Member category: Link20@MIT

Brandon inspires millions of people across the globe with his universal message of living life on your own terms and building the framework for personal growth. At just 20 years old, he is a renowned empowerment speaker, Gen Z activist and author. Brandon was named in Instagram’s #19under19 as one of the 19 most influential teenagers in the world with his mission to elevate empathy.  

Justin is a public affairs and communications strategist, storyteller and advocate who works to advance equity, inclusion and human rights. He serves as Assistant Deputy Director in the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and as Co-Chair of Listos California, an emergency campaign to boost resiliency through preparing vulnerable communities for disasters like wildfire, earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic.

DeShawn Cann is the Director of Workforce Solutions for PRIDE Industries' Inclusion Talent Solutions business. His focus is on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, which guides his mechanism building and process improving compass. When he is not work, he enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and riding roller coasters.

Jessica is the second-most decorated Paralympian in U.S. history and has earned 23 Paralympic medals in swimming events. She has collected 31 world titles, and multiple world records. She has inspired others to chase their dreams throughout her career by advocating for the Paralympic Games and Para-athletes, and showing young girls they are valuable and strong.

Brenna is an American snowboarder. She competed at the 2018 Winter Paralympics, winning gold medals in the snowboard cross and banked slalom. Brenna began competing in 2013 while training at the National Ability Center in Utah. She returned to training in in preparation for the 2017 season and won the gold medal in 2018. Brenna is the first Paralympian to appear in the Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated.  

Antoine is a dancer, choreographer, and community activist who has performed around the world and received numerous awards. He produces deaf friendly events, and founded the Urban Jazz Dance Company and By Area International Deaf Dance Festival. He is the Vice President of Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency Board - a non-profit, community-based social service agency serving the deaf community.    

As Assistant Director for the Center for Women and Business (CWB) and Corporate Education at Bentley University, Janelle develops, manages, and implements the processes required to successfully deliver custom corporate programs and thought leadership to corporate partners. She also leads the social media functions and website support for the CWB and Corporate Education.

Kyle is an entrepreneur, speaker, bestselling author, award-winning extreme athlete, and the first man to bear crawl to the top of the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the summit of Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. He is on a mission to inspire others to do the same by sharing his story and living by example.  

Danielle is a Social Entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in business development in various industries. She is one of the most influential women in the Israeli tech industry, and one of 100 Role Models executives by Yahoo Finance for 2019. Danielle is the Co-Founder and CEO of Parliament51, a social impact venture aiming to achieve gender equality and equal opportunities for women in the workplace.  

Meir is a filmmaker, actor, and motivational speaker. He’s always finding ways to spread his message of positivity and kindness with others. Whether it’s through his viral videos on social media, hosting “The Great Day Podcast” or motivational speeches, Meir is a firm believer that we all have the choice and power to make this world a brighter place.