ASCEND

ACHIEVE. SUCCEED. CONFIDENCE. EMPOWER. NURTURE. DRIVE.


POWERED BY:

We welcome all young women (and young men!) to join us for a

very special conference.


Ideal for 7-12 graders.


ASCEND

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15TH

VALENCIA HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

27801 North Dickason Drive
Valencia, CA

6pm – 8:30pm
Welcome
Speakers
Panel
Meet & Greet

Junior High and High School can be at once:

academically strenuous
both socially uplifting and difficult
an emotional rollercoaster fraught with questions about ourselves and our future:
Where am I headed?
How do I get there from here?
How do I find and maintain the drive and confidence to achieve my goals?
How do I deal with the stressors of life and social media?

Rather than build obstacles that stand in your way, come listen to strong, successful women from a variety of fields as they share with you what it takes to be strong, practice self-care, and find the confidence and drive to be successful and achieve your dreams.

Powered by Boston Scientific, whose strong commitment to youth education and empowerment through their corporate programs is making a difference for our Hart District students. WiSH is proud to call them our annual partner, making a significant impact on the over 20,000 students we serve.

REGISTRATION IS FREE, Online through 10/13/26 at 5pm

Donations appreciated; all funds stay in the Hart District benefitting student programs.

Parking is available at Valencia High School

Thank you to our sponsors:

Questions?  Email Christy Alben at
christyalben@gmail.com

*registering for WiSH events is an agreement to receive event confirmations and marketing emails; you agree to allow photography and your image to be possibly be used for future events.
REGISTER FOR ASCEND NOW!

Ascend Speakers – 2025 UPDATES ONGOING

Keynote Speaker:
Kelly Cude, PhD

Professor & Dept. Chair
Biological and Environmental Sciences Dept.
College of the Canyons
Dr. Kelly Cude is a Professor and Chair of the Biological Sciences Department at College of the Canyons, where she teaches courses in cancer biology, molecular genetics, cell biology, and human genetics since January of 2007.
Speaker:

Kyanna Isaacson
Director/Jersey Mike’s Santa Clarita

Kyanna began working for Jersey Mike’s at just 16 years old; today she is a proud co-owner of nine Jersey Mike’s stores in the Santa Clarita Valley, alongside her business partner, Steve Youlios. Her commitment to nurturing talent and fostering growth within her team mirrors the opportunities that were once given to her. Kyanna is passionate about creating an environment where her team members can thrive, just as she did, and she looks forward to continuing this legacy of success.

Speaker:
Mariam Nasiry
Assistant Vice President, School & Community Development Officer
California Credit Union
Mariam Nasiry brings over 25 years of experience in the retail banking and credit union industry, with a passion for empowering individuals through financial education and resources.  As an Assistant Vice President, School & Community Development Officer in the Greater Los Angeles area, Mariam leads education outreach initiatives that include delivering financial literacy programs to high school students.
Speaker:

Selina Thomas
CEO/Founder, 6 Degrees HR Consulting

As the CEO and founder of 6 Degrees HR Consulting, Selina not only excels in human resources but also provides internships to Santa Clarita Valley students. Selina also serves as the Chairwoman of the Valley Industry Association (VIA) and is actively involved as a facilitator; she is also a proud member of the WiSH Education Foundation Board of Directors.
Speaker:
Elizabeth Tarantini, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Elizabeth earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach, and has spent the past 27 years working primarily in direct practice within healthcare settings. Her clinical passions have included maternal mental health, neonatal intensive care, and emergency room social work, where she has made a meaningful impact on patients and families during critical times. She began her teaching career at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where she served as a mentor in the Systems-Based Healthcare program. There, she guided new physicians in understanding the human side of medicine—bridging mental health with compassionate bedside care.

Speaker:
Diana Haugen
Director, Marketing Communications, Boston Scientific

As a seasoned marketing professional with nearly 20 years of experience, she has worked with global health care, medical device and consumer brands to develop patient-centered strategies that improve access to care and drive measurable business results. Diana resides in Valencia, CA with her husband Lee and two children, Owen (age 12) and Henry (age 9).

        *registering for WiSH events is an agreement to receive event confirmations and marketing emails; PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR CONFIRMATIONS AND WEBINAR LINKS!