Meet Our 2026 Speakers
Our Mystery Keynote
A trailblazing leader with a story you won’t want to miss.
To be revealed soon. Get your ticket to be in the room!
Executive Workshop Speakers
Courtney Pong
Owner & General Manager at CSz Boston; Owner of The Rozzie Square Theater
Courtney Pong has spent 25+ years
performing and teaching improv as an applied skill, designing team-building workshops and entertainment for brands including Ocean Spray, Toast, Biogen, Bloomberg LP, and the Boston Public Library. A Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, she has been featured in Boston Magazine and Inc. Magazine as an AAPI thought leader in live entertainment and entrepreneurship. Originally from San Francisco, Courtney brings 15 years of experience in PR, marketing, and social media. She is the Owner & General Manager of CSz Boston and Owner of The Rozzie Square Theater.
Executive Workshop | Round 1
The Improv Mindset: How Leaders Can Influence and Command a Room with Confidence
Sandra Ma
Co-Founder at Jovial
Sandra Ma is a seasoned facilitator,
operator, and consultant who works with leadership teams to solve complex
challenges and create sustainable systems for growth. With a background spanning investment banking, advertising technology, ecommerce, AI enterprise software, and fintech, she has led Product Management teams at fast-growing tech companies and co-founded Jovial, a consulting company
that builds high-performing, collaborative teams. Sandra helps executive teams design the frameworks, roles, and collaboration rituals that replace ambiguity with shared understanding. Originally from Pittsburgh, she lives in Methuen, MA, where she spends time with her family, crafting, and playing piano.
Executive Workshop | Round 2
Leading in the Age of AI: The Human Skills That Matter Most
Grace Tkach
Founder at H2O People
Grace Tkach serendipitously fell into an HR career through a summer internship almost 30 years ago. Since then, she has moved across global brands like J.Crew, DuPont, and Ogilvy to venture-backed biotech start-ups, building a career defined not by a linear path but by a deliberate one. Today she is the founder of H2O People, where she works as a fractional HR executive, leadership coach, and Emotional Agility® Certified Practitioner — helping individuals find their joy by maintaining humanity at work. Grace holds an MBA from Michigan Ross, a BS from Wharton, and certifications as an ICF Associate Certified Coach, Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), andMental Health First Aider. She is mother to a pre-teen and wife/co-owner with her husband, of Boston’s 2020 Best and first nano-brewery, Idle Hands Craft Ales.
Executive Workshop | Round 3
Go With Your Flow: Designing & Sustaining a Fulfilling Portfolio Career
Core Session Speakers
Sophan Smith
Director of Development,
La Vida Scholars
From “Am I Enough?” to “I Belong Here” · Moderator
To be announced
Guest Speaker
From “Am I Enough?” to “I Belong Here”
To be announced
Guest Speaker
From “Am I Enough?” to “I Belong Here”
Emma Na-Yun Downs
Actress, Singer, Community Organizer,
Boston Actor Auditions
Making Meaning: Asian American Art in a Generative Age
Sneha Shrestha
Contemporary Visual Artist (aka IMAGINE)
Making Meaning: Asian American Art in a Generative Age
Trish Fontanilla
Co-Founder & Chief
Energy Officer,
BOSFilipinos
Making Meaning: Asian American Art in a Generative Age ·
Moderator
Beyond the Room:
Connecting and Amplifying Our Communities · Moderator
Vienne Cheung Brown
Founder, VienneMilano
From Corporate to
Fashion Founder:
Reinventing Your Career Across Cultures,
Expectations, and Change
Shubhecchha
Dhaurali
Founder & Director, Research Within REACH
Using Data & AI in
Community-Based Work:
Strengthening and
Upskilling Asian American
Women and Girl Leaders
Bonnie Lai
Founding Partner, 1st Knock Realty
Real Talk on Real Estate:
Buying a Home in
Today's Market
Nancy Lee
Founder & Managing Attorney, Lee & Associates, P.C.
Real Talk on Real Estate:
Buying a Home in
Today·s Market
Shweta Agrawal
Chief AI Product Officer, Boston New Technology
Practical AI Tools for
Professionals
Q.J. Shi
Senior Director, Asian Business Empowerment Council
Beyond the Room:
Connecting and Amplifying
Our Communities
Elysia Rodriguez
Deputy Director of
Communications,
Mass EOED
Beyond the Room:
Connecting and Amplifying
Our Communities
Gigi Kim
Certified Yoga Teacher, Universal Power Yoga
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Mind: A Yoga and Soundbath Experience
Looking for our past speakers?
