Virtual Alumni
Global Gathering
Each year, Tilting Futures proudly hosts a virtual Global Gathering for our alumni! This event brings together over 1,900 alumni from the Fellowship, Academy, and Take Action Lab programs, spanning more than 120 countries. It’s an incredible opportunity for our diverse and global community to connect, celebrate achievements, and inspire one another.
Global Gathering is thoughtfully designed to foster meaningful connections among alumni. Our sessions include a variety of interactive formats, such as panel discussions, breakout rooms, and networking events, ensuring that every participant can engage in ways that resonate with them.
INSIDE 2026's GLOBAL GATHERING:
Building a More Human World
JUNE 26-27, 2026
This year’s Global Gathering celebrated 15 years of alumni stories, connection, and changemaking. Throughout the event, attendees experienced expanded alumni-led programming, twice as many Speak Ups, special storytelling moments, and a few exciting surprises as we reflected on how far our community has come and imagined what lies ahead.
Today, our alumni community spans more than 120 countries. To make Global Gathering as accessible as possible, the event featured two time blocks, with a special Conversation Reconnect session in between, giving alumni around the world the opportunity to connect, share, and celebrate together.
The Agenda
Block 01 :
4pm UTC-7pm UTC
June 26th
- Internal Speaker Session
- Alumni Speak Ups
- Program Reconnects
- Tilting Futures Partners
Conversation Reconnects:
10pm UTC-11pm UTC
June 26th
Interactive breakout conversations designed to create space for connection, reflection, and dialogue around the topics our alumni care about most.
Block 02: 11am UTC-2pm UTC
June 27th
- External Speaker Session
- Alumni Speak Ups
- Program Reconnects
- Tilting Futures Partners
The Details
Block 01
⭐ INTERNAL SPEAKER SESSION:
“Tilting Forward: A Senior Leadership Team Plenary Session”
Global Gathering’s opening plenary was Tilting Forward, a conversation with Tilting Futures’ Senior Leadership Team reflecting on 15 years of impact and looking ahead to the future. Together, they explored what it means to build a more human world, shared personal leadership journeys, and invited alumni to imagine the role they can play in shaping what’s next.
SPEAK UPS:
Day 1 of Global Gathering included inspiring Speak Ups from alums Anya Martin (TALSA June ’25) who spoke about connection and reflection and Angela Busheska (Academy Fall ’20) who explored the intersection of technology and wellbeing during her Speak Up.
⭐ PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHTS:
Day 1 of Global Gathering featured two new partnerships: The Clinton School of Public Service with unique scholarship opportunities for our alumni and Be Social Change an online community dedicated to helping professionals build careers and lives centered on social impact.
⭐ RECONNECTS:
Always a favorite, Reconnects are a chance for alumni to reconnect and get to know each other outside of the session times.
⭐ TILTERS’SCHOLARSHIP FUND:
For the first time ever, our alumni community has launched a scholarship – the Tilters’ Scholarship Fund: For Changemakers by Changemakers. We heard from Moderator Nassali Kabugo (TALSA Feb ’25) and Paula Medina Agromayor (Senegal ’19) who shared their experience in the focus group and why the Fund matters to them.
Conversation Reconnects
CONVERSATION RECONNECTS
A first for Global Gathering, Conversation Reconnects are facilitated conversations focusing on the topics our alumni most want to discuss and serve as an opportunity to build cross-program connections.
Block 02
⭐ EXTERNAL SPEAKER SESSION:
“Building Belonging: A Conversation with Theresa Goh and Kethlyn G”
Singaporean Paralympic swimmer Theresa Goh and community builder Kethlyn G invited alumni into a conversation about belonging, access, and the everyday work of building a more human world. Drawing on their own experiences they reflected on how honesty, care, and community can help us challenge assumptions and create spaces where more people feel seen, valued, and free to show up as themselves.
SPEAK UPS:
Day 2 of Global Gathering featured Speak Ups from alums Romeo Zoghbi (TALSA June ’25) who spoke about travel, people, and connecting as people beyond labels and Saima Khatun (TALMY Aug ’25) who reflected on building community through shared meals.
⭐ PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHTS:
Day 2 also featured two additional new partnerships with BYkids who will help our alumni develop social impact videos and Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College which is offering exclusive 30% discounted tuition to our alumni and more.
⭐ RECONNECTS:
One last opportunity at Global Gathering for alumni to connect across cohorts to reconnect, reminisce, and form new relationships with fellow program alums.
⭐ 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY VIDEO:
Global Gathering wouldn’t be complete without a video celebrating our wonderful alumni community – and this year we celebrated our 15 year anniversary by featuring 15 amazing alumni and how they’re building a more human world.
