The third annual CNBC Changemakers List of Women Transforming Business and Philanthropy, announced Wednesday, recognizes leaders at the forefront of AI and innovators in traditional fields, from finance to health care, retail, entertainment and sports.
Changemakers in 2026 range from startup founders to high-profile stars like Kim Kardashian, who invested big to grow Skims to a $5 billion valuation. nike Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty is valued at nearly $3 billion by outside sources, which also include charities addressing mental health issues.
AI is a key trend on this year’s list, with a variety of female leaders innovating the underlying technology and its applications. Former OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati launched Thinking Machines Lab to push the boundaries of next-generation AI. Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana expanded self-driving to new cities and forged multiple transportation partnerships. Binti CEO Felicia Curcuru is applying AI to improve the foster care system, collaborating with Anthropic to launch a responsible AI tool for social services.
Curcuru is a perfect example of a leader who pursues purpose alongside profit, which is the mission of many of the business leaders on our list. Gilead Sciences Chief Commercial Officer Joanna Mercier introduced and expanded access to a first-of-its-kind HIV prevention drug around the world. Vinita Gupta, CEO of Lupine, is spearheading a groundbreaking effort to revive pharmaceutical manufacturing. Paragonix Technologies CEO Lisa Anderson has developed a new device to transport kidneys for transplant.
Some of this year’s changemakers are growing the business and audience for women’s sports. They include Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Susie Wolf, founder and managing director of F1 Academy, Jayna Hefford and Amy Shear of the Women’s Professional Hockey League, and Carla Nortman of Monarch Collective & Angel City, which invests in women’s teams around the world. Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman is breaking down barriers and reshaping college athletics.
Our goal in presenting the 2024 Changemakers List was to highlight leaders who have overcome challenges.
Women still make up just 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs, an all-time high. For the 11th year in a row, women are underrepresented at all levels of the leadership line, including managers, with women holding 29% of executive roles, unchanged from the previous year, according to McKinsey. In the third quarter of 2025, the number of new female directors recorded by Equilar fell to its lowest level. And for the first time in more than 60 years, the gender pay gap widened for the second year in a row.
By these and many other metrics, CNBC’s changemakers have succeeded despite the challenges and are, by definition, exceptional. Their stories of grit, innovation, and creativity reveal how different backgrounds and leadership styles can help anyone succeed. We think their stories are an inspiration, and we believe you can be inspired as well.
We will be celebrating the 2026 Changemakers with a half-day summit in New York on April 16th. Enjoy a series of interviews and conversations about leadership, innovation, consumer understanding, and more.
Follow and listen to the “CNBC Changemakers and Power Players” podcast on Apple and Spotify.
