Vanessa Masing studied Business Administration at the European Business School in Oestrich-Winkel, Paris and San Diego and received her Master's degree in European Children's Rights and Childhood Studies at the FU Berlin. She worked for KPMG, Deloitte WEDIT and for 16 years as Managing Director for a venture capital fund before moving to an integrated secondary school in Berlin in 2016 as a Fellow for Teach First Germany. There, together with students, she developed the idea of bringing the Duke Award to more public schools in Germany. Vanessa Masing has headed the association as Managing Director since 2020.

Laura Berndt studied Physical Education (University of Leipzig) and Outdoor Studies (Norges idrettshøgskole). She always focused on adventure education and dance and completed additional training in these areas. She has been involved in non-formal education since her youth. Today she leads political workshops and outdoor education programs. Her growing desire to initiate long-lasting and deep educational processes and to initiate social change on a structural level brought her to the Duke Award.

Arvid Radsey-Nickel holds an M.A. in International Development from the University of Vienna and a B.A. in Business Administration from HWR Berlin. Before, during and after his Master's degree, he worked in humanitarian aid (e.g. in Haiti) and has extensive knowledge of the NGO world. Arvid is primarily responsible for partner schools in Berlin and Brandenburg, but also supports the team in many other areas.

Iris has been with the Award since 2008. She manages the accounting, is responsible for orders and coordinates the use of the Bahnmeisterei in Osterburken as an expedition base.