial vaginosis. The constant symptoms and fruitless search for solutions led her to formulate what became The Honey Pot Company’s first product, a vulva-safe wash. The Honey Pot Company currently offers feminine washes, wipes, tampons, pads, and products for personal health and wellness. Today, The Honey Pot Company’s plant-derived products can be found in 4.6 million U.S. homes and in retailers nationwide.

Mark Gainey

Cofounder & President

Strava

Mark Gainey has been building successful companies as a founder and CEO for over two decades. He currently serves as the co-founder and chairman of Strava, the leading digital community for active people and largest sports platform in the world. Founded in 2009, over 125 million athletes worldwide have joined Strava. Mark also co-founded Kana Communications, an enterprise software firm, in 1996 and served in various capacities, including CEO, president, and chairman. He has offered his expertise to a wide array of companies over the years, joining the boards of Alter-G, BoardVantage, Daum, Clari, and Coaching Corps. Mark holds an AB from Harvard University.

Dani Austin

Internet Personality & Founder

Divi

Dani Austin is an innovative entrepreneur, online fashion and lifestyle creator who has been recognized on the Forbes Top 50 Creators list, twice. She has garnered a following of more than 3 million across her social platforms, and serves as the Founder of the hair care brand "Divi,” which achieved $40M in sales within its first year of launch. Distributed nationwide at Ulta and Ulta Beauty at Target, the brand estimates $100M in revenue by the end of 2025. Dani and her husband Jordan are the hosts of the hit podcast, "De-Influenced" which garners 400,000 downloads per month. They are also the proud parents of Stella and Stratton, and are expecting their third child in the Spring.

XANDRA

DJ & Content Creator

Rising global music star and 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Rookie, 23-year-old Alexandra Pohl (professionally known as XANDRA) boasts a thriving career as a self-taught house DJ. Her exponential success has led to unbelievable opportunities, including DJing at the F1 Miami Grand Prix, the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show at Miami Swim Week (where she also walked the runway in their 2023 + 2024 shows), and Spotify’s Women in Music Event during Miami Music Week. She has opened for and played back-to-back sets with mainstay DJ acts including Kygo, Calvin Harris at the Pegasus World Cup, The Chainsmokers, Diplo at The Snow Lodge in Aspen, CO, and more. She recently wrapped her first solo headlining tour, the “DRUNK TOUR 2024,” where she sold out some of the biggest nightlife venues across the country, including Marquee in New York City, LIV Miami, Tao in Chicago, and Marquee Dayclub and Hakkasan in Las Vegas. It was also recently announced that she will make her Lollapalooza debut this upcoming August 2024, following her performance at this year’s Palm Tree Festival in the Hamptons. Signed as the sole, premiere female artist on Palm Tree MGMT’s talent roster, the artist management firm co-founded by Kygo, XANDRA is gearing up to release her debut, original single, “Body Say,” on July 12, 2024. The DJ’s premiere track, featuring vocalist GiGi Grombacher, is a certified electro-pop banger and primed to become the smash-hit, viral party anthem of the summer. XANDRA’s larger-than-life personality has also made waves across social media, where she helms a growing audience of over 1.6 million and counting. Her vibrant persona has led to major partnerships with notable brands including YSL Beauty, COACH, L’Oréal Paris, Hourglass Cosmetics, Caudalie, Living Proof, Bumble, and Gopuff, to name just a few.

Justin Tidwell

Cofounder & CEO

Nowadays

Justin Tidwell is the Co-Founder and CEO of Nowadays, a cannabis-infused spirit designed to deliver a light and buzzy experience without the negative effects of alcohol. Leading the company, Justin oversees the strategic vision for Nowadays, managing business growth, sales, marketing and recruitment.

Justin was introduced to his business partner, Antony Puterman by a mutual friend and they immediately connected on a shared sense of humor and passion for entrepreneurship. During their friendship, the two spent years picking each other's brains about new ideas and realized there was an untapped opportunity within the cannabis industry. During this time they were also cutting back on alcohol but found themselves still wanting a light buzz in social settings. Having mutual interests, Justin and Anthony set out to create a first of its kind alcohol alternative, a cannabis-infused spirit that tastes good and delivers a positive experience.

