Lotus Leadership Awards Gala 2026
Join us for an evening of connection, celebration, and impact
The Asia Foundation’s Lotus Leadership Awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their contributions towards empowering women in Asia and the Pacific. The awards are hosted annually by the Lotus Circle, a vibrant and diverse community of philanthropists supporting The Asia Foundation in our work to strengthen economic, social, and political rights and opportunities for women and girls across Asia and the Pacific.
Working with our 17 country offices and local partners, The Asia Foundation draws on our collective networks and expertise to invest Lotus Circle Funds strategically to transform the lives of women, girls, and their communities across Asia and the Pacific.
Location
Mandarin Oriental
80 Columbus Circle, NYC
Date & Time
April 22, 2026
Reception:
6:30 PM
Dinner:
7:30 PM
Attire
Evening Formal/
Asian-Pacific Attire
2026 Lotus Leadership Awards Honorees
Global Honoree
Jacqueline Novogratz
Founder and CEO of Acumen, for her visionary leadership ensuring private investments unlock women’s economic opportunities
Local Honoree
Women’s Business Center in Mongolia
for 10 years of on-the-ground impact supporting thousands of women entrepreneurs.
Accepted by Ms. Jargalsuren Dalantai, Founder of Jasu Art Studio and graduate of the Women’s Business Center’s Business Incubator Program 2nd Cohort.
Corporate Honoree
Microsoft
for its corporate and philanthropic commitment to accelerating women’s advancement in the technology sector.
The award will be accepted by Heather Oliver, Community Engagement Manager at Microsoft.
Experience the Evening
An Evening of Impact & Celebration
Join the Lotus Circle in honoring extraordinary leaders advancing women’s empowerment across Asia and the Pacific. Connect with visionary philanthropists transforming lives through strategic investments in 17 countries—and be part of a movement creating lasting change.
Featuring a special performance by acclaimed composer-lyricist:
Julia Riew
Musical theater composer-lyricist and New York Times bestselling novelist Julia Riew is an award-winning composer, librettist, and writer whose work brings together musical theater, storytelling, and cultural reimagination with extraordinary emotional resonance.
We are thrilled that Julia will open the Lotus Leadership Awards Gala with a special in-kind performance, helping to launch an evening dedicated to advancing women’s rights, agency, and opportunities across Asia and the Pacific.
Thank you to our generous sponsors
VISIONARY
Winnie C. & Michael Feng
Lin & Stephen Jamison
CHAMPION
Cheng-Ling Chen & Andy Chou
Janet Middleton Montag
Anonymous
LEADER
Anonymous
Debby Carter & CJ Conroy
Missie Rennie & Zach Taylor
ADVOCATE
Amanda Minami, Aime Chao, &
the Minami Legacy Fund for Equity in Action
Kyra Tirana Barry
Robert J. Cummins Family Foundation
Inga & David Kaplan
Carlene Carrasco Laughlin
Miyoung E. Lee
Hee-Jung and John Moon
Jacqueline Novogratz
Kathleen M. Pike
John Rosenwald
Libby & Patrick Scheideler
Leyli Zohrenejad
PARTNER
The Singh Foundation
Chris Hjorth & Tom Barron
Jennie Tang
Regeneron
Alice Young & Thomas Shortall
Anonymous
Can’t Attend the Gala?
GALA INFORMATION
The non-tax-deductible portion of each ticket is $285 per person. IRS regulations currently prohibit the use of a Donor Advised Fund grant to pay for all or any portion (whether tax deductible or not) of the admission price to attend an event. Direct contributions are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Foundation is exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Asia Foundation’s Federal Identification Number is 94-1191246.
For information on sponsoring this event,
please contact:
Kelly Deuster | [email protected]