60 seconds with mae young: “strength & empathy are not opposites; they can & should go hand-in-hand.”

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

In the last few years of working with or partnering with the Ascent Strategic Communications team and their Managing Principal and Founder, Anna Stallmann, we’ve found many things to be true and consistent about who they are and what they do – they’re smart and strategic; thoughtful and caring. In that sense, we think Anna and the Ascent team are redefining what it means to be strong and powerful in the marketing and communications space.

With that said, it’s hard to find and hire people who understand that. Anna has been a pro at bringing in the right people who align and live that approach.

Mae Young, VP of Client Services at Ascent, is absolutely living that for herself and for Ascent.

Mae’s professional experience in non-profit, higher education, and private equity sectors combined with her experience of learning English as a second language at a young age give her a unique perspective on language, storytelling, and the power of communication.

As has always been the case with Ascent, our teams partner well because we share the belief that messaging matters, stories are important, and clarity is key.

You’ll read and feel that in Mae’s Q&A below. 

– meg & steph

toth shop (ts): You’re responsible for leading thought leadership at Ascent Strategic Communications; in ten words or less, how do you define thought leadership?

Mae Young (MY): Original insight that challenges norms and shapes direction.

ts: As a champion of strategic storytelling, what’s the difference for you between content that simply “fills the pipeline” and content that truly builds thought leadership, storytelling, or thoughtful communication?

MY: The difference is intention. Pipeline content exists to keep you visible, whereas thought leadership exists to move a conversation. It is curated with a clear objective and sequenced deliberately so every piece builds authority, not just activity.

ts: March (when we’re publishing this piece) is Women’s History Month – what have you learned from female family members, mentors, or colleagues about the power of women and storytelling? 

MY: The women who have mentored me taught me that strength and empathy are not opposites; they can and should go hand-in-hand. When storytelling is done well, you’re able to think beyond what you say and anticipate how it will land, while understanding the different viewpoints in the room.

Women do this well. They often bring a unique ability to think strategically while also considering context, stakeholders, and consequence. That emotional intelligence is powerful in business. The best stories are built on trust, intention, and clarity.

That is what I have learned from the women around me, that thoughtful storytelling, grounded in both conviction and empathy, is what truly resonates.

ts: What’s your favorite story to tell – either of your life, your work, your childhood, your family? Why does that story ‘stick’ for you?

MY: Arabic was my first language. That is what we spoke at home. When I started 4K (Four-Year-Old Kindergarten), I had to learn English from scratch. I remember using the wrong words and watching other kids look confused. I remember feeling frustrated because I knew what I meant, but I did not yet have the language to express it.

That was the first time I understood how powerful communication really is.

As I grew up, language became deeply important to me. In school and through undergrad, English and communication were not just subjects. They were tools. I saw firsthand, especially within my own extended family, how difficult life can feel when you cannot fully express yourself or when you are misunderstood. There can be setbacks, missed connections, and frustration.

That experience stayed with me.

It taught me that communication is powerful. But communicating well, with clarity and intention, is transformative. When people feel understood, everything changes. That belief has shaped both my life and my career.

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. What’s mile 18 in your line of work, or at a point in your career, what do you tell yourself when you find yourself in the middle of a mile 18?

MY: My mile 18 is when the stakes are highest, and everything feels urgent at once. A client needs guidance during a crisis situation, my team needs direction, the media needs answers, and most importantly, the message needs to be right. That is the moment where you feel the weight of responsibility because the decisions we make do not just affect headlines. They affect real people: our clients’ stakeholders, their employees who rely on stability, investors making decisions. In some cases, patients whose access to treatment depends on a company’s success. The stakes are real.

In those moments, I remind myself to slow down before I speed up. In communications, clarity solves more problems than hustle ever will. I get grounded in the strategy, realign the team around what matters most, and make decisions that serve the long term, not just the moment.

That reset is what gets you through mile 18.