This August marks the 10th anniversary of EA Global! What began as an experiment to bring together a nascent, primarily virtual community has grown into a thriving global conference series that connects thousands of people committed to doing good.

Since 2015, CEA has run 24 EA Global conferences. Our data from 2018 onward shows:

• Over 18,000 total attendees across five cities and online
• An average satisfaction rating of 8.6 out of 10
• Over 155,000 meaningful connections reported by attendees
• High counterfactual value, with attendees rating EAG as 5-6x more valuable than their best alternative use of time (with some estimates reaching up to 15x)

These numbers reflect something we see firsthand at every event: when you bring together people seriously committed to having more impact, remarkable things happen.

To celebrate this anniversary, we asked current and past CEA staff to share memories and reflections from attending (and running!) EA Global conferences over the years. Their stories capture both how EA Global has evolved and the human connections that make this work energizing and sustainable.

We invite you to revisit talks from these conferences on our YouTube channel, or share your own EA Global memories and reflections in the comments—we may reach out to ask if we can quote you in our social posts.

Angelina Li, Executive Office

I first attended EA Global: Boston in 2017 as a volunteer. I don’t remember much about the volunteering itself, but I do remember seeing Brian Tomasik in person and thinking, “oh my god, that’s crazy.” One concrete thing that came out of that event: Amy Labenz, the Director of Events at CEA, wrote my name down as a volunteer who’d done well. Five years later, in 2022, she reached out asking if I'd consider joining her team. That one note ended up changing my whole career trajectory—it led to me working on the EAG team, and then to my current role in the Executive Office at CEA. I genuinely don’t think any of that would have happened if I hadn’t volunteered at EAG.

Soon after joining CEA, I took over content for EA Global. At the time, we wanted to platform more animal welfare content and were cycling through ideas. Eventually, we landed on aquatic animal advocacy. I did some research on actors in this space, and put together a panel for EA Global: London 2022 that included Andrés Jiménez Zorrilla from the Shrimp Welfare Project, Sophika Kostyniuk from the Aquatic Life Institute, and Bruce Friedrich and Alex Holst from Good Food Institute.

Backstage before the panel, I remember chatting with Andrés as we set up. He was nervous to speak, but at the same time, he was worried that if he didn’t talk about shrimp, maybe no one else would. That day, he did a fantastic job, and the panel ended up really making a difference.^[1] Afterwards, Rob Wiblin reached out to Shrimp Welfare Project and interviewed them for an “after hours” episode of the 80,000 Hours podcast. As a result, Shrimp Welfare Project started getting more significant attention, including on the EA Forum.

Zooming out, I think the story of shrimp welfare is a great example of EA values creating real-world effects. As far as I can tell, the path was something like:

• EA-inspired researchers were some of the first to identify shrimp welfare as a potential area of concern, and to publish research on this topic. (e.g., several early pieces)
• Charity Entrepreneurship (CE, now Ambitious Impact) used that research to seed an organization.
• Shrimp Welfare Project’s co-founders, who were initially unfamiliar with the idea, embraced it and began executing.
• The EA community then amplified their work through multiple channels:
• Many (including the EA Animal Welfare Fund) pitched in to fund the field
  • EA Global found Andrés and invited him to speak at EA Global: London 2022
  • Rob Wiblin reached out to feature him on an 80k “after hours” episode
  • EA Forum discussion built momentum
  • Many others provided support by collaborating with, talking about, funding and of course, working directly for this cause.
• Today, Shrimp Welfare Project has dramatically improved welfare standards for farmed shrimp worldwide!

To me, this embodies a bunch of things I admire about EA: expanding our moral circles, taking odd-sounding ideas seriously, and then competently executing a flow of research, incubation, platforming, awareness and real-world impact. It was so cool to be involved in that process, even in a small way, and I think it’s a great example of the impact EA Global can have.

Charlotte Darnell, Community Liaison  

I’ve been lucky enough to go to ten EA Globals in person (and many more EAGx events across the globe), and have worn several different hats across the ten conferences: attendee, volunteer, organiser, community contact person, and speaker.

Conferences can look very different from person to person—some attendees pack their schedules with back-to-back one-on-ones, seeking job opportunities, feedback on projects, or collaborators. Others immerse themselves in talks, wrestling with tricky cause prioritization questions. Many take on a mixture of the two.

