Ascend Engage 2026 brought our community together in Las Vegas under this year’s theme, Forward with Purpose.
Across the conference, the message was clear: Leadership is not only about what we learn in the room. It is about what we do afterward, how we show up for others, and how we continue building relationships that create impact beyond a single event.
Ascend NorCal was proud to contribute to that conversation through Members in Career Transition, a community created to support professionals navigating career change through practical guidance, trusted relationships, and the strength of the Ascend network.
Sandip Mehta, EVP, Ascend New Jersey and Director, Global Pricing at Merck, introduced the program and shared its purpose. Swapnil Tamse, Member of Technical Staff, Strategic and AI Initiatives at Infinity Tech Group, discussed the program from the perspective of a participating member. Ai Ling Lee, Vice President, Managed Business Solutions, Robert Half/Protiviti, reflected on her decision to say yes when asked to facilitate a session, even when time was limited and other priorities competed for her attention.
Ascend NorCal Co-President Kats Furuyama closed with a broader invitation to the Ascend community: Say yes to mentoring, volunteering, making an introduction, opening a door, or helping someone move forward.
Thank you to all who have contributed to Members in Transition. Your willingness to share your experiences and invest in others demonstrates what it means to move forward with purpose.
If Engage sparked a desire to lead with more clarity, confidence, and purpose, Ascend NorCal LevelUp is the next step.
Applications are open for the Ascend NorCal LevelUp Mentorship Program, a selective six-month cohort experience for professionals and allies who are ready to grow with intention, strengthen meaningful relationships, and navigate their next stage of leadership.
LevelUp is designed across three leadership stages:
Emerging – Early-career professionals building confidence, career direction, leadership habits, and self-advocacy
Expanding – Mid-career professionals broadening their influence, strengthening their leadership brand, navigating career inflection points, and developing sponsor-ready relationships
Enterprise – People leaders, senior leaders, and high-impact professionals preparing for broader responsibility, executive visibility, and enterprise-level impact
Participants will learn through mentor-led pods, executive insight, peer learning, virtual sessions, and in-person program experiences, culminating in a practical 90-day action plan.
Applications close Friday, August 7. Seats are limited, and scholarship or financial assistance may be available.
From Engage to Action: Meet & Greets in SF & Sacramento
Ascend NorCal is continuing the energy from Engage by bringing connection opportunities directly into our local communities. Attendance at Engage is not required for any of our events.
These upcoming gatherings are designed to help members, allies, and new faces connect, and strengthen our local networks. Space is limited and advance registration is required.
Ascend NorCal looks forward to strengthening our growing Sacramento community with this midday opportunity to continue the momentum through networking, leadership, and meaningful conversation. Feel free to share this invitation with Sacramento-area colleagues.
Ascend NorCal’s September Inspiring Across Generations / Ascend Executive Network (IAG/AEN) Conference is shaping up to be one of our most anticipated gatherings of the year.
This signature program will bring together professionals, leaders, allies, mentors, and community members for an afternoon of leadership development, connection, and purpose-driven conversation.
This is more than a networking event. It is an opportunity to continue the momentum from Ascend Engage, strengthen relationships across career stages, and engage in the kind of conversations that help leaders grow, support one another, and move forward with greater clarity and intention.
The program will also serve as an important anchor for Ascend NorCal LevelUp, connecting participants with a broader community of mentors, executives, peers, and allies.
We will share more in our August newsletter, including information on our program guests and surprises planned for the September 18 IAG/AEN at Santa Clara University. With limited space and strong interest expected, we encourage you to be ready when registration opens on August 6.
Ascend Engage gave us an opportunity to reconnect, reflect, and consider what it means to move forward with purpose. What matters now is how we carry that purpose into our workplaces, communities, and relationships. Through LevelUp, our Sacramento and San Francisco Post-Engage gatherings, the Members in Transition community, and the September IAG/AEN Conference, Ascend NorCal is creating opportunities to turn momentum into action. We look forward to seeing you soon. - Ascend NorCal Leadership Team
Navigating a career transition, re-entering the workforce, or impacted by recent layoffs? Experience the power of the Ascend network with bi-weekly virtual office hours designed to support career insights, networking, and actionable support.
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