Focus Circle Facilitator Bios

Focus Circles have been one of the most popular segments of WLC since its inception. These 45-minute small-group discussions provide attendees with a unique opportunity to share their voices, engage in meaningful conversations, and connect deeply with their community in an intimate setting. 

These Focus Circles are designed specifically for Asian women, creating a space for shared experiences, cultural insights, and meaningful dialogue. Each group is guided by an experienced facilitator to ensure a thoughtful and engaging discussion.

Amy Mok

CEO / Coach, Recode Leadership LLC

Amy Mok is a career, leadership, and executive coach and owner at Recode Leadership LLC.  She helps professionals build confidence, amplify their strengths, and achieve their career aspirations by embracing their authentic leadership and working styles.

She is a technical leader with 20+ years in the field of software engineering. Her background spans various sectors, including industry, non-profit, startups, and government. She has made several career transitions throughout her career and has played different roles, including software engineer, engineering supervisor, and director of engineering.

Caroline Kim

Director, Google Inc

 I was a Director of Program Management at Google, where I worked for 18 years. I have over 20 years of people management and leadership experience, including building teams and programs from the ground up, leading layered organizations, and being on an executive leadership team. Prior to Google, I worked as a Buyer at Procter & Gamble in Japan, and in Marketing, Web Production, and Business Intelligence at an automotive internet company. I have a BA with honors in International Relations and an MS in Industrial Engineering & Engineering Management from Stanford University. I'm a mom to two boys, and my hobbies include working out, yoga, hiking, reading, and wine tasting.

 I became a coach because I am passionate about promoting positive change and happiness in others. Coaching has helped me countless times in my own life and career to make key decisions, build confidence, develop my authentic leadership style, and achieve ambitious goals. 

 Coaching contact: yesitsfriday.com/coaching, caroline@yesitsfriday.com  

Catherine Liang

Owner / Founder, CarpeLux Coaching LLC

 I am a Leadership & Performance Coach, with an ICF ACC accreditation, as well as MBA and MPH degrees. Before becoming a coach, my work spanned a wide range of areas, like DEI, healthcare, wellness, and operations. Outside of work, I'm a mom with two little kiddos and I love my hobbies!

 Because balance is so important to me, I enjoy making time for creativity, like sewing clothes. This hobby started post-pregnancy, when it was hard to find clothes that were comfortable and fit well. For me, sewing is empowering and a little rebellious. It lets me design clothes that I like and fit me, so I can accept my body as it is, without pressure to make my body fit into clothes made for bodies that don’t look like mine.

  Also, in the past few years, I’ve gotten into triathlons. Tri training has become a really important part of how I take care of my physical and mental wellbeing. My hobbies teach me how to focus and be present, which allows me to handle my life stressors better. And I love showing my clients how they can achieve that in their lives, with their own version of self-care.

Christine Na Lee

Coach, Thrive Coaching & Consulting, B-Spoke

 Christine has a passion for unlocking the potential in her clients and helping them achieve beyond what they thought was possible. She harnesses her 15 years’ experience in the coaching, teaching and advisement world, in addition to her experience on Wall Street, to bring dynamic support and challenge to high-capacity individuals who want to grow. Not only is learning and growing a way of life, it is possibly the best way we can impact our organizations and families alike, by learning how to bring our best while also empowering others to do the same. 

  Christine also volunteers on the leadership of nonprofit organizations, and enjoys spending time with her family, as well as music making and taking walks in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She received her B.A. from Wellesley College and M.Ed. from UCLA.

Debbie Au Yeung

Owner, Debbie Au Yeung Coaching

 As a human being and Life Coach, I believe in the untapped potential within each individual to create a meaningful impact. My own journey through personal challenges, including a life-changing divorce, led me to rediscover my true power and embrace fearlessness in the face of uncertainty. This experience has fueled my passion for helping others trust themselves and navigate life's challenges with confidence and resilience.

  Since 2009, I’ve been coaching leaders and aspiring professionals across the San Francisco Bay Area, facilitating growth for clients in Fortune 500 companies. My approach combines personal insights with practical techniques for managing emotional stress and shifting mindsets, empowering clients to embrace change. I work with driven individuals committed to growth, and I’m excited to help you build a life that truly matters to you.

