CEI Newsletter | Winter 2024 Edition
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Happy Lunar New Year. May you all and family have peace, joy, good health and an abundance of wealth in this Year of the Dragon. Welcome to our first newsletter of the year. As we look back on the enjoyable and inspiring events and activities we have celebrated and participated in 2023, let’s also take a moment to appreciate the incredible journey we’ve had as a community, along with our partner communities. We are excited to announce recent promotions of our CEI colleagues and the successful completion of our Ascend Corporate Executive Leadership Program Cohort 6 participants, comprised of 18 Directors/Senior Managers and equivalent AAPI leaders. We are thrilled to also announce upcoming events this year such as the annual 2024 A-List Awards, Ascend National Convention, and many more. Sincerely, Winson Heng |
EVENT RECAP  2023 Ascend National Convention Last year’s convention was hosted by Ascend Austin Chapter, anchored by the theme of iAscend. There were new installments that include the Wellness Lounge, Ascend’s Got Talent, and our inaugural Aspiring Executive Academy. To watch the highlights of this year’s Ascend Convention, visit here.Â
Last year’s Diwali Celebration was one to remember! Hosted at Sonesta ES Suites, GWA Ascend Diwali Celebration and had fun events such as Cocktail + Henna, and a dance party. Invitees came in black tie and stunning international dress attire which gave more of a traditional vibe to the event. The night had a fun 360 photobooth, delicious all-of-you-can-eat Buffet and a DJ for those ready to party. Checkout the celebration details here.
 Congratulations to the winners of the Inspiring Across Generation Awards! This year's IAG conference explored the concept of power in our community and spheres of influence. The conference provided an array of classes such as “Mastering the Art of Celebrating your wins” and “Executive Workshop: Leaving your Legacy” that provided inspirational advice and outlooks to both new up-and-coming, and experienced practitioners. Checkout the conference’s itinerary and speakers here.  2024 Ascend GW Lunar New Year BanquetThe Ascend Greater Washington Lunar New Year Banquet held this year was a resounding success! It was hosted on Saturday February 3, 2024 at Hong Kong Pearl in Falls Church, VA. The evening was filled with ceaseless festivities where community members reconnected and expressed gratitude. The banquet offered an array of experiences from the time attendees sat down to receive their red envelopes, to the thrilling raffle draw featuring numerous fantastic prizes. Participants showcased their ethnic festive attires, enjoyed a delicious full course meal, reveled in a mesmerizing lion dance performance and engaged in various games from diverse cultures. We extend our appreciation to Jeannette Chu, our longtime CELP mentor and program executive who sponsored a table for our CELP participants from Cohorts 5 and 6. If you were unable to attend the event, we eagerly look forward to welcoming you at the next one! THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Prior to starting her venture, Urvi worked at Bank of America as Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) where she was highly successful in developing firm-wide risk and control strategies to address global complex issues, towards sustaining a strong risk culture within the Bank’s risk appetite. Urvi’s distinguished career includes leadership tenure with Freddie Mac, America Online and Ernst & Young LLP. She is highly regarded for developing next generation leaders and leading diverse multi-disciplinary teams through direct and indirect influence. Urvi is a strong advocate for her community and consistently reaches back to pay it forward. At Bank of America, Urvi sponsored the Asian Leadership Network. She is an Advisory Board Member for Ascend Greater Philadelphia Chapter, a member of the Ascend Greater Washington Corporate Executive Leadership team, a motivational speaker, and an executive coach. Urvi holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh. Urvi resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children. Listen to Urvi’s podcast episode here. PROMOTIONS AND CELEBRATIONS Since our last newsletter, several of our CELP colleagues have been promoted. Let’s congratulate them on their promotions!
CORPORATE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMÂ
On January 26, 2024, the participants of the 2023-2024 CELP Cohort 6 successfully completed the program, marking the achievement with a celebration. This cohort, consisting of 18 Pan-Asian Directors/Senior Managers and equivalents from various sectors, gathered at Han Palace for their graduation dinner to celebrate their achievements, and network with executives, mentors, and CELP alumni. We extend our gratitude to the CELP team, facilitators, mentors, executives, speakers/panelists and program leadership for their continuous support, contributing to the empowerment of future Pan-Asian leaders. If you are an aspiring executive interested in joining next year's CELP program, stay tuned for further details as we unveil information for the upcoming cohort later this year EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, & OPPORTUNITIESÂ
Ascend is thrilled to announce that nominations are now open forthe 2024 Women of Ascend (WoA) Learning and Development Series, presented by Ascend and the Coca-Cola Company. Following the success of 2023 inaugural series, the nomination period for this program will begin on January 22, 2024, and close on April 24, 2024. If you are an ambitious AAPI/multicultural, mid-career professional looking to hone your leadership skills we want to hear from you! For more information and to send your nomination applications, check it out here.Â
Ascend Pinnacle is pleased to host the Board Leadership Summit in New York – the largest gathering of Pan-Asian corporate board directors from across the nation. Additionally, the Aspiring Directors Academy (ADA) will also be held on March 15, 2024 in the same location. Visit here for more information.
