Shivi Kumar

Shivi Kumar serves as founder and executive director of Mind Matters Foundation, where she leads a youth-led nonprofit focused on advocacy and research in neurosurgical care. The organization partners with 20 clinics in Sub-Saharan Africa and India to improve access to care and has grown to reach 50,000 people worldwide. As a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Stanford, Kumar has produced more than 18 publications in neurosurgical research and applied for a patent on a novel therapy for glioblastoma multiforme. She is one of the youngest United Nations co-chairs of the Women Affinity Group, having briefed the United Nations 10 times, and holds additional roles as research co-chair of Mission Brain. Her educational background includes a neuroscience course at Harvard University, an AI in business course at the Wharton School, a Johns Hopkins specialization in genomic data science, and participation in Y Combinator Startup School. Kumar is a member of Global Women in Economics, 100 Women in Davos, and the United Nations Women's Affinity Group. She attributes her success to a supportive and goal-oriented team with diverse backgrounds and strengths, and she values self-care, compassion, integrity, respect, and responsibility in her work and personal life. Her advice to young women entering the field is to start before feeling ready, embrace passion with focus, and engage in brainstorming, networking, and seeking perspective from others.