But despite differences in approach, one thing stays the same. As a frequent host of the "first timers at EAG" workshop, I have the privilege of watching newcomers discover that this isn’t a normal networking event. People consistently tell me how surprised they are that EAG isn’t transactional—experienced researchers, founders, and funders genuinely want to help and share knowledge and support because we’re all working toward the same goal.

EA Global conferences are a significant part of my life and an absolute highlight of my year. Whatever capacity I’m attending in, I find it amazing to meet so many kind, helpful people who so clearly care about the world. With so many pressing problems in the world, it can be hard to feel like progress is being made, but taking a moment to look around at the hundreds of people who've chosen to spend their weekend figuring out how to make the world better is always a special moment for me.

I’m also continually impressed by (and grateful for) the immense hard work of the volunteers without whom EA Global just wouldn’t be the same—thank you!!

Ollie Rodriguez, AI Events Program Lead

EA Global has been a significant part of my professional and personal life for the past decade. It's difficult to sum up what these events mean to me because they've been a consistent presence in both my life and this community for so long.

I first attended EA Global London in 2017, then worked part-time to help organize EAG London 2018 while I was a student. EAG 2019 took me to the US for the first time in my life. I joined the CEA Events Team in late 2021, and have helped organise them ever since, usually attending two each year.

EAG London holds particular significance for me because it brings together so many of my connections: old friends from years ago, new colleagues and community members, and countless others I’ve met along the way. There's something electric about EAG that's hard to describe—a unique mix of mission-driven, intellectual energy and genuine warmth and community.

EAGs have also profoundly impacted my personal life; I met my wife at an EAG in 2019. I should perhaps add caveats here about dating people at professional events, but I don't want that to dull how significant it is to find someone who shares your values and belongs to the same community as you. Thanks, EAG <3

I'm extremely grateful to all the program leads who've shaped these events—I’ve worked directly with Amy Labenz, Eli Nathan, Isobel Phillips, and Robert Harling, though I know there were others before them (Oli Habryka, for example).

Thank you to team members past and present that I worked with who made EAG possible: Katie Glass, Lizka Vaintrob, Ivan Burduk, Barry Grimes, Anine Andresen, Charlotte Potts, Mojmir Stehlik, Angelina Li, Charlotte Darnell, Frances Lorenz, Jordan Pieters, Arthur Malone, Sarah Gokhale, David Solar, Hillary Grills, George Go, Angel Tandoc, Kate Hitchcock, the Laundry Yard team, and many more I’ve surely forgotten.

Lastly, I want to thank Seb Lodemann, a long-time EAG volunteer who passed away in 2023. Seb’s kindness, enthusiasm, and selflessness are part of so many people’s memories of EAG.

Eli Nathan, former EA Global Project Manager

I was the EA Global Project Manager for close to two years, leading five events over 2022 and 2023. A few things I really enjoyed about the role:

• Working with so many volunteers who were excited to help and get stuck in the event with us. The volunteer team is its own sub-community, filled with committed and helpful attendees. I got to know several talented and dedicated volunteers who continued to work with us across EA Global events.
• Getting to run the event in so many different locations and venues, including London, San Francisco, DC, Boston, and Oakland.
• Leading EA Global at a time when our budget and the EA community suddenly changed, and watching up close how people reacted and adapted. We put in a bunch of effort to cut down costs in 2023, and I know the current Events team continues to drive down costs.
• Getting to both work with a wonderful team and successfully pass the project on to new project managers!

Though I’m now at 80,000 Hours as Head of Business Operations, I still support the team when I can, whether that’s checking for Swapcard bugs or volunteering—my special skill is reviewing food labels to make sure they’re correct. I’m excited to watch the project continue to grow!

Various EAG looks (pictures supplied by CEA Events staff)

Julia Wise, Community Health Lead

Ten years ago, I was excited and nervous to attend the first EA Global conference. After discovering the EA community online and finding people who cared as deeply as I did about having an impact, meeting them in person felt like the natural next step. I'm grateful to the team who pulled off that ambitious first event series. The initial three conferences in California, Oxford, and Melbourne were all held within a single month.

