Dr. Ruchi M. Watson serves as managing director and CEO of the Goff Strategic Leadership Institute at the University of Utah. Goff is a premier institute for strategy and leadership whose mission is to transform individuals and organizations into value creators via their unique, research-backed educational and experiential approach. Watson’s research focuses on leadership and has been published in Harvard Business Review.

At the U, Watson is a professor (lecturer) in the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy and strategic advisor to the dean at the David Eccles School of Business. She serves as co-chair of the university’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, a member of the Board of Directors for the Utah Women in Higher Education Network (UWHEN), and on the governing board of the ASCENT Center at University of Utah Health. In 2021, she was honored as one of 30 Women to Watch by Utah Business magazine.

Prior to joining the university, Watson was a senior marketing manager and enterprise strategy lead at Target Corporation in Minneapolis. She was previously a consultant at Bain & Company in New York City and worked in research and development at General Mills, also in Minneapolis. Watson graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering and earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She holds a Doctorate of Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this session, you’ll be invited to move beyond job titles and the labels others have given you. This is a chance to take ownership of your identity, challenge limiting assumptions, and intentionally shape how you want to show up in the world. You’ll reflect on what you want to be known for and the story you’re telling—both to yourself and to others. By the end, you’ll have a clearer sense of the narratives you’re ready to let go of and the ones you’re ready to write next.

Lavanya Mahate is an award-winning entrepreneur, restaurateur, and passionate advocate for economic empowerment through food. She is the Founder and CEO of Saffron Valley Restaurants, a beloved Utah-based restaurant group known for bringing vibrant Indian cuisine and culture to life across five locations. Under her leadership, Saffron Valley has earned numerous accolades, including Salt Lake Magazine’s Best Indian Restaurant for five consecutive years.

In addition to her culinary ventures, Lavanya is the Founder and Director of the RISE Culinary Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting refugee and immigrant women through free, hands-on culinary training, internships, and job placement. Through RISE, she is helping build pathways to sustainable employment and self-sufficiency in the food industry.

A tireless champion for women and underserved communities, Lavanya has spent over two decades mentoring entrepreneurs, supporting small businesses, and leading community-building initiatives. She serves on several boards and has received numerous recognitions, including Utah Business Person of the Year (2024), Entrepreneur of the Year (2022) from the Girl Scouts of Utah and Business and Innovation Award (2024) from the YWCA.

In this session, you will be guided through the ACE Framework to help you:

• Identify where you’ve been playing small or feeling stuck
• Get clear on what you’re ready to reclaim in your life
• Learn simple practices to feel more grounded and in control
• Let go of the need for permission or perfection
• Write a personal declaration to own your power moving forward

This is your time to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the strongest version of yourself.