CNBC Changemakers 2025

CNBC Changemakers 2025: Leading the Way

Look around, change is everywhere: how we live and work; how we spend our time and money; even how we think. It takes visionaries and bold leadership to see these changes and transform the world for the better. It’s turning a great business idea into an economic force for good; a search for an answer into a scientific breakthrough; an opportunity into a mission.

The Class of 2025 CNBC Changemakers are an esteemed group of women who are pushing boundaries, leading in new ways, creating stronger and healthier communities and finding solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Join us at this year’s summit to get a glimpse into the future from those who are seizing the moment and creating change today.

For more on the CNBC Changemakers, visit cnbc.com/cnbc-changemakers.

Speakers

Napheesa Collier

Napheesa Collier is one of the most impactful basketball players of her generation – both on and off the court. A dominating and versatile presence for the Minnesota Lynx, Collier is the reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, a four-time WNBA All-Star, a two-time Olympic Gold medalist, and has earned both All-Defensive and All-WNBA honors three times. She was drafted sixth overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2019 WNBA Draft and went on to win Rookie of the Year honors that same season. Collier came into the league with a lot of hype after leading UCONN to four straight Final Four appearances and the 2016 NCAA Championship.

Off of the court, Collier is not only dedicated to growing the women’s game but using her status to change the landscape of the sport. In addition to serving as Vice President of the WNBPA executive committee, Collier is the founder of Unrivaled – a new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league offering first-of-their-kind equity stakes to players as well as the highest average annual salary in women’s professional sports league history. Unrivaled’s inaugural season tipped off in January 2025 in Miami, providing a financially feasible alternative to playing overseas – something that is particularly close to Collier as a mother of 2.5-year-old daughter, Mila.

Paris Hilton

One of today’s most recognizable entrepreneurs and international influencers, Paris Hilton is a pioneer in television, podcasting and NFTs and an innovator in building businesses, social media and celebrity branding.

Since starring in “The Simple Life,” Hilton has built a global empire as a businesswoman, influencer, activist, DJ, designer, investor, recording artist, philanthropist, host, actress, chef, model and author. In 2006, she created Paris Hilton Entertainment (now known as 11:11 Media), a multi-billion-dollar company that started with 45 branded stores and 19 product lines surpassing over $4 billion in revenue. Today, 11:11 Media is a full-stop, integrated media and product company with verticals covering TV (Slivington Manor Entertainment), podcasts (London Audio), digital (11:11 Digital), licensing, NFTs, music, impact and more. Always attuned to emerging trends and opportunities, Hilton continues to expand 11:11 Media and use her platform to inspire, empower and create lasting positive impact.

Through Hilton’s production company (Slivington Manor Entertainment) and a multi-year partnership with Warner Bros., Hilton released “Cooking with Paris” (a new twist on a cooking show; released on Netflix in August 2021), is currently filming “Paris in Love” (a docu-series covering Hilton’s life leading up to and including her wedding; coming to Peacock in December 2021) and is in development on various other TV projects.

Through Hilton’s podcasting and audio company (London Audio), which is underpinned by a multi-year partnership with iHeartMedia, Hilton hosts her own podcast (“This is Paris” with 2.6M downloads as of August 2021), launched a “This is Paris” spinoff series (“Dominated”) focused on women who rule in worlds usually dominated by men, and is currently developing additional original podcast series among various topics including her social advocacy work.

As an investor, Hilton is committed to supporting and investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs. She has positively impacted the world at companies such as Daily Harvest, R3SET, Yat, Genies Good Catch, Zen Water, Podz, and many more.

Hilton has also solidified herself as an NFT leader as was recently seen by her being named #7 on Forbes’ NFT 50 most influential people in NFTs and through being awarded “Winner of Best Charity NFT” at the 2020 NFT Awards. In staying true to her goal of fostering empowerment and in collaboration with Sevens Foundation, Paris curated and launched “Empowered By Paris: Empowered Women Empower Women Exhibition”, which is an NFT exhibit dedicated to showcasing and equipping female artists with a platform to succeed.

