Our Mentors

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Kenneth Cukier is an award-winning journalist and author. He is the deputy executive editor of The Economist, and the coauthor of the NYT bestselling book “Big Data”. His latest book is “Framers” on the power of mental models and limits of AI. He has been a research fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and at Oxford’s Saïd Business School. He  is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

The Honorable Ona T. Wang serves as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of New York. Appointed to the bench in 2018, Judge Wang brings an interdisciplinary approach to the law, drawing on her background as both a scientist and a litigator. A Harvard-trained biologist, she earned her Ph.D. in Zoology from Duke University before completing her J.D., cum laude, at NYU School of Law. Her unique pathway, from the laboratory to the courtroom, shapes her perspective on evidence, analysis, and the role of law in addressing complex societal challenges.

Before her judicial appointment, Judge Wang was a litigation partner at Baker Hostetler LLP, where she focused on white-collar defense, securities, and complex commercial litigation. She played a leading role in the Madoff trustee’s recovery efforts and served in several firm-wide leadership roles, including Vice-Chair of the Pro Bono Committee and New York Office Hiring Partner.

Judge Wang’s long-standing commitment to public service and equity is reflected in her pro bono work, which has included post-conviction representation for inmates on death row in Alabama, as well as briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court on gender equality and transgender rights. Her contributions have been recognized by the New York Law Journal’s “Lawyers Who Lead by Example” and NYU’s Public Service Award.

She is an active member of the Federal Bar Council American Inn of Court and a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Judge Wang also serves on internal committees within the Southern District and was appointed by Chief Justice Roberts to the Federal Judicial Center’s Magistrate Judge Education Advisory Committee.

Currently, Judge Wang is presiding over discovery and procedural matters in the multi-district copyright litigation involving OpenAI, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, a landmark case addressing the use of copyrighted materials in training large-language models.

Tom G. Palmer is the George M. Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty and executive vice president for International Programs at Atlas Network He is also a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.

Before joining Cato, Palmer was an H. B. Earhart Fellow at Hertford College, Oxford University, and a vice president of the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. He frequently lectures in North America, Europe, Eurasia, Africa, Latin America, India, Asia, and the Middle East on political science, public choice, civil society, and the moral, legal, and historical foundations of individual rights.

He has published reviews and articles on politics and morality in scholarly journals, including the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Ethics, Foreign Policy, Critical Review, Constitutional Political Economy, and Isonomia Quarterly, as well as in publications such as Slate, the Unpopulist, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Die Welt, Caixing, Al Hayat, the Washington Post, Global Policy, Global Citizenship Review, and the Spectator of London. His most recent books are Institutions and Economic Development: Markets, Ideas, and Bottom-Up Change (with Bryan Cheang, 2023), Development with Dignity: Self-Determination, Localization, and the End to Poverty (with Matt Warner, 2022) and Truth and Governance: Religious and Secular Views (co-edited with William Galston, 2021). He is the author of Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History, and Practice (expanded edition 2014) and the editor of The Morality of Capitalism (2011), After the Welfare State (2012), Why Liberty (2013), and Peace, Love, & Liberty (2014). Palmer received his BA in liberal arts from St. Johns College in Annapolis, Maryland; his MA in philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC; and his doctorate in politics from Oxford University.

Justin Carrus is the Cofounder and CTO of Perygee (perygee.com), a software platform that enables businesses to automate and integrate their business tools and leverage AI to be more productive. Previously at Tulip (tulip.co), MIT (S.B. 2017 in Mechanical and Ocean Engineering, S.M. 2018 Mechanical Engineering under Alex Slocum), Justin was a 2025 Forbes 30 under 30 recipient. Justin grew up in Central Kentucky and now lives in Los Angeles with his partner Brittany and dog Leo.

Jimmy McMillian is a sustainability and corporate finance professional at J.P. Morgan’s Center for Carbon Transition (CCT), the firm’s center for helping clients navigate the challenges and opportunities of the global shift toward a low-carbon economy. In his work across Sustainable Solutions Advisory, M&A Structuring, and Corporate Finance Advisory, Jimmy provides strategic guidance to companies integrating climate resilience, decarbonization, and long-term sustainability into their business strategies.

