Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024 has been saved
Life at Deloitte
Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024
API professionals activating their purpose through inclusive leadership
May 17, 2024
Each May, in celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we honor the history, contributions, and culture of the diverse population of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community—it’s an opportunity to celebrate identity, build community, and practice allyship. This month, we are spotlighting two leaders at Deloitte who received Deloitte’s Michelle Go Inclusive Leadership Award in 2023. As part of this recognition, the Deloitte Foundation made a monetary donation to an education nonprofit organization of each recipient’s choosing that aligns with the Foundation's education/equity mission.
Michelle Go, a senior manager with Deloitte Consulting LLP in the API community, tragically passed away in 2022. In her memory and honor, this annual award recognizes Deloitte US professionals who display a passion for DEI, including supporting the development and advancement of women, bringing one’s authentic self and leadership to Deloitte, and being an impactful change maker.
These two individuals are not only leaders in their respective fields but also storytellers, intentionally weaving their personal journeys and identities into their work. By activating their personal purpose every day as inclusive leaders, they connect with the community, create an environment for others to thrive in the workplace, drive meaningful change, and ultimately foster a culture of belonging and allyship within Deloitte and beyond.
Ashley Wu is a senior manager with Deloitte & Touche LLP in the Risk & Financial Advisory practice. Ashley has been an active member of Deloitte’s East/Southeast Asian & Allies Community for the last eight years and has actively mentored many professionals, including over 20+ female Asian colleagues at the organization, through formal and informal mentoring programs.
Ashley is also active in her local community through her volunteering every Saturday to tutor Asian youth from low-income NYC families. She has also been a volunteer of the Ascend organization for over six years, including time spent as the EVP of the Ascend Executive Network for the NY Metro Ascend Chapter, and is currently supporting Deloitte’s sponsorship relationship with Ascend. She also spearheaded a fundraiser during the pandemic, raising over $20K in funds for struggling community businesses and AAPI organizations.
Ashley’s career advice, and what inclusive leadership means to her: "Being an inclusive leader means being able to collaborate and support others when they encounter challenges and help everyone have a voice—and it goes well beyond driving relationships. I have been able to forge and create personal and professional networks, but, for me, the greater impact is looking at how many people I’ve been able to reach. Working to foster a community for API professionals where we can learn and develop—it’s deeply important to me. When you provide opportunities for people to take on leadership roles, it can make a tremendous impact.”
Mike Deng is a senior manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP, supporting supply chain and procurement in key industries and thinking through ways Generative AI can help. Shortly after coming to Deloitte, Mike joined the China Service group and credits the group’s leaders with taking the time to coach him and inspire him to pursue the DEI initiatives he’s joined.
Mike is a dedicated leader in Deloitte’s East Asian Consulting Cohort (EACC) who has provided career development mentoring for numerous professionals, including 100+ junior EACC professionals. In addition, he has mentored more than 20 East Asian professionals in Deloitte Consulting’s Supply Chain & Network Operations (SCNO) practice and has co-hosted monthly real-talk sessions to help SCNO professionals navigate their career journeys. As part of his board of director role with a national non-profit, Mike organized a screening of a documentary with 200+ guests, sparking insightful conversations and further fueling his passion for mentoring future Chinese-American business leaders.
Mike’s career advice, and what inclusive leadership means to him: “For me, inclusive leadership is to be open-minded to everyone— when you can cultivate a culture to continue to lift up everyone. Do not hesitate to reach out to others. It is a sign of strength, not weakness. No Deloitte leader ever said no when I asked them for 30 minutes of their time—all of them opened their arms. I want to continue to work for the organization because it’s enabled me, a first-generation Chinese professional, to live my purpose.”
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