Through her powerful activism work, Hilton has spearheaded impactful policy changes across the United States. In the critically acclaimed “This is Paris” YouTube Originals documentary (which has garnered over 23 million views to date), Hilton revealed the abuses she suffered as a teenager within the Troubled Teen Industry and has since utilized her personal experiences to help pass seven U.S. state laws as well as a law in Northern Ireland all aimed at protecting youth and reforming facilities. In partnership with Breaking Code Silence, a nonprofit whose goal is to eradicate the abuse of children in systemically abusive institutions, Hilton has helped develop federal legislation that will positively impact 120,000 youth annually. Hilton was accepted to RISE Justice Labs, the world’s first civil rights accelerator, to continue her advocacy work around the Troubled Teen Industry and recently received a grant from the Hilton Foundation to develop a mental health support model for survivors. Philanthropy is an important part of Hilton’s life and she frequently works with the Children’s Hospital in LA, as well as various group homes and hospitals overseas. Moving forward, child rights advocacy and mental health reform will continue to be important pillars of her platform.

This is just the start for Paris Hilton and 11:11 Media which has a mission to empower and inspire the next generation. In the coming year you can expect many innovative, exciting projects. Whether it is ParisWorld (a metaverse within Roblox), inventive new NFT drop formats, a beauty product line, a cookware/kitchen product line, or new TV shows and podcasts, 11:11 Media is poised to impress and will be a company to watch.

Bela Bajaria

Bela Bajaria joined Netflix in 2016 and was named Chief Content Officer in January 2023. She oversees the teams responsible for all Netflix content from around the world including series ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Squid Game,’ ‘Wednesday,’ ‘Bridgerton,’ ‘Heeramandi’ and ‘Lupin,’ and films including ‘Leave the World Behind,’ ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ and Oscar® winners ‘All Quiet on the Western Front' and ‘Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.’ Bela led Netflix’s push into live events and sports with specials such as ‘Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,’ ‘The Roast of Tom Brady’ and multiyear deals with the NFL and WWE. Prior to Netflix, Bela was President of Universal Television. Past honors include THR’s Women in Entertainment list, Variety’s LA Women’s Impact Report, TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2022, and Fortune’s Most Powerful Women for the past five years. Bela serves on the board of The Coca-Cola Company, the LA Board of Governors for the Paley Center, the board of LA’s Saban Community Clinic and the Board of Trustees for Meridian International Center.

Donna Langley

Donna Langley is the Chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios and Chief Content Officer. In this role, Langley oversees entertainment marketing and programming throughout Bravo, NBC, and Peacock. She has been with the company for 24 years in a variety of roles and was previously the Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.

Langley has an impressive resume in her time with NBCUniversal, having revitalized well-known franchises such as Jurassic World while also leading new award-winning films such as Oppenheimer. Through her hard work, the company has seen four years of record profits globally. In addition, she was one of only four studio heads, as well as the only woman, to lead SAG-AFTRA and WGA talks. These negotiations resulted in two deals between the parties and the end of the strikes.

Prior to her career with NBCUniversal, Langley was the Senior Vice President of Production at New Line Cinema. She worked on films such as The Cell as well as the Austin Powers franchise.

As a result of her success in the entertainment industry, Langley has won a variety of awards. Specifically, she was granted the title of Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order to the British Empire by the Queen in 2020. She has been awarded the Women in Film’s Crystal Award for Excellence in Film, among others.

In addition to her current position, Langley sits on the board of trustees for numerous organizations. These include the American Film Institute and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Entertainment Industry Council, to name a few.

Donna Langley is originally from the United Kingdom. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and her two sons.

Diane Hoskins

Diane is Global Co-Chair of Gensler. Since 2005, the collaborative leadership embodied by Diane and Global Co-Chair Andy Cohen has been fundamental to setting the company apart as a leading design firm. As a hands-on leader, Diane oversees Gensler’s global platform and its day-to-day operations, with 6,000+ people networked across 57 offices, serving more than 3,500 clients in over 100 countries. Diane is focused on Gensler’s global talent strategies, performance, and organizational development to ensure that we serve our clients with the world’s top talent. She is the catalyst for Gensler’s Research program, for which Diane is committed to delivering value to clients through strategies and innovations like Gensler’s Workplace Performance Index® (WPI).

