Esben Larson
Esben Larson
Esben Larson
Esben Lunde Larsen, Senior One Health Specialist, The Pandemic Fund, The World Bank
Dr. Esben Lunde Larsen is a senior one health specialist aiming at changing policy regulation, increase government engagement, drive innovation and cultivate awareness on AMR and One Health. He is engaged within thought leadership on One Health and AMR related issues and focuses on supporting low- and middle-income countries strengthening capacity for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Esben Lunde Larsen is a former Member of the Danish Parliament, a former Minister for Science and Higher Education, and a former Minister for Environment, Agriculture and Food in the Danish Government, where he has been heavily engaged in the agenda on AMR and One Health both in the Kingdom of Denmark and the European Union.
He holds a PhD from the University of Copenhagen, and he is an ordained Lutheran pastor.
Margaret Busse
Commissioner of Utah’s Department of Commerce
Margaret Busse
Commissioner of Utah’s Department of Commerce
Margaret Busse
Margaret Woolley Busse was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox in January 2021 to serve as Commissioner of Utah’s Department of Commerce. She holds an MBA from Harvard University and degrees in public policy and economics from Brigham Young University, bringing extensive experience in public service, social impact, and strategy consulting.
Ms. Busse is focused on restoring trust in technology as a driver of Utah’s economy. Under her leadership, the Department of Commerce has advanced legislation and litigation to hold social media platforms accountable for harms to minors, including actions against TikTok, Meta, and Snap. She has also led Utah’s innovative approach to artificial intelligence, including the creation of the Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, passage of landmark legislation establishing guardrails and innovation pathways for mental health chatbots, data portability and interoperability on social media platforms, and transparency requirements for AI deepfakes. Finally, under Governor Cox’s direction, Ms. Busse initiated and now co-chairs Utah’s Prohuman AI Initiative, working to infuse “prohuman” values throughout the state’s efforts on AI across six pillars: workforce development, regulatory policy, learning & education, academic research, industry innovation, and state government deployment.
Ms. Busse has been named a Most Influential Woman by Utah Business Magazine, received the Cyber Pioneer Award from the Utah Bar Association, was featured on the AI Women Power List, was a Utah Women in Tech award finalist, and received RevRoad’s Championing Women in Business award. As Utah’s chief business regulator, she has reduced fees, streamlined licensing, expanded the behavioral health workforce, and created pathways for foreign-credentialed professionals. A Utah native, she and her husband have five children.
Rev. Lord Russell Rook
Member of the UK House of Lords
Rev. Lord Russell Rook
Member of the UK House of Lords
Rev. Lord Russell Rook
Lord Rook has served as a Labour life peer in the House of Lords since January 2025. Before his appointment, he worked as an advisor on faith and civil society to the Leaders of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer MP and Ed Miliband MP. He is also Executive Chair of the Good Faith Partnership, which he co-founded in 2017 to create cross-sector solutions to social challenges. Previously, he served various charities, social enterprises, and The Salvation Army. In recognition of his long-standing contribution to social action, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours. He is also an ordained priest in the Church of England.
Prof. Dr. H. Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia
Prof. Dr. H. Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia
Prof. Dr. H. Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed.
Prof. Abdul Mu’ti serves as Indonesia’s Minister of Primary and Secondary
Education, leading the implementation of the Pendidikan Bermutu untuk Semua
(Quality Education for All) agenda under President Prabowo Subianto. His
leadership is anchored in a holistic approach to education reform that prioritizes
three interconnected pillars: physical infrastructure through school revitalization
and digital transformation; pedagogical infrastructure by enhancing teacher
qualifications, competencies, and welfare alongside the adoption of Deep
Learning as a mindful, meaningful, and joyful educational approach; and cultural
infrastructure through character education and the cultivation of the Seven Habits
of Great Indonesian Children. These initiatives are reinforced by a robust legal
and regulatory framework to ensure sustainability and good governance.
A professor at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and Secretary-General of
Muhammadiyah—one of Indonesia’s largest and most influential Islamic civil
society organizations—Prof. Mu’ti brings a unique blend of academic excellence,
educational expertise, and interfaith engagement to his ministerial role. His
lifelong commitment to inclusive, values-based education reflects his conviction
that every child, regardless of background or geography, deserves access to
quality learning opportunities that nurture both intellect and character.
At the IF20 Forum, Prof. Mu’ti looks forward to sharing Indonesia’s experience in
building an education system that is not only academically rigorous but also
culturally grounded and spiritually enriching—contributing to global conversations
on the role of education in fostering peace, mutual understanding, and
sustainable development across diverse faith communities.
Mussie Hailu
Regional Director of URI for Africa and URI Representative at the African Union and United Nations Office in Africa
Mussie Hailu
Regional Director of URI for Africa and URI Representative at the African Union and United Nations Office in Africa
Mussie Hailu
Ambassador Mussie Hailu is serving currently as Regional Director of URI for Africa and URI Representative at the African Union and United Nations Office in Africa.
He initiated the Golden Rule Day which is celebrated now in different part of the world to foster human dignity, interfaith harmony, compassion, to counter violent extremism, hate speech and promote peaceful co-existences and to uphold the universal declaration of human right.
