06/07/2026
We are honored to invite Ms. Zhao Yan, former Mayor of Saratoga, California, as a featured speaker at the 3rd Global Motherhood Leadership Summit 2026. She will share her remarkable experiences and profound insights on public service, leadership development, and motherhood in practice.
Mayor Zhao reflected on her journey of growth since graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, where she actively engaged in non-profit organizations and community service work. She eventually joined the Saratoga City Planning Commission, was subsequently elected as its chair, and twice served as Mayor of Saratoga in 2021 and 2024. As a first-generation immigrant to the United States, she shared how she successfully transitioned from an engineer in the semiconductor industry to a leader in the public service sector. She overcame the limitations of her introverted personality, continually challenged herself, embraced change, and evolved from a technical professional into a trusted public leader within the community. Her leadership qualities demonstrated resilience, willingness to take on responsibilities, adaptability to change, continuous learning, and dedication to serving society.
Mayor Zhao also delved into the mutually reinforcing and mutually beneficial relationship between motherhood and leadership. As a mother of three children, she believes that her role as a mother has significantly contributed to her rise to leadership positions and her successful election as mayor. Her experiences in raising children have allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of the various challenges and needs faced by community families in their daily lives, enabling her to provide public services with greater empathy, a more pragmatic perspective, and a closer connection to the people. Additionally, motherhood naturally nurtured her communication skills, patience, emotional intelligence, and decision-making abilities, which have become crucial leadership strengths during her tenure as mayor.
Mayor Zhao shared that becoming a mother had not only given her a deeper sense of purpose in life but had also become a significant driving force for her to serve her community and contribute to society. Her leadership practices have also had a profound impact on the growth of her children. The children are not only proud of their mother’s long-term dedication to public service but also actively share household responsibilities, support her campaign activities and community service work. Under the influence of her mother’s role model, her eldest daughter has gradually developed leadership thinking, civic responsibility, self-confidence, and a spirit of serving others, and has actively participated in youth leadership projects and community volunteer activities, emerging as a young and influential leader among the younger generation.
Mayor Zhao’s personal experiences vividly illustrate the core principles of the Global Mother Leadership Summit: that motherhood and leadership are not mutually exclusive roles, but rather complementary aspects of a life journey that mutually enhance each other. The leadership qualities and skills developed through motherhood can enhance leadership effectiveness, while leadership experiences can positively impact family relationships and inspire future generations. Mayor Zhao’s story demonstrates how mothers can lead their families with love and responsibility, serve their communities with purpose and commitment, create positive and far-reaching social impact, and nurture future leaders who possess character, courage, responsibility, and empathy, thereby contributing to the common prosperity and development of families, communities, and society. This is precisely the mission that the Global Mother Leadership Summit consistently advocates for and embodies.
