Ascend Inspiring Across Generations (IAG)
Empowering AAPI Women to Ascend: Breaking Barriers, Celebrating Achievements, and Charting a Path to a Brighter Future

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Event Details:

Date: Friday, March 10, 2023

Time: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT ( 5:10 PM - 6:00 PM PT: HH and Networking)

Venue: Accenture San Francisco Office, 415 Mission St. Floor 33, San Francisco, CA 94105

Admission: Member: $100 I Non-Member: $150

Attire: Business casual

Description:

Please join Ascend NorCal and Accenture at our March Inspiring Across Generations on Friday, March 10th 2-6 PM PT (includes Happy Hour & Networking).

Join us as we celebrate International Women’s History Month. Empowering AAPI Women and Pan Asians to Ascend: Breaking Barriers, Celebrating Achievements, and Charting a Path to a Brighter Future.

Zoom meeting for 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM PT Panel Discussion only.

Agenda:

2:00 PM PT: Check-in-starts

2:30 PM PT: Welcome & Opening Remarks

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM PT: Kickoff Plenary Meeting Registration - Zoom

3:20 PM - 3:30 PM PT: Plenary Q&A

3:30 PM - 3:45 PM PT: Break

3:45 PM - 5:00 PM PT: Four Concurrent Breakout Sessions

5:10 PM - 6:00 PM PT: Happy Hour and Closing Remarks

Main Panel Discussion

Breaking Barriers: Navigating Cultural Expectations and Career Aspirations as an AAPI Woman, Mother, Entrepreneur, and Wife

Hear from Sonika Singal, an AAPI Woman, Parent, and Entrepreneur, and Elenor Mak, an AAPI Woman, Mother, Entrepreneur, and Wife, alongside Richard Tsai, a Husband, Father, MD/MBA, and supporter, as they share their stories in navigating a unique set of challenges when balancing cultural expectations and aspirations as an entrepreneur.

Many AAPI cultures strongly emphasize traditional gender roles, with women expected to take care of the household and children while the men focus on their careers. AAPI women can benefit significantly from the support of husbands in playing a significant role in helping AAPI women ascend their careers, and the importance for both partners to work together to create a supportive and equitable partnership that helps to balance their cultural expectations, family life, and professional goals.

Elenor Mak, Founder & CEO, Jilly Bing
Sonika Singal, Technology Strategy and Advisory Executive, Accenture
Richard Tsai, Senior Medical Director, Denali Therapeutics

Concurrent Sessions

Breakout Session #1

Selling Isn’t Selfish: The non-cringey way to embrace sales skills and accelerate your career

How much of your role today involves selling yourself, your ideas, or your projects internally or externally? What about your role in the future? As you ascend into leadership roles, selling is inescapable. You will be tasked with influencing diverse stakeholders, building consensus, and inspiring action. In effect, you will be selling.

But selling is pushy, selfish, and gross, you say. Join me in this talk to overcome the myths of selling and recognize the everyday moments where selling is critical to advance your career. You will walk away with an action plan to be valued and recognized at work

• Facilitator, Jennifer Ouyang Altman, CEO, Inner Radio

Breakout Session #2

Navigating the Workplace

In this session, we will explore core strategies on how to effectively manage your career while staying true to yourself, finding fulfillment, and avoiding burnout by setting boundaries. Be prepared for a candid discussion to share your experiences and learn from your colleagues.

Facilitator, Rani Bhuva, Partner, EY

Breakout Session #3

Western vs. Eastern Cultural Norms: Freeing yourself from cultural boundaries.

Are you curious how your Asian (American) identity and background may be impacting you at work? Learn more about Western vs. Eastern Cultural norms and how the differences may impact your innate communication skills, confidence vs. modesty, and other key factors. Unlock your full potential through cultural norm awareness, correlating how your upbringing translates to the work environment, shifting your mindset, expanding your comfort zone, and practicing interactive scenarios to stretch yourself.

Facilitator, Janine Lee, Global L&D Strategy & Operations Leader, Google

Breakout Session #4

Leading Through Uncertainty

As you develop in your career, strong execution skills become table stakes, and leadership traits carry more weight. In times of uncertainty, such as the one we all face with the current macroeconomic headwinds, the need for leadership is exacerbated. Whether you are an individual contributor or manager, challenging times provide development opportunities through, among other things, shaping prioritization, empathizing with others, and exemplifying company values through your own behavior.

• Facilitator, Raghav Kohli, Director, Automotive Partnerships & Assistant General Counsel, Waymo