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Emily Calandrelli is best known as the host and co-executive producer of the hit Netflix series Emily’s Wonder Lab and to her growing army of followers on social media as “The Space Gal”. Following her recent spaceflight with
Blue Origin, Emily is also known as the 100th Woman in Space. Additionally, Emily is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Emmy Nominated Executive Producer and Host of FOX’s Xploration Outer Space and was a correspondent on
Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves The World.
Named to Adweek’s “11 Celebrities and Influencers Raising the Bar for Creativity”, Emily is an accomplished writer with seven titles published and three more on the way. Her award-winning chapter book series, “The Ada Lace Adventures”,
released a sixth title in October 2023. The third book, “Ada Lace: Take Me to Your Leader”, was part of the initiative from NASA and CASIS, Story Time from Space where the book was launched into space and read by an astronaut aboard
the ISS to an audience of kids.
In addition to the Ada Lace titles Emily released her first picture book in 2022 titled “Reach for the Stars” which debuted as the #1 New Release in its category on Amazon. Most recently Emily released “Stay Curious and Keep Exploring”,
featuring 50 experiments for the whole family, which debuted in the top-15 on the Publisher’s Weekly Non-Fiction Best Sellers List. A sequel, “Stay Curious and Keep Exploring: Next Level” was just released and debuted at #1 on the
New York Times Bestseller List.
Prior to her work in science communication, Emily attended West Virginia University, where she received a Bachelors of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, and MIT where she received two Masters of Science
degrees, one in Aeronautics and Astronautics and the other in Technology and Policy. Through her work, she wants to make science relatable, easy to understand and more exciting today than ever before in history.
Special Guest
Tawakkol Karman Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Tawakkol Karman, a Yemeni journalist and human rights activist, is the first Arab woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Known as the “Mother of the Revolution,” “The Iron Woman,” and “The Lady of the Arab Spring,” Karman led hundreds of protests against Yemen’s dictatorial regime, advocating for democracy and freedom of speech. She founded Women
Journalists Without Chains and the Peaceful Revolutionary Youth Council, facing imprisonment and persecution for her active engagement in these causes. She played a pivotal role in pressuring former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah
Saleh, who ruled from 1978 to 2012, to relinquish power.
Tawakkol Karman came forward as a courageous leadership figure during the Arab Spring in 2011 and was praised for her efforts against tyranny in the Arab world and for promoting reconciliation between Shia and Sunni Muslims, countering
terrorism, and fostering dialogue between Islam and other religions.
Karman's extensive influence is recognized globally. TIME Magazine listed her as one of the 17 Most Rebellious Women in History and one of the most influential women of the past century, featuring her on the cover of their 100
Strong Women in the World issue as a 'Torchbearer of the Arab Spring.' She is also recognized by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the FP Top 100 Global Thinkers and named among the most powerful women by many international
media outlets and organizations such as CNN, BBC, and Reporters Without Borders.
Tawakkol Karman continues her struggle against tyranny, wars, and terrorism worldwide and advocates for expression rights, democracy, and development. She was appointed by the former UN Secretary-General to the High-Level Panel
of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
She serves on the boards of several key international institutions and organizations, including the Nobel Women’s Initiative, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), and the Facebook and Instagram International Oversight Board.
Her Tawakkol Karman Foundation plays an important role in development by building schools, fighting poverty, and supporting health institutions in Yemen.
Dr. Makola M. Abdullah, Virginia State University
Dr. Aminta H. Breaux, Bowie State University
Mr. Daryl A. Graham, Strada Education Foundation
HBCU Presidents Panel Discussion
Dr. Makola M. Abdullah, President - Virginia State University Dr. Aminta H. Breaux, President - Bowie State University Moderated by: Mr. Daryl A. Graham,
Senior Vice President - Strada Education Foundation
Join NCHC Conference Chair Daniel Roberts, our HBCU colleagues, and the Strada Education Foundation for an energizing main-stage conversation with two presidents from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Guided
by Daryl A. Graham, Senior Vice President of HBCU Engagement at Strada, this panel will explore the powerful impact of honors programs on HBCU campuses, the opportunities they create for high-achieving students, and how presidents
and foundation leaders see honors thriving in today’s rapidly changing environment. Strada has invested deeply in supporting more than 45 HBCUs, and this session will offer a unique chance to hear directly from leaders shaping
the future of honors education, while also giving the audience plenty of time to engage in the conversation.
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