WICE Global Impact Summit Brings Leaders Together in Washington to Advance Solutions to Global Challenges
More than 100 leaders from government, business, finance, technology, and philanthropy convene at The Washington Post Building to explore new approaches to global development, investment, health, disaster response, AI, and environmental resilience
WICE convened leaders from across government, business, finance, technology, philanthropy, and international development for its 2026 WICE Global Impact Summit Oct. 21-22 at The Penthouse in The Washington Post Building.
Under the theme "Solving What Matters," the Summit brought together policymakers, investors, innovators, and subject-matter experts to examine some of the world's most pressing challenges and explore practical strategies for turning ideas into measurable action.
Day one opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Emily Weeks, WICE Executive Chairwoman, followed by a keynote address from Ambassador Jimmy Kolker on U.S. foreign policy priorities. Programming closed with remarks from Ambassador Jennifer Adams and Ed Russo, Chairman of the White House Environmental Task Force, before an evening networking reception.
With a focus on the intersection of policy, capital, expertise, and innovation, the Summit featured five expert panels on development finance, disaster-relief technology, global health, AI and geospatial applications, and financing nature and landscape resilience.
During the event, WICE Executive Chairwoman Dr. Emily Weeks emphasized the importance of collaboration across sectors in addressing complex global challenges.
"The challenges we face, from global health to disaster response to the resilience of our landscapes, are too interconnected for any one sector to solve alone," said Dr. Emily Weeks, Executive Chairwoman of WICE. "This Summit brought the right people into the same room: the policymakers who set priorities, the investors who move capital, and the experts who know what works on the ground. That is how ideas become measurable action."
Throughout the day, speakers and participants examined the changing landscape of international cooperation and the growing importance of innovative financing, emerging technologies, and cross-sector partnerships.
"The era of relying on traditional aid alone is behind us," said Jacques P. Walker, Chief Executive Officer of WICE. "What we saw this week is a community ready to pair private capital, new technology, and deep expertise with public purpose. WICE exists to make those connections real, and to turn them into results that communities can measure."
Ambassador Jimmy Kolker opened the Summit with a keynote examining evolving U.S. foreign policy priorities, government-to-government partnerships, and their implications for global investment and development.
Ambassador Jennifer Adams delivered closing remarks ahead of Ed Russo, Chairman of the White House Environmental Task Force, who offered remarks ahead of the evening reception.
The Summit also featured the launch of The Systemic Self, a new book by Marco Noordeloos exploring leadership within complex international institutions. The launch, held during the networking lunch, complemented the Summit's broader focus on leadership, collaboration, and navigating increasingly interconnected global challenges.
Panel Highlights
Beyond Aid: Financing the Future explored the role of private capital, philanthropy, blended finance, and new funding models in supporting sustainable development. Moderated by Jacques P. Walker, Chief Executive Officer of WICE, the panel featured Thomas Cardwell, Registered Representative, Weild & Co. Investment Banking; Raj Dugal, Executive Director and Senior Lead Commercial Relationship Manager, Wells Fargo; Albert Huddleston, Vice Chairman, America the Beautiful Foundation; Stéphane Le Bouder, Partner and Chief Operating Officer, MiDA Advisors; and Conor Savoy, Executive Director, FilterLabs.org.
Technology in Disaster Relief examined how innovative technologies can strengthen emergency preparedness, improve disaster response, and build local resilience while addressing privacy, accountability, and community needs. Moderated by Peter Brown, Senior Director, Global Security & Technology Strategy, Venable LLP, the panel featured Jeremy Greenberg, President, Provincial Strategies LLC and Senior Advisor, Aspen Digital; Jason Leuck, Director of Corporate Regulatory Affairs, Lockheed Martin Corporation; and Jennie Peffer, Vice President and Senior Technology Manager, AECOM.
Global Health in a New Funding Era addressed shifts in international health financing, country-led partnerships, and the future of global health systems. Moderated by Kelly Wolfe, Managing Director for Health, WICE, the panel featured Deborah Kaliel, Co-Founder, Crisis in Care; Dr. Brooke Pearson, Principal Biotechnologist, MITRE; and Victoria Vrana, Senior Leader in Innovation and Philanthropy, GlobalGiving.
AI & GIS Applications: Turning Data into Impact highlighted opportunities to leverage artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence, advanced data, and cloud technologies to address challenges in health, food security, disaster response, and environmental protection. Moderated by Katherine Lew, Chief Data Officer, BAO Systems, the panel featured Randall Billy, Sector Director for International Government, Esri; Elizabeth Duchek, Associate Director of Government Affairs, Bitdeer; Dr. Rachael Lau, Senior Manager of Geospatial Intelligence and Modeling, NVIDIA; Dr. Jovita Nsoh, Chief Technology Officer, America the Beautiful Foundation and Professor, University of Houston; and Eugene Okwodu, Founder and CEO, Praxtion.
Financing Nature and Landscape Resilience: Aligning Policy and Capital explored investment strategies, blended finance mechanisms, and public-private partnerships to support conservation, natural assets, and resilient landscapes. Moderated by Julia Kennedy, Managing Director for Energy and Environment, WICE, the panel featured Kevin Bender, Director, Polycentric Capital; Astrid Forero, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CES Carbon & Environmental Solutions; Svetlana Klimenko, Advisor, Latin America and the Caribbean Region, World Bank; Robert Layng, Managing Director for Public-Private Partnerships, WICE; and Rodrigo Veloso, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, O.N.E Amazon.
Beyond the discussions, the WICE Global Impact Summit emphasized the importance of connecting decision-makers with the expertise, resources, and partnerships necessary to translate global priorities into practical solutions. The event provided opportunities for participants to exchange ideas, strengthen professional relationships, and explore new approaches to financing and implementing initiatives with measurable social, economic, and environmental benefits.
The Summit concluded with an evening networking reception and a Members' Consultant Workshop on Oct. 22 focused on professional development, leadership, business opportunities, and tools for experts working across international markets. Interested in partnering with us, or becoming a member? Learn more at www.WICE.com.
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