Charles Best Speaking Fee: $30,000 to $50,000
Travels From:
NYC - New York City
Primary Topic Category:
Philanthropy
Secondary Topic Category:
Education
Charles Best Speaker Profile: At A Glance
Charles Best is the founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org, a pioneering crowdfunding platform for public school teachers. Launched in 2000, DonorsChoose.org has raised over $1.3 billion to fund classroom projects across the U.S., benefiting millions of students. Best's innovative approach has transformed philanthropic giving in education, making him a leading figure in educational philanthropy and social entrepreneurship.
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Charles Best
Crowdfunding & Social Impact Keynote Speaker, Founder of DonorsChoose
Charles Best is the pioneer of crowdfunding and the founder of DonorsChoose, a nonprofit organization that has inspired 5 million people to give $1.3 billion to fund 2 million classroom requests created by public school teachers. Charles launched DonorsChoose in 2000 at a Bronx high school where he taught history, and while the organization was still operating out of his classroom, it got a boost from Oprah Winfrey, who declared DonorsChoose one of her "ultimate favorite things." Charles currently serves as the CEO of Lakeshore Learning.
Doro Bush Koch
Author and Philanthropist | Advocate for Family and Community | Speaker on Leadership and Legacy
Dorothy "Doro" Bush Koch, born on August 18, 1959, is an American author and philanthropist, known for her New York Times best-selling book "My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H.W. Bush." She is the youngest daughter of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush. Doro co-chairs the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and is deeply involved in charitable activities, particularly in literacy and wellness initiatives.
Jean Case
Chairman of National Geographic Society | CEO of Case Foundation | Speaker on Philanthropy and Entrepreneurship
Jean Case is a renowned businesswoman, philanthropist, and impact investing pioneer. She is the Chairman of the National Geographic Society and CEO of the Case Foundation. Jean is also the author of the bestselling book "Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose." Her work focuses on leveraging innovation and technology for social good, inspiring individuals and organizations to take bold risks and drive transformative change.
Melinda Gates
Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Advocate for Women and Girls | Speaker on Philanthropy and Global Health
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Komal Ahmad
Founder of Copia | Expert on Food Waste and Sustainability | Speaker on Social Entrepreneurship
Komal Ahmad is the founder and CEO of Copia, a company dedicated to solving hunger and reducing food waste through innovative technology. Under her leadership, Copia has redistributed millions of pounds of excess food to feed those in need, impacting over 6 million people. Recognized for her contributions, Komal has been featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list twice and has received numerous awards, including the Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award. She holds degrees in International Health and Development and Global Poverty and Practice from UC Berkeley.
Scott Harrison
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Shiza Shahid
Co-Founder, The Malala Fund; Co-Founder, Our Place; Founder, NOW Ventures
Shiza Shahid is the co-founder, along with Nobel-Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, and founding CEO of the Malala Fund, which works to advance access to education around the world. She is also co-founder of Our Place, a brand of ethical kitchenware created in partnership with immigrant communities. Shahid partnered with the largest venture capital platform in the world to launch NOW Ventures, her investment fund that empowers mission-driven startups, innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly women, who are creating positive global impact.
Doc Hendley
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Erin Gruwell
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Erin Gruwell has earned an award-winning reputation for her steadfast commitment to the future of education. Her impact as a change agent attracted Hollywood’s attention, and in 2007, Paramount Pictures released Freedom Writers, starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank as Erin.
Kat Echazarreta
Electrical Engineer, Engineering and Science Communicator, The First Mexican-born Woman in Space
Dr. Katya “Kat” Echazarreta, the first Mexican-born woman in space, is an electrical engineer, science communicator, and civilian astronaut. Echazarreta worked at NASA, first as an intern during her university undergraduate career, and later, with five NASA missions including Perseverance and Europa Clipper Ground Support Equipment group. She is a first-generation student who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Through honesty about the difficulties and encouragement, she hopes to be able to help women be better prepared for their experience as a woman in STEM.
Dr. Eric Thomas
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Eric Thomas, Ph.D., is an educator, New York Times bestselling author, motivational guru, and international business phenom. His unique brand of pragmatism continues to take the world by storm and has made him the "go-to" problem-solver. Through a thorough examination and application of his set of principles, he teaches audiences how to maximize their successes both at work and at home. His firm, Eric Thomas and Associates, LLC., is one of the most highly sought-after consulting agencies globally and Eric has become a sought-after speaker on self-empowerment, self-assessment, and consistent execution.
Manny Scott
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Manny Scott is an original Freedom Writer—one of the most sought-after and premier professional speakers worldwide. He holds a doctorate in intercultural competence and has reached more than 2,000 presentations around the globe, inspiring millions through the sharing of his own story of triumph over hardship. Manny seeks to empower educators, students, and leaders with hope, resilience, and education.
Laurie Santos
Professor of Psychology at Yale University | Host of The Happiness Lab Podcast | Expert on Happiness and Well-Being
Dr. Laurie Santos is an expert on human cognition, its origins, and the evolutionary biases that influence our life choices. She is also knowledgeable in how behavioral change through positive psychology can lead to a happy and fulfilling life. Her course, "Psychology and the Good Life," is Yale’s most popular course, teaching students how to make wiser choices and live a life that’s happier and more fulfilling based on science. While Santos uses subjects from the animal kingdom to help explain our behaviors, she also provides advice on how to engage our human faculties to counteract evolution, choose more wisely, and live happier lives.
Cornel West
Presidental Candidate 2024 | Philosopher | Professor | Advocate for Social Justice, Equality & Education Reform
Cornel West is a prominent and provocative democratic intellectual. He is Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and holds the title of Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. He has also taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris. Cornel West graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at Princeton.
Liz Murray
Co-Founder & Executive Director of The Arthur Project | Bestselling Author of "Breaking Night" | Inspirational Speaker on Overcoming Adversity & the Power of Education
The child of drug-addicted parents who routinely ate from dumpsters and sought refuge at all-night subway stations to survive, Liz Murray was homeless at age 15 and fending for her life. Determined not to be defined by her circumstances, she recognized education as the key to a fresh beginning and a whole new way of living. With sincerity, maturity and graciousness, Murray takes audiences along on her personal journey from street smarts to classroom triumphs. Today, as Co-Founder of The Arthur Project, Murray is a passionate advocate for under served youth, working to end generational poverty through relationship-based learning.
