The Honorable Margaret H. Marshall, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Born in South Africa, Margaret H. Marshall was the first woman Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, a position she held from 1999 to 2010. Among her many groundbreaking decisions, in 2003, she authorized Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, which made Massachusetts the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. Inspired by her experiences opposing apartheid in South Africa, throughout her career, Marshall championed the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and numerous judicial reforms that have increased access to justice for all.

Dr. Omid Farokhzad, Associate Professor of Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Biomaterials, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Born in Iran, Dr. Omid Farokhzad is a pioneering physician, scientist, and biotechnology entrepreneur. He is the founder of three biotechnology companies that develop targeted therapies for cancer and other diseases. His revolutionary work has included research demonstrating the use of biodegradable “nanodrones” to enter the bloodstream and provide life-saving medication. Among his many honors, Dr. Farokhzad is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal and a member of the National Academy of Inventors.

Claudio Del Vecchio, CEO of Luxottica and Brooks Brothers. Born in Italy, Del Veccio has been a leader in the fashion industry throughout his career, serving first as the CEO of a revolutionary luxury eyewear brand, and then of Brooks Brothers Group, Inc., where he played a pivotal role in modernizing the brand while preserving its rich heritage. In 2008, Brooks Brothers purchased Massachusetts-based Southwick Apparel and committed to growing the textile industry in New England. Southwick employed many IINE clients as it worked to expand its workforce.

Dr. Noubar Afeyan, Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering & Co-Founder of Moderna. ​Born in Lebanon to Armenian parents, Noubar Afeyan is an entrepreneur, inventor, and philanthropist. As the CEO of Flagship Pioneering, he has co-founded and developed over 100 life science and technology startups, including Moderna, creator of one of the first and most widely used vaccines for COVID-19. Afeyan’s companies have combined to earn over $100 billion and currently have more than 50 drugs in clinical development. He also co-founded the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative to address global humanitarian challenges. Afeyan holds over 100 patents and has taught entrepreneurship and innovation at MIT and Harvard Business School. Among his many honors, he has received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

L. Rafael Reif, President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Born in Venezuela, Dr. L. Rafael Reif served as MIT’s 17th President from 2012 to 2022. Under his leadership, MIT expanded its commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, launching groundbreaking initiatives like the open online course platform edX, which engaged more than 2.2 million learners from 196 countries in its first two years. Under Dr. Reif’s leadership, MIT demonstrated its sustained support for the community’s international students. Following the January 2017 federal travel ban of immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries, he penned an eloquent letter to the MIT community describing the ban as a violation of the United States’ values as a nation of immigrants: fairness, equality, openness, generosity and courage. An elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, Dr. Reif is the inventor or coinventor on 15 patents.

Dr. Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University. Born in Lebanon, Dr. Joseph E. Aoun is a nationally known higher education thought leader, renowned scholar of linguistics, and is the seventh president of Northeastern University. He has led the university’s expansion of experiential learning, integrating classroom learning with real-world experience, to 136 countries and established a network of seven campuses in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom—part of his vision for a global university system supporting lifelong learning and collaborative research. President Aoun has strategically aligned the university’s research initiatives with three global imperatives—health, security, and sustainability—a focus supported by eight interdisciplinary research institutes. These and other initiatives have enabled Northeastern to attract record numbers of high-talent students from around the world, while more than tripling external funding for research.

Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, CEO and President of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Born in India, Dr. Kewalramani is known for her leadership in biotechnology and contributions to treating rare diseases. She trained in internal medicine and nephrology before entering the biopharmaceutical industry, where she has dedicated her career to discovering and developing new medicines. Since she assumed leadership in 2017, Vertex has more than doubled its employee base and the number of medicines it offers, significantly expanded its R&D pipeline, and augmented its footprint in Boston’s Seaport and around the world. Dr. Kewalramani has been honored as a distinguished alumna of Harvard Business School and Boston University School of Medicine and received the New England Council New Englander of the Year Award and the Asian American Business Development Center Pinnacle Award. She has been named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, a Changemaker by CNBC, one of Boston Business Journal’s “Power 50,” one of Boston Magazine’s most influential Bostonians, a top CEO by Barron’s, and one of Business Insider’s “10 People Transforming Healthcare.” 

Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. Originally from France, Stéphane Bancel has been instrumental in leading Moderna’s efforts in developing mRNA vaccines. Under his leadership, Moderna transformed from a startup into a global biotechnology company, notably developing one of the first and most effective COVID-19 vaccines. The company now boasts a diverse pipeline with 45 mRNA therapeutic and vaccine programs, nine of which are in late-stage development. ​ Beyond his corporate achievements, Bancel has demonstrated a strong commitment to philanthropy. With his wife, Brenda Bancel, he established Bancel Philanthropies, focusing on initiatives that create equitable access to education, increase food security, reduce health inequities, bolster interfaith initiatives, and reduce racial inequities.

Dr. Srikant M. Datar, Dean of Harvard Business School. Born in India, Dr. Srikant M. Datar is a leader in fostering innovation in business education. As the 11th dean of Harvard Business School (HBS), he has prioritized integrating design thinking, data science, and artificial intelligence into the business curriculum to prepare students for the evolving demands of the global economy. ​ Prior to his deanship, Dr. Datar held multiple senior associate dean roles at HBS and played a pivotal role in launching the Harvard Innovation Lab (i-lab), a resource for students to explore and launch entrepreneurial ventures. Under his leadership, HBS has focused on initiatives that enhance diversity and inclusion within the MBA program, including the Loring Family MBA Pathways Fund, which creates pathways for diverse candidates to pursue MBA education, reflecting Dr. Datar’s dedication to broadening access to business education.

Dr. Giovanni Caforio, Executive Chairman of the Board and former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb. Born in Italy, Dr. Caforio has made significant contributions to the U.S. healthcare industry. In his leadership roles at Bristol Myers Squibb, he has directed the company’s focus on researching and developing transformational medicines, including a portfolio of immunotherapies that are fundamentally changing the way cancer is treated. Drawing from his work as a physician, Dr. Caforio has championed a patient-focused culture emphasizing innovation, speed, accountability, and passion. Under Dr. Caforio’s leadership, Bristol Myers Squibb has awarded nearly $100 million in underserved communities to address health disparities and has committed to increasing clinical trials in areas with high diversity in order to reach broader patient demographics during the research process for developing life-saving medications.