20th Cohort of ACE Leadership Graduates » MnTech

Last week, the 20th cohort of the ACE Leadership Program gathered near downtown Minneapolis to take the final step in their leadership development program: graduation. Since the beginning of the program nearly two decades ago, the program has culminated in a final presentation showcasing what leaders have learned, tactics they will use in their leadership journey going forward, and the impact they will make in their community.

During this six month program, ACE Leaders hear from expert speakers on topics such as “building and sustaining your leadership brand,” “engaging in the broader community,” “strength-based leadership,” “building positive team culture,” “communicating for results,” and “cultivating inclusive organizations.” The goal of these sessions is to develop a wholistic leader who will be prepared to drive our technology industry forward.

The final session involves ACE Leaders presenting to their executive mentors, MnTech Board Members, and ACE alumni on their personal investment strategies. ACE Leaders take what they have learned in the six month program and develop a strategy to implement these new skills and tactics into their own organizations and teams.

Congratulations to the 20th cohort of ACE Leadership on successfully completing this course! Take a look at an album of photos from their final presentations below.

Thinking of Applying to ACE?

If you're interested in joining the next cohort of ACE Leadership, there is still time to apply. You can visit the ACE Leadership home page to view more about the program and apply. Cohorts begin in March and September.

Jayshree Seth
Corporate Scientist, 3M

Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist at 3M and currently holds 77 patents for a variety of innovations, with several additional pending. She joined 3M in 1993 after an MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, New York. She is a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from her alma mater REC Trichy India, now NIIT Trichy, where she earned a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering.

Jayshree was appointed 3M’s first ever Chief Science Advocate in 2018 and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise and professional experience to advance science and communicate the benefits of science and the importance of diversity in STEM fields. She is also a member of Carlton Society which is the 3M Science and Engineering “Hall of Fame.” Jayshree is the fourth woman and first female engineer to be inducted. In 2020, she was awarded Society of Women Engineers (SWE) highest Achievement Award. She is also the first-ever winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the new Female Thought Leaders of the Year – category in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business in 2021. Jayshree was featured in a docuseries titled Not the Science Type that premiered during the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and accepted for Brand Storytelling Showcase, a sanctioned event at Sundance Film Festival. She is the author of the books, The Heart of Science – Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints, and The Heart of Science – Engineering Fine Print published by the Society of Women Engineers, and all sales proceeds go to a scholarship for underrepresented minority women in STEM. She is a sought-after speaker, globally, on a multitude of topics such as innovation, leadership and STEM advocacy and has featured in local, national and international media.

Jayshree has served on the CEOs Inclusion Council, chaired the 3M Asian Employee Resource Group A3CTION and serves on the Steering Committee for 3M Technical Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF). She also serves on the Board of the Science Museum of Minnesota, Engineering Advisory Council for Clarkson University, AAAS Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPP), Advisory Board for Innovation – The Conference Board, and Advisory Group of Aspen Institute Our Future is Science program.

Jayshree has two adult kids, and her husband also works at 3M.