Commissioner of the NFL

Roger Goodell is the eighth commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), serving since 2006, and a prominent American sports executive known for transforming the league’s operations, media presence, and player safety initiatives. He received the 2025 Meridian Global Leadership Award.

Visual Artist

Renowned contemporary artist Jeffrey Gibson is known for merging his Choctaw-Cherokee heritage with global themes - creating vibrant works that incorporate painting, performance, sculpture, textiles, and video to celebrate global cultures.

Music, Television, and Film Stars

Gloria and Emilio Estefan are visionaries in the entertainment industry whose work spans acting, performing, producing, writing, and philanthropy. Having produced chart-topping hits and shaping the careers of countless superstars, the Estefan’s have played a critical role in the global rise of Latin music - fostering global understanding and connection through culture.

Sports Envoy and Chief Program Director, Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project

Former World Cup champion and Olympic medalist with the U.S. women’s national soccer team, Lorrie Fair has made strides in global sports diplomacy - promoting conflict resolution and educational access in over 13 countries.

Conceptual Artist

Sanford Biggers’ work is an interplay of narrative, perspective, and history that speaks to current happenings while examining the contexts that bore them. His diverse practice positions him as a collaborator with the past through explorations of often-overlooked aesthetic, cultural, historical, and political narratives through his use of antique quilts and textiles, classical sculptures from around the world, sonic interventions, performances, and video.

Opera Singer

Recognized worldwide as one of today’s most exciting vocal stars, Denyce Graves has captivated audiences across the globe with her rich vocalism and elegant stage presence. She has performed at leading opera houses and has enchanted audiences across four continents.

Actress, Playwright, Teacher, and Author

Even in an era when anyone with a computer connection can broadcast their own life story for everyone or no one to consider, Anna Deavere Smith continues to shock and dazzle audiences with her stage portraits of the humble and the great. A hybrid artist if ever there was one, she collects stories through recorded interviews and then personally portrays the tellers on stage, in curated displays of American character organized around pressing questions of our time.

Conceptual Artist

Conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas explores themes of perspective, commodity, media, and popular culture. Having been exhibited across the globe, Thomas's art reexamines American history and challenges representations of visual culture.

Photographer and Artist

Ecuadorian photographer and artist Felipe Jácome combines mixed media and documentary photography to explore human mobility and human rights issues. His work has been recognized internationally, with exhibitions in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Beirut, Geneva, Quito, and Washington, DC

Photographer and Dancer

Acclaimed classical dancer and portrait photographer, Svitlana Onipko has performed in countries across the globe. After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, she collaborated with Felipe Jácome on Unbroken: Ukraine’s Ballerinas, portraying dancers juxtaposed against the brutality of war.

Architect

Renowned for his blending of traditional Japanese design with American Modernism, Shigeru Ban is celebrated for his innovative humanitarian work building temporary shelters in disaster-stricken areas. His designs have garnered global recognition - showcasing his commitment to architecture and humanitarian aid.

Michelin-Starred Chef

Michelin-starred celebrity chef and founder of Elcielo Restaurants in Medellín, Bogotá, Miami, and Washington, D.C., Barrientos is renowned globally for his blending of culinary arts with other disciplines to create unique dining experiences. He has been recognized as the youngest chef in Latin America’s 50 Best.

Interior Designer

Mark D. Sikes is an esteemed interior designer and tastemaker known for his all-American sensibilities and fresh take on classical aesthetics. He has worked on projects throughout the United States and abroad, including the White House and Blair House. Sikes is recognized for his ability to create beautiful and timeless interiors that embody an indoor/outdoor lifestyle.

CEO and Co-Founder, Artolution

As the CEO and Co-founder of Artolution, Joel Bergner has organized community-based public art initiatives in conflict-affected communities worldwide. As a renowned muralist, Joel has trained local artists to lead arts-based youth programs - impacting thousands of children annually.

Conceptual Artist

Renowned for her incisive text-based art displayed in public spaces and international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale and Guggenheim Museums, Jenny Holzer’s work is recognized globally for its ability to counter violence with humor and kindness.

Visual Artist

Teresita Fernández’s monumental works draw inspiration from the natural world and historical references. She was the first Latina appointed to serve on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and has been recognized globally for her conceptual practices.

Musician

For more than three decades, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has performed globally - recording over 50 albums and builing a reputation as one of today's finest pianists. He has collaborated in film, fashion, and visual art and was the first Artist-in-Residence at the Colburn School in Los Angeles.