June 2026 | Vol 32

2026 has been a strong year for Harvard Alumni for Global Women’s Empowerment. Our Annual Women’s Empowerment Expo, which was held on campus and virtually this year, highlighted the theme “Women on the Frontlines Transforming the World” and was attended by hundreds of people worldwide. Many thanks to the Programs Team, led by Roopal Thaker and Estera Borcsa, and to fellow GlobalWE Board members and longtime volunteers, for bringing this signature event to life in new and exciting ways.

In Fall 2025, GlobalWE launched a Mentoring Program to pair Harvard Alumni with Harvard College students and the program, which concluded in May 2026, was a great success. Mentors and mentees learned from each other and engaged in lively conversations over the course of several months. GlobalWE volunteer Himaja Nagireddy was instrumental to this program’s launch and we are grateful for her leadership.

Another flagship initiative for GlobalWE is our Essay Contest, and our recent celebration of the 10th anniversary of the contest in March 2026 brought together some of the earliest volunteers for this initiative to reflect on its creation and evolution. This event also featured a presentation by a student who created a new website tool for data analysis of thousands of essays from over 20 countries.

GlobalWE continues to grow with new and expanded programming and strengthen its existing initiatives. Please join us in our effort to engage more of our membership and increase the impact of our programming.

To learn more about how to get involved, contact me at president@hglobalwe.org. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until then, best wishes for a fantastic summer!

Very Truly Yours,

Barbara Barreno-Paschall AB ‘07
President, Harvard Alumni for Global Women’s Empowerment

Board News

GlobalWE Welcomes New Board Members

We are incredibly excited to welcome Eleni Theochari as Co-Chair of the Membership Committee.

Eleni is the founder and CEO of Mykonos Luxury Corporation, a women-led firm specializing in luxury hospitality consulting and private travel design across Greece, Europe, and the United States. She brings more than twenty years in the field, including owning and operating a boutique hotel and beach club in Mykonos, and an earlier career in New York leading global brands such as Guess? and Liz Claiborne across product development, marketing, and sales.

A Harvard College alumnae, Eleni is also an active member of the Harvard Club of Greece.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Christina Tobias-Nahi as Co-Chair of the External Affairs Committee.

Christina joined the Islamic Circle of North America, ICNA Relief, as part-time Director of Government Affairs in late 2025 and teaches part-time for the FCPS district. She is currently on the Advisory of the IF20 and works with the host country of the G20 each year to support the annual Summit, and is a steering group member of the ANHW-DC Chapter.

She holds a M.A. in International Relations from Boston University-Paris Overseas Graduate Center, an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2003) and Exec Ed certificates, from Harvard in Public Policy (2023) and Colorado State in Community-based Development.

We are so lucky to have Kathryn Pauso join us as the Co-Chair of the Development Committee.

Kathryn is a development professional with over twenty years of experience across government, bilateral aid, civil society, and the private sector, with a focus on health innovation and systems strengthening in low- and middle-income countries. Her career has spanned policy development in Philippine government agencies, and grant fund management on USAID-funded programs.

She holds a Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, where she was an Edward S. Mason Fellow in Public Policy and Management.

A Boston Evening with GlobalWE

On May 28th, I had the pleasure of meeting some of our incredible volunteers and board members for the very first time: Ian Vasicka, Eleni Theocharidou, Shan Sherwan, Naoko Ushimaru-Alsop, and our Treasurer, Melissa McHugh, over a warm and lively dinner at a charming little Greek restaurant in Boston.

Between plates of spanakopita, tzatziki, and moussaka, we talked about GlobalWE, the women's issues closest to our hearts, and the work that lies ahead. What struck me most was this: each of us arrived from a different corner of the world, carrying different accents, different stories, different roads traveled, yet the moment we sat down together, it felt less like a first meeting and more like a reunion. As if the cause itself had already introduced us long before we shook hands.

That is, perhaps, the quiet power of what GlobalWE builds, not just programs and partnerships, but a community where shared purpose dissolves distance, and people who have never met can feel, instantly, like they belong to the same something.

It was an evening that reminded me why this work matters and left me deeply energized for the year ahead.

Aarti Gupta
Vice President, GlobalWE

Upcoming Events

Please stay tuned for more details on the following events...

Women as Agents of Change

Women as Agents of Change, a showcase of artistic submissions, had a brief debut at this year's in-person and virtual Expo. The submissions, which included spoken word, videos, and other artistic pieces, highlighted women’s leadership, resilience, and global impact, and were a huge success at both Expos.

Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
Location: Virtual
Time: TBD

August - Movie Club Discussion

September - Annual General Members Meeting and Social

Recent Events

On-Campus GlobalWE SIG Meetup on Alumni Day

On Harvard Alumni Day 2026, GlobalWE Board members and long‑standing SIG volunteers welcomed alumni in Cambridge, including both long‑time supporters and those newly curious about women’s empowerment worldwide. The meetup — facilitated by dedicated GlobalWE volunteers — highlighted the truly international nature of our team and community. Our Treasurer Melissa (Boston), President Emerita Sajida (Dubai), and volunteers Naoko (soon heading to Japan), Ian (Czechia via New York/Boston), and Shan (Boston) created a warm and engaging space for conversation and connection.

