ERG Speakers 2022
Will Cheng
ERG Symposium Director, NAAAP National
Global Director of People Analytics, Cargill
Will joined NAAAP MN in late-2016, as part of the team to reestablish the Minnesota chapter. Will is the Global Director of People Analytics at Cargill.
Prior to Cargill, he spent over 11 years at Target Corporation, working in In-Direct Procurement, U.S. Stores Business Intelligence, Canada Stores Business Intelligence and Marketing Insights & Analytics.
He served on Target’s Asian Business Council (ERG) for over 6 years. Will sits on the board for Medal of Honor Twin Cities and host committee for APIASF; and also advises for the Southeast Asian Diaspora Project (SEAD).
Ashley Mack
Executive Director, NAAAP
As Executive Director, Ashley oversees the administration, programs, and strategy of the organization. Ashley joined NAAAP in 2011 and has served roles with increasing levels of operational responsibility. Most recently as Chief Financial Officer, she provided oversight of NAAAP’s financial vision and strategy.
Professionally, Ashley is the first female AAPI field operations leader in Atlanta Gas Light’s 165-year history where she is responsible for the safety and performance of 80+ first responders. Ashley co-founded and became Chairwoman of the first AAPI ERG at Southern Company Gas.
Ashley earned a BBA from Georgia State University and an MBA in accounting from Texas A&M University.
Marynka Rojas Gorgen
NLA Director &
Presidents Council Chair, NAAAP National
Marynka Rojas Gorgen enjoys retirement from a career in public service where she specialized in strategic planning and performance management.
Besides her work with NAAAP as NLA Director, Presidents Council Chair, and San Jose Chapter President/Chief Visioning Officer, she is heavily involved in dragon boat at the local, regional, and national level as a coach and paddler for DieselFish Dragon Boat Team, and board member for the Pacific Dragon Boat Association and US Dragon Boat Federation.
Lisette Martinez
Executive VP for IDCE, Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University &
Board Member, NAAAP Philadelphia
Lisette Martinez is currently the Executive Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity and Community Engagement at Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University. Lisette had previously served as Yale-New Haven Health System’s Inaugural Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and the System Director of Diversity and Language Services at TriHealth.
Lisette is a versatile professional with over 20 years of expertise in DE&I leadership, language services, supply chain, program management, economic inclusion, community engagement, and international business. She currently sits on the board for the NAAAP Philadelphia chapter.
Subarna Malakar
Head of DE&I, Sanofi North America &
Board Member, NAAAP Philadelphia
Subarna Malakar is the Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) for Sanofi North America. He is also a member of the North America HR leadership team and an Advisory Member of the U.S. and Canadian Executive DEI Councils for Sanofi.
Previously, he was a Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer for FMC Corporation and Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Ahold Delhaize. He has more than 25 years of experience with 14 years in DE&I, corporate social responsibility, and culture change management working for global companies including Thomson Reuters, Unilever, and Sodexo.
Subarna is a U.S. Army veteran who holds an MBA from Temple University: Fox School of Business, a B.S. from the University of Maryland, and a Certificate in Leadership Academy from Harvard University. He is a board member of the NAAAP Philadelphia Chapter.
Solomon Kim
VP and Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley
Solomon Kim is a Vice President, Financial Advisor, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Insurance Planning Director with Morgan Stanley. He graduated with a B.A.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Solomon started his financial career in 1999 working for companies like PBHG Funds, First Union Bank, and Allianz Life–US Allianz Securities. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2013, Solomon ran his own successful life insurance practice.
Solomon serves on the board of the Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia, on the advisory board of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia and is active in the nonprofit community.
He is an active member of his church where he serves as an Elder. He lives in Blue Bell, PA with his wife, Betsey, and their three children, Joshua, Hannah, and James.
Ping Cao
VP Robert Half &
President, NAAAP Philadelphia
Ping Cao has been the president of the NAAAP Philadelphia since 2019. Ping’s background is in Big-4 Accounting (and in particular, EY and KPMG), and he brings over 15 years of corporate tax and finance management experience, plus 8 years of business development and marketing.
Currently, Ping serves as Vice President of Robert Half Management Resources. In his role, externally, he works with executive clients in the areas of accounting and finance within their senior-level roles. Internally, he manages client relationships, implements strategies for revenue growth, and develops and executes key strategic initiatives for his team’s sales operations.
Ping grew up in Philadelphia, and he is a graduate of Drexel University. Ping is fluent in Cantonese and Hakka. Ping met his wife on their first day of college. They live in Philadelphia suburbs with their two teenage children and three rescued pets: 2 dogs, Max and Cody and a cat, Suki.
Abraham Gin
CEO of Gin Consulting Group &
Senior DEI Leadership Consultant at GiANT Worldwide
Abraham Gin is first a husband and father of 4 stir-crazy boys and 2 dogs, based in LA. With his partners in GiANT he has pioneered a DEI app that provides an Inclusive Leadership Training and Certifications for all levels in the org.
