Announcing the Inaugural Class of the Technology Leaders Initiative

<div class="header alignfull header--article header--min-height-full has-background has-blue-diagonal-gradient-background"> <div class="header__layout"> <div class="header__content"> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-category"> Blog Posts</div></div></div> <h1 class="header__title has-h3-variant">Archives</h1> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="favorite-block"> <button class="favorite" data-id="257259" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" /></svg></button></div> <div class="header__meta header__meta--date"> July 16, 2026</div> <div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-program_tax"> Aspen Global Leadership Network</div></div></div> </div> </div> <figure class="header__media" role="presentation"> <img decoding="async" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1.png" alt="TLI home page banner" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1.png 1920w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-800x450.png 800w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-1500x844.png 1500w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-768x432.png 768w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-1600x900.png 1600w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-1200x675.png 1200w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TLI-banner-options-1-300x169.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" loading="eager" class="header__image" style="object-position: 52% 42%"> <span class="header__overlay" style="opacity: 0.58"></span> </figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default has-primary-wash-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium)"> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote alignwide is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"> <p class="has-medium-variant wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Seventy-five years ago, the Aspen Institute gathered world leaders to reckon with the atomic age. Today, as AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing reshape human power, we are once again convening the people closest to these technologies to have the hard, constructive arguments about the future of society that transcend national, sectoral, and disciplinary borders. <strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-light-color">Technology stops being progress the moment it outpaces the wisdom of the people deploying it. The solution cannot be regulation alone. It must be leadership.</mark></strong>”</p> <cite><strong><strong><strong>Dar Vanderbeck, Vice President of the Aspen Global Leadership Network</strong></strong></strong></cite></blockquote> </div> <div class="wp-block-group alignwide is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"> <p style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--small)" class="wp-block-paragraph">On July 16, 2026 the <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/tech-leaders-initiative/">Technology Leaders Initiative</a> (TLI), announced its inaugural cohort, bringing together 22 senior leaders from across the technology ecosystem shaping the future of artificial intelligence and frontier technologies. Drawn from organizations such as Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta, Microsoft, JPMorganChase, and OpenAI, the Fellows represent a broad range of perspectives and expertise across industry. They will join a wider community of more than 4,200 values-based leaders in over 62 countries as part of the <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/agln">Aspen Global Leadership Network</a> (AGLN).</p> </div> <div class="wp-block-group alignfull has-primary-light-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium)"> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote alignwide is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"> <p class="has-medium-variant wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Our Fellows are defining the ethics of frontier AI systems, securing critical cyber infrastructure, pioneering genomic medicine, and reimagining what creativity means in an age of intelligent machines. <mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:var( --wdg-color-accent-secondary )" class="has-inline-color"><strong>The decisions shaping this era will only be as good as the judgment and values of the people making them. The TLI exists to strengthen both.</strong></mark>&#8220;</p> <cite><strong>Amy Benziger, Managing Director of the Technology Leaders Initiative</strong></cite></blockquote> </div> <div class="wp-block-group alignwide is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"> <p style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)" class="wp-block-paragraph">Most leadership programs in technology focus on product strategy or policy alignment. The TLI is built on a different premise: the leaders closest to these technologies rarely have the protected space to examine their impact on the world with others who answer to the same scale of consequence. Throughout their program, the 2026 cohort will discuss memoirs of great leaders, philosophical texts, and parables, not as case studies, but as instruments for examining the choices in front of them.</p> </div> <div class="wp-block-group alignfull has-primary-wash-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium)"> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote alignwide is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"> <p class="has-medium-variant wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Every era confronting new forms of power has turned to philosophy and the great works for guidance. <strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-light-color">This program puts Fellows into conversation with previous generations who have reasoned through the eternal questions about power, judgment, and what we owe each other.