At CCT, he collaborates across industry and product teams within J.P. Morgan’s Corporate & Investment Bank to deliver insights, financial solutions, and transition-focused advisory services. He helps clients develop credible decarbonization plans, identify green economy investment opportunities, and structure innovative financing solutions to advance their climate goals.

Jimmy’s research and client briefs address topics such as climate adaptation, resilience planning, and the financial implications of regulatory change, helping leaders mitigate risks and seize opportunities in an evolving market. His presentations include “Building Resilience Through Climate Adaptation” and “Insurance: Weathering the Storm of Inflation, Climate Change, and Market-Distorting Regulation,” offering actionable insights at the intersection of climate strategy and corporate performance.

Guided by J.P. Morgan’s Carbon Compass® framework, Jimmy contributes to the firm’s efforts to define, measure, and track portfolio-level carbon targets, supporting both clients and the institution in the transition toward a more energy-secure, low-carbon future.

John Mealy is the Director of Sustainability at MBB Architects. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and has over 20 years of experience specializing in sustainable design and construction. His project experience includes a range of educational buildings, cultural institutions, and residences. As Director of Sustainability, he has also expanded MBB’s in-house energy modeling capabilities, established standards for sustainable design, and managed the firm’s commitment to decarbonizing the built environment.

An active member of New York’s green design community, John serves on the Committee on the Environment of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter, and previously served on the NYC Energy Conservation Code Commercial Advisory Committee. An advocate for architecture’s role in responding to the climate crisis, John has testified before the New York City Council and participated in a panel discussion about Local Law 97, New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act.

John holds a Master of Architecture from Parsons School of Design, where he was awarded the Henry Adams Certificate, and a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College.

Dr Steve Davies is Senior Academic Fellow at the John Locke Institute and Senior Education Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs. Born in Scotland in 1955, he attended the University of Saint Andrews for both his first degree and his PhD. A historian, he taught for thirty years in the Department of History and Economic History at Manchester Metropolitan University. He is the author of many articles and books, including The Wealth Explosion: The Nature and Origin of Modernity (Edward Everett Root, 2019); The Streetwise Guide to the Devil and All His Works (Edward Everett Root, 2021); Apocalypse Next: The Economics of Global Catastrophic Risk (IEA, 2024).

Larissa May is a digital wellness entrepreneur, advocate, and the founder of #HalfTheStory, a pioneering nonprofit organization leading the movement for digital wellbeing and mental health in the digital age. Named a Digital Wellness Activist by TIME, Forbes, and Good Morning America, Larissa has become one of the foremost voices reshaping how society understands and interacts with technology.

After confronting the pressures of social media firsthand, Larissa transformed her experience into a global mission to promote intentional, healthy technology use. Over the past decade, she has built #HalfTheStory into a youth-led movement that equips the next generation with tools to challenge unregulated algorithms, resist misinformation, and prioritize wellbeing in an increasingly connected world.

Her organization’s flagship education initiative, Social Media U, brings evidence-based digital wellness programs to schools across the US, UK, and Canada -- empowering students to understand and advocate for their digital health. Supported by partners including Pinterest, Pivotal Ventures (a Melinda French Gates organization), The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, The Archewell Foundation, and The Born This Way Foundation, #HalfTheStory was named by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the inaugural Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund in 2023.

A creative entrepreneur as well as a social innovator, Larissa previously helped build several leading consumer brands, including Kin Euphorics and Otherland, earning Business Insider’s Brand Marketing Rising Star Award for her contributions to brand storytelling and digital culture.

Larissa’s work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, TIME, Forbes, Bloomberg, Refinery29, Well + Good, Good Morning America, The TODAY Show, and CBS This Morning. In 2023, she was honored with the Mozilla Foundation’s Rise 25 Award, recognizing her among the world’s top innovators shaping a healthier digital future.

Lou Sartori is Chief Counsel of the Pro Bono Practice at The Legal Aid Society, where he leads the recruitment and coordination of nearly 3,000 volunteers each year. Collaborating with staff across all practices and boroughs, he has built innovative pro bono initiatives that expand access to justice for trafficking survivors, senior citizens, court-involved youth, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, public housing residents, and people facing criminal charges or incarceration. Driving systemic change through impact litigation, the Pro Bono Practice partners Legal Aid law reform advocates with law firms to co-counsel matters impacting thousands of New Yorkers every day.

