Women in Leadership Alumnae - Berkeley Haas

Women In Leadership 2024 Conference: Leading With Resilience
2024-02-24 | University of California Berkeley | Haas School of Business, 2220 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
This year’s Berkeley Haas Women in Leadership Conference serves as a celebration of all of the extraordinary women who have shown and led with remarkable resilience in all aspects of their lives – the personal, the professional and the physical. Through tactical workshops, story-sharing, and keynotes from industry-leading professionals, we’ll celebrate the accomplishments of the women pioneers who came before us, highlight the many ways that women are leading with resilience today, and work to build our future as impactful leaders in our own right.

The conference will take place on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at the Haas School of Business. There will be an optional evening event on Friday, February 23, 2024, at Ivy Room in Albany, CA.
All are welcome. Gaining more exposure to gender issues makes everyone a more effective business leader. We are designing the conference to provide space for meaningful conversation and action steps for a diverse set of attendees, including those who don’t identify as women and non-Haas students.

This event is hosted by Women In Leadership student club.

Confirmed speakers:

Yasi Baiani | Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer @ Raya

Lisen Stromberg | CEO and Co-Founder @ PrismWork

Sangeeta Chakraborty | Chief Revenue Officer @ Miro

Kathy Chou | Senior Vice President, SaaS Engineering @ Nutanix

The full list of speakers and agenda will be released soon!
Note about ticket types:
All attendees are required to hold a valid ticket in their name. Please select the correct ticket type, based on the category in which you fall:

WiL Member: current due-paying members of the Haas Women in Leadership club.
Haas Student (non-WiL member): current Haas students who are not due-paying WiL members.
Haas Affiliated: alumni, staff, and faculty of Berkeley Haas.
General Admission: all other attendees not included in one of the categories above.

We will be checking for proper identification and WiL membership status for all attendees who purchase a WiL member, Haas student, or Haas-affiliated ticket.

Non-Profit & Government Boards Panel
2024-03-07 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | San Francisco
Join us for an evening of networking and a fantastic panel discussion on nonprofit and government boards, with Haas alumnae sharing their experiences and expertise.
Panelists:
Wendy McCall (Moderator)
City Commissioner for the City of San Mateo (Moderator)
Safia Fasah
Board Chair, Oakland School of Arts
Marina Mamer
Board Member, Brazil at Silicon Valley
Vandana Bharvani
Founder & Board Member, The Fishbowl Challenge
Shantini Munthree
Board Chair, Grand Canyon Conservancy
Click here for more information about panelists.
Purchase tickets here.
The event address will be shared with registered attendees the week of the event.

WILA Dinner Connect: Launching & Funding Your Startup
2024-05-01 18:00 - 21:00 | San Mateo, CA, San Mateo, CA
Berkeley Haas WILA Dinner Connect: In Conversation with Christine Tao, BS 2001 and Catherine Jhung, MBA 2011
Curious about what it takes to start your own company and land venture funding for it? Join us for a discussion with Christine Tao and Catherine Jhung.
Christine is the founder & CEO of Sounding Board, a tech platform for scalable leadership coaching & mentoring, and Catherine is a Senior Managing Director at Hercules Capital, the largest non-bank venture debt fund, with over $4 Billion in assets under management.
Sounding Board is one of <3% of female-founded, VC-backed companies, raising nearly $50M from top-tier investors. Catherine is one of the few female, late-stage technology investors, and leads an investment team that is both gender and ethnically diverse. Both share a passion for increasing the representation of women and under-represented groups in leadership roles in male-dominated industries.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Time: 6:00-9:00pm
Cost: $40 (inclusive of light dinner and beverages)
Venue: San Mateo, CA 94401 (Venue shared after registration
Space is limited. No walk-ins.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Questions? Contact Deepti Patibandla, MBA 10, pdeepti@gmail.com or Abha Bhagat, MBA 10, abha_bhagat@berkeley.edu
About the Berkeley Haas WILA Dinner Connect Series: At each dinner, we present Berkeley Haas alumnae who are seasoned executives to share a part of their journey as women in leadership. The intimate session facilitates high quality discussions, is ideal for personal Q&A with the speakers, and presents a valuable networking opportunity with other attendees. Given the limited space, priority is given to Haas alumnae.
Women in Leadership Alumnae (WILA) is a worldwide network of Berkeley Haas alumnae committed to fostering a community that celebrates and amplifies the power of bringing women together. Our mission is to create a space for women to have authentic and compassionate exchanges on topics aligned with their professional and personal journey, that is anchored by women finding strength, support, and inspiration in one another. WILA has been awarded the 2022 Affinity Group of the Year by Berkeley Haas .

