In the Limelight: Ashley and VPG

by Heather Martin, Program Coordinator

I am excited to share some amazing news with everyone about VPG’s Founder, Ashley Cheung. I have worked with Ashley for over three years and, although I know she does not enjoy being in the spotlight, I have witnessed her working hard to empower others to speak up. She encourages everyone on the team to take charge and grow their personal reputations.

In addition to being a startup founder, Ashley is the author of three books, including her most recent, The Leadership Catalyst: Igniting Inspired Change, and also hosts three podcasts at the intersection of law, leadership, and innovation. She lives by one motto: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

In that vein, she was a guest on the podcast You Are an IP Company with Kary Oberbrunner and Katherine Rubino. The episode is now live - don’t miss it! Listen to Why IP Needs More Women—and What Ashley Cheung Is Doing About It now.

On the podcast, Ashley discusses how the IP industry needs more women and how she is creating access for women practitioners. She takes us on a deep dive into the power of female innovation, the leadership lessons she has learned along the way, and how her journey is paving the way for future leaders in tech and law.

Listen on Spotify.

Listen on Apple Podcasts.

September is going to be a busy month for Ashley and the team. Ashley will be on two panels at Running Legal Like a Business 2025 (RLLB 2025) at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

The first is ADAPT.legal’s IP Track Panel, “Elevate Your IP Career: Strategies for Success,” where she will moderate an incredible all-woman, non-attorney, legal operations professionals panel that includes Shirley Fung (Akona IP), Tiffany Ishihara (Google), Bonnie Korte (Perkins Coie), and Joan Schmeichel (Schneider Electric).

The second panel, titled “Clarity in Chaos: Empowering Legal Ops Professionals as Entrepreneurs,” will feature panelists who tackle a bold question: Why should IP and Legal Ops professionals care about personal branding and entrepreneurship?

Spoiler alert: In a world of tight budgets and high expectations, branding isn’t fluff—it’s a powerful signal of value. It’s how Legal Ops pros stand out, step up, and shine brighter than ever.

In addition to the ADAPT panel, LegalOps.com has invited the Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) IP Talk: Brand Insights podcast to record LIVE at RLLB 2025! Showcasing Ashley’s belief in the power of collaboration, this panel will feature her alongside Sasha Strauss, Jessica Broyles, and McNeal Maddox, turning up the voltage for RLLB 2025.