Call For Code

Linus Torvalds

Creator of Linux and Git, Fellow, The Linux Foundation

Linus was born on December 28, 1969 in Helsinki, Finland. He enrolled at the University of Helsinki in 1988, graduating with a master’s degree in computer science. His M.Sc. thesis was titled “Linux: A Portable Operating System” and was the genesis for what would become the most important collaborative software project in history.

In August 1991, Linus announced that he was developing the Linux kernel, proclaiming, “it won’t be big and professional.” Never in the history of technology has someone been so wrong. In spite of his humble proclamation, Linux has become the world’s most pervasive operating system. Today the Linux kernel forms the basis of the Linux operating system and powers billions of Android devices, powers ChromeOS, and has permeated almost every industry and form factor. Smartphones, TVs, appliances, cars, nuclear submarines, air traffic control, stock exchanges, and scientific research all run Linux. Linux also provides the underpinnings of the internet and the cloud computing industry.

In 2005, citing a lack of free and open source version control tools that met his needs for performance and scale, Linus famously created Git in only 10 days. Today Git is widely used in software development and for other version-control tasks such as configuration management, and has become popular as an integral part of the DevOps culture.

In 2000, Linus was listed by Time Magazine as Number 17 in the Time 100: Most Important People of the Century. Again, in 2004, Time Magazine named him one of the Most Influential People in the world. He was honored in 2008 with the Millennium Technology Prize by the Technology Academy Finland, “in recognition of his creation of a new open source operating system for computers leading to the widely used Linux kernel.” He is also the recipient of the 2014 IEEE Computer Society Computer Pioneer Award. A true tech titan, he was admitted to the Computer History Museum Hall of Fellows, joining the ranks of the tech elite including Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, Tim Berners-Lee, Gordon Moore, Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Steve Wozniak, and others.

Torvalds remains the ultimate authority on what new code is incorporated into the standard Linux kernel.

Kate Gilmore

United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights

Kate Gilmore was appointed United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights on 1st December 2015.
She brings to the position diverse and longstanding experience in strategic leadership and human rights advocacy with the United Nations, government and non-government organizations.

Prior to joining OHCHR, Ms. Gilmore was Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director for Programmes with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Previously she was National Director of Amnesty International Australia and then Executive Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International.

Ms. Gilmore started her career as a social worker and government policy officer in Australia. She helped establish Australia’s first Centre Against Sexual Assault at Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital and her work over a number of years focused on prevention of violence against women. In Australia, she was granted honorary appointments to provincial and national public policy and law reform processes, including membership of the country’s first National Committee on Violence Against Women.

Ms. Gilmore holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New England and postgraduate degrees in Social Work from the University of Melbourne and Community Development from RMIT.

Irwin Redlener

MD, Director of National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at the Earth Institute of Columbia University.

Irwin Redlener, MD directs the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at the Earth Institute of Columbia University. He is a professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health and a Professor of Pediatrics at the College of Physicians and Surgeons. NCDP is an academic think tank devoted to research, practice and policies related to large-scale disasters in all phases from prevention and mitigation to response and recovery. His areas of special expertise include system readiness, citizen preparedness, special population challenges, large-scale evacuation planning and disaster recovery.

In 2013, Dr. Redlener was appointed by New York Mayor Bill deBlasio as a special adviser on emergency planning and response. He was also appointed by then Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, as a founding member of the Congressional and White House designated National Commission on Children and Disasters. He has been an adviser on disaster and resiliency related issues to the White House, members of Congress and to Secretary Hillary Clinton’s senatorial and presidential campaigns. He is the author of “Americans at Risk: Why We Are Not Prepared for Megadisasters and What We Can Do Now” (Alfred Knopff), and his latest book, published by Columbia University Press, is entitled, “The Future of Us: What the dreams of children mean for 21st century America.” In addition to numerous disaster related research articles and op-eds.

Dr. Redlener has led disaster relief efforts and research initiatives following major disasters, natural and manmade, including Hurricane Andrew in South Florida, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, the Gulf oil spill, Superstorm Sandy and others. He was director of grants and medical director for USA for Africa, working in Sub-Saharan Africa and has taught medical students in rural Honduras. He has also spoken extensively on the current global refugee crisis. Dr. Redlener is co-founder and president of the Children’s Health Fund, a national 501-c-3 organization providing healthcare to medically underserved children in 25 disadvantaged urban and rural communities in the U.S.

Deborah Dugan

Chief Executive Officer, (RED)

Deborah Dugan is (RED)’s CEO, the AIDS organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to engage the world’s most iconic brands in the AIDS fight. (RED) partners include Apple, Beats by Dre, The Coca-Cola Company, Starbucks, Bank of America, Salesforce and Latin America’s Claro and Telcel among many others. (RED) has raised over $500 million for the Global Fund and impacted the lives of 110 million people.

One of (RED)’s intentions is to inspire the most creative people in the world to work for the world’s poorest. Under Deborah’s leadership, (RED) provides innovative and creative ways for people to engage in philanthropy. All by tapping into peoples’ passions–from the (RED) SHOPATHON on Jimmy Kimmel Live to Amazon, celebrity experiences, and EAT (RED). (RED) continuously launches digital and innovation firsts showing how technology can be used to disrupt philanthropy. (RED) has a digital army of over 6 million.

Prior to (RED), Deborah was President of Disney Publishing Worldwide, a $2 billion retail division of the Walt Disney Company. Deborah also served as Senior Advisor to the Tribeca Enterprises Board and is Co-Chair of The Moth, an award-winning storytelling organization. Previously, she spent eight years as Executive Vice President at EMI/Capitol Records, and began her career as a mergers and acquisition attorney on Wall Street.

Deborah has been recognized as “100 Most Powerful Women” in the Forbes ‘Social Entrepreneurism’ issue and Elle’s “Top Women To Help Change the World”. Deb has received PTTOW’s “Nelson Mandela’s Change-makers Award”, she is a Tribeca Disruptor Awards Fellow, and a Legacy Lab Honors’ “Re-founders of the Year.”

Deborah is a regular speaker on innovation in philanthropy, on the role of the private sector in driving social impact and on the importance of living a life of value. Recent speaking engagements include Salesforce’s Dreamforce Keynote, PTTOW’s Worldz, Interbrand’s Global Brands, Columbia University’s Social Enterprise Conference, NYU Social Innovation Summit, Boston University School of Public Health, Dean’s Lecturer “How to Change the World” and the “Square Campus Tour” on entrepreneurship and philanthropy with Jack Dorsey. Most recently, Deborah has given keynote talks on ‘Mindful Leadership’ and amplifying compassion. Deborah is also a regular writing contributor to Forbes and Huffington Post.