Debbie Au Yeung Coaching 

 Website: Debbieauyeungcoaching.com

 Email: Debbieauyeungcoaching@gmail.com

Deepa Pulipati

Founder, Tula Coaching & Consulting

"Deepa Pulipati brings over 20 years of expertise in conflict resolution, combining her experience as a board-certified licensed clinician with a deep understanding of the complex emotional and behavioral dynamics that drive human interactions. She helps leaders and teams resolve both intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts, fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and high performance. 

 With a focus on transforming conflict into opportunity, Deepa guides C-suite executives and organizations in navigating complex challenges, improving communication, and building cohesive, high-performing teams. Through her passion project, The Conflict Equation™, she extends her transformative approach, providing accessible tools for leaders to thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

 "Stop trying to control the uncontrollable" - Book coming soon in 2025

Denise Ang

Founder, Asian Women Empowerment Network

Denise is the Founder of the Asian Women Empowerment (AWE) Network dedicated to advancing the professional development and leadership representation of Asian women. Denise provides programs to help Asian women increase their visibility as leaders and improve their skills in self-advocacy, executive presence and personal branding. Denise Ang is also the CEO and Founder of Denise Ang Coaching and Consulting and a certified Executive Coach specializing in empowering Asian women to become authentic leaders true to their culture and navigate career pivots that lead to greater meaning and fulfillment. 

  Denise serves on the boards of the Asian Women Coaching Collective (AWCC) and the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) Western Region, where she supports the Asian women coaches, entrepreneurs and business communities. With over 20 years of global experience spanning Asia, the UK, and the US, Denise is a seasoned business strategy and partnerships leader and currently serves as the Head of Strategic Partnerships for Android at Google. Denise has an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, a Masters in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College London. Denise is also trained in negotiation in Harvard Law School.

  Coaching business contact information: www.deniseang.com | www.aweasianwomen.com | www.linkedin.com/in/deniseang

Dorothy Liu

Owner & Principal, Resonant Strategies, LLC

A seasoned veteran across varied industries, including technology, healthcare, and financial services, Dorothy Liu has a proven track record as a trusted advisor to leaders in both growth companies, Fortune 100 corporations and the non-profit/public sector. She has a unique ability to crystallize executive vision into resonant leadership to create results in measurable improvements both in business KPIs and organizational health indices. As a coach, facilitator, and consultant, Dorothy Liu applies her experience with a unique lens to how people show up in the world. She integrates the many sides of her clients’ identity to develop a leadership voice to who they uniquely are.

  Her extensive career includes stops at some of the most innovative companies in the world as well as building a successful strategy consultancy from the ground up with a workforce that was 95% female. She is also the founder of Coaches of Color, a network of 700+ ICF-trained coaches who identify as people of color.

She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPPM/MBA from the Yale School of Management. She also holds: 

 • International Coach Federation, Professional Coach Certification (PCC)

 • Co-active Training Institute, Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)

 • Impact Parents Sanity School, Certified Coach

 • Integrative 9 Enneagram, Certified Practitioner

Ellen Kim

Career Design Coach, Santa Clara University

Ellen Kim is a corporate attorney at a Fortune 500 SaaS company in the Bay Area. She successfully negotiates multi-million dollar contracts with our newest customers in close partnership with a demanding Sales organization. She enjoys facilitating high-stakes conversations at critical stages to close deals. Ellen often listens for the ask behind the ask to weave together an agreement both parties are willing to sign. 

  She also brings this same deep listening to her coaching practice as a career design coach/ executive coach. As a coach, she partners with business leaders across industries in Silicon Valley and through Santa Clara University’s Leavey Graduate School of Business to strategize around their career development and career design. This includes everything from developing a cohesive job search strategy to being intentional around career growth and impact to inviting career pivots when the timing makes sense. The focus is on defining and developing a strategy around the key inflection points in her clients’ lives to spark the impact her clients want to invite. In all her coaching work, the theme has been to provide a bespoke strategy tailored to the individual’s personal goals, background, and context. She listens to learn, so together, Ellen and her clients can build a practical path forward. Ellen is especially passionate about providing tailored, culturally attentive coaching to a new generation of diverse business leaders. She received her J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law) and her B.A. in music and political science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Gloriana Teh

Founder & Principal, Claritas Consulting & Coaching

Gloriana Teh is the founder of Claritas Consulting & Coaching. As an Asian woman and chemical engineer by training, Gloriana uniquely understands the challenges faced by Asian heritage professionals in technical fields. With 20+ years of corporate experience including leading new process development and optimization as Senior Manager of Manufacturing Process Optimization for Lonza, she equips leaders of technical teams and STEM professionals with the tools and frameworks needed to build thriving teams.

