Reed Hastings – Biography Early Life and Education Reed Hastings was born on October 8, 1960, in Boston, Massachusetts. Raised in a well-educated family, his father was an attorney for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in the Nixon administration. Hastings attended Buckingham Browne
Sheryl Sandberg – Biography Early Life and Education Sheryl Sandberg was born on August 28, 1969, in Washington, D.C., and raised in North Miami Beach, Florida. Her father was an ophthalmologist, and her mother was a teacher who later focused on social activism. From a
Satya Nadella – Biography Early Life and Education Satya Narayana Nadella was born on August 19, 1967, in Hyderabad, India, to a well-educated Telugu-speaking family. His father, Bukkapuram Nadella Yugandhar, was a civil servant in the Indian Administrative Service, and his mother was a Sanskrit
Michio Kaku – Biography Early Life and Education Michio Kaku was born on January 24, 1947, in San Jose, California, to Japanese-American parents who were placed in internment camps during World War II. From a young age, Kaku showed an extraordinary interest in science and
Brian Cox – Biography Early Life and Education Brian Edward Cox was born on March 3, 1968, in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. Raised in a working-class family, his father was a bank manager and his mother a cashier. Cox showed early interest in science and
Jane Goodall – Biography Early Life and Education Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London, England. From a young age, she showed a keen interest in animals and nature, often spending hours observing animals in her backyard. Her curiosity and love for
Kip Thorne – Biography Early Life and Education Kip Stephen Thorne was born on June 1, 1940, in Logan, Utah. Growing up in a family with an academic background, he was encouraged to pursue his interest in science from an early age. His father was
Jennifer Doudna – Biography Early Life and Education Jennifer Anne Doudna was born on February 19, 1964, in Washington, D.C., and raised in Hilo, Hawaii. Her father, a literature professor, and her mother, a school administrator, encouraged intellectual curiosity from a young age. Surrounded by
Colson Whitehead – Biography Early Life and Education Colson Whitehead was born on November 6, 1969, in New York City. Raised in Manhattan by entrepreneurial parents who owned an advertising agency, Whitehead grew up in a household where creativity and business intersected. He attended the
Ocean Vuong – Biography Early Life and Background Ocean Vuong was born on October 14, 1988, in Saigon, Vietnam. At just two years old, he immigrated with his family to the United States as refugees following the Vietnam War. They eventually settled in Hartford, Connecticut,
Ta-Nehisi Coates – Biography Early Life and Education Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates was born on September 30, 1975, in Baltimore, Maryland, into a household deeply rooted in activism and intellectual rigor. His father, William Paul Coates, was a former Black Panther, Vietnam War veteran, and publisher,
Jonathan Franzen – Biography Early Life and Education Jonathan Franzen was born on August 17, 1959, in Western Springs, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Raised in a middle-class family, Franzen showed an early interest in literature and writing. His father was a corporate executive, and
Hilary Mantel – Biography Early Life and Education Hilary Mantel was born on July 6, 1952, in Glossop, Derbyshire, England. Growing up in a working-class family, she developed a love for reading and storytelling early on. Mantel attended Glossop Grammar School, where her talent for
Kazuo Ishiguro – Biography Early Life and Education Kazuo Ishiguro was born on November 8, 1954, in Nagasaki, Japan. When he was five years old, his family moved to the United Kingdom, where he would grow up and later build his literary career. Ishiguro’s upbringing
Jhumpa Lahiri – Biography Early Life and Education Jhumpa Lahiri was born on July 11, 1967, in London, England, to Bengali Indian immigrants. Her family moved to the United States when she was just two years old, settling in Rhode Island. Growing up in a
Hanya Yanagihara – Biography Early Life and Education Hanya Yanagihara was born on September 20, 1974, in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Hawaii. Her father, a Hawaiian-born doctor of Japanese descent, worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which meant the family
Donna Tartt – Biography Early Life and Education Donna Tartt was born on December 23, 1963, in Greenwood, Mississippi. From a young age, she exhibited a strong passion for literature, writing poetry and short stories while growing up in a small Southern town. Encouraged by
Yuval Noah Harari – Biography Early Life and Education Yuval Noah Harari was born on February 24, 1976, in Kiryat Ata, Israel. From a young age, he showed a strong interest in history and philosophy, which shaped his academic journey. Harari attended the Hebrew University
David Warner – Biography Early Life and Education David Warner was born on October 27, 1986, in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. Growing up in a sports-loving family, Warner showed a passion for cricket from an early age. He attended Knox Grammar School in Sydney,
Kagiso Rabada – Biography Early Life and Education Kagiso Rabada was born on May 25, 1995, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Growing up in a family passionate about sports, Rabada quickly showed promise as a fast bowler. He attended St. Stithians College, a well-known school in