A Look Back at Global
Gathering Over the Years
GLOBAL GATHERING 04:
CONNECTING COMMUNITIES, CREATING CHANGE
The Details
Block 01
⭐ SPEAKER SESSION:
“Connecting Communities, Creating Change”
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Yunus Mohamed | Kenya
Partnerships & Localization Lead, CFK Africa
CFK Africa is a youth-centered and community-aligned organisation supporting informal settlements across Kenya. Yunus is a partnerships and development specialist with expertise in community mobilization, project management, research, and facilitation.
Gurudatt Sampat Parte | India
Organic Farmer, Viver village
Gurudatt works with his Village Council, looking after all the needs of the village including water and electricity. He is an organic farmer and a founding member of Nature Caretakers, a youth organisation that protects their local mountain.
Eilidh MacGilp | Scotland
Community Organiser, Isle of Eigg
Eilidh is an activist supporting her community of 120 islanders that have collectively become the world’s first community to launch an off-grid electric system powered by wind, water and solar.
⭐ SPEAKUPS:
We all remember the iconic Tilting Futures Speak Ups – your moment to express yourself authentically in front of your cohort mates and speak from the heart.
We’re bringing back that magic with 2 alumni speak ups.
⭐ RECONNECTS:
Join the virtual reconnects, your opportunity to share memories with friends and familiar faces, and hopefully spark new connections too!
There will be 3 breakout rooms: 1 for Fellowship Alumni, 1 for Academy Alumni, and 1 for Take Action Lab Alumni.
Block 02
⭐ SPEAKER SESSION:
“Leadership & The Power of Community: A Conversation with Tilting Futures’ Senior Leadership Team”
Join an open dialogue with some of the senior leaders of Tilting Futures, where they will share stories about the communities that shaped them and how those roots influence the way they lead at Tilting Futures today.
This session will be moderated by Ecuador ‘17 alum, Sahar Thomson.
⭐ SPEAKUPS:
Join to hear a Speak Up from the incredible, Sage Hapke, Ecuador ‘16 alum.
Sage currently works at the SF Community Health Center as the Program Manager of Trans Services and has supported hundreds of trans women throughout the Bay Area.
⭐ RECONNECTS:
Join the virtual reconnects, your opportunity to share memories with friends and familiar faces, and hopefully spark new connections too!
There will be 3 breakout rooms: 1 for Fellowship Alumni, 1 for Academy Alumni, and 1 for Take Action Lab Alumni.
GLOBAL GATHERING 03:
LOCAL CHANGE, GLOBAL VISION
The Details
Main Sessions
⭐ LEADERSHIP DIALOGUES:
IN CONVERSATION WITH THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Speakers:
- Erin Lewellen | CEO, Tilting Futures
- Aziza Musa | CEAO, Tilting Futures
- Elikem Tomety Archer | CPO, Tilting Futures
- Odiaka Gonzalez | VP, People & Operations, Tilting Futures
Moderators:
- Isabella Letona | Take Action Lab Feb ‘23
- Christy Nguimbous | Take Action Lab Feb ‘23
⭐ MAPPING OUR SOCIAL CHANGE ROLES FOR CIVIC INNOVATION
Speaker: Deepa Iyer
Moderator: Sumaiya Binte Imad
⭐ GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Speakers:
- Anandi Gandhi
- Naima Te Maile Fifita
- Jim Cordoba Alfaro
- Mame Diarra Sarr
- Lilith van Amerongen
- Judmar Emerenciana
- Jackie Bernabela
Moderators:
- Tetiana Shevchenko | Take Action Lab Feb ‘23
- Newton Mukoya | Take Action Lab August ‘23
Partnership Expo
Our Partnership Expo highlighted the organizations we partner with in order to provide alumni with exceptional opportunities for learning and growth.
Speakers & Partner Orgs:
- Farhad Anklesaria | Baret Scholars
- Letitia Zwickert | MENTEE
- Rob Lake | Boulevard
- Theo Dunfey | Global Citizen Circle
- Mario Vasilescu | Readocracy
Speak Ups
⭐ Fellowship:
Rose Hoang, Ecuador ‘17
⭐ Academy:
Valiha Rajaobelina, August ‘21
⭐ Take Action Lab:
Noémia Rocha, August ‘23
Community Connects
Community Connects are a chance for alumni to reconnect and get to know each other outside of the session times.
⭐ NOSTALGIA
Moderator:
Sibusisiwe Chatima Nkhata | Take Action Lab August ’23 & Academy August ’22
⭐ WELL-BEING
Moderator:
Sophia Alfaro | India ‘19
⭐ NETWORKING FOR IMPACT
Moderator:
Rutendo Kahari | Take Action Lab, Spring ‘23
GLOBAL GATHERING 02:
STORIES OF HOPE
The Details
Day 1: July 14, 2023
⭐ LEADING IDEAS: READOCRACY
Description: Our first session of the 2023 Alumni Global Gathering was be hosted by Mario Vasilescu, the CEO and Co-founder of Readocracy, a platform designed to change the way we think about our relationship to information. Readocracy is on a mission to bring integrity back to the internet, by helping quality beat quantity.