  She specializes in paradoxical leadership development - helping leaders develop both technical and interpersonal skills, keep teams motivated while delivering results, and support major change while maintaining stability. Reach out to Gloriana to discover how connecting the head and heart can transform your leadership journey at www.claritasconsultcoach.com, 470-931-0818, or https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriana-teh/.

Grace Yi Manley

CEO, With Grace, LLC and Coaching for Community Leaders, Inc (501(c)(3) nonprofit)

Grace often represented most of the age, ethnic, and intersectional diversity on her senior leadership teams. She now specializes in coaching those who experience being the “Only,” a trailblazer by choice or lack of representation, and the “Other,” an outsider whose belonging is questioned internally and/or externally. The “Only” and the “Other” face additional challenges, are held to a different standard than the rest, and their success comes at a greater cost or is never fully realized. She helps her clients fully understand their potential and operationalize their self-awareness to become influential leaders who thrive in the face of conflict and significant change. Grace supports her clients in achieving their goals because of, not despite who they are.

 Following several years of private sector experience, Grace joined the National Security Agency (NSA) where she quickly advanced into executive leadership positions as a GS-15. She served as a Chief of Staff for many of NSA’s most critical cyber operations organizations, such as Computer Network Operations, Defensive Network Operations, and Collection, Exploitation, and Cryptanalysis Operations. Grace left Federal service after 14 years to fully commit to her coaching and consulting practice, With Grace, LLC (www.withgrace.site), and to create and serve as Executive Director of Coaching for Community Leaders (www.c4cl.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that exists to advance equity in access to the transformative impact of coaching to leaders and organizations serving underrepresented members of our community.

Hope Yin

CEO, Blueprint Coaching

    Hope Yin is an award-winning Tech Executive turned Coach, Speaker, and Advocate for Women in Tech. She is a Professional Executive and Leadership Coach, PCC-certified by ICF (International Coaching Federation). As the Founder & Owner of Blueprint Coaching, she has coached hundreds of women leaders in STEM to elevate their power, expand their potential, and amplify their legacy. 

 Hope is a Professional Speaker, a member of the National Speakers Association. She has spoken to 10,000+ people. She is a regular presenter in tech conferences, including some of the largest in the world. Hope was an award-winning senior technology executive in two Fortune 200 companies. She played a key role in enterprise technology modernization and transformation. She co-led the Women in Technology initiative consisting of ~1400 women technologists in Columbus Tech Center to develop female talents. 

  Hope holds an M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering, an M.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering and an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering.

Huijun (Judy) Suo

Executive and Leadership Coach, Founder and CEO, Soar Above Leadership

As a first-generation college graduate, a first-generation immigrant, a woman of color, and a working mom, I have an unconventional career path: with a B.A. in Chinese Literature and a PhD in Communication, I pivoted into Tech and became a leader in Strategy, Product and Marketing with 12 years of experience at Apple, LinkedIn, Pinterest and eBay.

  I had many career pivots: from academia to industry, from Liberal Arts to High Tech, from Analytics to Strategy to Product Marketing, from Global Expansion to Artificial Intelligence, and from E-commerce to Health to Talent Marketplace. And recently, I decided to leave a glamorous job where I spearheaded Generative AI at Tech, and pursue my passion and purpose as a coach. 

  Career pivots were just a glimpse of many transitions in my life. I had a humbling beginning: I was born in an abandoned house and grew up in a remote town in northern China, about 1 hour drive from North Korea, which seems to be quite “dangerous” if you look at Google Maps. Through hard work, I was accepted by the top 1 university in China and got a full scholarship to pursue my PhD in the US. I came to the US as an international student in my 20s, with just two suitcases. 

  All these transitions, big or small, shape me who I am today. On this journey, I have been lifted up by dreams and callings, but also struck down by fears and injustice. My unique journey is filled with both laughter and tears, which watered my dream as a coach: empowering people to (re)connect to their joy, passion and purpose, to live out their best, fullest version of themselves. 

