Leah Wong Ashburn

Leah Wong Ashburn — Keynote Speaker

Leadership, Legacy and Resilience

Leah Wong Ashburn is a keynote speaker, President and CEO of Highland Brewing Company, and one of the leading voices on women in business and family-business leadership in the American South. In her talks, she shares candid, firsthand stories of leading through crisis and personal loss — and the unexpected opportunities that emerged from both.

Leah leads one of the pioneering craft breweries in the South, carrying forward the legacy of her father and Highland Brewing founder, Oscar Wong. Founded in 1994 as Asheville’s first craft brewery since Prohibition, Highland remains family-owned, brews all of its beer on-site in Asheville, North Carolina, and ranks among the top 10 U.S. breweries led by women.

Blending stories that are both professional and deeply personal, Leah helps audiences find opportunity in hardship and inspires them to lean into change. She’s available for keynotes, fireside chats, and panel discussions on leadership, resilience, succession planning, and women in business.

Leah is available for travel in NC, SC, TN, GA, and will consider all locations. For honorarium and travel expenses, please inquire. Email info@highlandbrewing.com to book.

Audience Takeaways:

  • Reframe inevitable hard times as times of possibility 
  • Admit to pressure while retaining authority
  • More confidence to endure fear and unpredictability
  • Reconnection to the good in humanity and the human experience

Audiences ideally suited to Leah Ashburn’s keynote include:

  • Women Business Owners
  • Women in Leadership
  • Small Businesses
  • Family Businesses

2026 Keynotes

  • Asheville Chamber Woman Up Awards
  • Competitive Enterprise Institute, Davie County Chamber
  • Net App
  • NC Craft Brewers Conference

Past Speaking Engagements:

  • Asheville Chamber
  • Woman Up Awards
  • Brewbound’s National Craft Beer Conference
  • Henderson County Chamber
  • Wilmington Chamber

Leadership & Media

  • NC Governor’s WNC Recovery Committee
  • James Beard Semi-Finalist
  • Good Morning America
  • Brewbound 2024 Person of the Year
  • The New York Time