CINGS (China Institute Next Gen x Serica)

Seamon Chan leads Palm Drive Capital with investments in over 160 global tech startups. He has a background at Insight Partners and studied at Stanford, Harvard, and Tsinghua University.

Nicky Chang is the founder of Meanwhile, a design-venture studio in New York and Tokyo, co-founder of Architectural Practice Talks for AAPI designers, and guest critic at Parsons School of Design.

Crysti co-founded UniWill Ventures and Cloves Coffee, a 150+ coffee shop chain. She’s an alumna of UW Seattle, Columbia, UPenn, and Tsinghua, and has been recognized in Forbes and Hurun’s 30Under30 lists.

Darren is a private equity investor at American Industrial Partners. He spent time growing up between Shanghai and the US.

David Y. Chen is a foreign policy expert focusing on East Asia and the MENA regions, affiliated with the Charhar Institute and the Asia Society Policy Institute. He is a Columbia University graduate and a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University.

Gina Chen, a corporate attorney at Mayer Brown LLP, focuses on insurance and mergers and also engages in sustainable ventures and social entrepreneurship. She holds law degrees from Yale and Northwestern.

Siqing Grace Chen is an investment banking analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York, focusing on energy and infrastructure. She also enjoys swimming, operas, and art museums.

Kenny Chen is the Founding Partner of Turbo Net Zero, a pure-play sustainability consultancy company with presence in North America and APAC. He has a Bachelor degree from UCLA.

A New York based artist, integrates choreography and painting to explore body metaphysics. She also contributes to Movement Lab – a lab for the investigation of movement, performance and technology resides in Barnard College, Columbia University.

Alicia Froio is a real estate entrepreneur and startup founder with degrees from George Washington and Harvard. Her research on China’s Belt and Road Initiative inspired her debut novel. She’s also involved with the Junior League and CINGS Executive Board.

Thomas Fu is a venture partner at Mana Ventures and Longbrook Ventures, specializing in venture investments including notable companies like People.AI. He is a Fordham finance graduate and previously worked in deal-making at Capalino in NYC.

Muxi Gao is a designer, curator, and creative director in Beijing. She founded Company Per Form, a creative agency, and led city branding initiatives. Gao holds degrees from Tsinghua University and Yale School of Art.

Héloïse Garry, with degrees from Columbia, Sciences Po, and Sorbonne, is a Yenching Scholar at Peking University researching the independent Chinese film industry.

Elisabeth is currently studying Arts Administration master at Columbia University. She graduated from NYU with an Art History Bachelor’s degree. Her profession spans from music, art to business. She is also a soprano singer that performed and was awarded at the Carnegie Hall.

Clare leads investor relations and ESG investing at Genesis Capital, previously worked at Lunar Capital and Bon Juice, and started at Morgan Stanley. She holds a University of Michigan B.A. and is in a Harvard leadership program.

Freda Ho, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, advises Asian clients on wealth management from New York and San Francisco. Fluent in four languages, she holds a finance degree from NYU Stern.

Alexandra Hsu, an Orange County filmmaker with degrees in East Asian and Film Studies, completed her MFA at NYU Tisch. She’s directed five short films, produced ten, and is now developing her debut feature, “QUEENS,” slated for production in 2021-2022.

Cosmo Hu, co-founder of CHIHUO, utilizes 16 years of media experience to spearhead hospitality projects and investments, including those valued over ten million dollars and involving Michelin-starred establishments.

Shu Hu, an entrepreneur and senior tech PR professional in China, spearheads cross-cultural digital content projects focused on sustainable living and responsible tech through her startup TurtleWay. She received her degrees from Tsinghua and Duke University and has lived in both Beijing and the U.S.

Moshe Itzhakov is a Partner at Weinreb Ventures, known for strategic roles in real estate and at Accenture. He’s also active in nonprofit leadership with the Milken Institute and China Institute.

Ruoyi Jiang, founder of Chop Suey Club, promotes Chinese culture and supports Asian communities in the U.S., while also focusing on U.S.-China relations, AAPI issues, and philanthropy.

Jason M. Kingdon, an analyst at Kingdon Capital Management and manager at his single-family office, actively contributes to organizations like Gold House and Spark Family Offices, focusing on advancing socioeconomic equity and impact.

