Penny Abeywardena is the founder and CEO of Soft Power Strategies, advising leaders and institutions on “soft power”: the practical work of shifting hearts and minds through trust, credibility, narrative alignment, and coalition-building—especially when power is diffuse and stakes are high. She is the author of the forthcoming book SMART POWER (Penguin Random House/Harmony) and the host of Power Play: Soft Power Unpacked, featuring conversations on influence and culture change; the first guests include Diane von Furstenberg and UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed. She is also a Fellow-in-Residence at NYU’s McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research. France appointed her a Knight in the National Order of Merit for global leadership on diplomacy, human rights, and sustainability.