Colette Plum is a proficient Mandarin speaker and an expert in cross-cultural educational programs between China and the United States. With over 15 years’ experience, she has designed and implemented innovative learning collaborations for professionals, students, and faculty in the public and private sectors. Her technical knowledge and experience enable her to lead, research, and teach in politically sensitive settings. Plum’s research and teaching specialization comprise contemporary China, Chinese history, and global history, with a particular focus on the impact of war on families and children, policies towards children in modern nation-building, and the effects of modernization and globalization on 20th Century China. She holds a BA in Anthropology and Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, and a PhD in Chinese History from Stanford University, where she also taught history. Previously, Plum has held positions at the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, Widener University, Where There Be Dragons, and the Council on International Educational Exchange. She has also been the Former Director of University Programs and Global Pathways at UC Berkeley Extension and former Deputy Director of Study Abroad at the University of California, Berkeley.