Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina
Changemaker Champion Honoree
Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina is a labor educator, political scientist, and Executive Director of the Worker Institute at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Her work focuses on advancing worker justice, collective bargaining, and the rights of immigrant and low-wage workers.
She holds a PhD from Rutgers University and degrees from Cornell and has held national leadership roles in major labor organizations, including SEIU, Workers United, and LCLAA-AFL-CIO. In 2024, she ran for U.S. Senate in New Jersey and is recognized as a leading voice in labor and politics.
Dr. Campos-Medina is a Visiting Fellow at Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics, President of Latina Civic, and serves on the boards of PODER PAC and the Network Action Foundation. She is also the host of the Activista Rise Up podcast and a published author on social and economic justice.
The Honorable Governor Kathy Hochul
Grace Dodge Distinguished Service Honoree
Kathy Hochul is the 57th and first female Governor of New York State.
She began her career in public service on her local Town Board, before serving as Erie County Clerk and as a Member of Congress for New York’s 26th Congressional District.
As Lieutenant Governor, she chaired the statewide Regional Economic Development Councils, and served as co-chair of the State’s Heroin and Opioid Task Force, Women’s Suffrage Commission, and Child Care Availability Task Force.
Since being sworn into office in 2021, Governor Hochul has led by establishing a bold vision for New York’s future. Governor Hochul has spearheaded comprehensive policies and initiatives to help New Yorkers and their families, while building an economy that is stronger and more inclusive than before. Governor Hochul is making historic investments in the people, places, and things to make that happen – from healthcare workers, small businesses, and working families to infrastructure, education, and workforce development. And in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reckless decisions to strip away abortion rights and strike down commonsense gun regulations, Governor Hochul led the charge in Albany to protect reproductive health care and strengthen gun safety laws, ensuring New York continues to stand as a beacon of hope and freedom for the rest of the nation.
Governor Hochul was born and raised in Western New York. She and her husband, Bill Hochul, are the proud parents of two children and one granddaughter.
Reshma Saujani
Philanthropy Champion Honoree
Reshma Saujani is a leading activist, founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First, and host of My So-Called Midlife with Lemonada Media. For over a decade, she’s built powerful movements for women’s and girls’ economic empowerment—working to close the gender gap in tech and fight for affordable child care and paid leave.
She’s a New York Times bestselling author of PAY UP, Brave, Not Perfect, and the Girls Who Code series. Her TED Talk, “Teach girls bravery, not perfection,” has over 54 million views, and her 2023 Smith College commencement speech on imposter syndrome has been viewed more than 18 million times.
In 2024, she launched My So-Called Midlife, which hit Apple’s Top 10, reached #1 in Health & Fitness, and was named one of TIME’s best new podcasts of the year.
Reshma began her career as an attorney and Democratic organizer, becoming the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress in 2010. She lives in New York City with her husband Nihal, their sons Shaan and Sai, and their dog Steve.
Cora Walter
General Manager of Brooklyn/Queens Overhead & Services, Con Edison
Cora Walter is the General Manager of Brooklyn/Queens Electric Operations at Con Edison, where she leads overhead construction and service installation efforts to ensure safe, reliable power delivery. She plays a central role in supporting infrastructure growth to meet the evolving needs of both boroughs.
Previously, Cora served as Department Manager of the Manhattan Electric Control Center, overseeing real-time operations, grid reliability, and emergency response. Earlier, she was a Project Manager in E-Mobility, where she advanced electrification initiatives, streamlined interconnection processes, and developed strategies to influence charging behavior and support EV market growth.
She also managed Manhattan Field Operations, leading reliability efforts for distribution feeders, and began her career in Energy Services overseeing new business gas and electric projects.
Cora holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stony Brook University and an MBA from NYU.