Round Table
Discussion
Roundtable Discussion
The Roundtable event will explore how we can collectively create a better post-pandemic future, together, lead by the inspirational efforts and creative minds of our Gen Z guest speakers. During the live event, speakers will also discuss issues such as mental health, identity, and other challenges that have intensified during the pandemic. Additionally, this event celebrates the 30th anniversary of the American Disability Act (ADA). The Gen Z 2020 Holiday Roundtable will be a free, virtual event open to a global audience.
Our Speakers
Dr. Angela Anderson
EXECUTIVE COMMENTATOR
Dr. Angela Anderson is a leadership and mental health professional with over 20 years of experience. She is internationally certified as an executive coach, master speaker, and trainer. Dr. Angela is the #1 international best selling author of Now What?! Get OVER Yourself and MOVE!
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Before launching her own consulting company, she served as a leader and trainee at Verizon, where she was recognized with multiple performance awards.
In 2019, Dr. Angela, in collaboration with tech executive Candace Morgan, launched the Just Be Real Sis, a podcast that features real conversations on issues that have historically been difficult to discuss, but necessary. The goal was to build bridges between points of view and create a platform for collaboration rather than competition.
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Dr. Angela has been called in to lend her expertise to multiple organizations including Verizon, FedEx, Lee Hecht Harrison, United Way, Ericsson, Comdata, multiple universities, and the United States Department of Defense.
Dian Trabulsy, Esq.
EXECUTIVE COMMENTATOR
Dian Trabulsy is Head of Investments Vendor Governance at AIG Investments, the asset management division of American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) providing investment advisory and asset management solutions to AIG, its business units and third-party clients. Dian leads global third party governance initiatives at AIG Investments and focuses on aligning and centralizing AIG Investments vendor governance function with business strategies of the aforementioned asset classes.
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Dian is the President of AIG’s Asian Leadership Network Employee Resource Group. She is also a member of Northwestern University Council of One Hundred, selected as a Northwestern woman leader for career accomplishments and commitment to mentoring.
Ron Taylor, CPA
EXECUTIVE COMMENTATOR
Ronald Taylor is Managing Director, Head of Diversity and Inclusion @Mizuho. In this role, he leads the firm’s efforts furthering a culture that benefits from diverse life experiences, viewpoints, and expertise. Most recently, Taylor was a Diversity Officer with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He also was a Diversity/HR Consultant where he designed and implemented diversity and inclusion programs and resource networks for his clients.
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Taylor is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Massachusetts and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as well as the New Jersey Society of CPAs. He is also a past member of Harlem’s Reviving Baseball in Inner cities (RBI) Board of Directors and St Anthony High School's Board of Trustees. Taylor served on the national board of directors and is a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Accountants.
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Diana Chao
EVENT AMBASSADOR
Diana Chao is a TEDxTeen Speaker, Social Entrepreneur, Mental Health Advocate, and book author. She founded Letters to Strangers (L2S) when she was a sophomore in high school after bipolar disorder nearly ended her life.
By beginning to heal through letters, she discovered that writing is humanity distilled into ink. Today, L2S is the largest global youth-for-youth mental health nonprofit organization. Diana has been named a Princess Diana Award winner, Oprah Magazine's 2019 Health Hero, the youngest winner of the Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Award, and the only American winner of the 2019 Global Changemakers cohort.
Marc Williams
EVENT MODERATOR
Marc Williams is a finalist from the World Championship of Public Speaking, as well as a coach, author, TEDx Talker, and entrepreneur. Growing up in the streets of Brooklyn with a medicaid card and a book of food stamps, he lived in poverty but dreamed in abundance. Despite the trials and trauma he's been through, people call him "one of the most positive people you will ever meet." What he is most positive about is your potential to rise beyond any limitation, make your mark, and use your gifts to change many lives.
As the founder of the Make Your Mark Movement (a personal development, professional branding, and public speaking program), Marc teaches leaders, both young and old, how to express themselves in a compelling way so that they can have a greater influence on their communities and the world around them.
Mario Lewis
EVENT MODERATOR
Mario Lewis, DTM, is an award-winning, energetic speaker and presentation coach, who provides audiences and individuals with motivational messages and strategies to become powerful and dynamic communicators. He delivers high powered talks at leadership conferences, and corporate events that teach people how to CONNECT with their audiences to make their message memorable. As a finalist in the Toastmasters’ 2012 World Championship of Public Speaking (and a semi-finalist in 2017, 2018, and 2020), the largest public speaking contest in the world, Mario has demonstrated the unique ability to engage audiences of all sizes and backgrounds.
Mia Gong-Swanson
PANELIST - Letters to Strangers
Mia Gong-Swanson is a 16- year-old high school student living in California. Mia has volunteered with Letters to Strangers by contributing to the Youth for Youth Mental Health Guidebook, and she has also been involved in fundraising efforts alongside China's Children International. She is currently interested in being a Psychology Major and English Minor due to her interest in Early Childhood Education and teaching. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career working with young people and help them empower themselves to become positive influences in their community.
Aeris Stewart
PANELIST - Letters to Strangers
Aeris Stewart is a songwriter, libertarian activist, and student. They study International Affairs, Economics, and Arabic at Northeastern University and, after graduation, hope to work with refugees. They joined Letters to Strangers (L2S) as the Google Ads account manager in January of this year.
Yuewen Yang
PANELIST - Letters to Strangers
Yuewen Yang is a sophomore at NYU, studying Global Liberal Studies, Math, and Economics, and has finished the first several months of college at NYU Florence in Italy. She is a Chinese international student from Yunnan, which has the highest concentration of Chinese ethnic minorities. She has a keen interest in intercultural communication.
Chason Yan
PANELIST - US Education Without Borders
Chason Yan, born and raised in Des Moines, IA, currently attends Iowa State University as a Sophomore. He is majoring in Supply Chain Management and has been awarded Dean’s List Honors every semester attended thus far.
Chason has held internships at Optimist Dental Supply, a dental and medical supplies distributor, and Lipman Law Firm, a firm focused on pest control cases. Aside from school and work, he is heavily involved with his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, where he resides as New Member Educator. In his free time, Chason enjoys watching sports and playing the piano.
Michelle Fan
PANELIST - iHub
Michelle Fan is a senior at Rutgers University studying cultural anthropology and journalism. She currently works as an intern for the Center for Women's Global Leadership, where she assists with the coordination of the Global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, the longest running campaign to end violence against women. Presently, she is working on her honors in anthropology and preparing for law school. In the future, she aims to pursue a career of human rights advocacy.
Jeren Wei
PANELIST - Dare to Venture
Jeren Wei is a student at Columbia University studying biochemistry and statistics who strives to generate a positive impact in his community. He founded Help for Healthcare, a Covid-19 relief initiative that raised funds to deliver meals and personal protective equipment to hospitals nation-wide. This initiative led to a donation of 2,000 meals and 27,800+ masks, raised $16,500+, collaborated with 10 hospitals across New York, Georgia, and South Carolina. Aside from his interest in civic engagement, he is a student researcher and microbiology enthusiast studying the surface glycoproteins of the parainfluenza virus at the Columbia University Medical Center and serves as an Associate Consultant for a student- run organization Global Research & Consulting Group.