A visionary pioneer and activist in the field of empowerment, Gail Straub co-founded the Empowerment Institute in 1981. One of the world’s leading authorities on women’s empowerment, she co-founded IMAGINE: A Global Initiative for the Empowerment of Women to help women heal from violence, build strong lives, and contribute to their community. IMAGINE initiatives are currently under way throughout Africa, India, and the Middle East where they have impacted over half a million lives.

Gail is the author of seven books that have garnered multiple awards, including with her husband David Gershon, the best-selling Empowerment, which has been translated into 14 languages; the critically acclaimed The Rhythm of Compassion; her feminist memoir, Returning to My Mother’s House; and her love letter to her mountain valley, The Ashokan Way. 

Gail’s white paper entitled “The Missing Piece in the Women’s Empowerment Equation” is considered a seminal contribution to the field of human agency. She has contributed to various anthologies on women’s empowerment including Enlightened Power: How Women Are Transforming The Practice of Leadership. She lives near the Ashokan Reservoir in the Hudson River Valley in New York.