Alexander Peh
President & Chair of the Board, Ascend Canada
Ascend Canada inspires pan-Asians to achieve their full potential as business leaders through a variety of programs and initiatives
Ascend Canada envisions a workforce where pan-Asians can achieve their full potential. As a volunteer-led organization, their dedicated and tenacious team poured a strong foundation over the past ten years helping to drive more visibility and leadership of pan-Asians in corporate Canada.
“We recognize how far we have come in diversity and inclusion across corporate Canada, and our desire is to create an environment where pan-Asian’s have truly equal opportunities,” says Alexander Peh, President of the nonprofit, which has chapters in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
With more than 30 corporate sponsors and strategic partners, Ascend Canada aims to educate and foster community through programs and events as a way to cultivate leadership and professional growth for its 8,000 members.
Providing the space for networking, talent development, and education
Pan-Asians currently face two recurring barriers: the perception of being less vocal and less assertive compared to others in their workplaces and the lack of pan-Asian role models for mentorship. Through the Ascend Café, powered by Ten Thousand Coffees, they dismantle these barriers by making it easy for members to meet based on their unique career goals and interests. Regular workshops and topical panel discussions help members develop soft skills, explore career opportunities, and grow connections into an impactful and diverse knowledge network. The annual Ascend Leadership Awards celebrate achievements in the pan-Asian community.
Ascend’s leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy
The Chief Inclusion Officers (CIO) Forum is one of the spaces Ascend is proud to be a thought leader. This quarterly forum involves various corporations that gather to share diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) insights and best practices. The CIO Forum has supported improved DEI strategies and thought pieces that discuss topics such as emotional tax, covering and empathy in the workplace.
Ascend is dedicated to advancing the success and visibility of pan-Asians across corporate Canada through networking and career development experiences.
