Carola McGiffert

Carola McGiffert has a diverse and extensive work experience in various industries and organizations. Carola started their career in 1994 as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Undersecretary for International Trade at the Department of Commerce. Carola then worked as a Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the US Trade Representative in 1996. In 1997, they became the Vice Chairman of the International Trade Practice at Mayer, Brown & Platt.

In 1998, Carola joined The Newmarket Company as a Vice President, and in 2002, they started working at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). During their time at CSIS, they held multiple roles, including Chief of Staff, Senior Fellow, and Fellow. In 2005, they co-founded StratAsia LLC and served as a Co-Founder and Principal until 2009.

Carola's career continued to progress, and they became Vice President and Chief of Staff at CSIS in 2006. From 2010 to 2012, they served as a Senior Advisor and Director of the 100,000 Strong Initiative at the U.S. Department of State. In 2012, Carola became the CEO of the US China Strong Foundation, where they worked until 2016.

Currently, they are the Managing Director of BGR Group, a leading government affairs and strategic communications firm. Carola specifically leads the firm's growing China practice. Carola has proven their expertise and capabilities throughout their professional journey, making their a valuable asset in their field.

Carola McGiffert completed their high school education at Sidwell Friends School from 1985 to 1988, receiving a High School Diploma. Carola then pursued their undergraduate studies at Wesleyan University, where they obtained their Bachelor's degree in the College of Social Studies from 1988 to 1992. Following that, they enrolled in The Johns Hopkins University, where they pursued an MA degree in Chinese Studies and International Economics from 1998 to 2002.