On Mother’s Day, May 10, 2026, the 3rd Annual Global Motherhood Leadership Summit (GMLS) was successfully held in San Francisco, following previous summits in Miami in 2024 and Boston in 2025. Founded by Dr. Yanli He and organized by the Post-Pandemic Leadership Research Institute (PLRI), the summit applied principles of organizational leadership to motherhood and created a space where motherhood, leadership, ethics, wisdom, beauty, purpose, and community come together.

GMLS 2026 is proudly supported by Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer and candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California, as well as small businesses and corporations across the San Francisco Bay Area, including Hyatt Regancey San Franciso Airport, Dobe WE Co-Working Space, Luxe Paw Grooming, Halo Pet Grooming, Finding Kids, Leadership Traits for Kids, Startups LEAD, Blue Danube Healing Center, CQ Taste, H2O Head Care, Marina Sushi Bar, MY Dumpling, Ahouse, Acadia Architecture, and Nordera Media.

Participants, ranging in age from 29 to 80, represented a wide range of leadership roles, including government officers, mayors, corporate presidents, CEOs, managers, administrators, researchers, and founders of businesses and organizations. Their educational backgrounds ranged from associate degrees to doctoral degrees, reflecting diverse professional sectors such as government, education, consulting, finance, accounting, personal services, healthcare, sales, design, real estate, biology, and ministry. During Pacific Asian American Heritage Month, GMLS 2026 featured amazing Asian American mothers and women leaders from the corporate, nonprofit, government, and small business sectors.

Fathers and children also actively participated in the summit, contributing to the spirit of harmony, family engagement, and intergenerational connection that defined GMLS 2026.

Opening Remarks

The opening of GMLS 2026 was announced by Neetu Rishi, Mrs. Indian Universe 2023 and keynote speaker for GMLS Boston 2025. As a mother of two, Neetu warmly reflected on the inspiring memories of GMLS 2025 in Boston, while extending her best wishes for the continued success of GMLS 2026 in San Francisco. Several distinguished speakers from GMLS 2024 and GMLS 2025 also shared heartfelt opening remarks. All expressed their ongoing commitment to support and participate in the summit annually.

Dr. Yanli He, founder of GMLS, welcomed attendees and shared two powerful real-life workplace stories. One illustrated how leadership traits influence employee retention, relationship building, and effective leadership. The other reflected a family’s journey through loss, responsibility, healing, and the restoration of love within a broken family. She noted that the Global Motherhood Leadership Summit is not only for mothers, but for anyone who carries love, compassion, and the courage to care beyond themselves. Motherhood leadership is not only about giving life, but also about extending love beyond roles, boundaries, and even beyond loss.

Keynote Speakers & Topics

The Global Motherhood Leadership Summit 2026 featured meaningful keynote presentations that shared powerful insights and deeply personal stories, inspiring and empowering the audience. Topics ranged from care, compassion, reflection, resilience, and AI innovation to healing, family restoration, and finding missing children. Below is the list of keynote speakers and their featured presentations:

Dr. Yanli He
Founder of the Global Motherhood Leadership Summit
Keynote: “Colors of Motherhood Leadership”

Neetu Rishi
Mrs. India Universe 2023
Founder of The Success Door
Keynote: “The Crown, the Guilt, and the Comeback”

Yan Zhao
Former Mayor of Saratoga (2021 & 2024)
Keynote: “How Mothers Utilize Technology and AI in the Workplace and Family”

Li Xu
Vice President, East West Bank
Keynote: “Born to Nurture, Built to Lead”

Dr. Anita Chen
Impact Strategic Officer, Finding Kids
Keynote: “The Impact of Finding Kids”

Zen Performance

To celebrate Mother’s Day, GMLS 2026 featured a Zen performance by Yuyan Yang, founder of CQ Noodles, based in Cupertino in the San Francisco Bay Area. The performance, titled “Listening to Rain on the Mountainside,” was dedicated to her late mother and to all mothers who have devoted their lives to their families and to social sustainability.

As a special segment, Yuyan shared a touching story about her mother, “A Noodle Story: A Tribute to My Mother,” reflecting how her mother shaped her mindset and instilled values of diligence and hard work. Before passing, her mother reminded her: “As long as money is earned through honest hard work with your own hands, even collecting recyclables or trash is honorable and worthy of respect.” Such a segment brought the summit to an emotional and uplifting moment, filling the room with a powerful sense of ethics and integrity.

Kids Engagement

GMLS 2026 hosted open forums on topics related to motherhood and leadership, encouraging active audience participation. All attendees, including spouses and children, were invited to share their personal stories and insights aligned with the summit’s themes. Children reflected on what they love most about their mothers, one important life lesson their mothers have taught them about family or how to treat others, and moments when difficulties arose at home—how their mothers handled those situations, and what they learned from them.

Fathers Engagement

From a father’s perspective, participants were also invited to share the strongest leadership qualities they see in their wives, the mothers of their children. They reflected on times when the family faced challenges and how she guided or led the family through those situations. Fathers further discussed how they and their partners support each other in raising their children, what they have learned about leadership from their wives, and how her leadership style has influenced their children and shaped overall family relationships.

Relationship Building

On May 11, some attendees who traveled from outside San Francisco were invited to Napa Valley. The primary purpose of the Global Motherhood Leadership Summit is to build trust, foster meaningful relationships, and explore shared values among participants, as these are among the most valuable assets in today’s AI-driven world. To further this goal, GMLS organized post-event tours and engaging activities for guests.

Looking Ahead

The fourth annual GMLS 2027 is scheduled to be held on Mother’s Day in Las Vegas. May God continue to use ordinary women to accomplish extraordinary works for His glory!