Ascend A-List Awards

In celebration of leaders for their professional achievements and advancement of others in their industries or for being catalysts for change in their workplace and society, Ascend invites you to its in-person 2023 A-List Awards Gala.

The Plaza, New York City

April 3, 2023
7pm to 10pm
Preceded by a reception at 6:30pm

Black Tie or Asian Festive

To reserve a table please contact helen.lee@ascendleadership.org.

To purchase individual tickets HERE

Women of Ascend Leadership Conference

Uplifting Women of Color

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 | 1-4 pm ET
Zoom Webinar

All genders are invited!

Program Overview

Join us as we host our greatly anticipated Women of Ascend Leadership Conference to mark the International Women’s History Month and commemorate the 2nd year anniversary of the Atlanta Spa shooting where six of the eight victims were women of Asian descent.

1-1:40 pm ET

Ascend Welcome

—

Women of Ascend Learning & Development Program Launch

Presented by The Coca-Cola Company

—

My Other Side Story

We will hear from women of color who will share their lived experiences of the dichotomy of being a woman of color in the workplace:

a side that is seen and a side that is hidden.

They will also share solutions for navigating barriers to advancement and how they uplift other women in the workplace through mentorship and allyship.

Storytellers

Amna Nawaz
Chief Correspondent, PBS NewsHour

LaSandra Hunt
Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Sharda Cherwoo
Independent Board Director
The Other Side Campaign Storyteller
Watch Her Story

Danielle Brown
VP, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Synchrony

—

1:40-2:10 pm ET

Panel Discussion: Breaking Barriers & Uplifting Women of Color

This panel discussion will explore the omnipresent barriers that hinder women’s career advancement, why they exist, how companies and leaders can help break the barriers, and the importance of allyship in enabling women to reach their full potential.

Storyteller & Moderator

Kay Malcolm
Senior Director, Oracle

Panelist(s)

Marissa Yu
Lead Counsel, The Dow Chemical Company

—

2:10-2:20 pm ET

Interactive Break

—

2:20-2:45 pm ET

Storytellers: Male Allyship in the Workplace:
How I Support & Uplift Women of Color 

We will hear from male allies who will share the importance of male allyship in removing barriers to women’s career ascension, how to be a better and supportive male ally, and how they support and uplift women of color in the workplace, reaffirming why gender equality is not a zero sum game.

 Storyteller(s)

Tariq Khan
Board of Director, Ascend; Founder & CEO, Global Diversity Marketing

Michael Matthews
Chief Diversity & Corporate Responsibility Officer, Synchrony

—

2:45-3:20 pm ET

Panel Discussion: Preventing the Breaking Point:
Prioritizing Mental Health and Well-Being for Women@Work

Mental health challenges prevent women from reaching their full potential.

A Cigna study showed that 87% of women 35 to 49 caring for children or elderly parents were stressed at work while trying to juggle these responsibilities. One in five women in the United States experienced a mental health condition in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office on Women’s Health. Women also face unique mental health challenges and may experience mental illness differently than their male coworkers. And, more recently COVID-19 and the rising violence and hate across the country has further exacerbated mental health challenges for women. In the panel discussion, we will explore how employers can support women’s mental health and how career-minded women can cultivate positive mental health and prevent burnout. 

Moderator

Sunita Das
Partner, AlixPartners

—

3:20-3:30 pm ET

Interactive Break 

—

3:30-3:55 pm ET

Storytellers: iAscend By Embracing My Intersectionality & Cultural Values 

Interconnected nature of gender, race and class make up for unique workplace and societal experiences.

Discipline, hard work, educational achievement, perseverance, are just some of the few Asian cultural values that make us who we are. 

We will hear from Pan-Asian women who leverage these inherent characteristics as women of color to gain a competitive edge and achieve career success. 

Facilitator

Jasmeen Bal
Manager, Charging Validation, Lucid Motors

Storyteller(s)

Hashima Hasan
Scientist, NASA; Executive Secretary, NASA Astrophysics Advisory Committee

Angeli Gabriel
Digital Content Producer, FOX Weather, Fox News Media

—

3:55-4 pm ET

Closing Segment

—

Reference Materials & Forums 

Ascend Foundation Research

Ascend’s The Other Side Campaign

#AscendTogether Global Forum: Supporting our Resilient Community

Ascend Convention: Women’s Leadership Forum

Ascend Convention: Mental Health Forum

Additional Speakers to be Announced Soon!

Special Thanks to Our Conference Partners