China Center Staff
- Director — Dr. Yongwei Zhang
- Assistant Director — Joan Brzezinski
- Training Program Director — Yuedong Zhou
- Beijing Office Coordinator — Wanling Qu
- Training Program Manager — Xue Bai
- Communications Specialist — Kate Sophia
- Program Specialist — James Polga
- Assistant Translator — Xiaojian Li
- Training Program Volunteer — Fang Qin
Dr. Yongwei Zhang , Director
Phone: 612-624-1002
E-mail: zhang837@umn.edu
Dr. Zhang comes to the University of Minnesota from Missouri State University where he simultaneously held multiple positions, including director of international programs and affairs, assistant vice president of research and economic development, and director of university programs in Asia. He was also a professor of geography in the Department of Geography, Geology, and planning.
Joan Brzezinski, Assistant Director
Phone: 612-624-1002
E-mail: brzez001@umn.edu
Joan
Brzezinski began her China experience in 1982, when as a student at Hamline
University, she was selected to participate in a year-long academic exchange
at Peking University in Beijing. Over the last 20 years, Joan has worked
to strengthen U.S.-China exchange in various positions in business and education. She
has worked as a tour director and a business consultant in China and served
as the director of business development for a national association of business.
She joined the China Center in 1997.
Joan speaks Chinese and enjoys her work at the China Center tremendously. She is particularly proud of the China Center's contributions to the developing exchange between Minnesota and China.
In addition to traveling extensively in China, she has also traveled to many places throughout Asia and Southeast Asia. She received a master's degree in international management from the University of St. Thomas.
Yuedong Zhou, Training Program Director
Phone: 612-624-2372
E-mail: zhoux051@umn.edu
Yuedong Zhou joined the China Center in September 2001. Before that, he worked as research associate and China program coordinator at the Institute for Global Chinese Affairs, University of Maryland (College Park) for three years. He has extensive experience in setting up training programs for different Chinese organizations and a wide range of contacts in China.
Yuedong is originally from Sichuan Province in China. Before he came to the U.S., he worked as associate professor in the Department of Biology and Bioengineering at the School of Life Science, Sichuan University, in the city of Chengdu.
Wanling Qu, Beijing Office Coordinator
E-mail: quxxx010@umn.edu
Wanling Qu has been an advocate of expanded academic, business, and cultural exchange between China and the United States since becoming director of the Freshman Program at the Cultural Exchange College of Sichuan International Studies University (SISU) in the early 2000s. She has earned degrees in International Business and English from SISU, as well as a Master of Arts in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (HRIR) from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Wanling’s professional background includes working for premier institutions of higher education and large corporations in both China and America.
Wanling speaks fluent Chinese and English, and is passionate to develop the Beijing Office into a conduit to rapidly and effectively advance the China Center’s mission.
Xue (Mandy) Bai,
Training Program Manager
Phone: 612-626-1768
Email: baixx019@umn.edu
Mandy regards the training program at Minda Institute of Leadership Training an excellent bridge to build collaboration between public, business and nonprofit sectors. She likes to work with Chinese visitors from government, business and academic sectors, and to assist them to meet their Minnesotan counterparts.
Proud of her Inner Mongolian heritage, Mandy was born and grew up in Jiangsu province, China. She received her Master degree in Public Policy from Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, with concentrations on Strategic Leadership and Financial Management for Public and Nonprofit Sectors. With a Bachelor degree in English and International Studies from China Foreign Affairs University, she used to work on corporate public relations in Beijing and traveled extensively to North America, South America and Western Europe. As a dynamic skier, she thinks Minnesota is one of the perfect places to live.
Kate Sophia, Communications Specialist
Phone: 612-624-5075
E-mail: kate@umn.edu
Kate Sophia joined the China Center in January 2008. She earned her B.A. in Chemistry and Theater from the College of St. Catherine and is currently working toward an M.A. in Strategic Communication from the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Kate is very excited to work on China Center communications as well as learn more about Chinese language, culture, and geography.
James Polga, Program Specialist
Phone: 612-624-0016
E-mail: polg0003@umn.edu
James is a Part-Time MBA student at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He has been working full-time at the China Center since March of 2006. He is enthusiastic about working for the China Center because he feels it is a valuable opportunity to help strengthen the relationship and understanding between American and Chinese people. In the future he hopes to continue his work linking the U.S. and China in an international business setting.
Xiaojian Li, Assistant Translator
E-mail: xiaoj056@umn.edu
Xiaojian Li joined the China Center right after the Chinese New Year in February 2008. He is currently a doctorate student in the Department of Education Policy and Administration in the College of Education and Human Development. He is interested in research on educational policy and international cultural exchange.
Fang Qin, Training Program Volunteer
Fang Qin, is a fourth-year graduate student in the Department of History. She is originally from Jiangsu Province and she received her B.A. and M.A. at Nankai University, Tianjin, China. Fang is currently writing her dissertation on urban culture and women studies and is very happy to help more people get to know Chinese culture and history.