Monday, October 20 | 6:00 – 7:30 PM | Lindner Family Commons, Elliott School of International Affairs, Washington, D.C.
Curious about a career in the U.S.-China field? The U.S.-China Education Trust, the US-China Business Council, and the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy invite you to a panel discussion featuring early and mid-career professionals working on U.S.-China relations in the consulting, think tanks, corporate, non-profit, and government sectors, all drawing upon their China expertise. Panelists will share their experiences, offer practical advice on how to break into the field, and reflect on the skills that have helped them succeed. This event is a unique opportunity for upcoming professionals to hear about various career paths in the U.S.-China field and network with young professionals who share similar interests and passions.
Panelists include Rachael Burton, senior policy analyst at the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission; Aaron Chan, senior associate at The Asia Group; Jie Gao, research associate at the Asia Society Policy Institute; Kyle Hutzler, executive director of asia pacific policy and strategic competitiveness for JPMorgan Chase; Greyson Mann, senior manager of government affairs at the US-China Business Council; McCall Mintzer, chief of staff for international operations at the Boeing Company. The program will open with remarks from Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Ryan McElveen, managing director of USCET.
Please join us in person on Monday, October 20, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in the Lindner Family Commons at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. The moderated discussion will take place from 6:00 to 7:00 and will be followed by a light reception and networking.
Speaker Biography
Panelists
Rachael Burton is a senior policy analyst on the security and foreign affairs team at the Commission. She previously served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) from 2019 to 2023 as the Country Director for China. Prior to joining the Department of Defense (DoD), she was the Deputy Director at the Project 2049 Institute, where she managed the Institute’s research and programming. She has previously worked at the Carnegie China Center and the National Bureau for Asian Research.
Rachael acquired her MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University. Prior to joining the Master’s cohort at Georgetown, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Conflict Resolution from George Washington University. Rachael spent two years working in a remote rural village in China’s Yunnan Province, where she taught English at a public Middle School. She reads and speaks Chinese.
Aaron Chan is a senior associate at The Asia Group, where he advises clients on the Indo-Pacific’s policy, investment, and geopolitical landscape. As part of the Geopolitics and Research team, he contributes to the firm’s thought leadership through special reports and the Daily Asia newswire. Previously, he served as Special Advisor to the National Cyber Director, advancing the President’s National Cybersecurity Strategy and leading congressional engagement on legislation to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity. His prior roles span FEMA, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the East-West Center.
With a decade of experience at the intersection of national security, U.S. foreign policy, and the political economy of the Indo-Pacific, Aaron has focused on environmental impacts on development, U.S.-China strategic competition, and regional dynamics in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. He has represented the U.S. at international fora such as the G20 Youth Summit, UN Water Conference, and UN Summit of the Future. Aaron holds a BA in Global Studies from UCLA and an MA in International Affairs from George Washington University, and has lived, studied, and worked in China and Hong Kong.
Jie Gao is a research associate on foreign policy and national security at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s (ASPI) Center for China Analysis (CCA). Prior to joining CCA, Jie had internships at U.S. and Chinese think tanks, including the Brookings Institution and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She holds an MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, and a BA in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College.
Kyle Hutzler serves as the executive director of asia pacific policy and strategic competitiveness for JPMorgan Chase. In this role, he advises the firm’s senior leaders and clients on geopolitics and economic statecraft issues and engages government stakeholders on economic security and competitiveness topics.
Kyle was previously a consultant with McKinsey & Company and began his career at the US International Trade Commission. He has also served as a strategist at the South China Morning Post. Kyle has authored multiple studies, including on supply chain risk, American city diplomacy, and China’s interference operations. Kyle holds a BA in Economics from Yale, an MA in Global Affairs from Tsinghua, and an MBA from Stanford.
Greyson Mann is a senior manager of government affairs at the US-China Business Council. He previously served as a Founding Team Member and Assistant Director of Whittle School & Studios’ Center of Excellence on International Cooperation. He also previously served as an appointee in the Obama administration’s Department of Education Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He has also worked in the tech sector at Chainbridge Technologies and Digital Promise.
He is a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations and is also the Director of Research for the Black China Caucus. He holds a Master’s in International Trade and Economic Diplomacy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. He attended Wofford College for his bachelor’s, where he received a Princeton in Asia Fellowship. He speaks Chinese and has lived in Beijing and Shanghai.
McCall Mintzer is chief of staff for international operations at The Boeing Company, where she supports international sales and policy initiatives across the company’s global portfolio. Previously, she served on the International Operations team as a China analyst, supporting Boeing’s engagement in the region.
Before joining Boeing, McCall was a Research Assistant at The Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center, contributing to research on U.S.–China relations and regional developments. She also gained policy experience with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs and the National Committee on U.S.–China Relations.
McCall holds a BA in Asian Studies from Penn State University and an MA in Political Science from East China Normal University in Shanghai.
Moderator
Ryan McElveen (麦瑞安) serves as the managing director for the U.S.-China Education Trust.
Before joining USCET, Ryan served for 12 years as associate director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, where he supported a team of scholars, research staff, and interns; launched and coordinated the U.S.-China Leaders Forum at Sunnylands and U.S.-China track II dialogues; implemented large-scale research projects; hosted public events, retreats, and study tours in the U.S. and Asia; initiated the Brookings China Council and managed donor relations; oversaw partnerships with other global think tanks and academic institutions.
Ryan is serving in his third term as an at-large member of the School Board in Fairfax County, Virginia. Ryan has advocated for internationalizing the curriculum, increasing global language programs, and enhancing student civic engagement. Ryan is the founder and managing director of the Global Leaders of Fairfax County program, which prepares high school seniors to be global citizens and change agents in their community and the world.
China Connections
Why should Americans be interested in China? USCET launches China Connections, a new monthly series hosting discussions with experts to explore their work, gain insights into current events, and learn what a career in the China field looks like today. These events highlight individuals with unique expertise on China to provide students, young professionals, and members of the public a deeper understanding of current events and increase American student interest in pursuing a focus on China. These events are mostly held in person at George Washington University with online engagement.