Maya Ajmera

Maya Ajmera is the President and CEO of聽色色视频 and the Executive Publisher of its award-winning magazine, . Founded in 1921, the Society works to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. The Society is best known for its world-class science competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

As an alumna of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, now sponsored by Regeneron, Maya has helped to transform the 100-year-old Society into a dynamic, entrepreneurial organization. During her second year as President and CEO, Maya spearheaded a $100 million, 10-year sponsorship for the Science Talent Search with Regeneron. In addition, Maya has brought Science News Media Group from a decade-long deficit into a bullish enterprise by developing a new education pillar and diversifying SN Media Group鈥檚 income stream. She founded a new series of outreach and equity programs to reach more underserved STEM students in the United States with an $11 million investment.

Maya served as the inaugural Social Entrepreneur in Residence for Duke University and Visiting Professor for the Practice of Public Policy at聽The Sanford School of Public Policy聽at Duke. She was a Visiting Scholar and Professorial Lecturer at聽The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies聽(SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University and continues to serve as an adjunct on the faculty of the International Development Program and teaches the course, 鈥淪ocial Innovations in International Development for Children and Youth.鈥

Maya founded the (GFC), a nonprofit organization that invests in innovative, community-based organizations working with some of the world鈥檚 most vulnerable children and youth. Under Maya鈥檚 18 years of leadership, GFC grew from a vision into one of the largest networks of grassroots organizations working on behalf of vulnerable children. Since inception, GFC has awarded over $51 million to over 900 innovative grassroots organizations, touching the lives of over 11 million children worldwide.

Maya is also an award-winning children鈥檚 book author of more than 20 titles, including聽Back to School, Every Breath We Take,听Children from Australia to Zimbabwe and To Be a Kid, with more than 5 million readers worldwide.

Maya is the recipient of the , recognized for her tremendous contribution to increasing the public鈥檚 understanding of science and engineering. Maya is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also a recipient of the Henry Crown Fellowship at the Aspen Institute, the Echoing Green Fellowship, the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations and the Rotary International Graduate Fellowship. She is sought out nationally and internationally to address audiences on STEM education, local and global philanthropy, global children鈥檚 rights, international development and social entrepreneurship. Her work and life story have been profiled by such media outlets as CNN, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Financial Times, NPR and many others.

Maya is a board member for聽Echoing Green,听Kids in Need of Defense,听Sibley Memorial Hospital聽and the聽North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics聽Foundation. She served as a member of the Innovation and Civil Society subgroup of the Obama presidential transition鈥檚 Technology, Innovation and Government Reform Policy Working Group.

Maya holds an A.B. from Bryn Mawr College and an M.P.P. from The Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.