Adora Svitak

Adora Svitak began delivering writing workshops at local schools after publishing a collection of short stories. By age fourteen, she had authored three books, including "Yang in Disguise" and "Flying Fingers: Master the Tools of Learning Through the Joy of Writing." Her early advocacy for student voice expanded to speaking at various educational conferences globally. In 2010, she delivered the speech “What Adults Can Learn from Kids” at TED, becoming the youngest ever speaker at the event. The speech has received more than 5 million views on TED.com alone, and been translated into more than 40 different languages.

Her passion for amplifying youth voices led her to organize TEDxRedmond, a student-led conference under the TED banner focused on empowering young people. Recognized for her contributions to education and youth advocacy, Svitak received the NEA Foundation’s Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education in 2011. In her role as a Youth Representative for the United Nations’ World Food Program, she has also been an active advocate for world hunger solutions and literacy. Pacific Standard Magazine lauded her as one of the "30 Top Thinkers Under 30" and highlighted her activism for feminism, liberal politics, and youth-oriented causes.

After graduating in 2018 from UC Berkeley, where she majored in Development Studies and minored in South Asian Studies and Creative Writing, Svitak joined the Wikimedia Foundation. She continues to engage with audiences around the world, including educational leaders and organizations across the non-profit, corporate, and public service sectors, such as Google, Genentech, and the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Her work and insights have been featured in multiple media outlets including NPR, CNBC, and Mashable. Through her speaking engagements, Svitak addresses topics such as education, creativity, and youth empowerment, maintaining her commitment to improving literacy and educational opportunities globally.