Up Close with Taylor Marcus, Head of Business Development, Berkeley SkyDeck
2025-01-30 17:30 - 20:30 | Menlo Park
Berkeley Haas WILA and Silicon Valley Chapter are pleased to co-host an intimate dinner and conversation with EWMBA alum Taylor Marcus.
Join us for an intimate evening with Taylor Marcus, Head of Business Development at Berkeley SkyDeck and a seasoned tech industry leader. Drawing from her remarkable 15-year journey at Google and YouTube, followed by leadership roles at Instagram and startups, Taylor will share insights on navigating career transitions from Big Tech to entrepreneurial ventures. She’ll discuss how she’s approached career decisions through the lens of learning, impact, and personal fulfillment, including her current role fostering innovation in Berkeley’s startup ecosystem.
Learn how Taylor has embraced being “comfortable with uncomfortable” while leading first-of-kind initiatives across video advertising, creator ecosystems, and AI-powered platforms. She’ll offer perspectives on career transformation, inspired by “From Strength to Strength,” and discuss how different types of success can become meaningful at different life stages. With her experience spanning product development, business partnerships, and ecosystem building at companies like Google, Instagram, and now Berkeley SkyDeck, Taylor brings a unique view on finding opportunities that align with both professional growth and personal values.
Come be part of this intimate dinner and conversation with a fellow Berkeley Haas alumna who continues to push boundaries and redefine success.
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2025
Time: 5:30 – 8:30pm
Cost: $40 (inclusive of dinner and beverages)
Venue Location: Menlo Park
Space is limited. No walk-ins. The name and address of the venue will be emailed to you once your registration is confirmed.
Questions? Contact Deepti Patibandla pdeepti@gmail.com or Ilyse Pender ilyse.pender@gmail.com
About the Berkeley Haas WILA Dinner Connect Series: We bring together women for an intimate discussion with a Berkeley Haas alumna executive to learn about her journey as a woman in leadership. Be inspired with high quality discussions, personal Q&A, and valuable networking with attendees. Given the limited space, priority is given to Berkeley Haas alumnae.
Women in Leadership Alumnae (WILA) is a worldwide network of Berkeley Haas alumnae committed to fostering a community that celebrates and amplifies the power of bringing women together. Our mission is to create a space for women to have authentic and compassionate exchanges on topics aligned with their professional and personal journey, that is anchored by women finding strength, support, and inspiration in one another. WILA has been awarded the 2022 Affinity Group of the Year by the Haas School of Business.
Since its founding in 2001, the Silicon Valley Chapter has consistently delivered regular professional and social events to keep alumni in the South Bay connected to Berkeley Haas. The mission of the chapter is to create a strong, lifelong connection to the school by building a community of engaged alumni in Silicon Valley. It was awarded the Regional Chapter of the Year in 2023.

