1. Malala Yousafzai: After surviving a shot in the head by the Taliban at age 15, Pakistani Malala Yousafzai fearlessly took her human rights activism to an international level.
2. Oprah Winfrey: Oprah Winfrey is a household name around the world and the embodiment of the American Dream—overcoming poverty to become the first African-American billionaire.
3. Mae Carol Jemison: Astronaut and physician Mae Carol Jemison was the first African-American woman to travel into space when she was asked to join the crew of NASA’s Endeavour.
4. Tarana Burke: Named Time Person of the Year in 2017, Tarana Burke founded the #MeToo movement for survivors (women and men) of sexual violence, harassment, and assault.
5. Angelina Jolie: For years the A-list actress has advocated for refugees around the world, using her movie-star status to draw attention to those in need and inspire others to get involved.
6. Michelle Obama: Lawyer, author, and leader of the Let’s Move! campaign to fight childhood obesity in America, as her motto exemplifies so perfectly: “When they go low, we go high.”
7. Françoise Barré-Sinoussi: In 2008, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi was one of three to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering HIV.
8. Billie Jean King: Not only did American tennis champion Billie Jean King win 39 Grand Slams and found the Women’s Sports Foundation.
9. Nina Tandon: Imagine being able to build your own bones. American biomedical engineer Nina Tandon, co-founder and CEO of EpiBone, is making that possible through her work with stem cells.
10. Cynthia Kenyon: If successful, American molecular biologist Cynthia Kenyon may prove to be the most influential woman—or person—ever.