Overview
Held annually, the Women’s Collective Summit aims to build a community that inspires and supports AAPI women to become politically engaged by leading the national conversation on AAPI women representation in politics, uplifting AAPI women in politics, creating resources and tools for AAPI women to increase representation in public service, and to connect leaders and stakeholders.
The 2020 Women’s Collective Summit is sponsored by:
APAICS appreciates the generous support of The ASCEND Fund and ReflectUS.
Download the Program Booklet
Panels & Speakers
The Candidate
11:15 - 12:00 PM EDT
This panel highlights the challenges facing candidates, told through the experiences of currently elected AAPI women. The panel will cover the importance of sisterhood, how to build a winning team, and confronting bias, racism and sexism on the campaign trail as an AAPI woman.

The Candidate
11:15 - 12:00 PM EDT
This panel highlights the challenges facing candidates, told through the experiences of currently elected AAPI women. The panel will cover the importance of sisterhood, how to build a winning team, and confronting bias, racism and sexism on the campaign trail as an AAPI woman.
Panel #1 The Candidate (11:15 – 12:00pm EDT)
This panel highlights the challenges facing candidates, told through the experiences of currently elected AAPI women. The panel will cover the importance of sisterhood, how to build a winning team, and confronting bias, racism and sexism on the campaign trail as an AAPI woman. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
- Stephanie Chang, State Senator, Michigan
- Tina Maharath, State Senator, Ohio
- Maria Robinson, State Representative, Massachusetts
Moderator: Aditi Hardikar
The Decision Maker
12:30 - 1:00 PM EDT
This discussion, as part of the APAICS in Conversation weekly series, will feature the Honorable Lucy Koh, Judge - U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Attendees will have the chance to learn directly from her journey and engage in a Q&A session.

The Decision Maker
12:30 - 1:00 PM EDT
This discussion, as part of the APAICS in Conversation weekly series, will feature the Honorable Lucy Koh, Judge - U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Attendees will have the chance to learn directly from her journey and engage in a Q&A session.
Panel #2 The Decision Maker (12:30 – 1:00pm EDT)
(Crossover programming with APAICS in Conversation weekly series)
This discussion, as part of the APAICS in Conversation weekly series, will feature the Honorable Lucy Koh, Judge – U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Attendees will have the chance to learn directly from her journey and engage in a Q&A session.
- The Honorable Lucy Koh, Judge – U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Moderator: The Honorable Elaine Lu, Judge – Los Angeles Superior Court
The Elected
1:15 - 2:00 PM EDT
This panel featuring elected AAPI women, highlights navigating the political process, crafting policy, agenda setting and building strategic alliances to pass effective policies.

The Elected
1:15 - 2:00 PM EDT
This panel featuring elected AAPI women, highlights navigating the political process, crafting policy, agenda setting and building strategic alliances to pass effective policies.
Panel #3Â The Elected
This panel, featuring elected AAPI women, highlights navigating the political process, crafting policy, agenda setting, and building strategic alliances to pass effective policies
- Padma Kuppa, State Representative, Michigan
- Régine Biscoe Lee, Senator, Guam
- Yuh-Line Niou, State Assemblymember, New York
- Sheng Tao, City Councilmember, Oakland, CA
Moderator: Christina Kuo, Senior Strategist, Grassroots Solutions
The Pipeline
2:45 - 3:30 PM EDT
This panel highlights building a movement for women of color to run, the power of allyship and leveraging successful partnerships.