A registered architect, she graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds an MBA from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA. Diane received an Outstanding Impact Award from the Council of Real Estate Women and is both a Regent of the American Architectural Foundation and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Her insights have appeared in the Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, the Washington Post, and The Economist; and she was a featured speaker at Bloomberg Businessweek’s CEO Conference as well as the United Nations’ COP27 Climate Change Conference.

In her role, Diane serves as a key contributor to what is acknowledged, by its peers, as the most admired architecture firm in the world, pioneering project types and design innovation strategies for the next century and acknowledged by Fast Company as one of “The World’s Most Innovative Companies” and by Forbes as one of “America’s Best Large Employers 2024.” In 2022, she was honored with the World Trade Center Institute’s Global Visionary Award. That same year, she and Andy were included on Forbes’ inaugural “Future of Work 50,” recognizing leaders shaping the office of tomorrow, today. In 2021, they were named to Business Insider’s list of “100 People Transforming Business,” which honors business leaders in 10 sectors who are innovating, sparking trends, and tackling global challenges. And in 2016, Business Insider included Andy and Diane on its inaugural “Creators” list, which recognizes the world’s 100 top creative visionaries.

Diane is a member of Gensler’s Board of Directors, serving as its Chair of the Executive Committee, and is a former board chair. She is also on the Board of Directors of Boston Properties, where she holds the position of Chair of the Sustainability Committee and Member of the Governance and Nominating Committee. Additionally, she is a trustee of The MIT Corporation as well as a member of its Risk & Audit Committee.

Chelsea Hirschhorn

Chelsea Hirschhorn is the Founder and CEO of Frida.

Bijal Shah

Bijal Shah is the CEO of Guild, a comprehensive education and skilling solution for building talent. Guild works with organizations like Chipotle, Discover, Target, and Providence Health to provide seamless pathways for talent mobility that enhance the employee experience and activate internal talent to achieve business goals. Guild has been recognized as one of TIME’s Most Influential Companies, CNBC’s Disruptor 50, LinkedIn’s Top Startups, and received Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas award.

Prior to Guild, Shah held leadership roles across data analytics at Ibotta and corporate strategy at Visa. She served on the Board of Directors of Girls, Inc., and was named one of Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. Shah graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the MIT-Sloan School of Management. She lives in Denver with her husband and children.

Marisa Drew

Marisa Drew was appointed Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) for Standard Chartered Bank on 1 July 2022. During her 39 year career in financial services, Marisa has held numerous leadership roles. She worked at Merrill Lynch in Investment Banking from 1992 until she joined Credit Suisse in 2003 to lead Leveraged Finance Orgination and ultimately ran EMEA Investment Banking and Capital Markets. In 2017, Marisa moved into the field of sustainability as CEO of the Impact Advisory and Finance Group for Credit Suisse and ultimately served as the bank's inaugural CSO.

Marisa currently serves on several boards and advisory panels, including as a NED of NASDAQ listed Liberty Global plc and AIM listed Agronomics as well as the ReOcean Fund advisory council backed by HSH Prince Albert's Monaco Foundation. She further serves as an advisory board member of the City of London Corporation and on the Monetary Authority of Singapore's Sustainable Finance Advisory Panel. Marisa’s external activities also includes a charitable UK Advisory Board role for Room-to-Read. Amongst other previous roles, Marisa has served on the advisory boards of the Aspen Institute UK, the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy, the FCA Markets Practitioners Panel and on several High-Level Working Groups sponsored by the World Economic Forum and the UN, including the UN Oceans Panel. In 2024, Marisa was recognized by Time Magazine as one of top Global Climate Leaders and by Futur i/o as one of the top European CSO's. In 2022, Marisa was recognized by Sustainability Magazine as one of the Top 10 CSOs of a Global Corporation and in 2021 as one of 100 Global Visionary Leaders by Meaningful Business and EY. She has also been recognized by the BBC as one of the Most Powerful Women in Britain and by Fortune Magazine as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in International Business.

