Leading Women Who Are Challenging The Status Quo in 2025

What does it mean to truly challenge the status quo? Firstly, one has to ‘read the room’ and understand what is not working and how changes need to be made to the landscape of the time.  

By questioning the establishment or established practices, the process has already begun to find alternative methods that will ultimately be disruptive, drive progress, and improve the landscape for the better.  

Positive changes and innovation come as part and parcel of challenging the status quo by adapting to modern times, and in 2025, five women who demonstrate these changes and innovation as leaders in their field are highlighted here.  

Technology is always at the forefront of change, and with the advent of Web3, both Chengdiao Fan of Pi Network and Lee Lin Liew of Dog Libre have demonstrated how crypto is soon to be the currency that delivers real-world solutions to many existing problems and bottlenecks.  

Agriculture always has to move faster than the times, and the relatively new AgTech sector is pushing boundaries. None more so than Sarah Placella of Root Applied Sciences, whose mission is to drive positive changes in the intersection of technology and agriculture to achieve a more sustainable and resilient future for us all.  

On a human level, it’s important to have some experts by one’s side who are not afraid to advise and help people achieve their goals by challenging the norms. Step up, Monique Eastwood, not only a celebrity trainer and consultant to Hollywood’s A-list elite, but one whose eponymous method seems to be the recipe to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to look great doing so. And all stand for Felicity Gerry, King’s Counsel, the barrister who stands up for those who cannot stand, defending those facing human rights violations, by challenging and often single-handedly changing the law.  

All these women are leading the way in challenging the status quo in 2025:  

1. Dr. Felicity Gerry KC, the powerhouse, life-saving international defense lawyer everyone wants by their side 

Dr Felicity Gerry KC is a renowned international defense counsel with expertise in complex criminal cases, human rights law, and international justice. With a career spanning over three decades, she has defended clients in high-profile cases across multiple jurisdictions, including the UK, Australia, international courts such as The Hague and is an international member of the American Bar Association .  

Felicity is celebrated for her leadership in cases involving homicide and women’s rights, her commitment to justice reform, legal innovations, and her relentless pursuit of fairness in the global legal landscape. 

A female defense specialist, which is a rarity at this level of legal practice, Felicity’s whole métier is to make sure humanity is retained when the process can be oppressive.   

Felicity has defended in the International Criminal Court and recently defended a client at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague and challenged the approach to vulnerable accused persons in international courts 

She has also shaped the UK joint enterprise law in the Supreme Court as part of a campaign to release people wrongly convicted of joint enterprise murder and to stop the continued use of joint enterprise law.  

Her due diligence work on the Singapore Stock Exchange listing for Justice for Myanmar led to the $82 million divestment of the Golden City scheme. She famously secured a successful petition for mercy for Indigenous Australian Zak Grieve. 

Holding a PhD in human trafficking, Felicity serves as a Senior Anti-Human Trafficking Expert Consultant and Trainer for Lawyers Without Borders, reinforcing her commitment to education, legal innovation, and global justice. 

2. Dr. Sarah Placella, the AgTech CEO set on protecting the sustainable future for global agriculture  

Dr. Sarah Placella is the CEO of Root Applied Sciences, a company in agricultural technology. With a profound commitment to sustainable practices and a deep understanding of the intricate relationship between technology and agriculture, Placella has become a driving force in shaping the future of farming. 

Born with intense curiosity and a passion for the outdoors, Placella pursued her academic journey with a focus on environmental sciences. Placella’s incredible academic experiences encompass a Bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University; a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley; a postdoctoral fellowship at Michigan State’s Kellogg Biological Station; and an Agreenskills fellowship at INRAe in Montpellier, France. 

Impact-driven, Dr. Placella recognized that current challenges need problem-solving at a faster pace. She saw opportunities to have a greater impact on today’s world by applying her knowledge to industry, accepting positions at a biotech startup and later at an Agtech startup, where she became the product manager.  

Placella then founded Root Applied Sciences with a clear mission: to change agriculture with near real-time information on unseeable biological threats. Under her leadership, the company has focused on developing practical solutions to improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental footprint, and promote the overall resilience of agricultural ecosystems. 

Beyond her role at Root Applied Sciences, Placella is a respected advocate for sustainable agriculture and is actively involved in technical founder communities and advocating for women and mothers as startup leaders. Her dedication to driving positive change in the intersection of technology and agriculture has earned her recognition as a thought leader in the field. 

Dr. Placella’s journey as the CEO of Root Applied Sciences reflects a remarkable fusion of scientific expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and a profound commitment to creating a more sustainable and resilient future for global agriculture. 

3. Dr. Chengdiao Fan, the Crypto community builder creating mass adoption and real-world utility 

Dr. Chengdiao Fan, one of two Founders at Pi Network, is a Stanford PhD in Anthropological Sciences, harnessing social computing to unlock human potential on a global scale. 

Dr. Fan’s deep understanding of human societies, behavior, and human-computer interactions—which have been used for previous research projects around productivity software, scaled social communications, and online human relationships and interactions—has influenced her work with Pi Network.  

Fan’s unique perspectives and ability to challenge the norm are reflected in the non-conformist approach of Pi Network itself.  