With their own capital, Anthony and Justin began working with a food and beverage scientist on the flavor profile and cannabis dosage and tested out their newly created beverage with family and friends. After a year and a half of experimentation and development, they landed on the perfect formula for achieving their desired effect and flavor and were ready to bring it to market. In 2023, they brought their vision to life and officially launched Nowadays as the first nationally available cannabis-infused spirit.

Prior to Nowadays, Justin Co-Founded Green Rush Packaging, a leading provider of packaging to the legal cannabis industry. As a third-generation packaging manufacturer, Justin drew on his own family’s experiences in traditional CPG to establish a company focused on cannabis packaging in 2017. Under his leadership, Green Rush Packaging has become one of the largest ancillary cannabis companies in the industry and ranked on Inc 5000’s list of Most Successful Companies in 2021.

Justin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona. Outside of work, Justin enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family in Newport Beach, CA, where he currently resides. His favorite Nowadays cocktail to drink is the Wake Whenever, a riff off of the Espresso Martini.

Sophia Edelstein

Cofounder & Co-CEO

Pair Eyewear

Sophia Edelstein is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Pair Eyewear, the first direct-to-consumer customizable eyewear brand in the world. They were the first company to invent fashionable “switchable” top frames that attach to a base pair of glasses. Sophia met her Pair Co-Founder, Nathan Kondamuri, at Stanford University while they were both undergraduates. Uninspired by the limited, expensive, and bland eyewear options already on the market, they set out to reinvent the role eyewear plays in our personal styles. Just as we change our shoes or clothes to match our mood and express our personality – Sophia and Nathan believe eyewear can also empower us as a mode of fashion, creativity, and personality.

Through an expanding selection of patented styles including limited edition drops and licensed designs, Pair Eyewear is creating a new way for adults and kids to experience and buy glasses. Customizable looks are powered by some of the biggest licensing deals in the industry including Disney, Marvel, DC, NHL, MLB, Marvel, Harry Potter, Sesame Street, The NBA, Van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo. TikTok alone drives over 25% of the brand’s total sales and millions in revenue, where the brand has garnered a cult-like following, obtaining hundreds of millions of views with its hashtag #WearPair.

Since launching in 2018, the company has raised $145 million in venture capital funding (seed though Series C) and has seen revenue grow by 24x from 2020 to 2023. It is on track to double its year-over-year revenue in 2023. Most recently, it announced the opening of two manufacturing facilities to support a vertically integrated supply chain and automated manufacturing processes by producing all lenses at its facilities in Irvine, California. It also announced a retail partnership with National Vision, the second largest optical retail company in the U.S.; and expanded globally to the UK and Australia, a bold move for an American-born eyewear company.

For every pair sold, Pair Eyewear donates a pair of glasses to communities who do not have access to vision care. To date, the brand has donated glasses to over 5,000 children.

The daughter of a Colombian mother and Jewish-American father, Sophia was raised in New York City and received her bachelor’s of science in Human Biology with a focus in Healthcare Economics and Medical Devices from Stanford University. She started Pair Eyewear directly out of college. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband.

Kevin Vilkin

Cofounder & Managing Partner

Emergent Strategic Partners

Kevin Vilkin is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist dedicated to unlocking human beings’ greatest potential.

He exited his first business before the age of 21—a music management company—and helped grow the touring careers of such artists as Skrillex and Mumford & Sons.

He went on to supercharge the work of such non-profit organizations as GivePower, Conservation International, and Beyond Conflict.

He then built the Vanguard Program of the Summit Series, bringing together many of the world’s most accomplished leaders—from Al Gore to Ray Dalio to Jane Goodall.

Kevin has served as venture partner to M13 and as senior advisor to TPG Growth. He sits on the Leadership Council at Conservation International, Business Executives for National Security, and is a Milken Young Global Leader. He advises many companies, including Goodleap, ID.me, and Redaptive.

Robyn Delmonte

Content Creator & Consultant

Creative consultant and TikTok creator Robyn Delmonte of @Girlbosstown is rebranding the “Brand Deal” and shifting how brands look to work with creators.

After graduating college, Robyn worked multiple 9-5 jobs while quickly realizing the creative industry she aspired to work in seemed highly unobtainable due to the disconnect in her creative and digital skill set vs what’s highlighted on a traditional resume.

