Bio
The first Asian American woman to be appointed to the President's Cabinet in U.S. history, Elaine Chao is an authority on global competitiveness, crisis management, diversity at the workplace, and transformational leadership. Known for her extensive and visionary achievements as U.S. Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Secretary of Labor, President & CEO of United Way of America, Director of the Peace Corps, and as a corporate board member on a number of Fortune 100 companies, Elaine Chao offers rare insights into the future of our country’s infrastructure, the changing dynamics of the 21st century workforce, and the overarching business challenges of the U.S. and around the world. Arriving as an immigrant to the United States at the age of 8, she received her citizenship at the age of 19, on her way to a Harvard MBA and trifecta of successes in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
Based on her distinguished and varied career, Secretary Chao speaks to the impact that current events and major economic trends have on organizations around the world. Candid and thoughtful, she provides audiences with strategies to enhance their organization's effectiveness as she draws from her unique perspectives and experiences. Fluent in diplomacy, geopolitics, macroeconomics, innovation, and diversity, Secretary Chao brings a 360-degree view to the issues of today and the future.