Speakers and Panelists

Alix Zargar is an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn. She spent two years in their Domestic Violence Bureau and currently works in their Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, which works to combat gang violence and narcotics rings. Prior to the District Attorney’s office, she worked as an associate attorney and law clerk for law offices in New York and New Jersey. She grew up in Connecticut and now lives in downtown Jersey City with her cat, Loaf. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems from Lehigh University and a Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.  

Nisha Vedi Pawar is the creative heart behind Love Laugh Mirch, a digital hub celebrating culture, family, and food. Nisha’s passion for sharing her South Asian heritage is the kind of community building work she loves. Partnering with global brands, she has led diversity-driven campaigns recognized by NBC, NPR, and Insider. Prior to this, Nisha pursued a degree in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida. She has also volunteered her time teaching Hindi to preschoolers. Additionally, Nisha sits on the board of Feed Hunger Now, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering individuals and communities to grow food sustainably, thereby helping to increase food security. You can follow her on Instagram @LoveLaughMirch.

Kim Y. Lew is CEO of Columbia Investment Management Company, which manages the endowment of
Columbia University. Previously, she was the CIO of Carnegie Corporation of New York, the private grant making foundation founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1911, which she joined from the Ford Foundation. Lew started her career in the middle market banking group of Chemical Bank and following business school joined Prudential CapitalGroup. Kim graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S in Economics and from the Harvard Graduate School of Business with an MBA. She is a CFA charterholder and has served as both a standard setter and grader. Kim was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Institutional Investor and has been on the CIO Power 100 list since 2018. Kim serves on the Boards of Ariel Investment Management Mutual Funds and Girls Who Invest. She also serves on the investment committees of the National Gallery of the Arts and the William Penn Foundation. Most importantly, she is the mother of two amazing daughters.
 

Bernadine So moved to New York City in 2012, right after graduating college in Manila, the
Philippines, where she was born and raised. She is proudly Filipino-Chinese. She works in financial services, and is the Executive Assistant to the President of Clearing & Securities Services at the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), and previously worked at Goldman Sachs. She has a strong background in administration, operations, and client relations, and has also worked in the tax and biotech industries. Bernadine lives downtown with her dog, Walter, who is a local celebrity. When they’re not walking around the neighborhood, she devotes her time to her hobby-turned-business, Diwata Flowers, and creates floral arrangements from the kitchen of her studio apartment. She holds a BA in International Studies from De La Salle University, and while she never pursued immigration law, she’s still passionate about helping others however she can.

Jahayra Harrell is a serial entrepreneur and seasoned professional in the garment industry, with over two decades of experience since the early 2000s. She is the founder of Isa de Ponce, a brand dedicated to celebrating the resilience and legacy of her mother, Isabel Maria Flores, through storytelling and fashion that honors Puerto Rican roots. Jahayra also co-founded ARTMEETSCHAOS, a premium denim brand, with her husband, and she runs Harrell Print Co. alongside her eldest son, Joaquin Harrell, and her husband. Passionate about creativity and community, Jahayra continues to inspire others by celebrating authenticity, heritage, and innovation through her various ventures.