WILA Product Management Circles
2025-02-18 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-02-22 08:00 - 09:00 | Online
Are you a Berkeley Haas alumna in Product Management? PM Circles at Women in Leadership Alumna (WILA) offers a unique opportunity to connect with other PMs, share insights, and tackle common challenges in a supportive, peer-led environment.
PM Circles bring together small groups of women to discuss topics such as upskilling in product management, navigating team dynamics, and maintaining a healthy work life balance.
The product circle will be virtual and will be led by a facilitator, who helps guide the conversation and ensures meaningful discussions. Each session will be 60 minutes.
Session 1: Feb 18 (Tue) 5:30PM – 6:30PM PST (link)
Session 2: Feb 22 (Sat) 8:00AM – 9:00AM PST (link)
For questions, contact: Katie Li at katieli@berkeley.edu or Sampada Chavan at sampada.chavan@gmail.com

WILA Learning Lounge: AI in Leadership
2025-02-26 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Join UC Berkeley Haas Women in Leadership (WILA) for an exclusive, AI-focused event designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. This interactive session will feature leading AI experts who will share insights on responsible AI, practical business solutions, and leadership strategies in an AI-driven world. With a mix of presentations, live demonstrations, and peer discussions, you’ll gain actionable tools to navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape and drive meaningful business transformation.
This intimate 60-minute Zoom event, limited to just 30 participants, offers a unique opportunity for Haas Alumni to explore AI’s strategic value, ethical considerations, and career opportunities. Hear from industry leaders in cybersecurity, SaaS, generative AI, and career transformation, and connect with like-minded professionals passionate about integrating AI into leadership and business practices. Secure your spot now—registration is on a first-come, first-served basis!

Featured Speakers:
Kavita Rasal
Kavita Rasal is a seasoned technology leader with 16+ years of experience in building high-performance engineering teams across SaaS companies. She is the Co-founder & CTO of MyTown AI, a GovTech startup enabling smarter decision-making for small towns, and the Founder of LightRoute Ventures LLC, an AI studio developing MVPs for startups and Fortune 500 companies.
Previously, as Co-founder & CTO of thePerks.ai, Kavita led the development of an AI-first product for D2C brands, enhancing customer retention and predicting buying behavior. Before her entrepreneurial journey, she was Director of Software Engineering at Amperity, where she led $50M ARR product engineering teams for
Customer Identity and Customer360. She also pioneered the adoption of Large Language Models (LLMs) reducing total cost of implementation for customers.
Earlier, at Workday, Kavita scaled teams across North America and Ireland, expanded the DaaS platform team, driving $80M in subscription renewals, and grew Framework engineering and QA teams to support Fortune 100 customers. Kavita is passionate about leveraging technology to drive innovation, leading strategic greenfield teams, and building from the ground up. With a strong startup mindset, she excels at taking ideas from 0 to 1, leading cross-functional initiatives, and executing technical roadmaps to drive innovation and scalability.
Kavita holds an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a Master’s in Computer Science from Western Michigan University.
Gurpreet Kaur Khalsa
A seasoned product leader and AI safety advocate, Gurpreet is currently driving Generative AI security initiatives at Palo Alto Networks. With a Master’s in Information Science from UC Berkeley and a Computer Science background, she brings a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic thinking to the cybersecurity landscape. Her journey spans from engineering roles at Avaya, where she secured a USPTO patent, to product management at SS&C Eze, showcasing her evolution from technical innovation to product strategy.
Her experience as a Graduate Student Instructor at UC Berkeley, teaching courses ranging from SaaS applications to Cognitive Science, demonstrates her dedication to sharing knowledge and shaping future tech leaders.
She excels in bridging complex technical challenges with strategic business solutions, while maintaining a strong focus on making AI systems trustworthy and secure.
Jesse Manders
Jesse Manders is a senior product manager of generative AI at Amazon (AWS), and a Berkeley Haas EWMBA graduate in 2022. His experience in AI started just before the rise of ChatGPT, where he worked in data curation and labeling for traditional machine learning such as autonomous vehicles and image recognition. Now, he leads product development for generative AI evaluation products that ensure AWS’s customers’ new tools powered by large language models (LLMs) such as copilots, chat assistants, and agents are accurate and responsible. Prior to Amazon, Jesse held engineering team leadership roles at Apple and Lumileds, and was a senior scientist in a Silicon Valley consumer electronics startup. Besides his cherished MBA from Haas, he has an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Florida in Materials Science and Engineering, and a BS in Physics from Miami University.

