Zainab Salbi

Oprah has praised her, and so has President Clinton—and for good reason. In 1993, while still a student at Mason, Zainab Salbi, BIS ’96, created Women for Women International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping female victims of war move from crisis and poverty to self-sufficiency. Today, her organization encompasses 420,000 women in eight countries.

Salbi has also created a variety of shows, podcasts, and books, including the national bestseller Between Two Worlds and the show #MeToo, Now What? on PBS. She's been recognized by Oprah Winfrey as one of the 25 women changing the world to People Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine called her one of “100 Top Global Thinkers”.