Chris Thomas is Chief Innovation Officer at the Sierra Club. His main focus is on engaging the Club’s current and future members and supporters through technology, and on how interactive virtual environments enable real-world change. Before this, he ran the Digital Products Program at Greenpeace International in Amsterdam. Prior to that he held leadership roles in both tech startups and Fortune 500 companies. A dual American/French national, Chris has extensive experience in technology, media strategy and production in both the United States and in Europe.
Twitter: @cxthom

HUGH EVANS is an Australian humanitarian and an internationally renowned development advocate. Hugh is the CEO of the Global Poverty Project.

Hugh Evans’ passion for poverty eradication was sparked at the age of 14 whilst on a World Vision trip in the Philippines. Living with his host family in a Manila Slum, Hugh was struck by the injustice of a world in which birthplace determines your life prospects. The abject poverty Hugh was exposed to Manila, and his experiences in India the following year, led him to begin his work challenging the status quo of extreme poverty.

Following a trip to South Africa in 2002 as World Vision's inaugural Youth Ambassador, Hugh co-founded the Oaktree Foundation; Australia's first youth-run aid organization, with a mission to bring young people together to see an end to global poverty. Oaktree’s success under Hugh’s guidance as Director, led to Hugh being named Young Australian of the Year (2004) and Junior Chamber International Person of the World (2005).

Hugh then worked to grow the Make Poverty History campaign in Australia, helping to run the 2006 Make Poverty History Concert fronted by U2 singer Bono. The 2007 Make Poverty History Roadtrip saw campaign images projected onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House. The impact of these campaigns were credited with playing a key role in the Government’s decision to increase its committed foreign aid budget from 0.3% of Gross National Income by 2015 to 0.5% of Gross National Income by 2015, resulting in an additional $4.3 billion per annum invested in the world’s poorest people.

In 2008, with grants from the United Nations, Australian government and British government, Hugh built his impact in the aid and development sector, co-founding the Global Poverty Project (GPP). GPP is an education and advocacy organization committed to increasing the number and effectiveness of individuals taking action to end extreme poverty. GPP launched in Australia in 2009 and has expanded to New Zealand, the United Kingdom, USA and Canada. In 2010 it helped launch the million dollar, international fundraising campaign Live Below the Line, and in 2011 Global Poverty Project worked alongside the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation to execute The End of Polio campaign which leveraged $118 million in funds to eradicate Polio.

In August 2012 the Global Poverty Project launched the Global Citizen Festival — a free ticketed charity music event featuring the Black Keys, Foo Fighters and Neil Young. Coinciding with the UN General Assembly meeting in September the Global Citizen Festival was held on the Great Lawn of New York City’s Central Park. Those wanting to attend the event had to take action and become active in the movement to end extreme poverty in order to be rewarded a ticket. At the Global Citizen Festival, $1.3 billion in new commitments were made to help end extreme poverty with a major focus being put on the eradication of polio.

The Global Citizen Festival was repeated successfully in 2013 with a line up of Stevie Wonder, John Meyer, Alicia Keyes and Kings of Leon, resulting in 25 policy and financial commitments towards ending extreme poverty by 2030.