New York, NY – Asian Americans make up 12% of the U.S. professional workforce but hold just 5% of executive roles—a persistent leadership gap that Committee of 100 aims to close with the announcement of its 2026 Next Generation Leaders (NGL) class, a cohort of 14 professionals across academia, business, media, and law. 

Launched in 2014, the NGL program is designed to accelerate the advancement of mid- to senior-career Asian American professionals by directly addressing the structural barriers behind that gap, including limited access to executive networks. Participants are chosen for leadership potential and commitment to expanding representation.  

“The talent is there. Access to leadership pathways is not,” said Paul Cheung, President of Committee of 100. “Asian Americans contribute broadly across industries but are underrepresented in senior leadership. This program transforms potential into advancement by fostering mentorship and building networks that create lasting opportunity.” 

Unlike traditional mentorship programs, the NGL program provides its participants with direct access to more than 150 Committee of 100 members—Chinese American leaders operating at the highest levels of business, policy, media, and academia. This structure offers participants not just guidance, but entry into influential networks that shape leadership pathways in the United States. 

In the twelve years since the program’s launch, its alumni have moved into senior executive roles, launched companies, and taken on influential positions across sectors. Notable alumni include Bing Chen, founder of Gold House; Yao King, financial industry leader; and Emma Zang, Yale Associate Professor of Sociology. 

The program includes one-on-one mentorship, leadership development programming, and curated opportunities for cross-sector engagement and civic leadership. 

In a climate where diversity initiatives are scrutinized, NGL develops vital talent that contributes to richer, brighter organizations that accurately reflects the needs and experiences of the multifaceted society we live in today. More information is available in the FAQ here. 

The 14 new members of the Committee of 100 Next Generation Leaders 2026 class (bios available in full here): 

• Iva Chen, Founder and CEO, Jetsetera Ventures 

• Jasmine Fan, Senior Investment Strategist, BlackRock 

• Bochen Han, U.S.-China relations correspondent 

• Anne Hsu, Executive Producer, Face the Nation CBS News 

• Qian (Jenny) Huang, Associate Professor, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 

• Mason Ji, Associate, Perkins Coie LLP 

• Rob Li, Managing Partner, Amont Partners 

• Yolanda Li, HR Leader and Co-Founder 

• Joshua Liao, Physician Executive and Professor 

• Jay Lu, CEO and Co-Founder, Ark FinTech.AI 

• Scott Moore, Managing Director, Global Initiatives, Research, and Strategy, Penn Global 

• Benjamin Xia , Global Digital Infrastructure Professional 

• David Yu, Chairman and Managing Director, AAVA Group 

• Benming Zhang, Civic Leader 

About Committee of 100 

Committee of 100 empowers Chinese Americans and bridges America and China, leading with vision and purpose. For over 30 years, we have been the preeminent non-profit leadership organization of distinguished Chinese Americans, advancing full participation in American society and constructive U.S.-China relations through groundbreaking research, policy analysis, leadership development and civic engagement. Learn more at committee100.org. 

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Contact: 

Sam Jones 

PR & Social Media Manager 

sjones@committee100.org