Frustrated with this outdated process @Girlbosstown joined TikTok in 2021 seeking innovative ways to expand her network and have a creative outlet. Robyn started sharing elaborate marketing ideas, pitching out of the box community driven collaborations, and rewarding brands with the “GBT Stamp of approval”. This “digital resume” finally spoke to brands in a way that translates - community engagement, trend forecasting, and a map to the ever changing digital landscape from the consumers POV.

In a matter of two years, Robyn has successfully branded herself as “The Internet’s Agent” and launched a full-fledged creative consulting business from her iconic couch — along with documenting this process and bringing her audience along on these innovative creator led campaigns with brands such as Beis, Weight Watchers, Instacart and more!

Judy Thelen

Cofounder & CEO

Beli

Judy Thelen is the CEO and Co-Founder of Beli, a restaurant list-keeping and social media platform that is transforming consumer recommendations and discovery. Since the app launched in 2021, Beli’s users have amassed over 35 million restaurant ratings, across over 30,000 cities worldwide—making it one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing review platforms.

Wes Schroll

Founder & CEO

Fetch

As the founder and CEO of Fetch - America’s Rewards App - Wes Schroll works to empower consumers to live rewarded for their everyday actions and revolutionize how brands can leverage rewards as part of a better advertising strategy. At the helm of Fetch, he oversees product development while continuing to build partnerships with the world’s largest CPG, retail and restaurant bands, game publishers and more - over 1,500 current partners and counting - to help navigate the next frontier of advertising and secure strong market positions. Wes leads an first-of-its-kind rewards ecosystem and one-stop-shop for both advertisers and consumers, capturing visibility into $152B in retail sales annually, equivalent to the nation’s third largest retailer. An entrepreneur at heart, Wes founded Fetch during his sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 2013, Wes has grown the company to over 875 employees remotely and across 5 major office hubs - Madison, Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois, Boston, Massachusetts, New York, New York and Birmingham, Alabama - and a valuation north of $2.5B.

Jenny Lei

Founder

Freja New York

Jenny Lei is the founder and designer of Freja New York. Unable to find a suitable work bag for an important job interview, she decided to take a chance on herself and launch Freja during her last year of university. Freja’s handbags are designed to be forever pieces for a well considered wardrobe – the brand was created on the premise that women’s handbags should not only be timeless and luxurious, but also highly functional and crafted responsibly with a transparent supply chain.

Falon Donohue

Partner

Narya Capital

Falon Donohue is a venture capitalist focused on providing strategic risk capital to our country’s most ambitious founders at Narya where she serves as Partner. Prior to Narya, Falon served her country in the U.S.A.F., Ohio ANG, founded Sadie Ventures, and served as the first CEO of VentureOhio, a statewide economic development and trade organization. She is a relentless researcher with a diverse background in executive leadership, operations, and business development. A strong advocate for Middle America, Falon also serves on several state and nonprofit boards focused on innovation, economic development and entrepreneurship including InnovateOhio, where she has served as Chair since 2019.

Kara Brothers

President

Starface

Kara is a seasoned executive with a strong background in the technology and beauty industries. She has 15 years of technology industry experience and a background in building and growing startups and has her MBA from NYU Stern. Kara's current role includes serving as the President of Starface, where she oversees all aspects of company operations, including brand vision, international business development, retail expansion, and global partnerships. Her dedication to the beauty industry is recognized by recent awards such as Digiday's Glossy Beauty Future Leader Award and Beauty Independent's Emerging Beauty's Brightest Executives. Previously, at Grid AI, she secured $15 million in Series A funding and optimized operations while expanding the workforce. During her time at Google, Kara led corporate strategy and strategic partnerships, introducing digital TV products to the market and negotiating international telecom relationships. Her extensive career equips her with valuable skills for complex environments and global partnership.

Seth Corder

Partner

High Alpha

Seth Corder is a Partner at High Alpha, a venture firm in Indianapolis that launches and invests in next-generation B2B SaaS companies. Seth leads the venture team and focuses on early-stage investments throughout the US and Canada. He has helped lead the firm's investments and ongoing work in several companies, including Superside, Craft, Rheaply, Smartwyre, Chain.io, and Paccurate.

Prior to joining High Alpha in 2019, Seth spent nearly a decade advising and investing in technology companies. He began his investing career at Goldman Sachs, focusing on private equity and venture capital. Seth also spent time in investment banking at Pacific Crest Securities, focusing on DevOps and companies in Europe and Israel.