In an informal gathering in a Science Center classroom, GlobalWE members shared their personal motivations for joining and staying engaged in the SIG, while prospective members asked thoughtful questions and offered suggestions following a brief overview of GlobalWE’s mission and activities. The discussion also highlighted GlobalWE’s signature programs, including Student-Alumni Roundtable, Expo, Essay Contest, and other flagship initiatives, which sparked genuine interest and enthusiasm among potential new members eager to support and participate.

This year’s June 5th meetup was the strongest turnout we’ve seen in years, bringing together dedicated volunteers and a promising group of new and prospective members. We look forward to seeing many of them again soon.

Global Women Empowerment Expo 2026
In-Person & Virtual

On April 18 2026 GlobalWE held its annual Women’s Empowerment Expo on the Harvard campus, followed by a virtual Expo on April 25. Around 50 organizations showcased their work, and about 200 attendees joined us for these events.

When planning this annual event, GlobalWE reached out to its membership of 1500+ alumni for suggestions of organizations and changemakers. We deeply appreciate our members for suggesting around 75 organizations doing women’s empowerment work across the globe. Organizations from North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia shared their impact and engaged with each other and our student and alumni community.

Thank you also to our members for submitting almost 30 incredible spoken word, videos and other artistic pieces, some of which we were able to share during Expo. Other pieces will be shared through forthcoming programs this year. Finally, we are grateful for the student leaders and members of our undergraduate chapter who partnered with us for Expo.

Expo Participant Testimonials

I had the opportunity to attend the GlobalWE Women’s Empowerment Expo at Harvard, and what stood out most to me was the strong sense of global connection across diverse organizations and perspectives.

The conversations highlighted how education, community, and cross-cultural dialogue play a critical role in advancing women’s empowerment. I was especially inspired by the shared commitment to expanding access and opportunity for women across different regions and backgrounds.

As someone working in education leadership and community building in Silicon Valley, this deeply resonated with my own work supporting families and students from diverse cultural backgrounds. It also sparked my interest in exploring how we can further connect global initiatives like GlobalWE with local communities to expand impact.

I’m grateful to be part of this community and look forward to contributing to future programming.

-Sophia Su
(In-Person Participant)

Participating in the [virtual] GlobalWE Women’s Empowerment Expo was a truly meaningful experience.

As someone joining from Brazil, I was deeply inspired by the opportunity to connect with women from different countries, backgrounds, and professional paths, all united by a shared commitment to creating positive change.

What made the experience especially memorable was realizing how many women are driving impact in ways that are not always visible. Through the conversations, presentations, and connections made during the Expo, I was reminded that leadership takes many forms, and that some of the most important contributions happen behind the scenes, where vision is transformed into action.

I am grateful to GlobalWE for creating a space where those voices can be heard, celebrated, and connected across borders.

-Jomenica Livramento
(Virtual Participant)

GlobalWE Expo Featured in an Article:
These women are making history around the world – by Deborah Levine

Deborah Levine founded the American Diversity Report in 2006. She is a Forbes Magazine top "Trailblazer" and award-winning author of 20 books.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Global Networking Night

On March 25, 2026, GlobalWE volunteers represented our SIG at Harvard Alumni Association’s annual Global Networking Night (GNN), a worldwide event that brings thousands of Harvard alumni together to build new connections and strengthen the Harvard network. GlobalWE ambassadors participated in Los Angeles (Barbara Barreno-Paschall), Boston (Naoko Ushimaru-Alsop), New York City (Yuko Nakanishi), London (Tara Dankel), and Riyadh (Betania Allo).

Our volunteers showcased GlobalWE through an introductory video, brochures, and flyers highlighting all of our programming as well as opportunities to volunteer or get more involved.

We are grateful to our volunteers for serving as GlobalWE ambassadors and helping introduce fellow alumni to our vibrant global community. We look forward to welcoming new members who connected with us during this year’s Global Networking Night.

Thank You from the GlobalWE Board

Barbara Barreno-Paschall,
President
LinkedIn

Aarti Gupta,
Vice President
LinkedIn

Melissa McHugh,
Treasurer
LinkedIn

Anika Gray,
Secretary
LinkedIn

Leah Abaya Keane,
President Emerita
LinkedIn

Sajida H. Shroff,
Strategy Chair & President Emerita
LinkedIn

Roopal Thaker,
Programs Chair
LinkedIn

Eric Dai,
Membership and Volunteers Chair

Ariette Escobar
Marketing Chair
LinkedIn

Aliza Akhtar Maqbool,
Development Chair
LinkedIn

Gaia van der Esch,
External Affairs Chair
LinkedIn

Julie Palmer,
Co-Founder, Essay Contest Co-Chair LinkedIn

Recep Bildik,
Essay Contest Co-Chair
LinkedIn

Robena Jafari,
Transformation Chair
LinkedIn

Cami Tchoi,
Essay Contest Chair
Linkedin

If you have any questions, please contact info@hglobalwe.org

Donate | Become a Member of GlobalWE

Table of Contents