Brandon has over ten years in fashion retail and sports marketing in the U.S. and Asia. He leads a sports apparel brand and co-founded CINGS to strengthen China-U.S. relations. He enjoys tennis, cycling, golf, and skiing.

Jason Lee is an AI Innovation Consultant at Google, focused on leveraging technology for human advancement. Outside of work, he supports the USA rugby team and trains for various events.

Fiona Lei Jin graduated from Columbia University with a graduate degree and she’s currently working in the field of industrial carbon neutrality at TCL Group, where my position is Energy Transition Consultant Manager. She focuses on energy-green transformation and environmentally friendly activities.

Ella Li manages a New York based real estate family office. She holds degrees in Real Estate Finance from NYU, Interior Design from Parsons and Business from The University of Manchester. Passionate about cultural diversity and fluent in both Mandarin and English.

Kevin Zongzhe Li, a Harvard master’s candidate in Public Policy, specializes in climate finance and energy geopolitics, with prior roles at Deloitte and the UN, and co-founded the US-China Climate Forum.

MuHan Li is the founder of Eden, an AI social company based in NYC, and the co-founder of UFriend Media, a media and advertising firm based in Singapore. He reads philosophy and political science at Columbia University as a Saltzman Scholar.

Shuang from Guangzhou champions sustainability and cultural integration, supporting Asian American initiatives, investing in tech, and promoting international arts exchanges, driven by her passion for humanism.

Annie Liang-Zhou leads Liang Capital Partners and Universal Pacific Advisors, focusing on wealth management and sustainability. She holds degrees from Oxford and Columbia and advocates for climate action, cultural preservation and mindful living.

Han, Co-Founder and CTO of Ascendex, directs product and technology for the global cryptocurrency platform. He previously worked at Blackrock and AQR, holds a BS in Computer Science from CMU and is a private pilot and ski enthusiast.

Livia Hui LIU, a journalist and teacher in Hong Kong, focuses on China-US relations and is creating a project about overseas Chinese culture. She has worked with major networks like CGTN, NBC, and AFP.

Yvonne Liu, Managing Partner at SYZ Studios, promotes educational and artistic content across Greater China and the US. Previously at ByteDance and Warner Bros, she holds an MBA from Wharton and a BA from Columbia.

Michelle is the Events Director at Serica Initiative, previously managed the NEXTChina Conference, and spent five years in China enhancing her Mandarin. She holds an International Business degree from Kalamazoo College with studies in Beijing.

Nan (Pablo) Meng, 31, chairs Hengxin-Shambala Cultural Co., shifting from CGI production to VR/AR and the metaverse, and supports his family’s vegetarian restaurant to promote dietary impact on climate change.

Nick manages impact strategy and measurement at CARE, a global nonprofit. He previously worked at Alibaba Group and holds an MBA from Harvard and a BA in Chinese Literature from Yale.

Scott (Zijun) Qu, CEO of Choil Group, specializes in infrastructure and investments, with experience in web3/blockchain. He holds degrees from Columbia University and the University of Washington.

Karl Samsen, a venture partner and investment manager focused on decentralized finance and ESG materials. He is involved with Proof Capital, Curvance, Bayberry Capital, and Current Media Productions. He is also passionate about art and philanthropy.

Dichai Shen (Andre) is the CEO of Bridge Beijing, focusing on global health equity and also represents CEPI in China, leveraging his extensive experience in strategic health communications.

With 9 years in strategic communications, executive coaching and crisis management, Yinnan focuses on equipping and empowering leaders and organizations to achieve their vision and mission.

Lucas Sin started cooking at 16 in Hong Kong and founded Junzi Kitchen and Nice Day Chinese to modernize Chinese cuisine in the U.S. Now based in Shanghai and Hong Kong, he’s a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree.

Daniel Tam-Claiborne leads The Serica Initiative, promoting Asian American inclusion and U.S.-China relations. Fluent in Mandarin, he organizes social justice programs and holds degrees from Oberlin and Yale. He resides in Seattle.

An Wang leads ASW Venture Partners, focusing on climate and well-being sectors. She’s known for her strategic impact investing and efforts to bridge U.S.-China relations through organizations like SheEO and FoodShot Global.