Women in Leadership Conference: Leading With Purpose
2025-03-07 09:00 - 16:00 | University of California Berkeley | Haas School of Business, 2220 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
Join us on Friday, March 7th in Spieker Forum for the 2025 Women in Leadership Conference: Leading with Purpose! This year’s event will explore how aligning personal values with professional goals can drive meaningful career fulfillment and leadership impact. Through engaging panels, fireside chats, and networking sessions, we’ll dive deep into topics like balancing family and career, purpose-driven leadership, and fostering authenticity at work.
Your purchase includes a full day of programming and networking, breakfast and lunch, a swag bag of products from brands we love that are actively empowering women, and more.
If you cannot attend the event but would still like to support the Haas Women in Leadership organization, please consider a donation option instead!

WILA Story Salon with Renee Yao
2025-05-28 17:30 - 19:30 | Walnut Creek
WILA Story Salon with Renee Yao
Wednesday, May 28 | 5:30–7:45 PM | Walnut Creek
Join us for a special evening of connection and inspiration at our inaugural WILA Story Salon.
In this intimate gathering, we’ll sit down for a fireside chat with Renee Yao, a Haas undergraduate alumna and current MBA candidate in the Berkeley Haas EWMBA program. Renee brings over a decade of experience across the technology and healthcare sectors, and currently leads ecosystem development for Healthcare and Life Sciences at NVIDIA.
But her story is much more than a career trajectory — it’s a rich, deeply personal journey where professional milestones and life-changing personal decisions have shaped and influenced each other in unexpected ways. Her story offers a powerful perspective on resilience, personal growth, and redefining success on her own terms.
About the WILA Story Salons
The WILA Story Salon series brings women of the Haas community together for real conversations about leadership, growth, and navigating change in our professional and personal lives. Through storytelling and shared experience, we aim to build stronger connections and celebrate the journeys that shape who we are.
Additional Information
This event is open exclusively to Haas alumnae and will be held at a private residence in Walnut Creek. The exact address will be shared with registered attendees before the event. Snacks and beverages will be served.
We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful evening.

WILA Product Management Circle - June 18th
2025-06-18 17:00 - 18:00 | Online
Are you a Berkeley Haas alumna in Product Management? Join PM Circles with Haas Women in Leadership Alumnae (WILA)—a monthly virtual gathering designed to connect you with fellow PMs, share insights, and navigate challenges in a supportive, peer-led environment.
Held on the third Wednesday of each month, PM Circles bring together small groups of women to discuss topics such as upskilling in product management, team dynamics, and maintaining work-life balance. Each 60-minute session is guided by a facilitator to help foster thoughtful, productive conversation.
Previous attendees will receive early access to registration before each event opens to the broader WILA community. We’re intentionally keeping these circles small to encourage deeper connections, and repeat participation is encouraged as we build a strong, peer-based community over time.

Product Management Circles - August 20th
2025-08-20 17:30 - 18:30

WILA Mentorship Day
2025-08-29 00:00 - 23:59
As part of the new WILA Mentorship Network initiative, we are thrilled to announce the inaugural Mentorship Day on Friday, August 29th. 20+ experienced mentors will be offering 1:1 virtual mentor sessions throughout the day. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with distinguished women leaders in your field for guidance and advice.
How It Works:

Visit the WILA Mentorship Network website.
Browse the Mentor Directory: Explore detailed mentor profiles to find the best match for you.
Go to Mentorship Day Session Sign up: Select the mentor and time slot that works for you—remember, each slot only allows one space and is first-come, first-served!
Wait for confirmation: After you sign up, you will receive an email confirmation. Your mentor will contact you directly before the event with your meeting link and details.

