Meet the Fellows

Dr. Paula Garay CEO and Co-Founder, emme coalition Dr. Paula Garay is a trauma survivor, a wife, a mother, and a fierce advocate for women and families who are too often unheard. Her lived experience, rooted in overcoming adversity, has become the foundation of a mission-driven career dedicated to social justice, maternal health equity, and generational healing. Today, she leads the emme coalition as its CEO and co-founder, a revolutionary, community-rooted nonprofit reimagining maternal and women’s health care for Black and Brown women and girls navigating trauma, poverty, and systemic neglect. A Doctor of Health Sciences with dual graduate degrees in business and adult development, Dr. Garay has spent more than 15 years designing, implementing, and leading culturally responsive programs across healthcare and social service systems. Her work has spanned geriatric care, immigrant services, trauma-informed clinical practice, and maternal and family health. Whether directing programs for undocumented mothers or managing a medical center serving diverse populations, she has remained focused on meeting people where they are with compassion, dignity, and purpose. As a multilingual leader fluent in English and Spanish, and literate in Portuguese and Italian, Dr. Garay bridges gaps for immigrant and marginalized communities across linguistic and cultural divides. Her ability to communicate across cultures has not only strengthened the quality of care but has also amplified the voices of those often silenced by fear or circumstance. The emme coalition, which she co-founded and now leads as a fully independent 501(c)(3), embodies Paula’s vision for radical, trauma-informed transformation. emme stands for empowerment, mindfulness, motivation, and education. It is far more than a program. It is a movement to save babies, support mothers, and disrupt the racial disparities plaguing maternal health outcomes in America. Under her leadership, emme offers life coaching, wraparound supports, reproductive health guidance, and holistic behavioral care, producing transformative outcomes including full-term pregnancies, increased high school graduation rates, and empowered future doulas and community health workers, many of whom began as emme participants. Dr. Garay is not only a survivor. She is a builder of new pathways. Every aspect of her leadership is infused with empathy, cultural humility, and a tireless drive to ensure that every mother and child has the chance to live, thrive, and belong.

Dr. Newton Campbell, AI expert, NASA researcher & UN advisor, Planetary Society board member; leads climate-tech NGO initiatives linking global innovation with local sustainability goals.

Youth policy advocate and development strategist driving SDG action, climate resilience, and anti-trafficking efforts across Africa through policy, partnerships, and local impact.

A women- led founder since 2010. I empower female wokers, aim for global trade, and seek programs to grow my export skills. I'm 38, fast- learning and ready to lead.

As a 18 y.o. Ukrainian, I'm often asked what drives me, and the answer is simple: tech! My passion for physics, ecology, and equality isn't a collection; it's a ingrained love.

I’m a self-taught creative entrepreneur with a background in healthcare administration and a growing passion for interior design and community empowerment. Over the years, I’ve developed a unique blend of organizational skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking—whether coordinating logistics in healthcare or transforming spaces through design with my business, Andrea B. Creative Interiors. I’m also deeply committed to uplifting underserved communities. I’ve launched grassroots projects like the Brooklyn Black Collective and supported educational outreach for schools in crisis. These efforts have taught me how to lead with both purpose and practicality. At my core, I’m a builder—of systems, spaces, and relationships. I love learning, and I thrive in environments where collaboration, innovation, and impact intersect. I'm always looking for opportunities to grow, give back, and help others unlock their potential as I do the same for myself.

With 14+ years in digital marketing and a U.S. Air Force background, I founded Mozo Marketing to help businesses grow and support nonprofits through impactful work.

Rachael is the founder of Salutierra—a curated store and cultural space celebrating Salvadoran artisanship, ancestral roots, and intentional living.

A passionate fresher architect aiming to blend culture with innovation, eager to learn, grow, and one day establish her own design firm rooted in meaningful impact.

I'm a 51 year old male born in Zimbabwe. Am a teacher by profession. I migrated to USA in 2020 and worked in the transport industry as a truck truck driver. Currently I'm running delivery with my pick up truck to try and save for a semi.

Lamont Lomax is the founder of Billie Jean Co., a children’s fashion brand dedicated to blending luxury, style, and affordability, driven by his passion for modern, high-quality designs.

I am a digital entrepreneur residing in Uyo, Nigeria, building a publishing business on Amazon KDP to earn in dollars and empower others with online income skills.