He has served many national, regional and international organizations including as adviser of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council on the issue of interfaith and cultural affair. He also served as Diplomat in the rank of Ambassador-at-Large and special envoy. He is a founding member of United Religions Initiative (URI).
Steve Messeh
Director of the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement
Steve Messeh
Director of the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement
Steve Messeh
Steve Messeh
Director of the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement
Steve Messeh is the Director of the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement where he leads the overall mission of the Office as well as providing critical leadership and support to USDA leadership.
As a dynamic executive and leader with over a decade of experience driving strategic growth, Steve most recently founded and led a DC-based purpose driven organization whose mission was to identify and meet the greatest needs in the D.C. area, including food security, mentoring for at-risk youth and social entrepreneurship. Within that role, Steve also established and managed multiple pediatric mobile health clinics internationally providing access to healthcare for thousands of children abroad.
Doug Fountain
Executive Director of Christian Connections for International Health
Doug Fountain
Executive Director of Christian Connections for International Health
Doug Fountain
Doug Fountain is Executive Director of Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH), where he works at the intersection of faith, health systems, and global development. CCIH is a global network that accelerates the impact of faith-based health by raising visibility, strengthening quality, and fostering fellowship among members in 90 low- and middle-income countries. Drawing on four decades of experience in research, consulting, and organizational leadership, Doug strengthens leadership across faith communities by connecting leaders, sharing effective practices, and helping faith-based health systems become stronger and more sustainable. He co-founded the Christian Health Asset Mapping Consortium and the Christian Journal for Global Health and has served on executive leadership teams at Uganda Christian University and Medical Teams International. His work spans health systems, leadership, governance, financing, digital transformation, and partnerships. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon and a master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Maria Lucia Uribe Torres
Executive Director of Arigatou International Geneva
Maria Lucia Uribe Torres
Executive Director of Arigatou International Geneva
Maria Lucia Uribe Torres
Maria Lucia Uribe is Executive Director of Arigatou International Geneva, where she leads global efforts to transform education systems through ethics education, advancing children's holistic well-being, social cohesion, and peace. She works closely with Ministries of Education, UN agencies, faith-based organizations, and civil society to strengthen education policies, curricula, and teacher development that equip children with the ethical competencies needed to navigate increasingly diverse and complex societies. She oversees the implementation of Arigatou International's Ethics Education for Children Initiative in more than 30 countries, supporting national and regional education reforms. Maria Lucia also leads the organization's global advocacy in Geneva on children's rights and well-being, convening international platforms that bridge policy, research, and practice. She convenes the International Consortium on Nurturing Values in Early Childhood for the Prevention of Violence and the Child Rights Connect Working Group on Children and Violence. Her work promotes cross-sector and interfaith collaboration to build more inclusive, resilient, and peaceful societies.
Rev. Dr. David Beckmann
Rev. Dr. David Beckmann
Rev. Dr. David Beckmann
Rev. David Beckmann has spent his life working to end poverty. A former World Bank economist, he served for 29 years as president of Bread for the World, where his advocacy leadership helped secure U.S. and global policy changes that reduced hunger worldwide. Awarded the World Food Prize, Beckmann now leads the Circle of Protection, a coalition of Christian leaders advocating for programs that serve low-income people. He recently published a book titled "Poverty Abolitionists: Faith, Activism, and Hope For Difficult Times.
Fraser Bullock
President and Executive Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
Fraser Bullock
President and Executive Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
Fraser Bullock
Fraser Bullock serves as President and Executive Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Previously, he led the bid to bring the Games back to Utah for 2034.
Fraser has been active in the Olympic movement for 27 years, previously serving as COO and CFO for the successful Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics. Since 2002, he has served as a volunteer for the International Olympic Committee, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and many Olympic hosts, including Torino, Vancouver, Sochi, and Rio.
Fraser's business career included service at Bain and Company, Bain Capital, and as a founder of Sorenson Capital, a Utah-based private equity firm. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Masters in Business Administration.
Fraser resides in Alpine, Utah with his wife Jennifer. They are parents of 5 children and 12 grandchildren.
Allen D. Hertzke
Professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Oklahoma
Allen D. Hertzke
Professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Oklahoma
Allen D. Hertzke
Allen D. Hertzke is David Ross Boyd Professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Oklahoma. He is author, co-author, or editor of eleven books, including FREEING GOD’S CHILDREN: THE UNLIKELY ALLIANCE FOR GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS; THE FUTURE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: GLOBAL CHALLENGES; and most recently WHY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM MATTERS: HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMAN FLOURISHING. He served a ten-year term on the prestigious Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences at the Vatican.
David Wingate
professor of computer science at Brigham Young University
David Wingate
professor of computer science at Brigham Young University
David Wingate
David Wingate is a professor of computer science at Brigham Young University, where he works at the intersection of machine learning and social science. His research leverages large-scale language models, such as ChatGPT, to address pressing social problems like racism, conspiracy thinking, opinion manipulation, and political polarization.
Most recently, he is the academic lead for the Consortium for Evaluating Faith and Ethics in AI, a multi-university effort to ensure that AI is honest, accurate and respectful about religion.
He received his BS and MS degrees in computer science from Brigham Young University in 2002 and 2004, a PhD in computer science from the University of Michigan in 2008, and was a postdoctoral fellow and research scientist at MIT from 2008-2010.
