Asian Women Making an Impact 2026

Join us on Wednesday, March 25 | 6:30–8:00 PM at The Boston Foundation for a dynamic panel conversation featuring:

Diana Hwang, Founder & Executive Director of the Asian American Women’s Political Initiative

Jean Yang, President & CEO of Vinfen

Alicia Tulsee, Founder and CEO, Moxie Scrubs

Representative Erika Uyterhoeven, State Representative, 27th Middlesex

Moderated by Shirley Leung, Business Columnist at the Boston Globe

Through candid reflections on pivotal moments, challenges, and successes, our panelists will share how intentional decisions — big and small — can create meaningful change in our communities.

✨ Come to listen.
✨ Come to be inspired.
✨ Come to connect.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Founder & Executive Director, Asian American Women's Political Initiative (AAWPI)

Diana is the Founder and Executive Director of the Asian American Women's Political Initiative (AAWPI), the only national-level political leadership organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander women.

In 2023, she was named by POLITICO as “one of the 40 most powerful people shaping race, culture, policy and politics,” alongside Ketanji Brown Jackson and Kamala Harris; POLITICO called her “nothing short of a change agent.” She was also named one of the 150 Most Influential Bostonians by Boston Magazine.

Diana has been a featured speaker at the Reykjavik Global Forum, the Center for American Progress, and at several colleges, including Salem State University, where she gave the annual convocation address.

In 2020, Diana was the first Political and Organizing Director for She the People, a national network of women of color working to transform our democracy. She was also a former candidate for the Massachusetts State Senate. She carried the city of Boston and outraised her seven opponents in the race.

Diana graduated from Dartmouth College and Columbia Business School.

President & CEO, Vinfen

As President & Chief Executive Officer of Vinfen, Jean Yang is responsible for the organization’s overall strategic direction, ensuring that it aligns with Vinfen’s core mission and is successfully delivered through rigorous operation, strong workforce development, market-leading innovation, and extensive collaboration with stakeholders across the health and human services sector.

Ms. Yang brings 20 years of healthcare experience spanning across payer, provider, and government entities to her role as Vinfen’s leader. Prior to joining Vinfen in 2022, she spent five years as President of Public Plans at Point32Health, where she led the company’s division that provided health insurance to over 500,000 Medicaid and other low-income members.

Ms. Yang’s professional experience also includes serving as the Executive Director of Boston Children’s Hospital’s Integrated Care Organization (CHICO) from 2015 to 2017 and leading the Massachusetts Health Connector Authority from 2010 to 2015, during which time she led the complex effort to implement the Affordable Care Act throughout the Commonwealth.

Ms. Yang is a first-generation immigrant from China. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Peking University of China and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School. An active leader in health care policy, Ms. Yang has served on numerous Boards of healthcare organizations, including the Health Policy Commission, Group Insurance Commission, Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, and Massachusetts Health Quality Partners.

Founder and CEO, Moxie Scrubs

Alicia Tulsee comes from the marketing world and is the Founder of Moxie Scrubs, a Boston-based company disrupting the medical apparel industry as the first direct-to-consumer brand created specifically for nurses. Born out of Harvard’s Innovation Lab, Moxie Scrubs is redefining the $86B global medical apparel market as the first lifestyle consumer goods brand dedicated to the nursing profession.

A native New Yorker and Harvard alum, Alicia was inspired by the extraordinary nurses who cared for her loved ones and felt called to create something meaningful in support of the profession. Through Moxie Scrubs, she is elevating how nurses are seen, served, and celebrated.

State Representative, 27th Middlesex District

Representative Erika Uyterhoeven is a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 27th Middlesex district. Representative Uyterhoeven was elected to office in 2020 and has since focused her work on expanding access and equity across Massachusetts. She places a heavy emphasis on improving access and equity in reproductive and LGBTQTIA+ healthcare, while also working to help manage the increasing costs of health insurance for residents.

Throughout her position, Rep. Uyterhoeven has prioritized investments in new construction and affordable housing in Somerville, along with increased investments in public transportation through the MBTA. She advocates for providing equitable funding in public education, including pre-K childcare and community college.

A strong voice on climate change, she has successfully passed two laws aimed at investing in renewable energy and creating more jobs in the clean energy sector.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Boston Foundation, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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