Join Annie, a world-renowned photojournalist, as she shares the secrets to connecting with people from all walks of life. With over 30 years of experience and having worked in more than 150 countries, Annie has gained a unique perspective on what we all have in common. Her message is simple yet powerful: despite our cultural and societal differences, we share the same fundamental desires: security, shelter, good health, the dignity of work, and a brighter future for our children. At a pivotal point in her life, Annie began to rethink her own legacy and decided to lean into the one truth she has discovered over and over: People who have the least, often give the most. In response, she founded Ripple Effect Images, a nonprofit organization on a mission to shine a light on the inspiring work of small organizations that are making a big impact in the lives of women and children around the world. Read More

One of the first women photographers to work for National Geographic, Annie Griffiths has photographed in more than one hundred countries during her rich and varied career. She has worked on dozens of magazine and book projects for National Geographic, including stories on Lawrence of Arabia, Galilee, Petra, Sydney, and Jerusalem. In addition to her editorial work, Annie is deeply committed to using photography to support aid organizations.

Known for her warmth and humor, Annie has a gift for sharing stories and photographs that humanize situations and cultures. Annie has presented at the United Nations, The Skoll World Forum, Adobe MAX, Microsoft, and Proctor & Gamble. The World Presidents Association (WPO) named Annie one of the “Best of the Best Speakers.” She has been a popular guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and National Public Radio. Annie has received awards from the National Press Photographers Association, the Associated Press, the National Organization of Women, and the White House News Photographers Association.

“If each of us can search inside ourselves for a little acorn of time or passion or ability, and find creative ways to offer that gift, a forest begins to grow.”

Guest Moderator Jade Beall is a mother to her 11-year-old son and a Tucson-based, world-renowned photographer. She specializes in truthful images of women to inspire feeling irreplaceably beautiful and good about one’s body, as a counterbalance to the airbrushed and photoshopped imagery of a single body shape and age that dominates mainstream media. Her work and books have touched millions of women’s lives and garnered global attention from media outlets, including the BBC, The Today Show, The Huffington Post & beyond.