
with Amanda Ellis, Hadeel Anabtawi, and Habiba Ali
- 8 October 2019
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There are women leaders making a difference by promoting positive change in their local communities which can have a global impact. “Women hold each other’s hands around the world for innovative positive change, supporting and promoting each other’s work to make the world a better place and co-creating the future we want”. Amanda Ellis, co-chair of the WE Empower United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Challenge, which promotes women business owners globally who are both running successful businesses and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, joins Maureen along with Hadeel Anabtawi and Habiba Ali, two of the 2018 winners of the challenge. Their inspiring stories show how women leaders can make a difference in the world to promote positive change.
About the Guest

Amanda Ellis currently serves as Executive Director Hawaii & Asia-Pacific, & Global Director for Strategic Partnerships for the ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. She was most recently New Zealand Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva and Prime Minister’s Special Envoy, playing a key role in New Zealand’s successful UN Security Council bid. She co-chairs the WE Empower UN Sustainable Development Goals Challenge to promote women business owners globally who are both running successful businesses and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. A founding member of the Global Banking Alliance for Women, Amanda is recipient of The International Alliance for Women Lifetime Achievement Award for supporting women’s economic empowerment, a subject she continues to be passionate about!

Hadeel Anabtawi is a Social Entrepreneur in the children & girls empowerment field. A certified life coach, teachers’ trainer on interactive teaching methodologies and the founder of The Alchemist Lab in Jordan. She is DVF international awardee 2019, WE Empower awardee 2018 and a Vital Voices fellow 2017. Studied Industrial Engineering at University of Jordan and Masters in Business Administration at University of Leicester. She launched many initiatives that empower children and girls in particular, one of which is “Go Girls!” a program that encourages girls towards STEM & scientific thinking.

Habiba Ali has been in the renewable energy industry since 2005. She co-founded the Developmental Association for Renewable Energies and worked as the national coordinator. She worked on the Clean Development Mechanism project, Efficient Cook Stoves for Nigeria, the Solar Lamps Assembly and sales training program, and the solar dryers for healthy foods project. Habiba was named a Vital Voices GROW fellow, a World Bank Womenx fellow and is a graduate of the Cherie Blaire Road to Business Growth program. Habiba in 2018 was a Global ambassadors program beneficiary and the UNSDG awardee for Africa on WeEmpower.
Host Maureen Metcalf

Maureen Metcalf brings 30 years of experience and success in the fields of leadership, innovation, and technology. A regular contributor to Forbes.com, Metcalf has authored an award-winning book series on leadership and is the Founder & CEO of the Innovative Leadership Institute. She is the host of an Innovating Leadership, a weekly international podcast that hit the airways in July 2015. As an ILA Fellow, Maureen partners with the International Leadership Associate on a series of global leadership podcasts within the show.