Our Esteemed Judges

David Jepson brings a wealth of experience in leading fast-growing international organizations, with a strong emphasis on sales, high performance and innovation. Having established and managed businesses across four continents, David has played a pivotal role in building one of the world’s most high-profile and respected media brands.

Throughout his tenure at The CEO Magazine, David has held various management roles, starting from an entry-level sales position and ultimately becoming CEO during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Beyond his role at The CEO Magazine, David is also an investor, mentor and board member, leveraging his extensive expertise to drive success and growth.

Frank Baker is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Siris Capital Group (Siris), the predecessor fund of which was formed in 2006. Siris is a middle market private equity firm focused on deep value, control equity investments around special situations in the telecom, technology and technology enabled business service sectors.

Prior to forming Siris, Frank was a Managing Director at Ripplewood Holdings, a global private equity firm. He started his career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs in the mergers and acquisitions group.

Frank has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago. He is a Trustee of The University of Chicago, Spelman College and the Norton Museum of Art; a Director of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity; a Co-Chairman of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights; and an Advisory Board member of All Star Code.

Lorraine Hariton is former President and CEO of Catalyst, a global nonprofit working with the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to help build workplaces that work for women. Catalyst’s vision and mission have long been a passion for Lorraine. She was honored to lead the organization and help write the next chapter in its 60-year legacy of accelerating positive change for women.

Lorraine’s extensive career includes senior-level positions in Silicon Valley as an entrepreneur and executive. She began her career at IBM, later serving in the Obama administration at the Department of State and developing the Global STEM Alliance at the New York Academy of Sciences. She has been involved in women’s leadership initiatives throughout her career, serving on the boards of UN Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change, the Stanford Clayman Institute for Gender Research and Watermark.

Kerry Kennedy is President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. She is the proud mother of three daughters, Cara, Mariah, and Michaela. A human rights activist and lawyer, she authored New York Times best seller Being Catholic Now, as well as Speak Truth to Power and Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope.

Kerry, the seventh of Ethel and Robert F Kennedy’s eleven children, has devoted more than 40 years to the pursuit of equal justice, the promotion and protection of basic rights and the preservation of the rule of law. She works on a range of issues, including child labor, women’s rights, disappearances, Indigenous land rights, judicial independence, freedom of expression, ethnic violence, criminal justice reform, immigration, impunity and environmental justice.

She has led hundreds of human rights delegations in support of these causes.

Under Kerry’s leadership, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights partners with the bravest people on earth to create lasting change.

Will Travis is a global brand builder, author, podcast host and transformation catalyst, with a storied 30-year history as the former CEO of global ad agency ATTIK, SidLee USA and Dentsu America. He has led iconic campaigns for RedBull, Apple, Nike, Samsung LVMH and many more around the world. Today, he leads the international leadership transformation retreat ELEVATION BARN – a beacon for personal growth and business innovation, fostering a community that spans 48 countries and supports over 170 industry fields. In addition, he heads up sustainable impact consultancy STABLE by Elevation Barn as their Founder and CEO. He interviews luminary experts weekly on the internationally followed podcast ELEVATE and sits on the boards for Mission Blue, Biosphere Foundation and MC2. A father of four, Travis lives between New York City and Bali and is a passionate parent and ardent mountaineer conquering many of the world’s highest summits. He is also an extreme adventure rider, having completed in the Dakar Rally in 2020 and numerous other international off-road expeditions.