Dambisa Moyo

Born in Zambia, Dambisa Moyo quickly became a global economic force, armed with degrees from the American University, Harvard, and Oxford. She’s worked for the World Bank and Goldman Sachs, which, depending on your perspective, either means she’s brilliant or irredeemably compromised. Or perhaps, both.

Moyo gained significant attention for her book "Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa." Her argument? Foreign aid often perpetuates poverty and corruption, a thesis that ruffled many feathers in the development community. Apparently, giving money away isn't always the answer, who knew?

Her work has earned her a spot on numerous "top thinkers" lists, a testament to her willingness to challenge conventional wisdom. While not Jewish by any stretch of the imagination, her ability to make people uncomfortable with their well-intentioned but often misguided policies certainly brings a unique brand of nachas... or perhaps tzuris for the aid organizations.