vailsymposium

Johanna Kao serves as Asia Regional Director for the International Republican Institute, bringing more than 20 years of experience in international political development, non-profit management and citizen empowerment to the role. Kao has lived and worked in Asia for most of her life in some of the region’s most challenging and dynamic countries at critical times in their political development. Working with both established and emerging political and civic leadership, Kao provides strategic advice, facilitates training and skills-building opportunities and manages a diverse portfolio of programs across 17 countries in Asia. Kao was born and grew up in Hong Kong. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in political science and completed her LLM at the University of Hong Kong.