Thao Hong

P. Thao Hong works on the Financial Services for the Poor team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She is also the former Strategy Director at Hornall Anderson. Prior to joining Hornall Anderson, Thao held positions in commercial aircraft sales, brand marketing, and international strategy at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Prior to joining the private sector, Thao was a Foreign Service Officer focusing on economic issues in East Asia at the State Department, serving overseas as a Vice Consul in Shanghai and Taipei. Thao briefly served under the Obama administration in her role as the Director of Trade Policy for the United States Trade Representative’s Office. In these positions, Thao helped promote U.S. commercial and economic interests abroad through work with high-level government officials, business leaders and local citizens.

She attained her B.B.A. in Finance and a Certificate of International Studies in business at the University of Washington and completed the Advanced Economic Studies Program at the Foreign Service Institute. She is fluent in Chinese, Vietnamese, and has basic knowledge of Japanese and French. A long-time friend of the Council, she participated in Global Classroom programs in high school, interned with the Council in college, and for the past five years has served on the board of trustees. Thao also volunteers her time mentoring Foster Business School students.