60 seconds with asha givhan: “women are limitless.”

hot take: people – not computers – still say the coolest stuff. this series is dedicated to the soundbites, aha! moments & stories that are undeniably human.   

I truly believe that it’s an honor to sit with someone and just listen. Being able to create a space for people's stories to be shared, heard, and valued is one of my favorite parts of my job. 

In particular, there’s something powerful about when I can create this space for another woman, when she can share her lived experience, the challenges she navigated, and the wisdom she now carries with her. 

There’s magic in those moments that isn’t so easily articulated. Magic that can’t be replicated. 

That’s what I felt when I spoke with Asha Givhan, a Senior Consultant in the Federal sector of Government & Public Services at Deloitte.

I felt it when she shared an epiphany she had about herself and her identity during a graduate studies course at Wake Forest School of Professional Studies. I felt it again when she described how she felt most alive when she is serving the public. And I felt it when she shared about her husband’s and her hope to expand their family. 

I hope that in this Q&A you can also feel a little bit of that Asha magic, too. 

– steph

toth shop (ts): In less than 10 words, what’s ONE piece of advice you’d give to young women today? 

Asha Givhan (AG): Understand and own your power.

ts: What’s been your proudest personal or professional moment / accomplishment? 

AG: My proudest accomplishment was choosing to leave my comfort zone and start over in a new state. Uprooting my life expanded my confidence, my independence, and my belief in what I’m capable of. As the Big Fish quote says, “A man’s not meant to stay in one place his whole life.” Stepping out of a small pond (any pond) and into a bigger (or different) one helped me become the woman I was always meant to be. 

ts: How has your identity – as a woman, a leader, a professional – shifted over time?

AG: Over time, my identity has stretched and sharpened. I’ve always been strong and fearless, but I’ve grown into a woman who understands the impact of that. My charisma isn’t just a trait anymore; it’s a tool I use to uplift others. From volunteering in my community to navigating corporate life, I’ve learned that women are limitless. I’m still evolving, still paving my path, and that journey has become my greatest source of pride.

ts: If you could advocate for only one change in the public sector, what would it be & why? 

AG: I’d advocate for strict environmental justice laws that regulate where high-impact infrastructure (like AI data centers and massive server plants) is built. Too often, these facilities end up in Black and brown neighborhoods, bringing noise, pollution, health risks, and heavy energy demands without community input or benefit. Environmental racism is a policy choice, and changing those policies would protect public health, ensure equitable development, and keep vulnerable communities from carrying the weight of technological developments.

ts: Every person we interview answers this same question last – Mile 18 is generally considered to be one of the hardest miles in a marathon. You’re hitting a wall. You’re forced to dig deep. In your line of work or at a point in your career, what do you tell yourself when you’re in the middle of a Mile 18?

AG: Anything and everything is possible. If one person can make it happen and complete Mile 18, then so can you. Whether you finish or not is your choice. Life is a series of choices, none of which are new. Mind over matter!