Abraham’s experience in the field of coaching and personal development is vast, and his consulting services are always in demand. His mission is to help activate leaders become and build inclusive leaders worth following.
Emmy Kasten
Editor in Chief, The List
Emmy Kasten is a Filipino-American who has broken cultural and gender norms throughout her career. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The List and the former Editor-in-Chief of Vegas magazine.
Previously, Kasten made her mark in predominantly male-dominated companies including Red Bull Energy Drink and Rockstar Games. She is the founder of Little Black Dress, a high-profile event that was recognized by the Smithsonian Institute. Most recently, Kasten was selected to archive her life story for UNLV.
Kim Cummings
Senior VP, HR, Talent & Workforce planning at Children’s Health
Board Member, NAAAP
Kim Cummings, SCP, SPHR is Vice president, Human Resources and Talent at Children’s Health based in Dallas, Texas. Kim has over 25 yrs of HR experience in a variety of leader roles promoting engagement with companies that include Children’s Health (Medical Center), BNSF, BELO Broadcasting, Burger King Corp, Dell & Target.
Kim is a thought leader in the space of DE&I receiving numerous community service & business awards that include “HR Professional of the Year”-Ogletree Deakins, DiversityFIRST™Award from National Diversity Council, TX Most Powerful Business Women, TX Diversity Magazine.
Michael Gonzales
Principal, NE&E DE&I Consulting
Board Member, NAAAP
Michael travels the country as a consultant to corporations and non-profits. He is a coach for executives and DE&I professionals, speaker, panelist, and advisor on DE&I. He was the former leader of Hallmark’s DE&I department responsible for Hallmark’s DE&I’s strategies and objectives.
He’s also the founder of the Diversity & Inclusion Consortium, a national organization of over 435 DE&I practitioners and advocates hailing from 39 states, 52 cities and is a frequent lecturer on college campuses.
Bridgette Battles
Director for Community Engagement and Supplier Diversity, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health
Bridgett is the Director for Community Engagement and Supplier Diversity at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, she plays a key role in building Jefferson’s relationships with community organizations and partners. In her role,
Bridgett collaborates and cultivates meaningful relationships that impact and improve the lives of the diverse communities Jefferson serves through engagement in workforce readiness, celebrating small businesses and acting as a resource for health and welfare.
In collaboration with Jefferson’s Supply Chain Department, Bridgett launched Supply Chain Connect to offer diverse potential suppliers the opportunity to pitch their business virtually, and get help in preparing their presentations. Jefferson’s Supplier Diversity program is designed to connect more minority, women, veteran, persons with disabilities, and LGBT-owned small businesses to opportunities at Jefferson.
Ida Kwan
Regional Business Director, Sanofi
Ida has been in the biopharmaceutical industry for over 15 years, her tenure spans across Sanofi cardiovascular and diabetes business units holding multiple roles. She has now been on the Dupixent business unit for 3.5 years and was recently promoted as Regional Business Director and will be leading a new team of Gastroenterology sales managers.
She is the co-founder and co-lead of Dupixent LEAP (Leading and Empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders), as well as a member of other Sanofi ERGs. She is extremely passionate about raising awareness surrounding the AAPI community, removing barriers and networking to improve the workplace from a DE&I perspective.
Ida graduated from the University of British Columbia, Canada, and resides in San Francisco along with her husband and their 2 children.
Carolene Layugan
Responsible Gaming Director, Caesars Entertainment
Carolene Layugan serves as the Responsible Gaming Director at Caesars Entertainment, Inc. and has been with the company since January 2000. Carolene helps oversee the company’s Responsible Gaming strategy, integration efforts, and implementation of the company’s Responsible Gaming Programs.
Carolene is also a proud founding member and past Chair of Caesars Entertainment’s Asian American Pacific Islander Business Impact/Resource Group, HAPA, in Las Vegas that was established in 2011.
Hoang-Anh Le Tran
Chief of Staff – CAO Group at UMB Financial
Advisor of NAAAP-KC
Hoang-Anh L. Tran (she/her) is the Chief Of Staff – Administrative Group at UMB Financial Corp. She has over 15 years of experience in administration and academia, and previously worked at Syracuse University, Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, and Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA.
She has a bachelor’s degree in arts and literature from Southern Methodist University, and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington.
She serves as an advisor on the Board of NAAAP-KC and vice president of the Board of the Folly Theater, and chairs the ERG network of the D&I Consortium of DEI professionals.
Robert Young
Chairman of the Board, Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce
Robert serves as Chairman of the Board of the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce (ACC). He joined the ACC in 1994 and was the President from 1995-2000. Born in Taiwan, he immigrated to the United States in 1975 and has now lived in Las Vegas since 1992.
Robert earned a Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate at the University of Texas at Dallas, EMBA in marketing at University of California at Los Angeles, MS in Oriental Medicine at South Baylor University, and PhD Candidate on Oriental Medicine at Dongguk University at Los Angeles.
Currently Robert is a funds manager specializing in bringing Chinese capital to the United States, investing in commercial real estate such as apartments, office buildings and warehouses.