Lin-Manuel Miranda

Jettisoned into the public eye for his extensive involvement with the musical "Into the Heights" in 2008, which won him a Tony Award for Best Original Score, Lin-Manuel Miranda has become a household name. Most recently, Miranda has received awards and media attention for writing the music, lyrics, and book for the musical "Hamilton," in which he performed the lead role of Alexander Hamilton. On top of these achievements, Miranda, of Puerto Rican descent, worked with President Barack Obama and other legislators to help ease Puerto Rico's debt. He has been recognized for his originality and dedication to theatre and has shown young people the value of a varied musical education.