Randall Lane

Chief Content Officer & Under 30 Founder

Forbes

Randall Lane is the Chief Content Officer of Forbes Media and editor of Forbes Magazine, responsible for editorial content across all platforms. Since returning to Forbes in 2011, he has helped the magazine and Forbes.com reach peak levels of readership. He created The Forbes 400 Summit on Philanthropy and the Under 30 Summit, the world’s greatest convening of young leaders and entrepreneurs.

Prior to joining Forbes, Lane cofounded two media companies, launching over a dozen editorial brands, including P.O.V. (Adweek’s “Startup of the Year”), Trader Monthly and Dealmaker. Lane began his career at Forbes in 1991, and served as reporter, staff writer and Washington bureau chief.

Lane sits on the board of directors of Global Citizen, as well as three boards affiliated with his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

Steven Bertoni

Assistant Managing Editor, Founders

Forbes

Steven Bertoni is an award-winning journalist who has spent the last decade chronicling the world's top leaders and entrepreneurs. He currently heads Forbes' Founders team, covering leading entrepreneurs and the Forbes Under 30 and Creator franchises. Bertoni is an expert at cross-platform storytelling through print, digital, video, social media, live events, communities, and podcasts. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, C-Span, and CNBC, where he has served as guest host on Squawk Box. As host of the Forbes Interview podcast, he created and moderated more than 50 episodes starring some of the biggest names in business and technology.

Maggie McGrath

Editor, ForbesWomen and Senior Editor

Forbes

Maggie McGrath is the editor of ForbesWomen, the Forbes vertical dedicated to covering all angles of female entrepreneurship. She loves a good Forbes list: she is the editor of the 50 Over 50 and the World's 100 Most Powerful Women, and previously edited the 30 Under 30 Food & Drink list and the Just 100. She's worked at Forbes since 2013 and in that time has written on everything from the student debt crisis to Triple Crown-contending (and winning) horses. Before coming to Forbes, Maggie worked with TODAY show financial editor Jean Chatzky.

Alexandra York

Associate Editor, Under 30

Forbes

Alexandra York is the associate editor on the Forbes 30 Under 30 team. She most closely reports on the media, social media and consumer-product industries, particularly focused on the young innovators impacting consumers' daily lives. She has experience covering and interviewing global CEOs, startup founders, musicians, content creators and more. Prior to joining Forbes in 2023, Alex reported on Gen Z and the future of work. She has a B.S. in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University.

Jabari Young

Senior Writer & ForbesBLK Editorial Lead

Forbes

Jabari Young is a senior writer at Forbes and covers sports business for Forbes.com's SportsMoney section. Previously, he covered sports business at CNBC ranging from professional league media deals, sponsorships, labor agreements, and athlete portfolios. Before joining Forbes, Jabari also worked at The Athletic and San Antonio Express-News covering the Spurs and NBA. A Philadelphia native, Jabari graduated from Temple University in 2008 where he majored in journalism and communications.

Maneet Ahuja

Editor-at-Large, Forbes & Founder, Iconoclast

Forbes

Maneet Ahuja is Editor-at-Large at Forbes, where she covers the intersection of Wall Street, billionaires & entrepreneurial capitalism. She is also the Founder of ICONOCLAST, Forbes' premier global investor summit that convenes the world’s most iconic industry titans, institutional investors, dealmakers and celebrities with collectively over $20 trillion in AUM for high-level conversations on the most critical issues impacting our economy and markets today. Before joining Forbes, she was awarded the prestigious Knight-Bagehot Fellowship at Columbia Journalism School and had over a decade-long tenure at CNBC, where she co-founded the network’s flagship annual Wall Street summit Delivering Alpha and launched coverage on hedge funds and alternatives at Squawk Box. Prior to CNBC, she was a part of the Wall Street Journal’s Money & Investing team and began her career on Wall Street at the age of seventeen working at Citigroup—which is where she earned the nickname “Wall Street Maneet.” She was also the host of Spotify's special-edition podcast Megatrends (Gimlet media, 2019) and author of The Alpha Masters: Inside the Genius of the World's Top Hedge Funds.