At that first EAG, someone presented their vision that EA would eventually have local groups all over the world. Seeing that vision become reality has been remarkable. This week, I attended EAGxSão Paulo, the first EAGx in a Portuguese-speaking country, and saw a map of local groups that looks a lot like what we hoped for. I've loved seeing these ideas resonate with people from many different backgrounds and cultures.

Robert Harling, EA Global Program Lead

My first EA Global was London 2019. I went with a big group from EA Warwick, volunteered on logistics, felt pretty anxious, and mostly stuck with friends.

Then COVID hit and EAG went virtual. I remember rearranging my bedroom to make my background look more professional and pushing myself to book eleven one-on-ones.

By San Francisco 2022—my first time in the US—something had shifted. People started requesting meetings with me! I was surprised, but glad to give advice to new community builders.

By London 2023, I was working on EA Cambridge full-time and felt more confident. I spent the event finding collaborators and advisors, speaking with potential hires, and supporting the Cambridge folks we brought along. I also helped with EAGxCambridge and saw a bit of the behind-the-scenes planning. I was incredibly disappointed when long thin boxes arrived and were filled with umbrellas and not toy swords (my first guess).

London 2024 was a turning point. I was exploring next steps and was struck by how much EA was still growing. I kept saying: “I recognise so many people here, and also there are so many I don’t. How do I not know everyone in EA at this point?” Shortly after, I got an email inviting me to apply for the EA Global Program Lead role. I was flattered, but thought it was more senior than I was ready for and only applied on the deadline day because my girlfriend made me.

I ended up really enjoying the application process, got on great with the team, and was thrilled to eventually get an offer! I joined just before EA Global: Boston 2024, where I coordinated volunteers and a fair amount of onsite production. I went in nervous—I’d always seen myself as a “thinky-thinky” person and worried I should have been a researcher. But I loved being onsite. The energy was amazing; I was literally jumping as we opened the doors and all our work became real.

I fully took over for EA Global: Bay Area 2025 and have been Program Lead since. EAG has continued to evolve, even in this short time, which I wrote about in my retrospective on London 2025.

EA Global means a lot to me. It introduced me to the wider EA community. It’s been the source of great memories with friends. It’s kept me connected to community builders and given me motivation by connecting me with people I looked up to—people who took time to talk to and encourage me.

As Program Lead, I’m deeply grateful for the work done before me to develop the conference and build its reputation. I understand how important EAG is for the community and feel that responsibility. Mostly, I’m excited to lead EAG as it navigates new challenges and adapts alongside EA, making sure it stays relevant and brings together people across cause areas and experience levels.

Frances Lorenz, Events Associate

EA Global: London 2021 was my first time leaving North America and my first time meeting the EA community in person. I flew in from Canada and arrived completely baffled by where I’d ended up. The conference felt huge, I was in London(!), and I had no clue what I was doing. I’d heard the constant pushes to book one-on-ones, so I messaged lots of people and was pleasantly surprised by how much everyone wanted to help. I distinctly remember Sawyer Bernath, who was running BERI at the time, reaching out simply because he'd seen that I was trying AI safety community building and wanted to offer advice. I also asked Will MacAskill for a photo, which he was very nice about.

I joined the EA Global team in January 2023 as a contractor. Bay Area was my first event, where I worked on volunteer coordination, admissions, and attendee communications (which was basically just sending a lot of emails). I was buzzing the entire weekend. I must have looped the venue 50 times armed with my Polaroid, thinking about how much I loved the team. I cannot overstate how fun our production room is during an event, with all our nervous energy channelled into either tasks or jokes.

Getting to work on EA Global is a privilege. Effective altruism, both the ideas and the community, mean a lot to me. I want people to meet each other, collaborate, and share ideas. I want everyone to have a mentor or peer they can text when they feel stuck, because I know how much that matters. And I’m painfully aware of opportunity cost, as is everyone on the team. We know how much time, money, and energy is required for travel, preparation, and having important conversations. Networking isn’t natural for many attendees. (It isn’t very natural for me; I get over stimulated quite easily!) But regardless, everyone shows up and puts in their all. I could not be more grateful for this effort. And afterward, I get to see all the impact that comes out of it: new projects, ideas, hires, funding, and so much more!

