Member Webinar: Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2025

May 9, 2025

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM EDT

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDT

Virtual

Join us for our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month webinar—an enriching experience designed to honor and uplift the AANHPI community. This session will feature inspiring AANHPI leaders and community members who will share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs, providing motivation and actionable strategies for fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment within your organization and beyond. Our keynote will shed light on the intricate balancing act that Asian women undertake as they strive for professional success while honoring cultural traditions and supporting their families.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a live Q+A session with the speakers to gain the insights they need to further their own work.

This event is open to all employees of Seramount’s Diversity Best Practices member companies.

Employee Resource Group Leaders and Members
Inclusion and Belonging Practitioners and Champions
HR and Talent Leaders
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders Leaders
Supplier Diversity Leaders
Business leaders committed to supporting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders

Agenda

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM EST Welcome Remarks

Ilyssa Padrid-Dykman / Associate Director, Event Programs / Seramount

12:15 PM – 12:50 PM EST Keynote: You Can Have it All: Balancing Leadership, Life, and Legacy

Every Asian woman should be awarded a gold medal in what should be an official Olympic sport—mega-multitasking. They have the honor of becoming professional leaders, maintaining their family’s traditions and culture, and raising children who need attention and support all while attempting to break an ever-moving bamboo ceiling. Although challenging, it is a responsibility bestowed on few. It can be viewed as an opportunity for Asian women to accomplish with success and grace when realistic expectations are in place. Punam Saxena, M.Ed., parent and Asian women’s advocate, author, and TEDx speaker, will inspire and encourage a paradigm shift for a positive and pragmatic approach to mega-multitasking.

Punam V Saxena / President and Owner / edu-Me, LLC

12:50 PM – 1:20 PM EST Next Practice Sessions

Daniel Nguyen shares how their work at Chegg launched an initiative to promote correct name pronunciation as a way to foster inclusion and belonging. From gaining executive support to creating an internal video and presenting at a company all-hands, this effort highlighted the cultural significance of names and the harm caused by repeated mispronunciations—particularly for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The session will explore how saying names correctly affirms identity, honors heritage, and creates a more respectful workplace for all.

Daniel Nguyen / DEI Program Manager / Tinder, Inc

1:20 PM – 1:30 PM EST Audience Q&A

Daniel Nguyen

DEI Program Manager

Tinder, Inc

Daniel Nguyen is a dedicated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practitioner with a unique people-first approach rooted in his social work background. Since 2014, he has consistently developed impact-driven programs addressing systemic barriers and creating equitable opportunities for underrepresented employees and communities.

Daniel serves on the board of Viet Rainbow of Orange County, working with LGBTQIA+ Vietnamese Americans and their loved ones through research, education, and advocacy. His commitment to social justice earned him a certificate of appreciation from Los Angeles Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell for his work within the trans community. Daniel’s expertise spans racial equality, LGBTQIA+ civil rights, mental health, affordable housing, and climate change, reflecting his holistic approach to creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

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Ilyssa Padrid-Dykman

Associate Director, Event Programs

Seramount

Punam V Saxena

President and Owner

edu-Me, LLC

Punam V. Saxena is a TEDx speaker and a 2x author of the books Parent Power: Navigate School and Beyond which was #1 on Amazon, and Powerful Parenting: 101 Ways to Stay Positive, a parent affirmation journal, both of which received 5 stars from both Mom’s Choice Awards and Reader’s Favorite. As a second-generation Indian American and over 30 years of advocacy, Punam speaks on the unique experiences of cultural bias, the Model Minority Stereotype, parent engagement in schools, Asian student challenges, and empowering South Asian womxn voices. Her signature TEDx talk, The Key to Student Success, highlights the minority experience in school while growing up as “other.”

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Member Webinar: Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2025

Speakers