Bill Drayton

Bill Drayton is the founder and current chair of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, an organization that has contributed significantly to the public sector. His leadership skills were recognized in 2005 when he was named as one of America's 25 Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report. Beyond Ashoka, Drayton also holds leadership positions in other organizations like Youth Venture and Get America Working!, further extending his influence and involvement in the public sector.

Drayton's contributions to society have been recognized with numerous awards, including the National Public Service Award from the American Society of Public Administration and the National Academy of Public Administration. He has also been recognized as an early MacArthur Fellow and in 2009 received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Yale University. In 2008, Utne Reader magazine included him in their list of "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing the World", acknowledging his forward-thinking approach and impact.

In 2011, Drayton's global impact was recognized with the Prince of Asturias Awards for international cooperation in Spain, the John W. Gardner Leadership award, and the Social Entrepreneur Award from the World Entrepreneurship Forum. The following year, he was an inaugural recipient of Middlebury College's Center for Social Entrepreneurship Vision Award.