By educating young people about the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, Katie Hood hopes to derail abusive behavior before it starts and impact the relationship health of an entire generation.

Theaster Gates is a potter whose ambitions stretch far beyond the wheel and the kiln. In Chicago, his leadership of artist-led spaces has catalyzed interest and excitement in a formerly neglected neighborhood, as he uses culture as a transformational weapon.

Charles Anderson studies marine life in the Maldives, a nation of coral atolls in the Indian ocean.

Jude Kelly is artistic director of Southbank Centre, Britain’s largest cultural institution.

Robert A. Belle helps people who feel stuck in their career or life journey to break away from the norm and find new paths that reveal their true value.

Erricka Bridgeford intimately engages with issues related to murder and violence.

Marc Bamuthi Joseph investigates cultural erasure through performances that range from opera to dance theater.

Michael Stevens is the creator and host of Vsauce, an educational YouTube channel that addresses scientific oddities, like "Is Your Red the Same as My Red?"

Paul McEuen's research explores the nanoscale world.

Once an up-and-coming star in the Missouri State Senate, Jeff Smith went to prison for covering up an election law violation. Since his release, he's created a new space for himself as a professor, writer, political commentator and advocate for those he was locked up with.

Yann Dall'Aglio is a philosopher who thinks deeply about modern love.

Dr. Tracie Keesee is committed to making the New York Police Department the most diverse and inclusive police department in the world.

As a Philadelphia high school principal, Linda Cliatt-Wayman held an unwavering belief in the potential of all children.

Tamekia MizLadi Smith wants to start new conversations around involving non-clinical staff in healthcare.

Rutger Bregman is the author of "Utopia for Realists."

Gastón Acurio is a chef, writer, entrepreneur and one of the most important promoters of Peruvian cooking in the world.

David Korins develops and designs innovative experiences.

Guy Winch asks us to take our emotional health as seriously as we take our physical health -- and explores how to heal from common heartaches.

Boniface Mwangi is an award-winning Kenyan photographer, artist and activist. He is a TED Fellow.

Kwame Owusu-Kesse ensures the programming, financial and administrative functions of the Harlem Children's Zone and acts as a mentor and counsel to students and staff.

Bruno Giussani is the Global Curator of TED and President of FIFDH, the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights.

Daniel Engber explores science and culture as an award-winning journalist for Radiolab, the New York Times, Slate and Wired, among others.

Imogen Heap's aching voice and surprising electronics infuse countless videos and iPods with bone-chilling atmospherics.

Mariana Mazzucato helps policymakers understand how the global economy really works (and how we need to fix it).

Almudena Toral reports stories about migration, violence and trauma through documentary films.

James Thornton is an authority on the power of the law to create change and the founder of ClientEarth, a nonprofit law firm using advocacy and litigation to address the climate crisis.

UPS's Jon Bowers oversees driver and delivery training at one of the company's next-generation training facilities.

'Gbenga Sesan empowers underserved people with information and communications technology.

Dwinita Mosby Tyler specializes in the development and delivery of leadership, equity, diversity, cultural responsiveness and inclusion training programs and strategies.

The executive chairman of AMD, Hector Ruiz is devoted to his company's 50x15 initiative, which seeks to give 50 percent of the world's population access to the internet by 2015.