The deadline to sign up is 12 pm on Sunday, August 24.

Book Mentor Session Now

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Ma.
With gratitude and excitement,
The WILA team
P.S. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please fill out this application form. The enrollment for the upcoming Mentorship Day is closed. However, you will be invited to future mentorship events and be featured in the Mentor Directory.

Reclaim your Ambitions: A Sustainable Approach to Thriving
2025-09-21 10:00 - 12:30 | Pleasanton, CA, Pleasanton, CA, United States
Workshop Description
Ready to move beyond the myth of work-life balance and create a more intentional approach to achieving your goals?
Join Haas alum and life-work strategist Kathy Oneto for a transformative interactive workshop inspired by her new book: “Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work.”
Sustainable Ambition offers a refreshing, grounded approach to pursuing meaningful goals without sacrificing your well-being. It’s a permission slip to redefine success on your own terms. The book is both practical and personal — a guide for professionals who want to keep making an impact and make space for life outside of work.
What You’ll Experience:

Interactive exercises to align your Right Ambition at the Right Time with the Right Effort
A practical framework to evaluate your current ambitions and identify what truly motivates you
Strategies to manage the tensions between competing goals and make courageous choices
Practical tools to prioritize across life and work without compromising your well-being

You’ll Leave With:
Clarity on what success means to you — not society’s definition
A personalized approach to pace your ambitions sustainably
Tools to dial in your effort and avoid the overextension-exhaustion cycle
This isn’t about doing more or finding perfect balance. It’s about becoming consciously ambitious and creating space for both meaningful work and a fulfilling life.
Use this carved-out time to pause, reflect, and design an approach to your goals that energizes rather than depletes you — so you can pursue what matters most with more joy, peace, and ease.
Details:
Date: Sunday, September 21, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Private home on a golf course in Pleasanton
EXACT ADDRESS WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTERED GUESTS A DAY BEFORE THE EVENT
Cost: $75 for a 2.5 hour interactive workshop among other Haas female alums in a beautiful surrounding
Snacks and drinks are included.
Signed copies of the book will be available at the event at a discounted price of $20.
Learn more: https://sustainableambition.com/books
For questions or more information on the event, please email Dimple Malkani.
Kathy Short Bio:
Kathy Oneto is an executive and life-work coach, speaker, and facilitator whose mission is to help ambitious individuals, organizations, and teams explore how to live and work differently for greater personal success, satisfaction, and sustainability. She is also a strategy executive who bridges her two worlds, applying strategic thinking to life and work planning and management.
She is the founder of Sustainable Ambition®, host of the Sustainable Ambition podcast, and author of the book, “Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work” (June 2025).
She holds an MBA from the UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a B.S. in commerce from the University of Virginia’s McIntire School.
Kathy lives in San Francisco with her husband and the fog.

From Interest to Impact: Serving on Boards
2025-10-06 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Exclusive 1-hour virtual event where seasoned professionals share practical tips and insider advice on how to serve, and succeed, on boards.
Calling all UC Berkeley Haas Alumni!
Are you ready to elevate your impact and influence? Have you considered board service but aren’t sure where to begin? This is your opportunity to gain invaluable insights from seasoned professionals who have successfully navigated the world of non-profit boards.
In this dynamic conversation, our panelists will share:

What boards are seeking when evaluating members
Firsthand accounts of triumphs, challenges, and the realities of board service
Actionable advice to enhance your candidacy

What makes this event a must-attend:

Small group setting to drive engagement and networking with panelists
Convenient, 60-minute Zoom meeting
Opportunity to meet accomplished professionals who have held multiple impactful board position

The event will be structured as a moderated panel with our three panelists, followed by an audience Q&A. Don’t miss this chance to propel your career and impact forward!