Irene Ailin Wang, an artist, activist and founder of the Wave Foundation, supports gender equality through arts. She has studied at Columbia University and Yale University and initiated the first New York Women Art Week.

Jiayi Wang, a Computer Science PhD candidate at Northwestern University, is involved in diverse projects in healthcare, education, real estate, and hospitality in China and the US. She’s also a co-founder and Deputy Secretary-General of the Asian American Hospitality Alliance.

Joyce Wang is a technologist and grantmaker based in China. She is a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University and has studied Computer Science and Drama at Carnegie Mellon University.

Walter Wang Jr., previously with HTC and TSM in esports, now leads sales at JM Eagle and family philanthropic initiatives, focusing on AAPI representation and East-West relations.

Sharon Wu, a 2023 film studies graduate from Barnard College, now works in the PR department of Sun Seven Stars Investment Group Limited, where she organizes events and GALA dinners focused on arts and culture.

Zixuan “Alex” Xiao is a restructuring and special situations lawyer at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s New York office. Alex holds a B.A. in politics from Brandeis University and a J.D. from Duke Law School.

Zihan Xie, CEO of Vesta Food Lab and co-founder of Huobi Capital, graduated from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Shelly Xu, founder of SXD, a zero-waste startup, has a decade of experience in fabric waste reduction. A Harvard Business School alum, her sustainable fashion achievements include the Global Change Award and features in Forbes.

Xuan (BiuBiu) Xu launched the Egg House and Dragon Fest, each attracting 200k+ visitors. In 2023, she founded Mulan House to empower Chinese women, hosting a successful NYC summit.

Yini, an MSc in Environmental Engineering, leads Green Finance in China, with past roles at WBCSD and BCG Shanghai. A survivor of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, she now promotes sustainability as a UN COP15 speaker and impact investor.

Xin Yan, cofounder at EthSign, prev venture capitalist, engineer. Interested in crypto, energy and biotech.

Ivy Yang, founder of Wavelet Strategy, provides PR consulting for Chinese companies internationally. She has worked with Alibaba, writes for FT Chinese, and produces a newsletter on China-U.S. communication. Ivy holds a BA from NYU and an MBA from Columbia.

Colby is Vice President at Novo Holdings and has worked in equity investments at Milestone Capital, Berkshire Partners, and Goldman Sachs. He holds an MBA from Harvard and a BA from Dartmouth.

Tong Yu, founder of an international tech consulting company. Tong has a Bachelor in CS+Math from Columbia University. She’s also a proud contestant for the Miss Asian Global pageant representing China.

Chamberlain Zhang, a Chinese artist, creates immersive environments with architecture, light, sound, and improvisation to play with human perception of time and space, offering unique experiences to each viewer.

Grace Zhang leads urban revitalization in Zhoushan, China, through higherclub and promotes sustainable ocean initiatives globally.

Jason facilitate the East and West dialogue through Capital Market, Investment and Trade. Invested over 100 HK & US public companies and grew them into global leading players. A Columbia University undergraduate alum with passion in Equality, Rights and East & West enrichment.

Yolanda (Jiayao) trades FX derivatives at BNP Paribas and is vice chair of the CFANY Young Leaders Group. She holds a BA from NYU and is interested in ESG, history, and astronomy.

Yuxi Zhang, a UN statistician, works on the Sustainable Development Goal Report and organizes cultural events for the UN Chinese Book Club, using his Bloomberg data science background.

Tianyi (Amy) Zhao manages finance and partnerships at the UNITAR office in New York and co-founded The Spark Podcast, which shares stories that bridge cultures and foster connections.

Wizz works in China’s film industry and has a background in PE & VC across Asia. He holds a BA in Statistics from Harvard and is passionate about cross-cultural communication.

Yong Zhao, CEO of Junzi Kitchen and Nice Day Chinese, studied at Peking University and Yale. He launched Nice Day Chinese during the pandemic and was named a Top Chinese American Youth in 2020.

Azure Zhou, co-founder of Stilllife, oversees funding, creative direction, and strategic planning, drawing from her experience at Gagosian Art Fair and NOWNESS.

An advocate for sustainable, plant-based living, this entrepreneur leads a startup in finance, retail, and e-commerce, excelling in market analysis and team leadership.