The A-List Awards is Ascend’s annual gala that recognizes highly accomplished and impactful Pan-Asian business leaders representing a wide spectrum of industries. We celebrate leaders for their professional achievements and advancement of others in their industries or for igniting change in the workplace and society. Visit here for more information.
The Ascend National Convention is our signature annual conference featuring inspiring talks with thought leaders and business executives, thought-provoking forums on mental health and allyship, ad health & wellness activities. More details to be announced. For questions, please contact convention@ascendleadership.org.Â
AEA is an exclusive nomination-based cohort program focused on developing the strategic skills needed for the C-Suite and building a network of senior executives at the operating vertical level (i.e., VPs, SVPs and GMs). Executives accepted into the program will have the opportunity to engage directly with C-Suite leaders on relevant issues and trends, and connect with peers in their functional disciplines. The program will also focus on the idiosyncratic challenges and opportunities facing Pan-Asian executives in the corporate world. The nomination process will be open soon so please check for updates here. |
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We will publish a quarterly CEI newsletter to keep you up to date on upcoming meetings, requests, opportunities to participate and more. We welcome your feedback on any CEI activities in this upcoming year. Do you have an exciting life event to share? Did you take on a new role? We would love to know more about each of you as we grow this community, so please send any photos and information to us. Thank you for your continued commitment to the advancement of our Pan-Asian colleagues. |
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GWA Ascend Diwali Celebration 
Leadership Podcast
Joy Ignacio, recently promoted to Managing Director in 2023, brings over 15 years of government consulting experience in information technology. With a focus on managing complex application implementations across the full software development life cycle (SDLC), she serves as the CEI PMO Co-Lead and CELP Advisor. Joy's skill set spans custom development and support for various technology stacks, including Java, .Net, BMC Remedy, Cognos, and Business Objects. Notably, she has led initiatives in mobile adoption, Business Intelligence (BI) integration, technology upgrades, Agile transformation, and testing automation.
Jason Lee, recently promoted to Chief Financial Officer at Columbia Capital, brings over 11 years of experience. He oversees audits in regulated investment companies, alternative investments, and institutional endowments. Managing the largest fund with over $18B in assets and the leading endowment with $22B in assets, he specializes in the valuation of various financial instruments, including privately held equity and debt securities. As an audit director, Jason collaborates extensively with domestic and international tax practices and valuation teams to address client challenges. He is also a recurring subject matter panelist in PwC’s semi-annual alternatives seminar, covering pertinent accounting updates and industry trends in Washington, D.C. 
Abhijeet Panse, recently promoted to Managing Director at Deloitte, is a results-oriented leader with over 17 years of proven experience in executing analytics-driven business transformations. He excels in developing high-performing teams and creating meaningful value for stakeholders. Abhijeet has successfully collaborated with leaders in Airlines, Transportation, Logistics & Distribution, Postal Industries, and Federal Agencies, applying data and analytics to drive business insights, reduce costs, enhance customer experiences, and adapt to changing business conditions.
Nilesh Panvalkar, recently promoted to Technology Fellow at Deloitte after a decade with the firm, brings nearly 20 years of IT/Consulting experience. Renowned for his expertise in Identity Management, he has a successful track record in architecting, designing, and deploying enterprise-wide projects. Nilesh has secured repeat multi-million dollar business, developed strong relationships, and has managed large-scale Identity and Access Management projects across diverse sectors.
2023-2024 Ascend CELP Cohort 6
Save-the-Date: 2024 Women of Ascend (WoA) Learning and Development Series
Save-the-Date: 2024 Ascend Pinnacle Board Leadership Summit 
Save-the-Date: 2024 A-List Awards
Save-the-Date: 2024 Ascend National Convention
Save-the-Date: 2024 Ascend Aspiring Executive Academy (AEA)
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