Our Team

Bob Holden

Gov. Bob Holden

Chairman and President

Gov. Bob Holden

Bob Holden served as Missouri’s 53rd Governor, 2001-2005. Prior to being elected Governor, Holden served two terms as Missouri State Treasurer and three terms as a Missouri State Representative.

Bob Holden has been in public service his entire adult life. In addition to holding elective office, Holden worked for State Treasurers James I. Spainhower and Mel Carnahan, United States Senator Thomas F. Eagleton, and Congressman Richard A. Gephardt.

During Governor Holden's term in office, he chaired the Midwest Governors Association; opened Missouri’s first trade office in China; created Missouri’s first Hispanic Outreach Committee; moved Missouri from 41st to 5th in terms of women in leadership positions; appointed over 200 African Americans to prominent leadership roles; established the state's first Youth Cabinet; and built the first LEED certified state office building in Missouri.

Bob Holden is currently the Missouri Co-Chair for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and is an Executive Board member of the Missouri State NAACP Chapter. After leaving office in 2005, Holden founded the Holden Public Policy Forum and was a professor at Webster University for ten years. While at Webster University, he helped bring the first Confucius Institute to Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri.

For over 40 years, Bob Holden has been an active participant in the American Legion Missouri Boys and Girls State Program. He led efforts to bring the first delegations of Chinese students to be participants in this historic program. Since that first delegation to Missouri Boys and Girls State, he has lead the efforts to continue these student delegations of Chinese students to Missouri and Missouri students to China with plans to initiate delegations from other states.

Bob Holden believes that long term economic success for the United States and China must be built on mutual respect, clear understandings and honest dialogue. This can be achieved by expanding our cultural ties, creating more educational partnerships, and creating bridges of opportunities for successful business in both countries.

Gov. Holden was recently inducted to the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame. Watch his honoree video here.

About Gov. Holden
Min_Fan

Min Fan

Executive Director

Min Fan

Min Fan was born in China and studied at Peking University before immigrating to the United States. Continuing her education at the University of North Carolina she earned a B.A. in Art followed by an M.B.A. at the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Min went on to a successful career in the corporate world culminating in her role as the leader of the Ideation and Innovation Practice at Hewlett Packard (HP) Global Corporate Services. Upon leaving HP she joined the startup ecosystem as an entrepreneur and mentor at two Colorado incubators.

From 2018-2019, Min brought her entrepreneur experience and passion for US and China collaboration to the nonprofit sector as the Executive Director/COO of US China Innovation Alliance (UCIA). Over 100 US companies visited China on sponsored trips as a result of her team’s efforts.

Prior to joining the US Heartland China Association, Min launched US China Now, a not-for-profit endeavor, which partnered with a broad spectrum of organizations to build a bridge of understanding across the cultural divide between US and China.

About Min
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Jason Conley

Program Associate

Jason Conley

Originally from the Heartland, Jason Conley is a graduate of the Ohio State University and has a Master's degree in Advanced Chinese Language and Culture, specializing in the Belt and Road Initiative and foreign investment. 

His research background focused on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the ROI of Chinese-backed infrastructure development in western Pakistan.

Before his time at USHCA, Jason spent several years teaching English as a Second Language and Education. He now spends his time working to continue education and engagement of local Heartland communities.

About Jason
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Katherine Newton

Program Associate

Katherine Newton

Born and raised in a small Texas farming and ranching town, Katherine Newton is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in International Political Economies and Chinese Culture and Language. She is currently a student at American University pursuing her MS in International Business. She has published research works analyzing international political and economic organization across East and Southeast Asia. Katherine has worked with a number of nonprofits focused on U.S.-China relations, and is very excited to now be focusing on the Heartland region.

About Katherine
ellen wright

Ellen Wright

Program Associate

Ellen Wright

Brought up in the Midwest and descended from Iowan farmers, Ellen Wright is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Sociology and minors in International Studies and Chinese, and has earned a Master’s degree in China Studies from Zhejiang University. During her graduate program, her thesis work concentrated on China’s national innovation system. Ellen has previous experience working for international nonprofits based out of Beijing and D.C., and is eager to return to her roots and help cultivate the Sino-American relationship in the Heartland region.

