Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine

The first Filipino elected to Harvard University’s Board of Overseers, Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine is a leader whose influence extends from elite institutions to grassroots communities. Her historic election to this governing body broke a centuries-old glass ceiling, giving a Filipino voice a role in shaping the strategic direction and academic standards of one of the world’s most prestigious universities.

Trained as a lawyer in New York and Boston, she spent over a decade advising on finance and public policy before turning her attention fully to social impact. As president and CEO of Khan Academy Philippines, Acuña-Sunshine has helped expand access to free, high-quality digital education through partnerships with the Department of Education, local governments, schools and other organisations.

Under her leadership, Khan Academy Philippines has scaled significantly from its initial pilot, with its DepEd partnership reaching more than 711,000 learners and 12,153 teachers across more than 2,700 public schools by January 2026. By mid-2026, the platform reported a wider footprint of more than 2.7 million learners, 24,000 teachers and 2,500 schools nationwide.

Acuña-Sunshine has also brought AI-powered learning tools into local education initiatives. Khanmigo, an AI teaching assistant, was launched in the Philippines in December 2024, while a Quezon City programme using the tool reached 69,400 students across 117 schools by March 2026. Her work demonstrates how technology and public-private collaboration can be used to address learning gaps at scale.

In 2026, Tatler Philippines recognised Acuña-Sunshine with its inaugural Front & Female Education & Development Award. She is also the founder of the Sunshine Care Foundation, through which she has pursued medical philanthropy alongside her work in education.

Acuña-Sunshine remains focused on building systems that expand opportunities for the Philippine community, using education, technology and social impact to make resources once out of reach more accessible.