For several years, Denise Peck enjoyed success as a senior executive for major tech companies, including Cisco Systems. Then she shifted gears to pursue a different kind of career. She has since become well known within the GSB community and beyond as a mentor, advocate, and community builder dedicated to developing and elevating Asian leaders. “I love building communities, growing and scaling people and organizations, facilitating leadership workshops and public speaking, and mentoring and coaching professionals,” Denise says. Since 2013, she has served as executive advisor at Ascend, a nonprofit Pan-Asian organization with more than 65 North American chapters offering networking, events, and career development. But Denise’s giving back to her community doesn’t stop there.
In 2016, Denise founded and became co-chair of the GSB Asian Alumni Chapter, welcoming graduates of the MBA, MSx/Sloan, SEP, and PhD programs. “Denise grew the chapter from a handful of alumni to one of the GSB’s most active alumni chapters,” says Dione Chen, ’83, MBA ’90. “She has tirelessly inspired and supported the Asian community with her vision, voice, empathy, and energy. She is an active supporter of GSB initiatives across classes and affinity groups.”
Denise describes the chapter’s mission: “Our goal is to develop a global community of GSB alumni to provide mutual inspiration, learning, and support, and visible leadership and solidarity around issues of common interest,” she says. “We aim to build and leverage this network to enhance the lives of the GSB alumni community, from the GSB experience and thereafter in our professional and personal journeys, by working with the school and beyond.” In addition to her work at Ascend and with GSB alumni, Denise is also an executive mentor and board advisor for the MJAA Mentorship Program, which provides leadership development by matching Asian professionals with Asian executives from global corporations. “Her influence and generosity extend outside the GSB,” Dione says, “where her focus on Asian identity and career advancement extends to building bridges and uplifting individuals across the spectrum.”
