Ascend North Texas

Ascend North Texas’s upcoming Inspiring Across Generations Conference is coming up on 10/10/2026 at BNSF’s Headquarters (2650 Lou Menk Dr, Fort Worth, Texas).

Panel #3 features accomplished executives who will share their experiences navigating critical career transitions, pursuing executive opportunities, and adapting to a rapidly evolving business landscape. Our esteemed Panelists will discuss the skills, mindset shifts, and strategic decisions that helped them progress from experienced professionals to senior leaders, while also exploring how AI is transforming the future of work and leadership.

We hope to see you there!

Farida Iqbal Neha Pathak Maharish Ravi Kalaga Rohan D’souza, CPA, CISA, CISM Rachel McKenna, CPA, CIA Lina Kristina

Join Ascend North Texas for the 2026 Inspiring Across Generations (IAG) Conference!

In a time of rapid innovation and constant change, effective leadership requires more than expertise alone. It demands adaptability, purpose, and the ability to inspire others through uncertainty. The 2026 IAG Conference brings together emerging professionals, established leaders, and executives for a day of learning, connection, and growth focused on this year’s theme, Leadership Meets Innovation.

This conference explores the intersection of human-centered leadership and bold innovation, challenging attendees to examine how they lead, influence, and create meaningful impact in a rapidly evolving world. Sign up today to secure your spot! (https://lnkd.in/gJe7wABC)

Last Saturday, Ascend North Texas members and conference attendees came together for a post-conference networking event to reconnect, share key takeaways, and continue building meaningful relationships beyond the conference.

A special thank you to May Dragon Chinese Restaurant, a beloved DFW Chinese dining staple, for graciously hosting the event and providing an excellent venue and delicious food for our attendees. We would also like to recognize Lana Tran and Winston Lam for their leadership in organizing this event and extend our appreciation to Damodar Shenoy, Taylor Phoumivong, Soniya Hiremath and Dorothy Lam for sharing their experiences, insights, and key takeaways from Ascend Engage. Their contributions helped foster meaningful conversations and strengthen connections within our community.

We appreciate everyone who joined us and look forward to staying connected!

The conversation and connections don’t have to end when the conference does! Please join the Ascend North Texas Team for our Post-Engage Meet & Greet at May Dragon on August 22nd from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. Our team invites you to reconnect with new and familiar faces in a relaxed atmosphere! Engage attendance not required.

Please use the following link to register: https://lnkd.in/g8xnpV3F

The Ascend North Texas delegation had the incredible opportunity to connect with professionals from across the country at Ascend Engage 2026 in Las Vegas!

Throughout the conference, members participated in impactful networking events, attended targeted professional development sessions, and gained valuable insights from inspiring panels focused on leadership, career growth, and advancing AAPI representation in the workplace. The opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow professionals and build meaningful connections was truly energizing.

We were also proud to celebrate a special milestone for our chapter as two Ascend North Texas Board members (Shuba Manikandan & Manu Kumar) were recognized with Ascend’s President’s Award for their outstanding contributions to AAPI professionalism and commitment to Ascend’s mission. Their leadership and dedication continue to make a meaningful impact within our chapter and the broader community.

Thank you to the Ascend National Team for curating such an inspiring experience! Our Leadership Team looks forward to applying the insights, connections, and best practices gained through Ascend Engage to create more meaningful programming for our members and continue advancing our chapter’s mission with renewed energy and purpose.

What a way to kick off Ascend Engage!🏏✨

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Lorde’s Indoor Sports for our Pre-Ascend Engage Cricket Social! Whether you’re attending the conference or simply looking to connect with fellow Ascend members, this event was all about building relationships, expanding our network, and having fun together.

It was incredible to see new and familiar faces come together for an evening of friendly competition, great conversations, and community. Events like these remind us that some of the best connections happen long before the conference begins!

We can’t wait to see everyone at Ascend Engage! For those who aren’t attending, we look forward to seeing you at our next event!

In collaboration with Lord’s Indoor Sports, the Ascend North Texas Team is excited to host an upcoming networking event ahead of the annual Ascend Engage Convention! Whether you’re brand new to cricket or a seasoned player, this event is designed for everyone. Kick things off with an interactive introduction to cricket, where you’ll learn the basics of the game in a fun, supportive environment. Then, put your skills into action with light, competitive style matches that encourage teamwork, strategy, and a bit of healthy rivalry (optional).

This event is more than just a game! It’s a chance to:
- Build meaningful connections with fellow professionals ahead of the convention
- Experience a globally celebrated sport in an engaging, hands-on way
Break the ice in a relaxed and high-energy setting
- Come ready to learn, play, and network, No prior experience required. All equipment and guidance will be provided.

Sign up here (https://lnkd.in/gprGhymD) and we’re excited to see you there!

Last Friday, the Ascend North Texas team proudly hosted our second Emerging Technology Series event, an engaging session dedicated to helping professionals stay ahead in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

This year’s event spotlighted:
- Building practical AI agents using Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Leveraging Copilot Studio and RAG concepts for real-world applications
- Exploring the business impact of AI-driven solutions
- Diving into Quantum Computing and the Future of Computing

A big thank you to our 85+ attendees from 35+ leading organizations in North Texas who showed up ready to learn, challenge themselves, and explore what’s next. Your curiosity and engagement made the event a success!

We’re also grateful to our AI speakers Mei Lin and Jason Ansdews and quantum computing specialists, Bart Slowik, CISSP and Victor Fishman for sharing their knowledge and sparking meaningful conversations.

Special thanks to Accenture for sponsoring and supporting this impactful event and our internal planning team for coming together and making this event special (Lana Tran, Manu Kumar, Mansoor Khan, Shuba Balasubramanian, Winston Lam, Ashvi Patel, Rebecca Caleb, Winston Lam, Dorothy Lam and Ryan Yip)

Stay tuned! There’s more innovation ahead as we continue building a community that learns, grows and leads in emerging technology.

Last week, Ascend North Texas hosted its Women Who Ascend Women’s Networking Event in collaboration with our esteemed sponsor, Crowe! The event provided women with the opportunity to network, engage in meaningful professional discussions and enjoy delicious food and desserts at La Parisienne.

Thank you to our guests, sponsor, and honored speaker, Aditi Singhal, for making this event impactful and memorable!

The Ascend North Texas family welcomes you to join us for a women’s networking event in collaboration with our wonderful sponsor, Crowe at La Parisienne in Addison, TX! Appetizers, new connections, and memorable experiences guaranteed!

We hope to see you there!