Born in the North-east China, Amanda used to enjoy skating and skiing in winter even when it's minus 30 degree. After she got her bachelor degree in English literature and linguistics in China, she went to Australia to experience a different campus life. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a master degree in applied commerce after 18-month study. Considering the emerging opportunities in Chinese market, she returned to China for job hunting in 2002.

After working for one year as a marketing specialist at a local IT company providing system integration solution to Chinese telecom carriers, Amanda cut her tooth on PR at Burson-Marsteller, a New York based PR agency. At B-M's Beijing office, Amanda has serviced tech-savvy companies including Cisco, Qualcomm, SAP and HP as well as clients in other industries like Visa, SABMiller, Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Johnny Walker. During the two years she spent at B-M, Amanda has acquired experience in media relations, media training, corporate branding and crisis management. Having worked for an agency for over two years, she joined Ogilvy & Mather Beijing in July 2005, working in the corporate communications team to promote OgilvyÕs image and profile in local market.

Amanda's involvement with community activities started back to her college days. As the representative of Chinese undergraduate students, she worked together with the university councilor and related local government agencies on the summer program in 1999 for exchange students from Simon Frazer University. In addition to helping the students with their academic study in China, Amanda arranged a couple of activities to help them have a better understanding in Chinese culture.

In her second year at University of Melbourne, knowing the hardship that newcomers would experience, Amanda took part in the orientation program for international students who were new to Melbourne. Besides campus and city tour, she helped many Chinese students overcome the culture shock and better adapted in local way of life by organizing various activities. She was the assistant to the Head of International Student at the University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association (UMPA) in 2001.

Amanda is a chocoholic and her dream is to own her bakery when she retires from professional work. Her pastime is a good combination of a bit of everythingÑkaraoke, horseback-riding, food, chilling-out with friends. She got to know the Oriented through friends in late 2004 and became a volunteer for the Oriented Happy Hour in Beijing in February 2005.