Elizabeth is China country director and representative for the Ford Foundation, overseeing all grant-making and the foundationâ??s operations in the country from the office in Beijing. 

Grant-making in China focuses on supporting partners to increase equity and fairness for people undergoing urbanization; supporting the development and internationalization of Chinaâ??s social sector, including philanthropy; and supporting research and analysis of Chinaâ??s role as a world actor. 

Elizabeth first moved to China in 1998 to be the American Co-Director of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center after ten years at the National Committee on US-China Relations. She then spent 11 years in the private sector as president of Pearson Education; Chief Representative, Pearson Group; and Managing Director, Kamsky Associates. She joined the Ford Foundation in 2013.

Elizabeth sits on several not-for-profit boards, including the Institute for Sustainable Communities and the National Committee on US-China Relations. She has served as a member of the board of numerous Chinese nonprofits including the Capacity Building and Assessment Center and the Global Environment Institute. She formerly served on the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing.
Elizabeth has a master's degree from the University of Michigan's Center for Chinese Studies and a bachelor's degree in political science from Middlebury College.