The US Board of Directors will guide Mission 44’s work in the United States, shaping strategy, building partnerships, and delivering programmes that empower all young people to thrive in education and access careers in STEM.

K. Don Cornwell, Co-Founder and CEO of Dynasty Equity

K. Don Cornwell is Dynasty Equity’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to Dynasty Equity, Don was a Founding Partner at PJT Partners, a premier global advisory-focused investment bank and is now a member of their Board of Directors. Prior to PJT, Don worked at Morgan Stanley in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group and established a particularly focused area of expertise in media and entertainment, specifically in sports and gaming. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Don worked at McKinsey & Co. as a management consultant and in corporate development for the National Football League.

Don sits on the Board of Trustees of the Harlem Children’s Zone, an education and social services organization in Central Harlem; the East Harlem Tutorial Program, an after-school program for children in East Harlem; the Board of Directors of New York Cares, New York City’s largest volunteer organization; and the VFILES Foundation, an organization with the mission to increase business ownership for creators in underrepresented communities. Don received an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and an AB in Government from Harvard College.

Grace Gould, Co-Founder of Touch Capital

Grace is the Co-Founder of Touch Capital, a venture capital fund investing in consumer brands across the food, beverage, pet, beauty and personal care sectors. Grace’s investment portfolio spans consumer brands across the US, UK and Asia.

Prior to Touch Capital Grace worked for Sir Lewis Hamilton on his business and philanthropic work. Grace started her investment career at Index Ventures in London and she currently resides in New York.

Outside of work Grace has been an advisor to the U.K. Government’s Digital Industrialisation Strategy and was a commissioner for the IPPR Commission on Economic Justice.

Mellody Hobson, President and Co-CEO of Ariel Investments

Mellody is Co-CEO of Ariel Investments. As Co-CEO, Mellody is responsible for management, strategic planning and growth for all areas of Ariel. Additionally, she chairs the board of Ariel Investments’ publicly traded mutual funds. Prior to being named Co-CEO, Mellody spent nearly two decades as Ariel’s President. In 2025, she founded Project Level® to change the game in women’s sports. Mellody co-founded Ariel Alternatives, LLC in 2021 and its inaugural private equity fund, Project Black®. Beyond Ariel, she serves as a director of JPMorgan Chase and is the former chair of Starbucks Corporation. Mellody was a long-standing board member of the Estée Lauder Companies and chairman of the board of DreamWorks Animation until the company’s sale in 2016.

Mellody’s community outreach includes her role as chairman of After School Matters, a Chicago non-profit that provides area teens with high-quality after-school and summer programs. She is also co-chair of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and a board member of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the George Lucas Educational Foundation, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Mellody is a member of the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the LA28 Olympic Games and past chair of the Economic Club of Chicago.

In 2015, Time Magazine named her one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the world.

Mark Hamlin, Chair of Lewis Hamilton Ventures, will also serve as Chair of the Mission 44 US Board of Directors, guiding the Board as the charity expands its work in the United States.

Mark said: “I am delighted to welcome Don, Grace, and Mellody as the inaugural members of Mission 44’s US Board of Directors. Each brings an outstanding record of leadership, vision, and commitment to social impact. With their support, expertise and guidance, I am confident we can accelerate our mission to build a fairer, more inclusive future for the next generation in the United States – and I look forward to working with them.”