Founding Chief Executive Officer of Lifeline Energy, Kristine Pearson understands that education and information access while addressing energy poverty are key levers for sustainable development and economic growth, particularly for women and girls. Since 1999, Kristine has worked across Africa integrating power-independent MP3 players and radios into communication initiatives in health, agriculture, education, climate change, and complex emergencies. American-born, she emigrated to South Africa in 1989, built a successful consultancy focusing on the development of women in business, which led to an executive position at a South African banking group. Kristine served for 8 years on the Women's Leadership Board of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and was honoured with the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award in 2005. Time magazine named her a Hero of the Environment.