Maria Shriver is a powerful, passionate, and purpose-driven leader whose work has fostered change and advanced some of our nation’s most pressing issues.

Always curious about the world, Maria has devoted her life to reporting and interviewing some of the greatest changemakers of our time. In addition to being a Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist and producer, a seven-time New York Times bestselling author and an NBC News special anchor, Maria is also the founder of the for-benefit media enterprise Shriver Media. Shriver Media believes media can be used as a force for good in the world. Under Maria’s leadership, Shriver Media produces digital content, email newsletters, podcasts, live events, books, documentaries and films that ignite hearts and minds.

In addition to her award-winning journalism career, Maria has also been a long-time champion for empowering women. While serving as the First Lady of California from 2003 to 2010, she produced the iconic Women’s Conference, which under her leadership grew into the largest women’s conference in the world. The Women’s Conference raised millions of dollars that funded scholarships, supported domestic violence and poverty initiatives, and single-handedly revived the California History Museum.

One of The Women’s Conference’s many features was the Minerva Awards, which Maria created to honor and support women who made extraordinary contributions to all walks of life, from the arts to community activism to business and innovation. Women bestowed with the honor included the likes of Sandra Day O’Connor, Billie Jean King, Gloria Steinem and Oprah Winfrey, to name just a few.

In addition, Maria has also been a megaphone for educating the public about the disproportionate effect that Alzheimer’s disease has on women and has become one of the nation’s leading advocates for Alzheimer’s, families and caregivers. She founded the nonprofit organization The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement to raise awareness and funding for this critical issue, but also to ignite conversations around prevention and inspire much-needed personal, professional and political change.