Articles in Category: Profiles & Bios

Jenny Shipley (First Female Prime Minister of New Zealand)

jenny_shipley.jpgDame Jenny Shipley, DNZM (born 4 February 1952), served as the 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand from December 1997 to December 1999.

She was the first woman to hold this office and the first, and to date only, woman to serve as leader of the National Party of New Zealand.

Shipley was born as Jennifer Mary Robson in Gore, New Zealand, one of four sisters. 

Tags challenges government inspiration politics Role Models success

Angie Miller (Teacher of the Year)

angie millerAngie Miller is the 2011 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year. She has spent the past year traveling the nation, speaking and collaborating with K-12 teachers and other educational stakeholders.

Miller has been immersed in middle school education for 11 years, which has deeply affected her spelling and humor. In a typical classroom that Miller runs, students develop their voices to make change.

Tags community education inspiration kids Role Models success TED Talks

Suja Lowenthal (Politician / Planner)

suja lowenthalDr. Suja Lowenthal was elected to represent the Second District in a special election held on June 6, 2006.  She ran unopposed and was re-elected to a four-year term in June 2008 and was elected Vice Mayor by her Council colleagues in 2010.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from UCLA, a Master's in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles and a Doctorate in Policy, Planning and Development from USC.

Tags community government inspiration politics success TED Talks

Awele Makeba (Master Storyteller)

awele makebaAwele Makeba is a storyteller, teacher, actor, guest lecturer, and more.

Her bio on the TED 2012 Speakers A-Z list  says she is:

"a truth teller, an artist for social change: She researches, writes and performs hidden African American history, folklore, and personal tales. Her audiences grapple with the meaning of their own lives as they make meaning of past lives."

Tags actor education inspiration storytelling success TED Talks

Kate Messner (Author)

Kate messnerKate Messner is an award-winning author whose books for kids have been New York Times Notable, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education Best Books selections.

She believes in nature, art, magic, lake monsters, science, and the power of literacy to change the world. She writes books for people who also believe in those things.

Messner's book The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. was the winner of the 2010 E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers.

Tags author education Fun inspiration kids success writer