Our Team
Michelle Zhang
Michelle Zhang was born and raised in Sichuan, China, and spent part of her childhood in the Northwest region of Xinjiang. She obtained an advanced degree in law at Sichuan University and practiced law for 10 years. In 2013 she cofounded Juheng Law Firm (now SGLA Law Firm), which is one of the fastest-growing law firms in China according to 2023 ALB (Asian Legal Business). In 2015, she was one of only six legal professionals selected from China to participate in the premier exchange program of the United States Department of State, the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP).
Michelle is active in the LGBTQ community in China, advising and contributing to multiple grassroots organizations across China and she works to increase LGBTQ visibility and acceptance among the Chinese immigrant community in the US. She collected and curated content from LGBTQ groups across China for Global Pride 2020.
After noticing a disconnect between Chinese immigrants and other diverse members and groups within our society here in the US, Michelle became interested in placemaking and bridge-building across a range of communities. She established Society of Heart’s Delight in 2020 with a mission to bridge this divide and create a stronger sense of belonging among Chinese immigrants.
Michelle is also passionate about civic engagement and working to uphold the values of a free, open, and democratic society. In 2022 she was selected by the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute (APALI) to participate in their leadership training program.
Michelle lives in San Jose and enjoys traveling, attending various local arts and political functions, and experiencing all that the beautiful Bay Area region has to offer.
Founder & CEO
Fan Wu
Fan WU is an internationally acclaimed bilingual writer with her work published in more than 10 languages and 20 countries. Born and raised in China, she came to the US for graduate studies and later worked in Silicon Valley's high tech. She’s the author of three novels, and her short fiction has appeared in numerous leading publications, such as Granta and Ploughshares, and has been nominated for Pushcart Prize. She's a cofounder of Society of Heart’s Delight, which promotes interracial and intercultural dialogues, and is a trustee and core leader of the UK-based Mothers’ Bridge of Love. She has helped organize several international cultural and literary events, and has spoken at many literary conferences in the US, Europe and Asia. She’s the creator of the photoblog “Chinese Immigrants in Silicon Valley and Beyond”. She holds an MA from Stanford University and lives in San Jose, California. Her latest book, Souls Left Behind, a historical wartime novel, is forthcoming in Chinese and English in 2022 and 2023. www.FanWuWrites.com
吴帆，中英双语作家，书评人，公益志愿者，现定居圣何塞市。她在中国出生长大，之后赴美留学在斯坦福大学读研究生，毕业后就职硅谷的高科技公司。她的长篇小说被翻译成十几种语言，在二十多个国家出版发行，并入选美国TARGET BOOKMARK 及《旧金山纪事报》佳作书单。她的短篇小说在Granta及Ploughshares等世界知名文艺杂志上发表，并入围Pushcart短篇小说大奖。她的新作《被遗忘的灵魂》是一部以一战期间赴欧华工为主人公的战争历史小说，将于2022年和2023年以中英文出版。除了写作，她积极投身中西文学文化交流，曾多次组织和参与中西出版界交流活动，是多个大型国际文学节的嘉宾。她是愉园社的联合创始人, 照片博客“华人移民在硅谷”发起人，并且是英国慈善机构母爱桥的董事和长期志愿者。
Co-Founder
Pat Tietgens
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Pat Tietgens is a local San Josean and small business owner who oversees a mixed-use historic landmark property in Central San Jose. Previously she worked for the University of Washington Office of Global Affairs and lived in Chengdu, China for close to 7 years. Pat speaks Mandarin and is passionate about serving as a bridge between Chinese communities and other diverse communities locally. She is a member of Rotary Club San Jose and is a board member of both the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee and The Alameda Business Association. In her free time she enjoys attending local arts, community, and political events.
Co-Founder
Eva Woo
Eva is VP of Impact at Ontopology. She is an impact-oriented entrepreneur and startup advisor focusing on building strategy, tools, partnerships, ecosystems, knowledge synthesis, and narratives toward solutions in emerging fields.
Eva has 20 years of experience in business journalism, research consulting, corporate CSR, social impact research, and startups in Shanghai, New York, Beijing, Washington DC, and Silicon Valley with institutions including Stanford PACS, Cisco, Bloomberg, Caixin Media, South China Morning Post, and The Washington Post. She co-founded social startup Sinovator and Make-a-Point.