Speaker: Mario Vasilescu | Co-founder, Readocracy
Moderator: Maria Morava, Senegal ‘16
⭐ SPEAK UPS
Speak Up: Prince Bashangezi, Academy ’21
Description: Prince shares his story of hope through creating educational opportunities in Tongogara Refugee Camp in Zimbabwe. We learned about his non-profit, TWEENS (Together We Educationally Empower Non-privileged Students), which came to life from his final project with the Global Citizen Year Academy!
⭐ NOSTALGIA ROOMS
Breakout rooms of Fellowship, Academy, Take Action Lab
⭐ COMMUNITY CONNECTS
Breakout rooms for ‘Work’, ‘Education’ and ‘Open Space’
Day 2: July 15, 2023
⭐ WORK WONDERS: CRAFTING YOUR CAREER
Speakers:
- Odiaka Gonzalez | VP, People & Operations, Tilting Futures
- Leah Mesh-Ferguson | Associate, People & Operations, Tilting Futures
Description: What did alumni learn from this Expert-led Workshop?
- Identifying what is important for you for your next job.
- How to apply powerfully for work that is meaningful to you
- How to translate what is important to you into your job search & applications.
Day 3: July 16, 2023
⭐ EXPERT-LED WORKSHOPS:
THE PRACTICE OF BELONGING
Speaker: Anand Sadana | Project Manager for Curriculum and Program Innovation, JUMP! Foundation
Description: What did alumni learn from this Expert-led Workshop?
- Understanding of how we experience culture
- Resilience and curiosity as a tool for learning
- Personal practices for developing belonging
GLOBAL GATHERING 01:
CATALYSING CHANGE TOGETHER
The Details
Day 1: January 28, 2022
⭐ KEYNOTE: TECH FOR INDIA
Speaker: Shaheen Mistri | Founder of Teach for India
Description: In the summer of 2008, Shaheen founded Teach For India, with an audacious vision of providing an excellent education to all children across India through building a pipeline of leaders committed to ending educational inequity in India. Today Teach for India impacts 32,000 children through the direct work of over 900 fellows and 250 staff members across 8 cities and has produced over 9100 student alumni. Additionally, the Teach for India Alumni community is 3400+ members strong, impacting 1 million children directly and 33 million children indirectly.
⭐ DIALOGUE ROOM: ADAPTABILITY AND ACCEPTANCE – WHAT GCY AND THE PAST 2 YEARS HAVE TAUGHT US ABOUT RESILIENCE
Moderator: Noa Bridson
Description: This session explored the role that acceptance and adaptability played while living abroad and the skills that we’ve gained to face the challenges of living through the current pandemic.
⭐ DIALOGUE ROOM: PHOTOGRAPHY AND MENTAL HEALTH
Moderator: Deonte Lee | Brazil ‘16
Description: The session will discussed how individuals can use photography as a way to aid in processing mental health.. The session focused on how to find abstract ways of connecting to a new country and acclimating to a new environment.
⭐ DIALOGUE ROOM: WHOSE EARTH IS IT ANYWAY?
Moderator: Abigail Hindson
⭐ DIALOGUE ROOM: FOOD IS POLITICAL
Moderator: Aurelie Campbell | India ‘20
⭐ DIALOGUE ROOM: RADICAL HOSPITALITY & DEIAA
Moderator: Leah Mesh-Ferguson | Ecuador’ 14
Description: This session engendered conversation, introduced the practice of radical hospitality, and provided clear examples of this practice in the workplace. It also tied it to D.E.I.A. (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility), and gave participants tools for participating in and leading a workforce.
Day 2: January 29, 2022
⭐ EXPERT-LED WORKSHOP: A CAREER IN DEVELOPMENT
Speaker: Roshan Paul
Moderator: Maisie Coborn
⭐ EXPERT-LED WORKSHOP: HOW TO LEVERAGE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE TO BUILD A GLOBAL NETWORK
Speaker: Sarah Walz
Moderator: Vidushi Lall | Academy ’20
⭐ EXPERT-LED WORKSHOP: CLIMATE CHANGE
Speaker: Charlotte Sewell
Moderator: Shannon Yang | Senegal ’18
⭐ EXPERT-LED WORKSHOP: GLOBAL TRENDS TOWARDS PEACE
Speaker: Institute for Economics and Peace
Moderator: Isabel Hallock | India ‘18
⭐ CHART THE PATH
Moderator: Matthew Travers
Event MC: JT Su | Ecuador ’14
Speak Up: Isaac King | Brazil ’15
⭐ FIRESIDE CHAT
Speaker: Abby Falik