Through impact litigation and systemic advocacy, Lou partners Legal Aid’s law reform teams with major law firms to co-counsel cases benefiting thousands of New Yorkers. He is an active member of several professional networks, including the New York State Bar Association’s Pro Bono Coordinators Network and the NYC Bar Association Committee on Pro Bono and Legal Services. A frequent national presenter, he also chairs the Practicing Law Institute’s Ethical Issues in Pro Bono program and was named one of City & State’s “Responsible 100.”

Before leading the Pro Bono Practice, Lou served as Attorney-in-Charge of Legal Aid’s Manhattan and Staten Island Juvenile Rights offices, overseeing representation for thousands of young people and launching programs supporting literacy and youth transitioning from foster care. Since joining Legal Aid in 1989 after clerking in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Lou has held senior roles in both the Juvenile Rights and Criminal Defense practices, and also worked in private practice and with Brooklyn Defender Services. He has served on the NYS Supreme Court First Department Family Court Advisory Committee and taught Trial Advocacy as an Adjunct Professor at St. John’s University School of Law.

Rebecca Novick is the Development Manager at Groundwork USA, a national network of people-centered nonprofits working to ensure that everyone can live in a community that is healthy, green, just, and resilient. In her role, Rebecca amplifies Groundwork USA’s mission through storytelling and relationship building, leads corporate partnership strategy, supports grant writing and development communications, and helps strengthen organizational systems to increase efficiency and impact.

A mission-driven nonprofit professional, Rebecca is passionate about climate resilience, community action, and the power of storytelling to advance environmental justice. She joined Groundwork USA in 2022, bringing more than three years of experience in nonprofit development and communications.

Rebecca graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College with a degree in Environmental Studies, where her honors thesis explored the role of climate education and youth engagement in addressing the climate crisis. 

Anil Melwani is a founding partner of Melwani & Chan LLP. He has been practicing law since 2005 primarily in the areas of trademark law, copyright law, shareholder rights, and intellectual property litigation. Prior to founding Melwani & Chan LLP, Anil worked as in-house counsel for Royal Silk Direct, Inc. and as an associate with the Manhattan law firm Lee & Kelley LLP.

Anil is licensed to practice law in New York where he was born and raised. He received his Juris Doctorate from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law with a concentration in Intellectual Property Law. A lifelong cellist, Anil studied Music Technology as an undergraduate at New York University. 

Steven Corsello is a multi-disciplinary thinker, collaborator, and designer interested in the relationships between the built environment, urban conditions, and life-outcomes -- he believes that better cities start with better buildings.

With broad experience in sales and marketing, product management, and UI/UX in roles at early-stage startups and Fortune 50 companies, he brings a uniquely heterodox, results-driven background to architecture.

Steven holds a M.Arch and a M.S. in Real Estate Development from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation, and Planning and B.A in Economics from Amherst College. He was twice awarded GSAPP’s Incubator Prize for his project De-Carceral Futures.

Steve Chan is a New York State Senator representing the 17th District. He is the first Asian-American Republican elected to the New York State Senate and the first Republican since 2018 to hold a Brooklyn-based Senate seat. Born in Hong Kong, he immigrated to the United States at age 11 and grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, before settling in Bensonhurst, where he has lived for over three decades. A dedicated public servant and lifelong Brooklyn resident, Steve has spent his career serving his community through military, law enforcement, and civic engagement.

Steve’s career in service began as a US Marine, where he proudly served for six years, instilling in him a deep sense of discipline, leadership, and commitment to community. Following his military service, he joined the New York Police Department in 1993, serving for 27 years and retiring as a Sergeant in 2020. Throughout his career, he worked closely with Brooklyn’s diverse neighborhoods, building strong relationships and fostering safety and trust.

In addition to his public service, Steve owned and operated a small retail florist in Sunset Park for 10 years, offering notary services and support to neighbors. He has been deeply involved in education, volunteering in his children’s schools as a member of the School Leadership Team, Title 1 Chairperson, and PTA President.

Dr. Emily Rice is an astronomer, professor, and creative science communicator based in New York City. She is an Associate Professor of Astrophysics at Macaulay Honors College, City University of New York (CUNY), faculty in the Physics Ph.D. program at the CUNY Graduate Center, a member of CUNY Astro, and a resident research associate in the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).