Pi’s vision is to create the most inclusive peer-to-peer ecosystem and online experience through Pi and is rooted in the belief that technology should empower people, not exclude them, and that production and distribution in an AI-driven era must be more equitable.  

So, unlike conventional crypto projects that often cater to tech or financial elites, Pi Network sought to ensure that ordinary people around the world are the heart of the network. Pi is free and easy to mine with just a smartphone and an internet connection, lowering the financial, knowledge, and technology barriers of entry into the Web3 world. Users get rewarded based on their contributions to the network and consensus mechanism, and its native KYC solution enables broad, compliant access to Pi’s ecosystem. 

While a crypto project can go live with just a whitepaper, a smart contract, or even just a meme, Pi spent six years building its infrastructure, community, ecosystem, and ensuring that its utility was already in use before launching its Open Network in February of 2025. With the driving force of a 60-million-strong community and real utilities in local commerce and applications online, Pi is set to solve the problem of mass adoption and real-world utility in crypto.   

4. Monique Eastwood,Celebrity Fitness Trainer and Lifestyle Coach - Age 58, with a fitness profile often associated with individuals in their late 20s or 30s

Monique Eastwood is the woman behind the bodies of Hollywood actors Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt and is gearing up to get them all in shape for next year’s much-anticipated sequel to the 2006 film, The Devil Wears Prada. 

A native of South Africa, Monique started out training to become a professional ballerina at the prestigious Bush Davies British Ballet school, followed by a professional dancing career spanning 10 years with performances for South Africa’s premier ballet companies. Monique then transitioned to Sun City for a Vegas-style lineup where she was part of not one, but two sell-out shows simultaneously – sometimes performing up to three times per day.   

Based in the UK since 1990, Monique combined her love of dance with her knowledge of Pilates to carve out a career as a personal trainer and lifestyle coach by creating her own method, the eponymous Eastwood Movement Method, which is based on the importance of everyday movement and keeping bodies fluid, lean, and strong. Monique’s dedication to staying consistent and disciplined throughout her life has maintained her high levels of energy, endurance and strength.  

By Monique’s own admittance, at 58, she is ‘no spring chicken.’ But unlike other fitness trainers who target an audience and exercises similar to their own demographic, the intensity of her workouts belie her age. Yet she is still able to demonstrate the exercises precisely, provide expert advice, psychologically and physically for anyone, man or woman.  

Her client list is a testament to her method that has sculpted the bodies of many Hollywood movie stars, like Blunt, who Monique prepared for the grueling action movie Edge of Tomorrow, where the actress starred with Tom Cruise. 

Alongside her regulars of Blunt, Tucci and Hathaway, other current A-list clients include Rachel Weisz and Greta Gerwig.  

Monique has been awarded the best in category in the Tatler Magazine Gym Awards in 2023 and has been the cover star on Women’s Fitness Magazine. Her debut fitness app, Eastwood Fit, is for all ages and abilities.  

5.Lee Lin Liew, the web3 pioneer using the most advanced technology to save dogs across the world  

As the founder of DogLibre, Lee Lin Liew is leading a tech-for-good ecosystem that integrates blockchain, AI, IoT, and gamification to deliver real-world utility for both stray and pet dogs.  

At its core, Dog Libre is an attempt to bring together technology, compassion, and community to build something better. A system where each rescued dog can have a traceable identity. Where shelters can be supported sustainably. And where anyone; dog lovers, tech builders, and cryptocurrency users can play a part in making a real difference. 

Before founding DogLibre, ​Lee Lin Liew built a reputation as a growth strategist with a strong track record in the blockchain and startup ecosystems. She played a key role in launching two Web3 startups and has driven adoption for several blockchain applications, including Decentraland, the first decentralized metaverse unicorn. She also mentors at R3 and Outlier Ventures, supporting founders building at the frontier of emerging technology. 

And it is an emerging technology which Lee Lin is utilizing to full effect to make the world a much safer place for canine pals. One of the project’s latest innovations, a smart camera wearable for dogs, is set to launch soon. It’s designed to capture a dog’s daily life and help pet owners better understand and care for their companions through technology. 

Lee Lin has combined her technical expertise with her deep passion for animal rights, as she has personally rescued and raised over 30 abandoned dogs. Her ability to combine cutting-edge innovation with deep compassion makes her a powerful voice in Web3 and a passionate advocate for meaningful, tech-driven impact. 

“The global issue of stray and abandoned dogs is not new, but it’s one we’ve collectively failed to address in a sustainable or humane way. Every year, millions of dogs are euthanized or left to suffer, not because they’re beyond help, but because the systems meant to support them are overwhelmed, outdated, or simply not equipped for long-term solutions. It’s a heartbreaking reality that often goes unnoticed,” says Lee Lin.  

“We didn’t set out to start a movement. We’ve just seen too much to stay quiet. Shelters are full. Resources are scarce. And well-meaning efforts often struggle to keep up. I believe the same technologies transforming industries like blockchain, AI, and IoT can now be used to rethink how we care for animals too.” 

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, financial, or professional advice. Readers should not rely solely on the content of this article and are encouraged to seek professional advice tailored to their specific circumstances. We disclaim any liability for any loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from the use of, or reliance on, the information presented. Investing involves risk and your investment may lose value. Past performance gives no indication of future results. These statements do not constitute and cannot replace investment advice.