Melanie Perkins

Last year saw Melanie Perkins pretty much crush it as CEO of Canva, which, if you’re a designer or just anyone looking to edit a photo for free, is probably changing your world. She oversaw Canva’s new AI-juiced “Magic Studio” that helps even taste-challenged clods like this author turn rough ideas into polished content—fast.

But she’s also looking to alleviate world hunger and uplift education, and she’s not messing around. Last year, she announced the Canva Foundation will pump a whopping $100 million into its partnership with GiveDirectly. That’s going to use cash transfer technology to help people living in poverty pay for immediate needs.

In July, The Australian reported that the Canva Foundation has already distributed $52 million in donations the previous year, as well as announcing it’ll be giving away $1 billion of product through its Canva for Education and Canva for Nonprofits programs every year.
Perkins is also getting her people involved. She managed Canva’s Force for Good Days event in August, which saw 1400 Canva employees volunteer for projects focused on helping make education more diverse and accessible.