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Advisory board

USC U.S.-China Institute Announces Founding Members of Expert Advisory Board

Los Angeles, March 26, 2025 – The USC U.S.-China Institute (USCI) today announced the founding members of an expert Advisory Board to guide the Institute’s leadership and development in 2025 and beyond. The primary role of the Advisory Board is to recommend strategies and initiatives to help strengthen educational, cultural and professional exchange between the U.S. and China to foster mutual understanding and collaboration.

“We are honored to complement our strong academic foundation with this prestigious Advisory Board of renowned experts from business, sports, media, culture and the arts in the U.S. and China,” said Glenn Osaki, Director of the USC U.S.-China Institute. “Under the leadership of Chair Scott Kronick, this board will address the complex U.S.-China relationship and advise approaches for broadening influence and enhancing connectivity to support the community of USC students, scholars, faculty and researchers across academics and industry.”

The founding members of the USCI Advisory Board include:

  • Chair: Scott Kronick, USC Adjunct Professor, Senior Advisor at Ogilvy Public Relations and former President and CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations, Asia

  • Jesse Appell, cross-cultural comedian, entrepreneur and online creator

  • Mary Gu Shuhang, Chief Executive Officer of CAA China

  • Elizabeth Knup, Senior Fellow at the Jackson School of Public Affairs at Yale University, and former Director for China at the Ford Foundation

  • Jay Li, Founder and CEO of the Realeague, former Special Assistant to Yao Ming at the Chinese Basketball Association

  • Li Ning, Group Executive Chairman, Joint Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director, the LI-NING Company, former Chinese Olympian

  • Melinda Liu, award-winning correspondent and Newsweek Bureau Chief based in Beijing since 1998

  • Francis Ping Fan, Founding Partner, Lang Sheng Investment

  • Richard Robinson, Entrepreneur in Residence, Animoca Brands