From left to right: Tasneem Ghogawala, Pat Daly, KayeLea Kautz, Michael Klosson, Ruth Kagi, Mark Shriver, Mark Geri and Kimberly Davis.
As a member of the Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) team, I am surrounded daily by people I admire. People who have dedicated their careers to bettering the lives of children in the U.S. and abroad. Despite my fortunate circumstance, however, I was still blown away by the five Changemakers for Children who spoke at the 2019 Advocacy Summit this week.
In honor of its 100th anniversary, Save the Children is celebrating Changemakers for Children, an inspiring group of people who have all raised their voices and worked tirelessly for the world’s most marginalized and deprived children. Panelists’ technical backgrounds range from philanthropy to teaching and policy, but during the panel all of them spoke passionately about the work that still needs to be done in order to ensure that all children—no matter where they are born—can survive and thrive.
Our thanks to Johnson & Johnson for sponsoring the Summit and our Changemakers, and to Kimberly Davis, Director of State Government Affairs for J&J, for moderating the Changemakers panel discussion.
So who are these amazing individuals? Take a look:
 |
Pat Daly is a global health worker who has dedicated her career to saving the lives of babies and their mothers worldwide. |
 |
Mark Geri is a veteran and a single father of twins. He lives in Washington and is helping ensure more children have access to high-quality early childhood education. |
 |
Tasneem Ghogawala is a proud Pakistani American who is changing children’s lives through philanthropy. |
 |
Ruth Kagi is a retired Washington state lawmaker who advocated for the creation of both Washington’s Department of Early Learning and subsequently Washington’s Department of Children, Youth and Families and changed the lives of thousands of children. |
 |
KayeLea Kautz is a Save the Children Action Network Student Ambassador from Iowa who, as a mom, is ensuring children like hers get the early learning opportunities they deserve. |
Aren’t they rock stars?
If you missed their panel, don’t worry! You can watch the full discussion below.
Though I learned a lot from each speaker, my biggest takeaway was that anyone can be a changemaker for children. By using our voice for kids and taking action to ensure that their needs are represented, we can make a difference in the lives of children around the world.