is a native of Beijing. Ms. Chen is a former administrative manager of an important national Chinese government bureau. Her skill and knowledge about working with the Chinese government and navigating local bureaucracies in Yunnan have been invaluable since she joined the Board of Directors in 2006. In 2008, Ms. Chen worked with Dr. Detrano to start taking care of poor children with congenital heart disease. With Ms. Chen’s help, the China California Heart Watch has since sent over 350 children for corrective, life-saving surgeries. In 2013, Ms. Chen helped start a separate division within the China California Heart Watch for pediatric cardiac care. In 2014, Ms. Chen was appointed to serve as Associate Director of China Cal. In 2016, Ms. Chen succeeded founding director Dr. Robert Detrano as CEO.

is a native of Lisle, IL. He graduated with a degree in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology from Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. Mr. Zhang first came to China as an EFL teacher at Xi'an Northwest Polytechnic University before focusing his attention towards access to health care in rural Yunnan. Mr. Zhang is the director of marketing for the externship program and assists China Cal in the American side of operations currently from Chicago, IL. 

is Principal and Teacher at TESLA English Language School in Harbin, China. Prior to Tesla, Ms. Xia was an English instructor at Heilongjiang International University, and was English teacher at the New Oriental English School in Beijing, China. At China Cal, Ms. Xia has assisted China Cal with the recruitment and selection process of high school students partaking in our summer/winter externship programs. Presently, Ms. Xia served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at China California Heart Watch between 2016 and 2018. Ms. Xia holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Beijing Foreign Studies University.

is an American anthropologist, educator, and writer. Prior to joining China Cal, Dr. Thorne was Program Academic Advisor with the SIT Study Abroad program in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, and was previously Lecturer of Asian Studies in the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (HKIHSS) of The University of Hong Kong. In 1986, Dr. Thorne was one of the first U.S. citizen to travel and live in the People Republic of China, and since then, has lived in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China for over 15 consecutive years. Dr. Thorne holds a Ph.D. degree in Cultural Anthropology from The University of Hong Kong, a M.Phil degree in Social Anthropology from the University of London, and a B.A. degree in International Studies from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Dr. Thorne is originally from Los Angeles, California.