Merav Mor

Merav Mor a Co-founder at Lumen. She has been at the forefront of physiology research for the past 15 years, and her academic rigor informs Lumen's innovative approach. Along with her sister Michal, Merav conceptualized Lumen based on their research and experience. Prior to founding Lumen in 2014, Merav earned her BSc in Medical Laboratory Sciences, MSc in Physiology, and PhD in Physiology, with a focus on cardiac arrhythmia. Merav has been extensively published, and has taught biology, physiology, and electrophysiology, as well as lectured about her research on T-type calcium channels. Beyond her professional role, Merav is a dedicated mother to three kids, a seasoned athlete, and Ironman competitor. She lives with her family in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Michal Mor

Michal Mor is a Co-founder at Lumen. She has been at the forefront of physiology research for the past 15 years, and her academic rigor informs Lumen's innovative approach. Along with her sister Merav, Michal conceptualized Lumen based on their research and experience. Prior to founding Lumen in 2014, Michal earned her BSc in Medical Laboratory Sciences, MSc in Physiology, and PhD in Physiology, with a focus on cardiac arrhythmia. Beyond her professional role, Michal is a dedicated mother to three kids, a seasoned athlete, and Ironman competitor. She lives with her family in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Kate Gallego

Mayor Kate Gallego is building the Phoenix of the future—a prosperous and vibrant city where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Under her leadership, Mayor Kate Gallego has helped attract new residents, businesses, and investments. She helped land a record $65 billion semiconductor plant that will create high-quality, good-paying jobs for years to come.

Phoenix is becoming a global leader in bioscience, technology, research, advanced manufacturing, and climate resiliency. Mayor Kate Gallego knows we’ve got more work to do and is ready to continue the job.

First elected in 2019, Mayor Kate Gallego has led Phoenix to become the most sustainable desert city in the United States. We’ve done this by investing in innovative solutions to prepare for a warming climate. From establishing the nation’s first publicly funded Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, launching the successful cool pavement pilot, led the charge on building EV charging infrastructure to using cutting-edge tech to ensure our access to clean drinking water, Phoenix is ready to not just adapt, but thrive in the years to come.

Mayor Kate Gallego is the second elected female Mayor in our city’s history and one of the youngest big city Mayors in the United States. In November 2020, she was returned to office with the highest number of votes ever cast for a mayoral candidate in Phoenix.

A graduate of Harvard University, she earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Mayor Kate Gallego enjoys a desert hike or reading a good book. Her most important role is being a Mom to Michael, her (adorable) seven-year-old son.

Denise Woodard

Denise is the Founder and CEO of Partake, a natural food company that was inspired by her daughter’s experience with food allergies. Launched in 2017, Partake’s first product — delicious, allergy-friendly cookies — can now be found in more than 17,000 retailers including Target, Kroger, and Whole Foods Market. Partake's offerings have since expanded to include graham crackers and vanilla wafers.

Denise is the first Black woman to raise more than $1 Million publicly for a CPG food startup. To date, the company has raised over $25M from investors including HER, Rihanna, FF2032 and Marcy Venture Partners.

Prior to launching Partake, Denise spent a decade in consumer packaged goods at various Fortune 100 companies. She is also the founder of 501c3, Black Futures Fellowship, an annual program that matches active HBCU students with paid internships in the CPG food & beverage industry. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeremy, and daughter, Vivienne. She graduated with her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Arizona State University.

Katherine Stueland

Katherine Stueland has dedicated her career to transforming healthcare by leading patient-centric businesses. Her career has spanned supporting the FDA approval of several rare disease therapeutics, the first protease inhibitor for HIV/AIDS and the first cancer immunotherapy, all in partnership with the powerful voices of patient advocates. Katherine has been a central figure in moving healthcare forward by integrating genomic information to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of diagnosing cancer and rare diseases.

In June 2021, Katherine was named President and CEO of GeneDx (Nasdaq: WGS), a company that emerged from the National Institutes of Health and today is transforming healthcare through genomic insights with a mission to end the diagnostic odyssey. GeneDx delivers personalized and actionable health insights to inform diagnosis, direct treatment and drug discovery. Since joining GeneDx, she focused the business on its industry-leading exome and genome testing and interpretation products, fueled by one of the world’s largest rare disease data sets. Under Katherine’s leadership, GeneDx has nearly tripled its sequencing capacity, completing over 750,000 exomes and genomes while achieving profitability and a market cap of nearly $3 billion.

