The Asian American Women in Leadership Conference

The conference for Asian American women leaders of all ages

Meet Our 2026 Speakers

Keynote Fireside Chat

Leading with Voice, Purpose, and Impact | 1:45 PM, Auditorium

Danielle Kim

Executive Director, Asian Community Fund at The Boston Foundation

Danielle Kim is a recognized local leader in the nonprofit, philanthropy, and government sectors, with an extensive track record of expanding resources and visibility for immigrant and low-income communities. She serves as the inaugural Executive Director of the Asian Community Fund at The Boston Foundation, which to date has mobilized $12 million in giving to support the local AAPI community and 135 local nonprofits. She previously held leadership roles at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Scholars Strategy Network, and Boston After School & Beyond. Danielle serves on the Board of Directors of the Asian Community Development Corporation and the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance, and the Selection Committee for the Massachusetts Women's Hall of Fame. Read more →

Naoko Funayama

Sports Reporter, NBC Olympics & The Snow League

Naoko Funayama is a Boston-based sports reporter who has been part of the Emmy Award-winning NBC Olympics broadcast team since Tokyo 2020. She is also the bilingual English/Japanese reporter for The Snow League, a start-up winter sports league created by 3-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White. Her television experience also includes sideline and rinkside reporting for the regional broadcasts of the Boston Bruins and New England Revolution games, as well as general reporting on Boston local sports for ABC affiliate WCVB-TV. Earlier in her career, she covered the Boston Red Sox for NESN, including the arrival of Japanese stars Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima. A graduate of Williams College and Boston University, she speaks English, Japanese, and French. Read more →

Moderated by Sandra Ma, Co-Founder, Jovial

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

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