Mike Federle

Chief Executive Officer

Forbes

Mike Federle is the Chief Executive Officer of Forbes, one of the world’s most instantly recognizable brands and one of the largest media companies by audience.

Under Mike’s direction, Forbes continues to expand its product portfolio and its reach. Today, Forbes, which is synonymous with “success” in almost every country around the world, engages 140 million people across every platform every month – the most in its 105-year history.

Mike has accelerated Forbes’ digital transformation efforts and led the company to its most successful years on record. He works closely with his management team and employees at all levels to set corporate strategy and nurture a #OneTeam culture that fosters innovation and allows the brand to quickly pivot in a rapidly changing marketplace.

With 30+ years’ experience in the media business, he has successfully guided multiple companies through the constantly evolving industry. Mike previously served as the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Forbes in 2011, he was a Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer of Techonomy Media Inc. He has held top positions at major media brands, including as Publisher of Fortune magazine, Group Publisher of the Time Inc. Business & Finance Network that included media properties such as Fortune, Money, Business2.0 and CNNMoney.com.

Mike is a Director on the Board of Forbes Media LLC, Board Chair of Marketplace Advisor and serves a board advisory role to Desknet Inc and Hub Culture.

Sarah Nurse

PWHL Player & Olympic Gold Medalist

Canadian Women's National Team

Sarah Nurse is a professional Hockey player for PWHL Toronto and the Canadian Women's National Team. She is a two-time Olympian, Olympic Gold and Silver medalist, as well as a 3x IIHF World Champion. She currently holds the Olympic record for most points and most assists in a single women's tournament.

Sarah is leading the conversation around diversity and inclusion in hockey as one of the only women of colour in a male-dominated sport. She is a board member of the Professional Women’s Hockey Player Association (PWHPA) where she is an integral part of developing a single, viable professional women’s ice hockey league in North America. 

Midge Purce

Forward for the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) & NY/NJ Gotham FC

Midge Purce is a forward for the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) and NY/NJ Gotham FC. Last season she earned the MVP title in the 2023 NWSL Championship for her pivotal performance in the Gotham FC victory. The Harvard graduate serves as the youngest member of Harvard’s Board of Overseers – the University’s second highest elected governing board. She is a Founder of the Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC) and was a part of the negotiating team who won the groundbreaking USWNT gender discrimination lawsuit in 2022 ultimately, accomplishing equal pay for women in sport. Currently, she is Executive Producing the first ever, exclusively women's sports docuseries, The Offseason –  a 6 episode 30 min series following 11 top soccer players in the U.S. while they train, party and live together in Miami for the off season.

Kara Nortman

Managing Partner

Monarch Collective

Kara is Managing Partner of Monarch Collective, an investment platform dedicated to accelerating equity in global sport. Kara is a co-founder of Angel City Football Club, which has quickly risen to become the most valuable women's soccer team in the world. Prior to Monarch, Kara was a Managing Partner at Upfront Ventures, where she worked for eight years. Before joining Upfront, Kara spent close to seven years at IAC where she co-headed the M&A group and later served in operating capacities as the SVP and General Manager of Urbanspoon and Citysearch. She served on the board of IAC's mobile technology incubator (Hatch Labs), where she incubated Tinder in their seed round. Earlier in her career Kara worked at Battery Ventures, Microsoft and Morgan Stanley. Kara is also a founding member of All Raise, a VC-led Nonprofit dedicated to increased diversity in funders and founders, and she advised the Women’s National Soccer Team Players Association during their pay equity fight. Kara earned an AB in Politics from Princeton University and an MBA from Stanford University. Kara resides in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters.

Moira Forbes

President and Publisher, ForbesWomen & Executive Vice President

Forbes

Moira Forbes is the Executive Vice President of Forbes, one of the world’s largest media brands, where she is responsible for driving new business initiatives across the company’s diverse media platforms and branding Forbes events worldwide. Today, Forbes, which is synonymous with “success” in almost every country around the world, engages 140 million people across every platform every month – the most in its 104-year history.

Moira also serves as the President and Publisher of ForbesWomen, a multi-media content channel dedicated to successful women in business and leadership which she founded in 2007. Moira oversees Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Most Powerful Women and the annual Power Women’s Summit which she launched in 2013.