</mark></strong>”</p> <cite><strong><strong>Chris Varelas, Co-Founder, Technology Leaders Initiative, and Aspen Institute Trustee</strong></strong></cite></blockquote> </div> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="1200" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TLI-2026-Class-Mosaic-No-Logo-1500x1200.png" alt="TLI 2026 Class Mosaic" class="wp-image-263060"/></figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The inaugural TLI Fellows are:</strong></p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li class=""><strong>Alex-Handrah Aimé</strong>, Vice President, Network Investments, Meta | Los Angeles, CA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Kai Fong Chng</strong>, Permanent Secretary, Singapore Ministry of Digital Development and Information | Singapore</li> <li class=""><strong>Aseem Datar</strong>, Chief Product Officer &amp; Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Corporation | Redmond, WA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Iason Gabriel</strong>, AGI &amp; Society Lead; Senior Staff Research Scientist, Google DeepMind | London, United Kingdom</li> <li class=""><strong>Lisa Gevelber</strong>, Chief Marketing Officer, Americas, Google; Founder, Grow with Google | Palo Alto, CA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Holly Herndon</strong>, Composer, Artist, Herndon Dryhurst Studio; Co-Founder, Spawning AI | Berlin, Germany</li> <li class=""><strong>Emilia Javorsky</strong>, Director, Futures Program, Future of Life Institute | Watertown, MA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Irina Kofman</strong>, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives &amp; Operations, OpenAI | Orinda, CA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Nina Lozinski</strong>, Co-Head of AI &amp; Machine Learning Investment Strategy, Bridgewater Associates, LP | New York, NY, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Tom McLeod</strong>, President, Saltwater; Founder, Arkive | Santa Monica, CA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>David Meyer</strong>, Senior Vice President, Product, Databricks | San Francisco, CA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Nick Myerberg</strong>, Partner, Head of Artificial Intelligence and Technology, Braidwell | Stamford, CT, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Jessica Orkin</strong>, Executive Chair, SYPartners; Co-Founder, Plan A | New York, NY, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Leke Osinubi</strong>, Partner &amp; Chief Digital Risk Officer, Goldman Sachs; Chief Information Security Officer, GS Bank USA | New York, NY, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Emily Schwartz</strong>, Manager, Policy Campaigns, Anthropic | Los Angeles, CA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Govind Shivkumar</strong>, Director, Programs &amp; Policy, Omidyar Network | Washington, DC, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Richard Socher</strong>, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Recursive; Founder &amp; CEO, You.com | San Francisco, CA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Mahesh Sudhakaran</strong>, General Manager, Grid Software, GE Vernova | Needham, MA, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>John Tass-Parker</strong>, Executive Director, Artificial Intelligence, Policy and Partnerships, JPMorganChase | New York, NY, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Giles Whiting</strong>, CEO, Decisions; Former Co-Lead, DOGE for US Department of Defense and Department of Air Force | Charleston, SC, United States</li> <li class=""><strong>Luhan Yang</strong>, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Qihan Biotech; Co-Founder, eGenesis; CRISPR pioneer | Hangzhou, China</li> <li class=""><strong>Cecelia Zhou</strong>, Former Chief Operating Officer, Precision Robotics | Shanghai, China&nbsp;</li> </ul> <div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-00f60e24 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/tech-leaders-initiative/2026-technology-leaders-fellows/">READ CLASS BIOS<span class="wp-block-button__effect"></span></a></div> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/tech-leaders-initiative/">MORE ON THE INITIATIVE<span class="wp-block-button__effect"></span></a></div> </div> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The program is supported by the partnership of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and the Institute for Ethics in AI, University of Oxford. Special thanks to the early support from Mysten Labs. The program was founded by a consortium of Aspen Fellows and Trustees: Ailish Campbell (Executive Vice President, Public Sector, Mastercard; Finance Leaders Fellowship), Jen Zhu (Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Power Dynamics; China Fellowship), Laela Sturdy (Managing Partner, CapitalG; Finance Leaders Fellowship), Verdun Perry (Global Head, Blackstone Strategic Partners; Finance Leaders Fellowship) and Chris Varelas (Founding Partner, Riverwood Capital; Aspen Institute Trustee).<br><br><strong>About the Technology Leaders Initiative:</strong> The Technology Leaders Initiative (TLI) is part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and modeled after the Aspen Institute&#8217;s Henry Crown Fellowship. Each two-year cohort brings together 22 Fellows from across the global technology ecosystem for international seminars, led by senior Aspen Institute moderators. Participation is free for Fellows and their organizations. Learn more at<a href="http://aspeninstitute.org/programs/tech-leaders-initiative"> aspeninstitute.org/programs/tech-leaders-initiative</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN)</strong> is a growing, worldwide community of high-integrity leaders who share a commitment to use their creativity, energy, and resources to tackle the foremost societal challenges of our times. Through a rare community of support, transformative convenings, and catalytic capital, we ignite 4,200 Fellows across 62 countries to turn moral courage into lasting change. For more information, visit <a href="http://aspeninstitute.org/agln">aspeninstitute.org/agln</a>.<br><br><strong>About the Aspen Institute </strong>The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit <a href="http://aspeninstitute.org">aspeninstitute.org</a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/announcing-the-inaugural-class-of-the-technology-leaders-initiative/">Announcing the Inaugural Class of the Technology Leaders Initiative</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org">Aspen Institute</a>.</p>