Eva holds an M.A. in economic journalism from New York University and a B.A. in international and intercultural communication from Peking University. In 2006, Eva was the first-ever Wall Street Journal Asia Fellow from mainland China at NYU.
Eva works at the intersection of business, civil society, and public policy, seeking inter-sector solutions by applying technology and social innovation designs. She is passionate about understanding how novel solutions in complex systems work.
Team Member
XiaoRui Li
Xiao joined Society of Heart’s Delight because she believes that equitable access to information and technology has the power to create a more just and inclusive world. Before moving to the Bay Area, she lived in China, Canada, and Southeast Asia working for Cisco, Alibaba, Microsoft, and several startups.
Outside of work, she has a big love for scuba diving, music, and travel, and cares deeply about equality and LGBTQ rights.
UX/Web Designer
Rebecca Yan
Rebecca is a graduate of the University of Washington with Master of Accounting and MBA. She is also the founder of Sparks Event, specializing in luxury personal and corporate event planning. Originally a Certified Public Accountant, she discovered her passion for event planning over time. Rebecca has a background in managing women's nonprofit organizations, gaining valuable experience in community building and interpersonal communication.
Rebecca serves as a board member of the Society of Heart’s Delight, collaborating with like-minded individuals. Her commitment arises from a genuine passion for amplifying Asian voices and ensuring their presence in mainstream society
Team Member | Treasurer
Wen Sun
Team Member | Lead of Civic Engagement Program
Wen is a native Sichuanese from China and has lived in the United States since 2004. Wen started her career as a public policy consultant in Washington D.C. focusing on economic and workforce development strategies for distressed regions in the US and served in that role for 8 years. In recent years, Wen has shifted her focus to her other passion: real estate and is now a real estate appraisal professional at Wells Fargo Bank. Wen has a Master’s degree in Economic Development from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Wen developed interest in political and social issues since her school years. After witnessing the surge of racism in the US and the polarization within the Chinese immigrant community since the pandemic, she has determined to take action in civic engagement and community bridging. Wen currently leads the civic engagement effort at SHD to advocate the importance of civic engagement in the Chinese immigrant community and encourage their involvement in local politics. Wen is also passionate about advancing LGBTQ and women rights.
Lesley Zhao
Lesley Zhao is an enthusiastic Product Designer dedicated to creating innovative solutions to meet diverse human needs. Having earned degrees in Art and Architecture from Wuhan University and Georgia Tech, she has consistently pursued her career in the tech industry while exploring her passion for philanthropy.
In 2019, she began to work with a group of friends to promote gender equality at workplace in China. Later, they took the lead in establishing the first national domestic violence platform, aimed at providing legal support and educational resources to women in China.
With an extended understanding of both community and authority, she co-founded her own non-profit organization in California with the mission of addressing educational disparities among underprivileged women. As a recent member of Society of Heart’s Delight, she is dedicated to increasing visibility of Chinese American immigrants and advocating for diversity, equality and inclusion across various communities.
Team Member
Marcus Wang
Team Member
Marcus was born and raised in Guangdong, China. After graduated from Johns Hopkins University, Marcus started to work for AAA insurance as an Actuary.
Before joining Society of Heart’s Delight, Marcus served on the board as secretary in GAPA (GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance) one of the oldest Queer API organizations in SF. Marcus wants to build a more just and inclusive community among Chinese Immigrants in the Bay Area and beyond through Society of Heart’s Delight.
Yudy Deng
Yudy Deng serves as a board member and treasurer for the Society of Heart’s Delight, where she brings her financial expertise and leadership skills to advance the organization’s mission of fostering cultural enrichment and community engagement.
Yudy is also a Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commissioner, where she collaborates with city officials and community stakeholders to enhance local parks and recreational programs. Her commitment to public service extends to her involvement with APALI (Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute), where she continues to develop her leadership capacity and advocate for diverse communities.
With a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership, Yudy has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including fundraising campaigns, event planning, and community outreach. As the PTA President of Ohlone Elementary School, she has fostered strong connections between families, staff, and the broader community.
Professionally, Yudy serves as the Investor Relations Director at Ark7, a fractional real estate investment platform, where she excels in strategic communication and stakeholder engagement.
Yudy’s dedication to creating vibrant, inclusive communities drives her contributions to the Society of Heart’s Delight and beyond.