Ann Yom Steel

I’m a firm believer that paradigm shifts occur when passionate people who share a common vision come together. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Lucy momentum. I’m currently the CEO of The Winstedt School, an international school in Singapore that is purpose-built and designed for students who learn differently, pushing the boundaries of traditional education to revolutionize learning and education in Asia.

My career began with a brief stint working at a law firm fresh out of law school. I left that career to follow my passion for women’s rights which stemmed from my experience during my university and law school days as a rape victim advocate and working at a domestic violence shelter. And growing up in South Korea, a country which to this day ranks at the bottom in gender equity among OECD countries, I saw insidious inequities that led me to gravitate towards women’s rights issues. After leaving the firm, I spent over 10 years in Washington DC in the areas of civil rights and public policy. I started out my “new” career with the National Organization for Women (NOW) Legal Defense Fund to advance the rights of women and girls. This was followed by a civil rights organization as legislative counsel, and eventually as an aide in the United States Senate, a lobbyist, and finally in the Obama Administration.

After leaving Washington, I worked in various industries as a turnaround specialist and strategic planner spanning Sydney, Singapore, and the Philippines. While working at an international development organization in the Philippines, I saw firsthand how the role of women in economic development cannot be Underestimated, and indeed Unstoppable.