PCMA Ascent

Promoting a Vibrant Environment for All Event Professionals
- Ascent is an initiative by PCMA and Convene to promote equity and inclusion across the business events industry.
- Ascent seeks to empower those individuals facing barriers from unique life experiences, ensuring that all voices have the support and platform to succeed in the events industry.
- Ascent strives to motivate and to educate decision-makers on the business case and best practices for inclusive workplaces and events.
- We believe that greater inclusion across the industry will foster new voices to strengthen our leadership, our businesses, and our world.
- By working together toward inclusion for all within our workplaces and at the events we produce, we will enact meaningful social change.
- Our CEO Promise has been signed by over 100 industry leaders. Add your name.

At PCMA, our mission is to advance the business events industry by promoting inclusivity and creating a vibrant, equitable environment where every professional has an equal opportunity to thrive. Through our ASCENT initiative, we are committed to empowering individuals facing barriers from unique life experiences, ensuring that all voices have the support and platform to succeed in the events industry.
The ASCENT program is dedicated to providing equal access to education and professional development, equipping individuals with the necessary skills and resources to unlock their full potential. The Ascent Pathway 100 program selects 100 recipients annually, offering tailored support to help them grow, innovate, and contribute to the continued progress of the industry.
If you are passionate about advancing your career and overcoming obstacles in the event industry, we invite you to apply for the Ascent Pathway 100 program. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants will receive notification of their status within fifteen business days.
Benefits Include:
- Special access to learning and skill building courses and content with PCMA Event Leadership Institute
- Complimentary access to two (2) learning courses– one (1) self-paced course and one (1) facilitated course – and 30% discount on additional courses
- Complimentary access to the complete learning library including on-demand videos, articles, webinars, and lessons covering various aspects of event planning, management, and execution
- Invitation to two (2) online group sessions with PCMA Mentors on a leadership topic
- Invitation to Ascent Pathway education program and Meet Up at Convening Leaders and at edUcon to learn and network with fellow Ascent Pathway 100 participants and program partners.
- Recognition in one (1) PCMA Convene article distributed via e-newsletter and social post to PCMA community
- Special 20% course discount to share with the participant’s organization
- All benefits available for 12 months following notice of acceptance to Ascent Pathway 100
ASCENT RESOURCES
ON-DEMAND SESSIONS & WEBINARS
The Ascent CEO Promise
BLACK VOICES
MORE DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
PASS THE MIC
Looking to make your next business event more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming? There’s no better place to start than with your speakers. We’ve hand-picked a few who may fly under the radar in the speaker circuit but raise the bar in making events more diverse — and way more interesting.
ASCENT LUMINARIES
The Luminaries series is part of the PCMA Ascent initiative, which seeks to promote inclusion and diversity across the business events industry.