Dr. Peter Gray is a research professor of psychology at Boston College who has conducted and published research in neuroendocrinology, developmental psychology, anthropology, and education. He is the author of an internationally acclaimed introductory psychology textbook (Psychology, Worth Publishers, now in its 8th edition), which views all of psychology from an evolutionary perspective. His recent research focuses on the role of play in human evolution and how children educate themselves, through play and exploration, when they are free to do so. He has expanded on these ideas in his book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life (Basic Books). He also authors a regular blog called Freedom to Learn, for Psychology Today magazine. He is a founding member and president of the non-profit Alliance for Self-Directed Education (ASDE), which is aimed at creating a world in which children’s natural ways of learning are facilitated rather than suppressed. He is also a founding board director of the non-profit Let Grow, the mission of which is to renew children’s freedom to play and explore outdoors, independently of adults. He earned his undergraduate degree at Columbia College and Ph.D. in biological sciences at the Rockefeller University many years ago. His own current play includes kayaking, long-distance bicycling, backwoods skiing, and vegetable gardening.

Ashish Karamchandani is the managing director at FSG, a mission-driven consulting firm that focuses on using market-based solutions to drive sustainable social change. His emphasis has been on multi-year programs such as low income housing. Through his work, Karamchandani helped to develop a housing market that has sold more than 100,000 homes and has more than 10 housing companies now offering 15-year mortgages to informal sector customers with no income documentation. He is currently co-leading a program to improve private preschool education for low income households in urban India.

Jackie Harland is qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist over 30 years ago and has established four multidisciplinary clinics within the UK and internationally. She is a founder and Director of Services in the London Children’s Practice in central London and is the co-founder of London Learning Centre in Delhi. She has a Masters in Early Childhood Education and has co-authored an early years framework and online screening tool that supports early years teachers in good practice within pre-schools. She has conducted research in early childhood education in the UK and internationally.

Ramya Venkataraman is Founder & CEO of Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA), an India-based teacher certification entity. Prior to this, Ramya was with McKinsey & Company for 16 years, including as Leader of the Education Practice (which she built). Ramya is known for several pioneering on-the-ground reform efforts in both school education and skills in India - driving large scale reform in public schools. Beyond hands-on experience in India, Ramya has played advisory roles in education in Bhutan, South East Asia, middle east and North Africa. Ramya was recently elected an Ashoka Fellow in recognition of her leadership and continued contributions to the education space. Ramya holds a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

Prachi is a director at Michael & Susan Dell Foundation India LLP and manages the foundation’s India investments. She is on the board of several for-profit education companies and advisory committees to state governments and education departments. She is passionate about the area of data driven education and has spearheaded the foundation’s work in multiple ways, including: incubating service providers, creating role model states for classroom based assessments and embedding student learning based accountability in all portfolio companies.

Preethi has been an educationist for over 15 years. She has been associated with Podar Education Network, providing sub franchisees to Karnataka, AP and Telangana and she is currently handling 56 centers. She has been the Territory head for ECA. She is a Leadership mentor and Founder Director of LIFE, which is a dynamic initiative that focuses on educational leadership and organizational cultures. Preethi is a committed educator, passionate parenting coach, leadership mentor and a brand champion. She constantly thrives to make a difference in the lives of children and consequently, the world at large.

Shamin is a senior counselor and feels passionately about working with children with disabilities (and their families), and providing them with ongoing mental health and counseling support to enable their overall journey in a positive direction. As an early and integral member of Ummeed’s Mental Health Team, she played a significant role in developing, designing and delivering the Mental Health Training Program. Shamin has a Master’s degree (MA) in Applied Psychology from the University of Mumbai and a Master’s degree (MSED) in Psychological Services from the University of Pennsylvania.

With Masters in Child Psychology (Summa cum Laude) from San Jose State University, California, Meghna is working in the field of Early Childhood Education for more than two decades. Experienced in counselling of families and pre-school functioning with renowned organisations in USA, Singapore and India, Meghna plays an integral role in parent partnership initiatives at KLAY.

Priya Krishnan is the CEO of KLAY- the most prestigious and trustworthy prep school and day care brands in India. A business graduate from London Business School, and having worked in various leadership positions with companies like Anderson Consulting and PWC, Priya moved from UK to India with the desire of starting a chain of high quality and trustworthy day care centres in emerging urban hubs which would offer parents and children unparalleled education and care. Her passion to make a difference in the education world was also driven by her vision of enabling women to get back to work by creating learning spaces where they could leave their children on their way to work.

Pooja is a serial entrepreneur and an educator. She currently drives strategy and new businesses at KLAY as Chief Strategy Officer. Her most recent venture was Intellitots Learning which got acquired by KLAY in Dec 2017. Prior to that, she founded a PRM software company in Silicon Valley. An engineer from IIT Delhi, with an MBA from INSEAD, France, Pooja has worked in the USA, Europe and India, and has successfully paired her work experience at companies like Adobe Systems and Palm with her passion for education. She is an angel investor and advisor to many startups and has been awarded the ‘Woman of Substance’ award. Pooja speaks on the issues of entrepreneurship, leadership and changing education paradigms. Pooja is a voracious reader, finds joy in yoga and running, and is an avid traveler.

Fathima brings with her close to 15 years of experience in the education sector working extensively with children, teachers and parents in areas of life skills training, personal development and child behaviour management. Her passions lies in conducting workshops on personal safety, body awareness, human sexuality, CSA awareness and has extensively worked with adolescents on responsible behaviours. She currently heads EvolveED, a Bangalore based training organisation, that primarily works in the space of childcare, focusing on healing, restoring and transforming human relationships.