Perhaps it’s a consequence of having three younger brothers, no sisters, and being raised during my most rebellious years by a single father. Maybe it’s because I preferred LEGO toys and Mattel racing cars over Barbie Dolls, bumps and bruises over baby pink bows. Whatever the reason, I seem to have gravitated as an adult into sectors dominated almost entirely by men. Case in point (that’s me in the skirt and no, I wasn’t the secretary):

Think finding females appointed to leadership positions within the realms of I.T., government, economics and engineering is difficult? Try uncovering “fairer sex” role models involved in the US-China equation. Whether in policy, academia, business or journalism, influential women with an eye on China are an extremely rare breed. This post pays homage to those leading ladies who have managed to shatter the China doll myth by charging through the boys club…with style and charm, of course. First, a look at 40+ to watch:

Climbing Washington, Beijing and the Ivory Tower: Policymakers and Academics
Dr. Elizabeth C. Economy, Director for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; expertise in China domestic and foreign relations and U.S.-China foreign policy;
Dr. Ting Gong, Professor of Political Science at the University of Hong Kong; specializes in anti-corruption reform in China; author of the first English-language book-length study of China’s corruption;
Barbara Finamore, Senior Attorney and Director of the China Clean Energy Program; National Resources Defense Council;
Mary Gallagher, Associate Professor, University of Michigan Political Science Dept.; focus on Chinese politics, law and society;
Merle Goldman, Professor Emerita of History, Boston University;
Dr. LHM Ling, Associate Professor at the Graduate Program in International Affairs, The New School; research focus on critical security studies, transcultural politics, and Southeast Asia’s relationship to the West (favorite professor, mentor and graduate thesis advisor, too!);
Rebecca MacKinnon, Open Society Fellow and Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong; specializes in new media and China’s internet;
Dr. Jean Oi, William Haas Professor in Chinese Politics; Professor in Political Science, Stanford University;
Dr. Susan Shirk, Professor at the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California- San Diego; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Clinton Administration
Dr. Dorothy J. Solinger, fellow at the Center for Chinese Studies, University of California- Berkeley; research in Chinese domestic politics and political economy;
Dr. Kellee T. Tsai, Department of Political Science, Johns Hopkins University; author of Capitalism Without Democracy: Politics of Private Sector Development in China;
Dr. Lily L. Tsai, Associate Professor of Political Science at MIT; author of Accountability Without Democracy: Solidary Groups and Public Goods Provision in Rural China;
Dr. Wang Jing, Professor of Chinese Cultural Studies, MIT; Founder of New Media Action Lab and Chair of the International Advisory Board of Creative Commons in China;
Dr. Susan H. Whiting, Associate Professor, Dept. of Political Science University of Washington; focus on political economy and power/wealth structures in rural China;
Dr. Wu Weiping, Urban Specialist and China Scholar; Professor in Urban Studies and Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University;
Dr. Linda Yueh, Fellow in Economics at Oxford University and visiting professor at London Business School; a true expert on Chinese economy and author of Globalization and Economic Growth in China.

Dealmakers and Earthshakers: Business Professionals and Philanthropists
Jenny Bai, Founder and CEO of The Red Connect, a China-based business culture consulting company;
Elizabeth Balkan, Advisor on energy, climate policy and cleantech investment strategies in China; founder and writer of “New Energy and Environment Digest;”
Janet Carmosky, veteran China business specialist and Founder of China Prospects, Inc.
Rebecca Chow, Senior Business Consultant of Shanghai City Development Law Firm, assisting foreign firms establish a presence and expand in China;
Carol Chyau, Social entrepreneur in China; Co-Founder of Ventures in Development and Shokay;
Mihela Hladin, Founder of Greennovate, a sustainable ideas firm;
Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon, currently focused on business expansion in China; Philanthropist
Jasmine Keel, Vice President of Viva, a Beijing Professional Women’s Network; Founder of INSPIRED, an organization that offers professional development and transition support for expatriate accompanying spouses in Beijing;
Dr. Jane Liedtke, Founder of Our Chinese Daughters Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting families who have adopted children from China;
Peggy Liu, JUCCCE Chairperson, Time Magazine Environmental Hero 2008;
Christine Lu, Host of The China Business Show and Founder of The China Business Network; Co-Founder, Chinameme; Shareholder and advisor of M1NT Shanghai; Co-organizer, TedxShanghai;
Meg Maggio, 20-year China resident and Director of Pekin Fine Arts, a private consultancy and art gallery;
Toffler Niemuth, Owner of Shop My Shanghai and Marketing/PR Manager of Italki;
Casey Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO of Wokai, the first person-to-person microfinance platform for China;
Sarah Zhang, TV Producer and Partner at House Films; produced the first Chinese reality show in the U.S.

Women of Words: Journalists and Writers
Tania Branigan, China Correspondent for the Guardian;
Sky Canaves, Lead reporter for WSJ’s “China Journal;”
Melissa Chan, China reporter, Al Jazeera (English edition)
Leslie T. Chang, journalist and author of Factory Girls;
Maureen Fan, Beijing Bureau Chief for The Washington Post
Rebecca A. Fannin, international business journalist and author of Silicon Dragon- How China is Winning the Tech Race;
Anna Greenspan, independent writer and researcher focused on India and China; Shanghai-based independent scholar;
Louisa Lim, NPR Foreign Correspondent, Shanghai;
Kate Merkel-Hess, Chinese historian; editor of China Beat; post-doctoral scholar at the University of California, Irvine;
Jessie Jiang, China blogger/reporter, Time Magazine;
Christina Larson, Contributing Editor, Foreign Policy Magazine; journalist reporting on China;
Jennifer 8. Lee, New York Times reporter and author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles;
Normandy Madden, Journalist and photographer based in China; Asia Editor, Advertising Age; Editor and Managing Director, AdAgeChina;
Maggie Rauch, Writer for China Sports Today; sports, travel and business journalist;
Kristie Lu Stout, CNN Anchor/Correspondent monitoring China from Hong Kong;
Sheryl WuDunn, Author, journalist and businesswoman; co-author of China Wakes: The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power and Thunder from the East: Portrait of a Rising Asia.

Next up, my recommendations for 50+ China-focused Female Tweeps to Follow:
@BeijingWithKids
@BethEvans
@betsydrager
@bevchung
@carolchyau
@Carrie_Young
@caseylwilson
@chinkerfly
@christinelu
@ednacz
@ellachou
@EmmaStarks
@eyesonchina
@Fiona_S
@globalwave
@greennovate
@iheartbeijing
@irisjumbe
@jenny8lee
@jennybai
@Jess_Huang
@JessInChina
@juanxi
@JUCCCE
@jzcatrandom
@Kindermusik_BJ
@klustout
@kmerkelhess
@larsonchristina
@lee_rendleman
@leslieforman
@maggierauch
@megoizzy
@melissakchan
@michtsai
@MissXu
@needigest
@normandymadden
@quelquefois
@rebeccachow
@reneecolette
@rfannin
@rmack
@sarahxzhang
@serpah
@skycita
@SoniaT
@taniabranigan
@TofflerAnn
@wangela
@Yang_Chu

And finally, CNReviews has a comprehensive Directory of 72+ Women English-language China Bloggers; check it out if you haven’t already. What other leading ladies should be added to this blog post? Give a shout out to your mentors, your favorites, your crushes and role models in the comments section and I’ll add them to the content.

Commentary China business, China journalist, economics, fairer sex, policy, US-China, Washington, women, women in business