Recognized for these achievements, Katherine was named to the 2025 CNBC Changemakers: Women Transforming Business List, and Fast Company recently named GeneDx one of its Most Innovative Companies of 2025. She is nominated for the Maryland Tech Council’s ICON Awards for Life Sciences CEO of the Year and GeneDx is nominated for Life Sciences Company of the Year. In 2023, Fierce Pharma recognized Katherine as one of the most influential people in biotech.

Katherine serves on the JED Foundation Leadership Council, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent suicide and protect the emotional health of young adults and teens as part of her lifetime commitment to help improve mental health. Katherine graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a bachelor’s degree in science and English literature.

Jenny Just

Jenny Just is a visionary, powerhouse, and one of the few self-made female billionaires in the United States. From the days of cutting her teeth on the trading floor in Chicago to now running a fintech empire, she has started and/or turned around more than fifteen companies.

Jenny co-founded PEAK6 in 1997 with $1.5M in seed capital as a proprietary options trading firm and since then has grown it into a multibillion-dollar financial services and technology giant housing the next generation of products & service brands including PEAK6 Capital Management, PEAK6 Strategic Capital, Apex Fintech Solutions, Team Focus Insurance Group, We Insure, Evil Geniuses, and Zogo.

With a true knack for unearthing talent and opportunities, Jenny looks for underfunded and underappreciated sectors to transform into high-growth businesses. Her passion specifically lies in finding opportunities for women to succeed at every table — from the classroom, to the conference room, to the poker room, to the boardroom.

This passion led her to launch Poker Power in 2020 with her daughter Juliette, a woman-led company that teaches poker to all who identify as female, and by extension, teaches women strategic thinking, capital allocation, and decision-making skills. Additionally, Jenny has created programs to help women advance their careers including the Women’s Trading Experience and Women’s Technology Experience. She currently serves on the Women and Public Policy Board at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Jenny’s remarkable success has earned her a number of accolades, including being named to Forbes’ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, Forbes 50 over 50, and Worth’s Groundbreaking Women. She was also the recipient of the Women’s Poker Association’s Industry Innovation Recognition Award and received a Tony Award for her involvement in the musical "Memphis."

Joanna Strober

Joanna is the founder of Midi Health, a virtual care platform for women in perimenopause and menopause. The company brings expert care, covered by insurance, to women nationwide. Before Midi, Joanna founded Kurbo, the first digital therapeutic for childhood obesity, which was scaled to help tens of thousands of children worldwide, and the company was successfully sold to Weight Watchers in 2018. Before diving into digital health, Joanna spent more than 20 years in direct private equity and venture capital investing in health and consumer companies including several notable consumer internet companies, including BlueNile, eToys, Babycenter, HotJobs, and Flycast.

Joanna is the author of the book, Getting to 50/50, a primer on how women can succeed and thrive at work and home. She has spoken extensively to corporate and graduate school audiences on the topic of women and leadership. In 2023, she was named to Forbes' 50 over 50 list of top Innovators.

Bianca Anghelina

Bianca Anghelina is the CEO and Founder of Aily Labs, a trailblazer in AI-powered decision intelligence for global enterprises. As a former Novartis executive, she spearheaded AI transformation, dramatically simplifying data analytics and reducing planning timelines from 9-12 months to just weeks. Inspired by the potential of AI and the underrepresentation of female-founded startups (just 15%), she launched Aily Labs in 2020 with a mission to democratize AI and help enterprises become AI-enabled at scale. Under her leadership, Aily Labs rapidly scaled with diversity as a core tenet to 350+ employees, representing 40+ nationalities across 5 global offices in Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, Romania, and New York. Bianca’s strategic leadership enabled Aily Labs to be profitable from year 1 and be self-funded until raising $21 million in Series A funding from Insight Partners in 2023. Her visionary leadership has earned her recognition as one of the 2025 CNBC Changemakers of women transforming business and one of the top 50 CEOs to watch in 2024 by Pavilion.