 It is my privilege and calling to serve minorities and empower them to live out their best selves. I see myself as a breeze to blow away the dust, so people can align to their north star and shine in the galaxy.

Jean Trujillo

Coach and consultant, Jean Trujillo Consulting LLC

Jean Trujillo (she/her) is a professional coach who empowers teenagers and young adults to move from feeling overwhelmed and stuck to designing a life they truly love. Through thoughtful inquiry, Jean partners with clients to uncover what they want (and don’t want), identify obstacles, and create a personalized roadmap for reducing stress, building confidence, and taking meaningful action.

  In addition to her one-on-one coaching, Jean delivers dynamic workshops on topics such as well-being, stress management, personal finance, resilience, and leadership. She combines her expertise with a flair for "edu-tainment," using techniques inspired by improv to keep sessions engaging and impactful.

  Jean is a Certified Youth Resilience Coach, Wellcoaches Certified Health and Well-being Coach, Certified Corporate Sponsored Coach, and a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Qualified Teacher Level One. She holds an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation, is a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Certified Practitioner, and is working towards a financial counseling certification.

  With a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Science in Engineering, Jean brings a unique perspective from her former career as a mechanical engineer in the defense and telecommunications industries. A dedicated community leader, she also serves as a member of her local school board and a trustee of an education foundation.

 You can find out more about her at: https://www.jeantrujillo.com/ and connect at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeantrujillo/ Email: hello@jeantrujillo.com

Joanna Li

Founder and Coach, Joanna Li Coaching

Joanna is a Leadership and Career Coach with deep corporate experience, specializing in leadership development and career transformation. Having spent years as an internal coach in global tech companies, she understands the pressures of corporate success and the toll it can take on one’s well-being.

 Her passion for coaching stems from personal experience. Growing up in an Asian immigrant family, Joanna was taught the value of hard work, achievement, and doing what was expected. Like many API women, she followed a path of "shoulds"—pursuing success as defined by external measures rather than her own aspirations. Yet despite outward accomplishments, she often felt unfulfilled and unsure of her place. It wasn’t until she experienced coaching firsthand that she found the courage to step off the predetermined path and create a career and life that truly aligned with who she was. That transformation ignited her mission to help others—especially API professionals—break free from self-doubt, own their voice as leaders, and define success on their own terms. Through her coaching practice, Joanna has helped clients build meaningful careers, elevate their leadership and step into their authentic selves.

  Connect with Joanna on LinkedIn or at Joannalicoaching@gmail.com

Lei Wang

Founder, Lei Wang Coaching & Consulting

Lei Wang is a certified life coach dedicated to helping individuals navigate personal and professional transitions with clarity and confidence. Born in a small farming village in China, she has always been drawn to questions about human growth and transformation—curiosity that has shaped her journey across continents and industries.

 With an MA from Columbia University and a BA from Tsinghua University, Lei has worked in Fortune 100 companies and startups across China and the U.S., specializing in community management, UX design, strategy and operations. Her coaching approach blends evidence-based techniques with creative, holistic practices like mindfulness, storytelling, and somatic awareness, creating a compassionate space where clients—ranging from engineers and entrepreneurs to artists and educators—can explore their values, aspirations, and leadership potential.

  Passionate about fostering connection and authenticity, Lei is excited to facilitate Focus Circles at the SASE Women’s Leadership Conference, holding space for meaningful conversations and shared growth among Asian women in STEM.

 You can learn more about Lei’s coaching practice at leiontheway.notion.site or schedule a free consultation at calendly.com/leilei_wang/free-consultation. For inquiries, email leiwang.me@gmail.com

Manshi Low

Founder / Sales Enablement Culture Lead, Sylvalia

Manshi, an MIT engineer, spent 15 years solving complex environmental challenges in private and public sectors. She saw a deeper truth: progress doesn’t happen in silos. It flourishes when teams come together — with unique talents and respect. 

 Her personal burnout from misaligned cultures sparked her deep empathy for the underdog: overlooked talents, undervalued teams, and the potential buried beneath dysfunction. Now, as the founder of Sylvalia - a Sales Enablement agency, Manshi helps technical teams thrive in B2B sales through team alignment, holistic leadership and clear sales strategy.

Pooja Venkatraman

Founder and coach, Pooja V. Coaching

Pooja Venkatraman is a career and mindset coach who helps high-stress, high-achievers eliminate burnout and imposter syndrome, get clear and confident on their next career step, and make their next step a success.