About Ellen
yiliu cao

Yiliu Cao

Volunteer, WeChat Support (Evanston, IL)

Yiliu Cao

Born and raised in China, Yiliu Cao graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a degree in Movement Science. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Doctor of Physical Therapy and Public Health at Northwestern University.

During her undergraduate years, Yiliu had previous experience serving in a leadership role in a student organization focusing on intercultural communication. Thus, she realized the importance of promoting understanding between China and the United States in the globally competitive future. Yiliu is very much looking forward to investigating the Sino-U.S. relationship in the Heartland Region under the scope of healthcare and technology.

About Yiliu

Interns

Laura Liu

Laura Liu

UX Design Intern (New York, NY)

Laura Liu

Laura Liu is a New York based UX Designer who is dedicated to helping businesses connect with their users effectively. Before that, she worked as a finance reporter at Sina, focusing on international economics and politics. She deeply cares about the relationship between the US and China and is eager to contribute her efforts to improving their connections.

About Laura
Amy（Muxue） Liu

Amy（Muxue） Liu

Intern (Philadelphia, PA)

Amy Liu

Born and raised in China, Amy Liu graduated from the Beijing Foreign Studies University, with a degree in Diplomacy. She is currently pursuing her MS in Social Policy degree at the University of Pennsylvania.

As a driven individual with an academic background and a deep interest in aligning with USHCA's goal of fostering positive, productive, and mutually beneficial relationships. Amy joined the team to gain practical experience and contribute innovative ideas through a cross-subject perspective. With a passion for collaboration and cultural diversity, she is excited to work with everyone and make a meaningful impact.

About Amy
Casa Yudi Tang

Casa (Yudi) Tang

Intern (Evanston, IL)

Casa Tang

Casa is a graduate student studying communication at Northwestern University, and she majored in film studies during her undergraduate. With strong interests in digital media marketing and video production, she has developed several real-case marketing campaigns in her master program for brands like Snapchat, LEGO, Niantic Inc., Florasis and Silkspace.

As a passionate storyteller with unique perspective and international experience in digital media production, she is comfortable creating diverse genres of original works in a fast-paced, multitasking working environment. Her career experience both in the States and overseas polished her ability to research materials and pitch ideas in a detailed manner and engage with people from different backgrounds.

About Casa
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Catherine Chin

Intern (Ithaca, NY )

Catherine Chin

Since she was child, Catherine Chin has been surrounded by Chinese culture thanks to her grandmother being the President of a local Chinese cultural center. This has inspired her to seek a career in China and US relations. Born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Catherine Chin attends Cornell University. She is a double major in China and Asia Pacific Studies (CAPS) and Government. In the future, she plans to work for the government in the foreign affairs sector, focusing on China-US relations. Catherine is excited to work with the US Heartland China Association this summer and looks forward to contributing to the team.

About Catherine
Kazi

Kazi Raleh

Intern (New Taipei, Taiwan)

Kazi Raleh

Kazi Raleh is a Chinese major who’s currently studying abroad at National Taiwan University. His research interest is centered around Chinese philosophy and how to build better Sino-American relations. He is really excited to work with USHCA in order to better understand and research the economic ties between the Heartland Region of the US and China.

About Kazi
Catherine_142

Catherine Chin

Intern (Ithaca, NY )

Catherine Chin

Since she was child, Catherine Chin has been surrounded by Chinese culture thanks to her grandmother being the President of a local Chinese cultural center. This has inspired her to seek a career in China and US relations. Born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Catherine Chin attends Cornell University. She is a double major in China and Asia Pacific Studies (CAPS) and Government. In the future, she plans to work for the government in the foreign affairs sector, focusing on China-US relations. Catherine is excited to work with the US Heartland China Association this summer and looks forward to contributing to the team.

About Catherine
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