The Pipeline
2:45 - 3:30 PM EDT
This panel highlights building a movement for women of color to run, the power of allyship and leveraging successful partnerships.
Panel #4 The Pipeline (2:45 – 3:30pm EDT)
This panel highlights building a movement for women of color to run, the power of allyship, and leveraging successful partnerships.
- Glynda C. Carr, Co-Founder, Higher Heights for America and Higher Heights Leadership Fund
- Stephanie Gabriella Lopez, Program Manager, LatinasRepresent
- Madalene Mielke, President & CEO, APAICS
- Prairie Rose Seminole, National Trainer, Advance Native Political Leadership
Moderator: Grisella Martinez, Vice President of Government Relations, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)
Breakout Sessions
Attendees must pre-register for access to breakout sessions. These sessions are 30-minute candid conversations with issue-based specialists. They will not be recorded or live-streamed and Zoom meeting links will be sent to all pre-registered attendees.
The Image of Authentic Leadership
12:00 - 12:30 PM EDT
Speaker: Rosana Vollmerhausen, Founder & Chief Stylist, DC Style Factory
The Image of Authentic Leadership
12:00 - 12:30 PM EDT
Speaker: Rosana Vollmerhausen, Founder & Chief Stylist, DC Style Factory
The Image of Authentic Leadership (12:00 – 12:30pm EDT)
In this discussion, Rosana Vollmerhausen, DC Style Factory’s Founder and Chief Stylist, brings her expertise dressing high-profile clients including U.S. politicians. She will discuss what it means to define an image of authenticity especially for women in public-facing roles.
- Rosana Vollmerhausen, Founder & Chief Stylist, DC Style Factory
So You Think You Want to Run?
12:00 - 12:30 PM EDT
Speakers: Sarah Curran, Director of Programs and Partnerships, Â Women's Public Leadership Network
Jarinete Santos, Political Pipeline Director, She Should Run
So You Think You Want to Run?
12:00 - 12:30 PM EDT
Speakers: Sarah Curran, Director of Programs and Partnerships, Â Women's Public Leadership Network
Jarinete Santos, Political Pipeline Director, She Should Run
So You Think You Want to Run? (12:00 – 12:30pm EDT)
This breakout session will feature a discussion with two experts from organizations dedicated towards helping women run for public office. The format will be a candid Q&A session for attendees to discuss what they need to know to run for office.
- Sarah Curran, Director of Programs and Partnerships, Â Women’s Public Leadership Network
- Jarinete Santos, Political Pipeline Director, She Should Run
Intersection of Race, Gender, and Power in Political Processes
12:00 - 12:30 PM EDT
Speaker: Astrid M. Villamil, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia
Intersection of Race, Gender, and Power in Political Processes
12:00 - 12:30 PM EDT
Speaker: Astrid M. Villamil, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia
Intersection of Race, Gender, and Power in Political Processes (12:00 – 12:30pm EDT)
Navigating the political sphere as women of color can be particularly challenging due to the presence of subtle and automatic interpersonal snubs or dismissive remarks based on faulty stereotypes, commonly known as microaggressions. These exchanges are often dismissed or seen as innocent but have tremendously harmful effects on self-esteem, well-being, and likelihood to run for office among women of color. In this session, we will unpack the concepts of microaggressions and learn self-advocacy strategies to identify and interrupt these microaggressions while engaging with different political constituents.
- Astrid M. Villamil, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia (Department of Communication)
The Double Standard
2:00 - 2:30 PM EDT
Speakers: Amanda Hunter, Research and Communications Director, Barbara Lee Family Foundation
Luiba Grechen Shirley, Founder & CEO, Vote Mama
The Double Standard
2:00 - 2:30 PM EDT
Speakers: Amanda Hunter, Research and Communications Director, Barbara Lee Family Foundation
Luiba Grechen Shirley, Founder & CEO, Vote Mama
The Double Standard (2:00 – 2:30pm EDT)
This breakout session will allow attendees to have a candid Q&A session with specialists on the challenges women face when running for office. The discussion will cover dealing with family obligations, and balancing expectations of women in a public-facing role.
- Amanda Hunter, Research and Communications Director, Barbara Lee Family Foundation
- Luiba Grechen Shirley, Founder & CEO, Vote Mama
Let’s Debate: Strategies for Campaign Debate Preparation
2:00 - 2:30 PM EDT
Speaker: Dr. Mitchell S. McKinney, Professor of Communication and Director of the Political Communication Institute University of Missouri
Let’s Debate: Strategies for Campaign Debate Preparation
2:00 - 2:30 PM EDT
Speaker: Dr. Mitchell S. McKinney, Professor of Communication and Director of the Political Communication Institute University of Missouri
Let’s Debate: Strategies for Campaign Debate Preparation (2:00 – 2:30pm EDT)
Participating in a political debate or forum during a campaign can bring a mixed sense of uncertainty, dread, and excitement to get your message out to voters. This session will discuss the opportunities and challenges of debating a campaign opponent and highlight key communication strategies to keep in mind when preparing for a debate so that you can be successful in your next debate/forum.
- Dr. Mitchell S. McKinney, Professor of Communication and Director of the Political Communication Institute University of Missouri
AGENDA
11:00 AM | Welcome – Congresswoman Judy Chu |
11:15 AM | Panel #1: The Candidate |
12:00 PM | Breakout Sessions
|
12:30 PM | Panel #2: The Decision Maker (APAICS in Conversation) |
1:15 PM | Panel #3: The Elected |
2:00 PM | Breakout Sessions
|
2:45 PM | Panel #4: The Pipeline |
3:45 PM | Closing |
Honorary Co-Chairs
List in Development
Senator Tammy Duckworth
Congresswoman Judy Chu
Congresswoman Grace Meng
Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy
Questions
Please email programs@apaics.org.