CEAS Student Hara Jang Attends Asia Society's Emerging Female Leaders Program

This past fall CEAS student Hara Jang (MA, 26') had the opportunity to attend the Asia Society Policy Institute's fifth iteration of its “Building Trade Ties with Korea’s Emerging Female Leaders” program. Launched in 2019 in partnership with the Korea Foundation, the “Building Trade Ties with Korea’s Emerging Female Leaders” initiative aims to promote leadership and mentorship opportunities for female professionals from the Republic of Korea with interest and experience in economic-related fields. This intensive program hosts meetings with senior and emerging business leaders, government officials and dignitaries, trade negotiators, and other speakers. Hara took the time to speak to CEAS and answer a few questions about her experience with this program.

CEAS: How did you hear about this opportunity?

Hara Jang (HJ):I learned about the program through my former supervisor, who is currently serving as the Economic Minister at the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., and recommended that I apply. The annual program, hosted by the Asian Society Policy Institution (ASPI), accepts online applications and selects 7-8 Korean female professionals working in trade-related fields.

CEAS: What is the goal of this program?

HJ: ASPI’s Emerging Female Leaders (EFL) program aims to cultivate the next generation of Asia’s female trade leaders by offering opportunities to develop skills and competencies in trade negotiations and policy. The program invites trade experts, current and former government officials, and private-sector professionals to provide workshops, briefings, and networking sessions.

The program is led by Wendy Cutler, Senior Vice President at ASPI, who has nearly thirty years of experience as a diplomat and negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and as the U.S. Chief Negotiator for the Korea-U.S. FTA. Currently, ASPI runs three versions of EFL programs for Korean, Japanese, and ASEAN female leaders.

CEAS: What made you want to apply?

HJ: As a Korean diplomat whose previous work has been largely focused on economic affairs—such as serving on Korea’s APEC Team and as Consul for global trade and economic affairs at the Consulate General in Atlanta, and so on—I have long been interested in strengthening Korea’s economic diplomacy on the global stage. This is also why I am pursuing the M.A. at CEAS, with a research focus on economic relations between Korea and the United States.

Because the program offers valuable learning and networking opportunities with experts and Korean female professionals from both the public and private sectors, I decided to apply. I hoped to gain on-the-ground insights into economic negotiations and deals between Korea and the United States, as well as current trade-related challenges facing both countries.

CEAS: What kind of activities were you involved in?

HJ: The week-long program includes a diverse range of activities—lectures, seminars, workshops, and networking events in Washington D.C. and New York. This year’s cohort discussed negotiation skills, trade deal case studies, the economic policies of the past and current U.S. administrations and their impacts, and female leadership, with guest speakers from various fields.

CEAS: What was your favorite aspect of this program?

HG: The best part of the program was the opportunity to receive intensive training and engage in face-to-face discussions with both current and former professionals in trade-related fields, hearing their experiences and candid perspectives. I also enjoyed listening to fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. Moreover, spending a week with fellow participants from diverse sectors allowed me to learn about their work and perspectives on trade and investment within their organizations

CEAS: Anything else you would like to share?

HJ: Unfortunately, I cannot share specific details of the program, as it was conducted under an off-the-record format. Nonetheless, I believe similar opportunities related to the East Asian countries will be available for students like myself and other CEAS students who are interested in pursuing careers in the public sector after completing their studies at Stanford. I hope such opportunities will continue to be identified and shared among CEAS students.