Dr. Rice studies low-mass stars, brown dwarfs (sometimes called “failed” stars), and directly-imaged exoplanets, analyzing their spectra and modeling their atmospheres. She is co-founder and co-PI of Brown Dwarfs in New York City (BDNYC), a research group funded by NASA and the NSF, and has co-authored over 40 refereed publications. In 2015, she was an inaugural recipient of the Henry Wasser Award for Outstanding Scholarship from the CUNY Academy for the Humanities and Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. in Astronomy & Astrophysics from UCLA and holds undergraduate degrees in Physics & Astronomy and German from the University of Pittsburgh.

Beyond her research, Dr. Rice is deeply committed to public engagement and science communication. She co-authored Astronomy Labs: A Concept-Oriented Approach, a lab manual for college-level astronomy courses published by Pearson. She frequently gives public presentations, including at the Hayden Planetarium, organizes and hosts Astronomy on Tap events in NYC, creates science-inspired videos, and designs astronomy-themed fashion through STARtorialist, a platform she co-founded. Her work bridges research, education, and creative outreach, making astronomy accessible and engaging for both academic and public audiences.

Andy Wasef is the Strategy, Business Innovation, and Partnerships Lead for the NBA. With over 20 years of experience in digital media, marketing, and technology — including time within WPP and roles across various sports and media organizations — Andy now

focuses his time on leveraging digital products and platforms to grow the NBA’s fan base and drive sustainable value across its global digital ecosystem (including League, Team, and Partner touchpoints).

His work involves unifying fragmented digital experiences, fostering innovation, and developing scalable technology frameworks to serve the diverse needs of the league, teams, affiliate leagues, and media partners.

Andy started his career in his hometown of London, UK working in the then nascent digital division of a large media agency. His career has led him to roles where he was responsible for identifying emerging technology trends and involved him leading the development of social media, mobile, and streaming divisions within established companies, and with international experience across most of the world’s regions.

Richard Weissbourd is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and Kennedy School of Government. A psychologist and expert in moral development, his work focuses on childhood vulnerability, resilience, mental health, and fostering ethical and social capacities in young people. He directs the Making Caring Common Project, a national initiative that helps parents, educators, and communities prioritize moral and social development in children. The project provides strategies to cultivate empathy, ethical judgment, and a commitment to justice, fostering caring, resilient, and responsible young people.

In addition to Making Caring Common, Weissbourd leads Turning the Tide, an initiative to reform college admissions by elevating ethical character, reducing excessive achievement pressure, and increasing equity and access. He has founded several interventions for at-risk children, including ReadBoston and WriteBoston, city-wide literacy programs, and the Lee Academy, a pilot school in Boston serving children from age three. He has advised on family policy, parenting, and school reform at the city, state, and federal levels and has written for outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, and NPR.

Weissbourd is the author of The Vulnerable Child: What Really Hurts America’s Children and What We Can Do About It, named one of the top 10 education books of all time by the American School Board Journal, and The Parents We Mean to Be: How Well-Intentioned Adults Undermine Children's Moral and Emotional Development, recognized by The New Yorker as one of the top 24 books of 2009.

Julia Marsh is the CEO and co-founder of Sway, a material innovation company scaling compostable packaging made with seaweed. Julia spent over a decade designing brand and packaging systems for consumer goods companies, technology startups, and design studios around the world. Her work is driven by a deep passion for regenerative design and biological circularity. Sway's patented products match the vital performance attributes of conventional plastics and plug into existing infrastructure, enabling scale and impact. Unlike plastic, Sway materials leverage abundant, regenerative resources and compost into healthy soil after use, completing the loop of biological circularity. Their market presence is rapidly expanding through partnerships with leading global packaging distributors and exemplary brands including J.Crew, Burton, Faherty, and Florence.

Sway is a TIME Best Invention of 2025, Fast Company World-Changing Idea, and 1st place winner in the TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize. Their solutions have garnered recognition from Forbes, The Guardian, and WIRED. As a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, and 1% for the Planet, Sway is working holistically to ensure our solutions catalyze a thriving, equitable future.

Sway is headquartered in the California Bay Area. Discover how they’re creating materials that replenish the planet at swaythefuture.com.