Denise Dunning

Dr. Denise Raquel Dunning is a passionate advocate for women and girls, and the founder and Executive Director of Let Girls Lead and Champions For Change. Let Girls Lead has contributed to improved health, education, livelihoods, and rights of more than 7 million girls by investing in visionary leaders and organizations in Africa and Latin America. Champions For Change saves the lives of mothers, children and newborns in Nigeria by building a movement of Champions advocating for improved reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health. Dr. Dunning teaches courses for the University of California San Francisco, is a proud board member of EngenderHealth, and served as a Fulbright Scholar in Honduras. Dr. Dunning holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of California Berkeley, a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Duke University. Dr. Dunning is a globally recognized speaker who has written in numerous outlets, including the New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, The Gates Foundation Impatient Optimists Blog, and The Huffington Post.