Across Forbes’ global editorial platforms, Moira convenes preeminent thought leaders for timely perspective and analysis around today’s most critical issues. She hosts "Success with Moira Forbes," a Forbes interview series spotlighting dynamic changemakers and industry innovators as well as “The Takeaway,” a new Forbes simulcast series featuring how top minds are navigating these defining times and explores what’s ahead within their respective arenas.

Moira is a Governing Trustee of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and serves on the Board of Trustees for the St. Andrews School. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.

Tisha Alyn

Golf Media Personality & Former Professional Golfer

Tisha Alyn is a renowned Filipino American golf media host, content creator, former pro golfer, and talented trick-shot artist. Since her professional debut in 2015, Tisha has created a significant buzz in the golf industry by leveraging her social media channels to share her golf journey behind the scenes, which landed her partnerships with some of the world's biggest brands. Today, she stands tall among the biggest names in the industry. With her captivating personality and exceptional talent, Tisha continues to engage her followers with her love for golf, fitness, travel, fashion, and juggling many hats. She produces entertaining content, including her trademark trick shots, and showcases the latest fashion trends. Tisha has also become the face of Google Fitbit, sharing her latest in-app workouts with her followers. Her influence extends beyond the golf course, as she hosts international brand initiatives, travels the world to host tournaments, and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and girls' youth programming through various activations as an ambassador for Youth On Course. Tisha's passion for Golf started at the age of 3 and has since defied societal norms along the way- she looks forward to breaking barriers across golf and entertainment.

Ashten Smith-Gooden

Co-Founder and COO

Swish Cultures

Ashten Smith-Gooden is a dynamic sports journalist and the Co-Founder and COO of Swish Cultures, a Black-owned basketball media company dedicated to creating equitable media coverage across the NBA, WNBA, international leagues, G-League, college, and high school basketball. Ashten's leadership has been instrumental in Swish Cultures' rise as a premier platform for basketball content, earning recognition from major figures and brands in the sports industry.

Ashten's journey in sports began as a Division I volleyball player at the University of California, Berkeley, where she competed from 2014 to 2018. During her time at Berkeley, she co-founded the Black Student-Athlete Committee, a vital initiative aimed at providing a safe space for Black student-athletes to discuss issues of intersectionality. Her contributions to the university community earned her the prestigious Walter A. Haas Jr. Community Service Award, the Athletic Achievement Award, and recognition as the ASC Scholar-Athlete of the Week.

After graduating, Ashten joined forces with her brother, Jordan Richard to propel Swish Cultures to new heights. Ashten pursued a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Southern California, graduating in 2020.
Ashten's achievements have garnered her numerous accolades, including being named a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in 2023 and receiving the Hashtag Sports Creators of Color honor. Her work with Swish Cultures has led to views with major NBA and WNBA stars such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Candace Parker, as well as partnerships with global brands like Snapchat, Meta, Nike, and Reebok.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ashten is also a Type-One diabetic, and she is passionate about uniting sports, beauty, and lifestyle within her personal brand. Her dedication to fostering inclusivity and empowerment in sports media continues to inspire and impact the industry.

Katlyn Gao

Co-Founder & CEO

LOVB (League One Volleyball)

Katlyn Gao is co-founder and CEO of LOVB (League One Volleyball), a first of its kind professional women's volleyball league launching in the US. With a mission to bring major league volleyball to the masses, under Katlyn's leadership, LOVB is expanding possibilities for women through how the sport is played, promoted, experienced and expressed from youth to college to pro.

Applying her vast consumer brand experience, including community engagement gleaned from management roles at Lululemon, Sephora and Coach, as well as strategic expertise from Bain, Harvard Business School and more, Katlyn is being lauded by many as setting the standard for building a league that has attracted a variety of investors including Billie Jean King, Kevin Durant, and Chelsea Handler who believe LOVB is onto something big.

Jabari Young

Senior Writer & ForbesBLK Editorial Lead

Forbes

Jabari Young is a senior writer at Forbes and covers sports business for Forbes.com's SportsMoney section. Previously, he covered sports business at CNBC ranging from professional league media deals, sponsorships, labor agreements, and athlete portfolios. Before joining Forbes, Jabari also worked at The Athletic and San Antonio Express-News covering the Spurs and NBA. A Philadelphia native, Jabari graduated from Temple University in 2008 where he majored in journalism and communications.