Aily Lab’s ready-to-go, transversal AI-powered app integrates within one day and breaks down organizational silos, connecting cross-functional data to deliver real-time, actionable insights that streamline decision-making processes and boost productivity tenfold. Powered by 300+ validated models, the app offers 99% predictive accuracy, enabling precise multi-year forecasting, optimized capital allocation, and accelerated revenue growth. What sets Aily Labs apart is its ability to simplify billions of complex enterprise data points into snackable insights—making AI not just a tool for specialists but an accessible, indispensable decision tool for all stakeholders, from the C-suite to frontline employees. This approach has driven 500% growth in customer growth in the past year alone, with global giants like Sanofi, J&J, and Teva leveraging Aily to transform operations. For 18,000+ Sanofi employees daily, Aily Lab’s app doubled the speed of decision-making, analyzed thousands of files for strategic divestments, mitigated 80% of low inventory risks, and saved the company $300M, further underscoring its transformative impact. Bianca’s vision has positioned Aily Labs as a leader in enterprise AI, empowering enterprises to innovate faster and compete smarter.

Julia Boorstin

Julia Boorstin is CNBC's Senior Media & Tech Correspondent based at the network's Los Angeles Bureau. She is also a contributor to CNBC's "TechCheck" franchise. Boorstin covers media and tech with a focus on their intersection and technological innovation, and delivers reporting, analysis, and interviews for the network. Previously, she was part of the ensemble for CNBC's daily program, "TechCheck," that ran from April 2021 to February 2023. She joined CNBC in May 2006 as a general assignment reporter and in 2007 moved to Los Angeles to cover media.

She is the author of the bestseller, "WHEN WOMEN LEAD: What they achieve, Why they succeed, and How we can learn from them," a book about female leaders that was published by Simon & Schuster's Avid Reader Press in October 2022.

In 2013, Boorstin created and launched the CNBC Disruptor 50, an annual list she oversees, highlighting the private companies transforming the economy and challenging companies in established industries. Additionally, she reported a documentary on the future of television for the network, "Stay Tuned…The Future of TV." She also helped launch CNBC's 'Closing the Gap' initiative covering the people and companies closing gender gaps, and leads CNBC's coverage of studies on this topic.

Boorstin joined CNBC from Fortune magazine where she was a business writer and reporter since 2000. During that time, she was also a contributor to "Street Life," a live market wrap-up segment on CNN Headline News. In 2003, 2004 and 2006, The Journalist and Financial Reporting newsletter named Boorstin to the "TJFR 30 under 30" list of the most promising business journalists under 30 years old. She has also worked as an intern for the State Department's delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and for Vice President Gore's domestic policy office.

She graduated with honors from Princeton University with a B.A. in history. She was also an editor of The Daily Princetonian.

Morgan Brennan

Morgan Brennan is anchor of CNBC’s “Morning Call” (M-F, 5AM-6AM ET), which broadcasts from CNBC Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

Previously, she was co-anchor of CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime,” “Squawk Alley,” and the 10AM ET hour of “Squawk on the Street.” She joined the network in December 2013 as a general assignment reporter based at CNBC Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and continues to cover a variety of sectors, including manufacturing, and defense and space. She is also host of the CNBC podcast, Manifest Space.

Prior to joining CNBC, Brennan was a staff writer and reporter for Forbes Media where she reported for Forbes Magazine, ForbesLife Magazine and Forbes.com, most recently covering real estate. She began her career at Forbes in 2009, holding several positions including anchor/reporter and producer for the Forbes Video Network, covering a wide range of business and finance topics.

Previously, Brennan was a regular guest on a variety of networks discussing business and economic stories and also interned at Newsweek International, where she was a fact-checker and contributing writer.

Brennan has interviewed billionaires, heads of state, thought leaders and chief executives of multibillion-dollar corporations and her profile story on Equity Group Investments chairman Sam Zell was one of five magazine covers featured on the 2013 Forbes 400 issue.

Brennan is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the Explorers Club. She graduated summa cum laude from New York University, majoring in Social Science with a double concentration in Anthropology and Media Studies.

Follow Morgan Brennan on X @MorganLBrennan.

Kate Rooney

Kate Rooney is a technology correspondent based out of CNBC’s San Francisco bureau, covering generative AI startups, Microsoft, Amazon, venture capital, and retail investors for the network. She also writes for CNBC’s digital platforms.

Rooney won a National Headliner Award for her Celsius coverage in 2023. She joined CNBC in 2015 as a news associate before working as a producer for CNBC’s “Squawk Box” (M-F, 6AM-9AM ET) and was most recently a markets reporter for CNBC.com.

She graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in communication and earned her master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University where she received an Eric Lund Global Reporting and Research Grant to film and produce a documentary in the Philippines. She also worked as a multimedia reporter in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2015 with a focus on housing and politics.

Gina Mastantuono

Gina Mastantuono is ServiceNow’s President and Chief Financial Officer. She has served as the CFO at ServiceNow for five years.

As President and CFO of a hyper-growth tech company redefining what it means to be purpose-driven, Mastantuono combines strategic risk-taking with relentless hard work to drive meaningful impact. Now leading a team across Finance and Corporate Strategy, her forward-thinking approach ensures ServiceNow thrives in a dynamic, rapidly evolving industry. Mastantuono is a powerhouse at the intersection of finance, strategy, and leadership, driving a company that’s shaping the future of enterprise technology. For over five years, she’s been the architect behind ServiceNow’s financial and strategic playbook, overseeing everything from strategic finance, accounting, corporate strategy, venture initiatives, risk and compliance, investor relations, tax & treasury, procurement, real estate and M&A.

Mastantuono leads ServiceNow’s corporate strategy and venture initiatives, positioning the company for long-term growth in an era where innovation moves at lightning speed. And as a leader, she’s just as passionate about people as she is about profits. A fierce advocate for women in tech, she sponsors Women at ServiceNow, a belonging group designed to inspire and propel the next generation of female executives. She is a member of ServiceNow’s Executive Leadership Team and is committed to helping ServiceNow continue to deliver exceptional value to customers, employees, and shareholders.
Before ServiceNow, Mastantuono honed her expertise across some of the biggest names in business as EVP and CFO at Ingram Micro, International CFO at Revlon, and earlier in her career at InterActiveCorp. and Ernst & Young. Gina has built a career that blends Wall Street precision with Silicon Valley boldness and her impact hasn’t gone unnoticed. She’s earned a place among Fortune’s 25 Most Powerful Rising Executives (2024), the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Power 100 (2025), and the National Diversity Council’s Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology—twice. In 2023, she was named CFO of the Year (Public Company, Large) by the San Francisco Business Times, and she’s also been recognized on CRN’s “Power 100” list.

Beyond her role as President & CFO, Mastantuono is just as dynamic. She serves on the boards of Gong and Roblox as Audit Committee Chair, lending her strategic mind to some of the most exciting players in tech. A Long Island, New York native with an unshakable work ethic, Gina attended SUNY Albany where she holds degrees in Accounting and Business Administration. She now calls the West Coast home, where she enjoys fitness, travel, and raising her two sons (and puppy!) with her husband Luke.
Mastantuono isn’t just leading ServiceNow’s financial future—she’s redefining what it means to be a modern executive. With a sharp mind for strategy and a deep commitment to people, she’s proof that the best leaders aren’t just about the bottom line; they’re about building something that lasts.

JJ Ramberg

JJ Ramberg is the co-founder of Goodpods which is solving discovery for the podcast industry and on the founding team of NewAtlantis Labs which is addressing biodiversity loss in our ocean. JJ was named one of Inc Magazine's Female Founders 100 and Goodpods was honored as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. JJ spent over a decade as the anchor of MSNBC's Your Business and is the author of two books, the best-selling It's Your Business and the children's book The Startup Club.

Event Highlights

Agenda

1:00pm PT

Doors Open & Networking Begins

1:30pm

Welcome Remarks

1:35pm

Mainstage Begins

The Way We Entertain and Innovate

Through blockbuster hits and culture-defining TV, Donna Langley has shaped content and distribution strategy establishing NBCUniversal as a leader in the world of entertainment. For more than two decades, Langley has helped distinguish NBCU as the home to acclaimed and emerging creators, and her vision has resulted in two of the most profitable years in Studio history. We’ll speak with her about what it takes to celebrate creativity and lead through uncertainty.

Donna Langley, NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios Chairman
Interviewer: Julia Boorstin, CNBC Senior Media & Tech Correspondent

Watch the full interview

The Way We Create Change

For the past six years, Mayor Kate Gallego has led the largest city in a historically purple state. During her tenure in Phoenix, she has focused on the climate crisis and making the desert city more sustainable. Additionally, she secured a $65 billion investment from Taiwan Semiconductor, bringing thousands of new jobs to the area. Mayor Gallego joins us to discuss leaving a lasting legacy and what she still plans to accomplish.

Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix
Interviewer: Morgan Brennan, CNBC “Closing Bell: Overtime” Co-Anchor

Watch the full interview

Spotlight

Merav Mor, Lumen Co-Founder & Inventor
Michal Mor, Lumen Co-Founder & Inventor

Watch the spotlight

The Way We Take Risks

When it comes to money, investing and their careers, women tend to be more risk adverse. But why? We speak to two Changemakers who took risks, trusted their guts, saw payoffs well beyond expectations and how you can too.

Bela Bajaria, Netflix Chief Content Officer
Jenny Just, PEAK6 Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Moderator: Julia Boorstin, CNBC Senior Media & Tech Correspondent

Watch the full interview

Elevating Leadership Impact in the Age of AI 

SPONSORED AND PROGRAMMED BY SERVICENOW

In a world of rapid transformation, AI can empower leaders to focus on what matters most: strategy, innovation, and human connection. Learn how today’s changemakers can lead differently, win over AI-skeptical teams, and unlock their full leadership potential.

Gina Mastantuono, ServiceNow President & Chief Financial Officer
Moderator:  JJ Ramberg, CNBC Events Contributor

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The Way We Integrate and Adapt

While AI has changed so much about the world in a short amount of time, uncertainty about how it will be integrated into our professional and personal lives remains. This emerging technology requires thoughtful leaders who understand the capabilities and how best to implement it, maintain our privacy and scale the possibilities. We’ll speak with two Changemakers who are doing just that while breaking barriers in their fields.

Bianca Anghelina, Aily Labs Founder & CEO
Katherine Stueland, GeneDX President & CEO
Moderator: Kate Rooney, CNBC Technology Reporter

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3:15pm

Networking Break

3:45pm

Mainstage Returns

Spotlight

Marisa Drew, Standard Chartered Chief Sustainability Officer

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The Way We Break Stigmas

When it comes to health care, women are often left in the dark, and conversations about women’s health are often still too shrouded in shame and stereotypes. However, these two founders are making a difference by providing products and services that help women at various stages in life. They join us to discuss the importance of investing in women’s health and challenging the misconceptions that surround fertility, postpartum and menopause.

Chelsea Hirschhorn, Frida Founder & CEO
Joanna Strober, Midi Health Founder & CEO
Moderator: Kate Rooney, CNBC Technology Reporter

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The Way We Lead

With rapid advancements in technology—such as AI—changing how businesses operate, leaders need to be agile and adaptable. Amid all the change, employees can often feel left out of the equation. The best organizations balance innovation with a culture of purpose and growth, but doing so takes intentional investments and a clear strategy. A conversation with two Changemakers on leadership, fostering talent and the benefits of investing in your workforce.

Diane Hoskins, Gensler Global Co-Chair
Bijal Shah, Guild CEO
Moderator: Morgan Brennan, CNBC “Closing Bell: Overtime” Co-Anchor

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Spotlight

Denise Woodard, Partake Foods Founder & CEO

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The Way We Play (and get Paid)

Female athletes have historically been paid less than their male counterparts, regardless of their success. So, two basketball stars set out to disrupt their sport and fix that disparity by launching a 3-on-3 league with new ownership models and fair pay for players. Raising $35 million from investors allowed the league to offer the highest average salary in professional women’s sports history. Co-founder, player and league MVP Napheesa Collier, joins us coming off Unrivaled’s landmark first season to discuss how this may set a new blueprint for women’s sports.

Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled Co-Founder
Interviewer: Julia Boorstin, CNBC Senior Media & Tech Correspondent

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The Way We Sliv

Paris Hilton is an icon, but she is much more than the tabloid darling of the early aughts. The original influencer is a powerful businesswoman who has built an empire spanning countless areas: media, music, beauty, clothing, philanthropy and more. Paris joins us to talk about her evolution and how she uses her platform to inspire change.

Paris Hilton, 11:11 Media Founder & CEO
Interviewer: Julia Boorstin, CNBC Senior Media & Tech Correspondent

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5:00pm