CNBC is now accepting nominations for our third annual Changemakers list.
The list recognizes women transforming business and philanthropy, female leaders who have accomplished a meaningful achievement in 2025. The goal of our list is to highlight trailblazing women who have defied the odds — women now run a record 11% of Fortune 500 companies, a number that’s been on the rise over the past decade. But that record number still represents a massive gender gap, and it’s actually growing in key roles across corporate America, making the annual CNBC list more important than ever.
Women who are leaders at companies and organizations (including philanthropies) with at least $25 million in annual revenue in at least one of the past three years, or an enterprise value of $100 million for private companies and $250 million for public companies can submit a nomination.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, Nov. 21 at 11:59 pm EST.
The list will be announced in February 2026, and our third annual Changemakers Summit will take place in April.
Our CNBC Changemakers Advisory Board of experienced leaders across business and philanthropy will help us determine the weight of criteria used to select the women recognized, and help us identify an inclusive group of women. Returning to lend their guidance and expertise this year:
Marcela Miguel Berland, Latin Insights Founder & President
Tory Burch, Tory Burch LLC Executive Chairman & Chief Creative Officer; Tory Burch Foundation Founder
Emma Carrasco, NBCUniversal News Group Senior VP of Corporate Affairs
Karen Finerman, Metropolitan Capital Advisors CEO & Co-Founder and CNBC Contributor
Ken Frazier, General Catalyst’s Health Assurance Initiatives Chairman; former Merck Chairman & CEO
Desiree Gruber, Full Picture Founder & CEO
Oscar Munoz, former United Airlines Chairman & CEO and CNBC Contributor
Laurene Powell Jobs, Emerson Collective Founder & President
Merline Saintil, Rocket Lab Lead Independent Director; Black Women on Boards Co-Founder
Sheryl Sandberg, LeanIn.org & OptionB.org Founder
Dr. Stacy Smith, Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Founder
Changemakers, like the women who were featured on 2025 and 2024 lists, are taking novel approaches to old business problems and identifying new business opportunities. Help us to highlight the work of women who are succeeding, innovating and driving change at their organizations and beyond.