أنا رائد أعمال طموح من اليمن، أعمل على تطوير مشروع "سلطة الفواكه" ليصبح نموذجًا مبتكرًا وعلامة تجارية في مجال الأغذية الصحية. لدي خلفية في إدارة المشاريع التنموية، حيث قمت سابقًا بقيادة و ادارة وتنفيذ برامج تنموية مع منظمات المجتمع المدني، مما عزز مهاراتي في التخطيط، إدارة الفرق، والتواصل المجتمعي. شغفي بريادة الأعمال نابع من رغبتي في خلق حلول عملية تساهم في تحسين نمط الحياة وتوفير فرص عمل، خاصة في بيئتي المحلية. أؤمن بقوة التعلم المستمر وأبحث دائمًا عن فرص لصقل مهاراتي في الابتكار، التسويق، وتوسيع الأعمال. أطمح من خلال زمالة سافي إلى تطوير قدراتي، بناء شبكة علاقات قوية، والوصول بمشروعي إلى مراحل متقدمة من النمو والتأثير. أؤمن أن ريادة الأعمال ليست فقط وسيلة لتحقيق الذات، بل أيضًا أداة للتغيير الإيجابي.

My name is ahmed I Hope to join this program To improve my skil and make some thing

Hi, I’m Ayush P. Jain recent B.Com Graduate From St. Joseph’s University, Bangalore, and someone who’s genuinely curious about how finance, law, and technology shape the way businesses grow and operate. Over the past few years, I’ve realized that I’m most energized when I’m solving real-world problems—especially those involving numbers, strategy, or structure. That’s what led me to take up internships in finance analysis and auditing. At Aagey.com, I worked on loan assessments, risk profiling, and structuring terms that made financial sense. It wasn’t just about numbers—it was about understanding the why behind financial decisions. Before that, at Roopchand Jain & Co, I got hands-on with tax filings, GST compliance, and learned to read financial statements like stories of a company’s health.

A passionate student leader and innovator, I’ve led sustainability drives, built tech solutions for community welfare, and represented Pakistan in global science contests.

From a life once lost in drugs and wrong turns, I found purpose in growth. Now, I’m starting a barbing business to inspire change, serve others, and restore dignity.

I am a college student and non-profit business owner aiming to provide a low-income housing solution to college students in need.

Founder @CyberMitra.ai | Built 2 startups out of high school | Cybersecurity & AI geek on a mission to fight digital scams in India.

I am a passionate entrepreneur focused on creating smart solutions through business ideas that solve real problems and bring value to people and communities.

I am interested in the intersection of technology, design and education. I'm a UX researcher and designer by training. Currently, I am working on a social discovery platform that turns books into conversations, and conversations into lasting connections. Wherever you are in the world, we hope to help you stay curious and connected with a community in every city you explore.

Aspiring entrepreneur with a Pharm.D, digital marketing trainee, and food startup founder passionate about solving real-world problems sustainably.

I'm the founder of FINAITIK, an AI-powered financial automation platform designed to make reporting and analysis effortless for startups and small businesses. I started my career as a product manager at Kotak Mahindra Bank, where I helped launch digital banking products like Kotak 811. As someone without a technical background, I taught myself everything from UI/UX to backend development so I could bring my idea to life. Today, I'm focused on building an intelligent financial copilot that empowers non-finance founders to understand their numbers and make smarter decisions—without needing a CFO.

My entire life revolves around creating values to improving my immediate environment and the best way possible for me to realize these dreams is to engage consistently in entrepreneurship and business.

I’m a savvy attorney and entrepreneur building a bold new social app merging legal insight with tech to connect professionals in smarter, more meaningful ways.

M. Agric & B, Development studies with experience in Business incubations agronomy and skills training ( carpentry, tailoring, Digital tech). I drive growth through practical diverse initiatives.

Abayomi Ajao is a tech innovator driving youth empowerment, clean energy access, and digital education through Zulfah Academy and the Gasleet sustainability platform.

I am a Master's engineering graduate with a soft robotics focus from UConn, developing inspection robots for fast, high-res, sensor-rich multimodal inspection of confined spaces.

I am a 32 year wife and mother of two. Recently started a business in childcare. Looking to get my family out of debt, and create generational wealth.