 A former stressed-out-overachiever herself, Pooja studied at Harvard College and Harvard Business School, worked at Boston Consulting Group, and collaborated with the legendary Clay Christensen before embracing her current path as an independent coach and creator. 

 When she’s not helping others define success on their own terms, you can find her indulging her love for murder mysteries, exploring New York City on walking tours, and contemplating getting a cat.

  You can learn more about working with her at her website: https://poojavcoaching.com/ 

 For daily microdoses of coaching, you can follow her on Instagram (@poojav.coaching) or subscribe to her email newsletter (poojav.substack.com)

Savita Shrivastava

Lead - Bioinformatics, Washington University in St. Louis Medical School

I am a Bioinformatics and Data Science Leader with 23+ years of experience working in academia and corporate, where I led large global teams and delivered several precision medicine software using the latest Life Sciences and Computing technologies. I am also a Certified Life, Performance, and Leadership Coach, following my passion to help aspiring and emerging leaders be successful in their roles and move to the next level. I help in identifying limiting beliefs and converting them to empowering beliefs, use emotional intelligence techniques to become more self-aware, set and achieve goals, take confident actions and develop the skills and mindset needed to thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

Serena Cheng

Executive & Leadership Coach, Serena Cheng Coaching

Serena is an Executive & Leadership Coach helping executives, rising leaders, and entrepreneurs navigate new levels of growth and leadership—and step boldly into what’s next. She is especially passionate about helping women leaders elevate their leadership, navigate career transitions, and define success on their own terms. Serena works with a diverse range of professionals, including tech executives, operations leaders, product managers, marketing directors, and entrepreneurs.

Prior to coaching, Serena spent 18 years as a business leader in tech and retail. She led teams at Amazon, Audible, Accenture, and high-growth startups, specializing in strategy & operations, retail management, supply chain, and customer service. Serena holds a BA from Wellesley College, an MBA from Wharton, and is trained through the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute.

  https://www.serenachengcoaching.com/

Sowmya Kannan

CEO & Founder, Developing Purposeful Leaders, Pellucid Communications LLC

With over two decades of success driving innovation and leading teams through disruptive technology cycles, Sowmya empowers executives and leaders to incubate, launch, and drive growth of new offerings from idea to scaled execution worldwide.

  Sowmya’s breadth of experience in the tech industry, including at companies like Google and AWS, uniquely positions her to support senior leaders who drive complex initiatives that require engineering, sales, consulting, and other geographically distributed teams to march in unison in fast-paced environments. She has built high-achieving teams who consistently deliver on ambitious goals without burning out. Through multiple career pivots, Sowmya has honed best practices for rapid and effective onboarding and succession planning.

  As a strategic partner and executive coach, Sowmya has supported senior leaders at Google, Stanford GSB’s Lead Incubator and Startup Accelerator (LISA), and at startups, across a range of roles in engineering, sales, finance, professional services, and more.

Suzanne Liu Taylor

Principal, Suzanne Taylor Leadership Development

Suzanne Liu Taylor is a certified executive coach who helps high-potential clients become more effective and feel more fulfilled. She has a broad business background, including working at Intuit and Clorox in product management. She co-authored a book titled Inside Intuit: How the Makers of Quicken Beat Microsoft and Revolutionized an Entire Industry, published by Harvard Business School Press. Her latest books are Leadership Journey Workbook: Self-Reflections and Actions for Growth and Navigating Change Workbook: 9 Steps to Move Forward with Clarity, Compassion, and Courage. She has taught courses at Stanford University for over twenty years, including leadership, the Enneagram personal development system, and innovation. She holds Stanford BA and MBA degrees and volunteers with programs for women and Asian alumni. She is a founding member of the Asian Women Coaching Collective. You can reach her at suzanne.taylor@gmail.com and see her LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-liu-taylor

Theresa Pak

RBC & Wellness Strategist, University of California Davis Health System

Experienced Registered Nurse with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. 30+ years of nursing experience with 15 years in management as a Nurse Manager at a Level 1 trauma teaching Magnet Hospital. I am also a strategist for Relationship-Based Culture and Wellness. Her current role includes integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives into UCDH. She is also a certified Work/Life Coach through Alethia.