Right now, I’m mostly focused on marketing, communications, admissions, and stakeholder engagement. I also take EAG’s responsibilities seriously: we’re being cautious with our budget, communicating transparently about admissions and policies, and focusing on tailoring the event to what people currently need.

I want to quickly say thank you to the colleagues who make this possible every day. I tell anyone who will listen how obsessed I am with the CEA Events Team. Thank you to my first manager Eli (who I still go to for advice constantly), Amy (absurdly supportive and effective as Director of the team), Ollie (endless encouragement), and the current core EAG team: Robert, Ivan, and Jordan. It’s an absolute joy to work with and know all of you! Okay, with that said, here are some pictures:

Amy Labenz, Director of Events

I started working on EA Global in 2016, which was only the project’s second year at CEA. People often commented that I treated it like my baby—and it felt that way! Back then, the events team was tiny and scrappy with a shoestring budget. I was in it from top to bottom: negotiating venue contracts, squeezing costs, and holding my breath that nothing would go wrong. Most of the time, nothing did. And then the doors would open and I’d see excited faces, old friends reuniting, and new folks wide-eyed and thrilled to be there. That moment has always been my favorite.

I also loved running volunteer training because I met “my people” there: EAs who cared about ideas and either had operations chops or just wanted to help out. So many of them became friends or people I later hired. I met Eli in 2018 as a logistics volunteer; I met Angelina through volunteering and recruited her years later. You go through a kind of mini-war together to run an event, especially in the early days when we were holding things together by our fingernails and pulling in all of CEA for the final stretch. It was intense, but it worked.

When I first joined CEA, I took on two jobs: leading US operations and working on events. When it came time to choose one focus, opting for events was a no-brainer. Events are addicting because the impact is visible in real time. After every EAG, I’d collect little impact stories: photos of people at the moment they got hired, notes about collaborations that started in the hallway. You don’t have to write a memo to explain that kind of result (though we have plenty of Google docs with impact analysis, of course). Instead, reality hands you feedback. Can we bring a giant thing into the world and make important conversations happen? Yes, and you can see it right there.

For years I did every EAG speaker call—sometimes ten back-to-back in a day—reading up on topics, talking through ideas, and getting to see the human side of leaders. It's been a joy: meeting amazing people, then later calling to ask if they'll mentor newcomers and watching them eagerly say yes.

EAG has woven into my family life, too. When I bring my babies to events (in their EAG onesies and all), people are so loving: colleagues hold a baby in the speaker room while I go on stage, friends play with the boys in the production room. One time, I brought my mom to help with childcare. She popped into an A.J. Jacobs session and came back raving, then said, “If I could eat vegan food like this every day, I’d definitely be vegan.” It was very cute.

Looking back, I’m proud of how EAG has matured. We went from a ragtag crew to a well-oiled, world-class event with real product-market fit—something you can invite mid-career professionals and policymakers to, who come away saying it’s one of the best conferences they’ve attended. We accomplished that without losing EAG’s soul. And we’ve maintained integrity around admissions, sticking to what we think leads to impact rather than opening the floodgates just to improve a metric.

I’ve changed, too. I used to wait a week to read feedback because I was a “sensitive flower.” Now I refresh obsessively because I’m excited to see what landed and what to improve, and because our team is stronger and better supported. It’s a dream job to help people arrive and feel like they’ve found their people. For many attendees, it’s the first time they’ve been surrounded by over 1,000 others who genuinely care about doing the most good and who also show up as humans, looking out for each other. Getting to help facilitate that never gets old.

And now, some baby photos:

As you may have gathered, EA Global is an excellent place to meet friends and collaborators, share and receive advice, engage with new ideas and research, and find impactful jobs or talented hires.

If you’re interested in attending, the next EA Global will be held in New York City from October 10–12. Apply to EAG NYC here by September 28, or check out the other 14 conferences taking place throughout the rest of 2025—there’s one on every populated continent.

The CEA Events team is also currently hiring for a Chief of Staff to help scale EA Global and the rest of their event portfolio! You can apply here by 3 September, 11:59 PM BST

1. ^{^}

    The whole panel was great: I still remember Sophika’s introductory talk, which opened with some pretty mind boggling numbers on how many aquatic animals there are. I’m glad aquatic animal advocacy is still a cause area EAs put serious effort into today.