This Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are celebrating the stories and achievements of the incredible API leaders around the world and within the Chief community. Through a broad range of programming, we are highlighting API stories to honor their contributions and amplify their voices. By shedding light on their journeys, struggles, and triumphs, we not only recognize their achievements, but also inspire others to pursue their dreams and make a difference.
This month, we will be spotlighting stories and topics that are not only relevant to API women, but leaders from all backgrounds as well. The programming in May will cover everything from elevating API voices and industry trends, to entrepreneurship, career growth, and parenthood:
- Board Games: Getting a Seat at the Table with Phyllis J. Campbell: Join Phyllis J. Campbell, former Chairman of the Pacific Northwest for JPMorgan Chase, for a virtual keynote discussion on May 14. This conversation will be moderated by Chief Member Rashmi Rao, Senior Vice President at Philips Healthcare. Drawing from her 40 years of experience advising CEO and boards and her extensive board service, including roles with Alaska Air Group and the US-Japan Council, Campbell will share her unique perspective on:
- Aligning CEOs and boards and creating a high-performance climate within organizations.
- Securing a board seat, as well as building diverse, effective boards, and navigating leadership transitions with integrity.
- Advocating for inclusion and mentorship — especially for women and people of color to enhance representation in senior leadership and on boards.
- Leveraging stakeholder engagement and corporate governance to impact the bottom line.
- API Author Panel: Journey to Getting Published and Beyond: Join Chief members and published writers Mamta Valderrama, Lucy Chen, Reena Gupta and Urvashi Bhatnagar for an inspiring virtual panel during which they will delve into their personal journeys of getting published.
- API Heritage Month Cocktail Hours: Throughout the month of May, we will be hosting cocktail hours every Thursday in our Clubhouses across the country to dedicate an in-person forum to celebrating API leaders and members of the Chief community. Many of these cocktail hours will feature fireside chats or keynote discussions for our members to recognize the impact and experiences of API leaders and build connections. In New York, Economist and CEO of The Texas Tribune, Sonal Shah, will be leading a fireside chat to kickoff the cocktail hour on May 2.
- Featured Clubhouse Cocktail: We partnered with Kasama Rum, founded by Alexandra Dorda-Marcu in the Philippines, to create a featured cocktail that can be enjoyed only during API Heritage Month and Chief Clubhouses across the country.
- Pacific Northwest Chief Community Co-Working Day: Hosted virtually and in-person, this co-working day will explore a range of timely topics including “Equity & Ethics in the Age of AI,” and “Navigating Career Growth & Parenthood.” For those able to join in person, Leadership Development Consultant Cate Goethals will also deliver an engaging presentation on “Authentic Leadership.”
We are committed to embedding equity and inclusion throughout our entire ecosystem and member experience. Thank you to all the API Chief members who volunteered their time to put together such meaningful programming for our communities. We hope our members join the API community to highlight those who have helped shape policy and businesses, to support local API-owned businesses that promote economic empowerment, and to celebrate diversity and inclusivity with the wider Chief community.