Carmita Semaan

Carmita Semaan is Founder and CEO of TheSurge Institute. Her superpower is supporting andelevating the genius of emerging and seasonedleaders - particularly women and people of color -and shining a light on the brilliance and ingenuitythat is too often overlooked and untapped insolving systemic issues.Carmita hails from Birmingham, AL and proudlyprofesses that her hometown made her who shehas become. Birmingham’s history has greatly shaped what she feels called to do andthe hustle, horsepower and heart she exhibits. Her guiding principle is the connection ofhead, heart, and soul in leadership to drive sustainable impact and lasting partnerships.Carmita holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management,and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. She is a member ofthe Aspen Global Leadership Network, a 2009 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, andis a graduate of the Broad Residency in Urban Education. She honors her love foreducation equity, creative arts, and the amplification of and investment in womxncommunity leaders via numerous boards and volunteer engagements.Carmita lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and their belovedgoldendoodle, Jefferson.