Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA)

First elected to public office at the age of 25, Rep. Smith serves as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee and represents Washington’s 9th district. With previous posts on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Intelligence Committee, the Congressman traveled throughout Africa and visited Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Rep​.​ Smith believes that “we must execute a national security strategy that counters violent religious extremism and anti-American sentiment, builds partnerships around the world, work closely with friends and allies, and advances programs to create a more just, peaceful, and stable world.” As the co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Effective Foreign Assistance, he has focused on improving the efficacy and transparency​ of U.S. foreign aid. Rep. Smith is also a strong proponent of organizations such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). He led a letter asking for $1 billion in funding for the MCC, which uses innovative and effective models to reduce poverty and build sustained economic growth. The Congressman has also aggressively pursued strong funding for programs that support global health initiatives including maternal & child health, the Global Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, ​vaccines for HIV and malaria as well as tuberculosis funding. Rep. Smith has served as an Honorary Board Member of The Borgen Project since 2011.

Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX)

Rep. Michael McCaul is the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The committee considers legislation that impacts the diplomatic community, which includes the Department of State, the Agency for International Development (USAID), the Peace Corps, the United Nations, and the enforcement of the Arms Export Control Act. McCaul previously served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Rep. McCaul has been a vocal supporter of making smart investments in solutions to improve the lives of millions of people while projecting U.S. global leadership around the world.​ To that end, he has also introduced legislation to tackle some of the most pressing global development issues from addressing childhood cancer to ending global hunger and promoting women’s rights. In 2019, Congress passed ​Rep. McCaul’s Global Fragility Act which requires the administration to coordinate diplomatic, development, and defense efforts with the goal of stabilizing conflict areas and addressing the root causes of fragility. Rep. McCaul introduced his most recent poverty-fighting initiative in the 117th Congress — the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act, aimed at curbing world hunger and malnutrition, especially for women and children.​

Donald Girskis

Don Girskis is the former head of Boost Mobile. Girskis had previously been Senior Vice President of World Wide Sales at ShoreTel, a publicly-traded global telecommunications company. During his four year tenure at ShoreTel, Girskis also served as interim CEO. Prior to ShoreTel, he spent 5 years at Boost Mobile, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nextel Communications. He joined Boost Mobile as Chief Operating Officer when it was just forming. He was promoted to run the entire operation as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Boost Mobile after one year and developed the business from an idea to $1.8 billion in revenue in just 5 years.

Kristina Pecora

Kristina Pecora is a licensed clinical psychologist with over a decade of experience in treatment, advocacy, and research, and an advocate for mental health access and understanding, both internationally and abroad. Pecora is a graduate of The University of Chicago-Harris School of Public Policy (MAPP, 2019), The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (PsyD, 2008), The Catholic University of America (MA, 2003), and Hope College (BA, 2000). She holds certificates in Global Mental Health with a specialization in Trauma and Recovery (Harvard Medical School, 2016), Mediation (Center for Conflict Resolution, 2019) and Health Coaching (National Society of Health Coaches, 2017). She is a member of the American Psychological Association as Chair of their International Task Force, and an active member of the Illinois Psychological Association as co-Chair of the Legislative Committee and Federal Advocacy Coordinator. Pecora previously served as a volunteer with The Borgen Project between 2018 and 2020, participating in Congressional meetings and actively lobbying for support in the fight against global poverty.

Miata Koroma Ekanem

Miata Koroma Ekanem is currently a Senior Director of Health Policy, Clinical and Practice Affairs at the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR). Within her current role, she is the strategic and leadership arm for government and regulatory affairs, economics and reimbursement, clinical quality improvement and practice guidelines, practice development and operations, and workforce research and development. Before her time at SIR, Koroma Ekanem worked as a director of operations at Davita, Inc. In that capacity, she managed four outpatient dialysis centers and was the regional program lead for 12 home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. While in Davita, Koroma Ekanem used her years as a kidney, liver and pancreatic transplant nurse to educate and advocate on Capitol Hill for appropriate resources and funding for chronic kidney patients. Personally, Koroma Ekanem started her volunteerism as a patient advocate and community volunteer at National Kidney Foundation. She also volunteered at the University of Maryland, a graduate student organization known as the Nurses for Global Health program. She had opportunities to work in South America serving patients predisposed or already diagnosed with HIV and cervical cancer. Additionally, for over 15 years, Koroma Ekanem worked as a volunteer nurse for different nonprofits specifically geared toward health care, poverty and humanitarian efforts in her home country of Sierra Leone. 

Jeff Boortz

Jeff Boortz is a renowned brand strategist and creative director at Envy Creative, where he crafts immersive real-world, virtual and hybrid environments for dynamic branded experiences. His impressive client roster includes tech giants such as Ericsson, Nokia, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Xbox, and Activision. Boortz leverages cutting-edge technologies, including AR/VR, large LED and​ transparent monitors, and gesture-based navigation, to create captivating and innovative branded stories.​ Before his role at Envy Creative, Boortz served as an Assistant Professor in the​ Graphic Design Department at Georgia State University and as Chair of​ Motion Media Design at SCAD. His prior ventures include founding 3 Ring Circus in Los​ Angeles and Concrete Pictures in Philadelphia, where he developed notable brands​ in the global entertainment industry.​ Boortz​‘s distinguished career includes two national Emmy Awards for his motion graphics work on the Barcelona Olympics and the World Track and Field​ Championships. He collaborated with Steven Spielberg to design futuristic​ advertisements for ​Minority Report; and has produced four feature films—one of​ which he wrote and directed—as well as a 9-hour pro-social TV series. Additionally,​ he managed the Non-Narrative Motion Arts Network (MOOV) for Rainbow Media.​ Passionate about community impact, Boortz also founded Better Bureau​, a nonprofit design agency dedicated to supporting Atlanta-area nonprofits.

Mary Blake Brock

Mary Blake Brock is a Global Governance and Diplomacy MA graduate from the University of Leeds, with a strong focus on public service, national security and global development. Based in Washington D.C., Brock is a former Borgen Project Political Affairs Intern and Regional Director, who is passionate about mobilizing support for global poverty reduction and reinstating international assistance as a priority in US foreign policy. Brock currently serves as an Action Officer for a leading management consultancy in the National Capital Region, where she provides strategic support to government sectors in cybersecurity and national security. Passionate about mobilizing change, Brock brings a unique blend of hands-on experience and dedication to advancing global development and policy reform.