Neysun Mahboubi

Neysun Mahboubi is Director of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches various courses related to Chinese history, law, and policy, and hosts the China Studies podcast. He is also a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Asia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Previously he was a Research Scholar of Penn’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China. His primary academic interests are in the areas of administrative law, comparative law, and Chinese law, and his current writing focuses on the development of modern Chinese administrative law. He frequently comments on Chinese law and policy developments and U.S.-China relations for various media outlets. He has taught also at Princeton University’s School of Public & International Affairs, the University of Connecticut School of Law, and Yale Law School.

Amy Gadsden

Amy Gadsden is Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, in which capacity she works with Penn’s schools and centers to develop and implement strategies to increase Penn’s global engagement both on campus and overseas, including by advancing Penn’s activities with respect to China. Previously, she served as Associate Dean for International and Strategic Initiatives at Penn Law School, where she built a comprehensive program aimed at expanding the Law School’s global curriculum. Before coming to Penn, she served as Special Advisor for China at the U.S. Department of State, and before that she served as China Director for the International Republican Institute. She has published widely on democracy and human rights in China, documenting legal and civil society reform, and was one of the first American scholars to observe and write about grassroots elections in China in the mid-1990s.

PROJECT TEAM

Mackenzie Miller

Mackenzie Miller is the Project’s Program Manager. She recently earned a Master’s Degree in Ethnic Relations and Cultures at National Dong Hwa University in Hualien, Taiwan, with a scholarship from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Previously, Mackenzie studied English and journalism with a minor in international studies at Goshen College. She began studying Mandarin Chinese in high school, which led her to also spend a year studying at Nanjing Normal University in 2019. Between college and her Fulbright in Taiwan, Mackenzie worked as a Research Assistant at the United States Institute of Peace, where she published on the role of religious actors in Indigenous language preservation. While in Taiwan, she also served as an Advocacy and Publications Assistant for Reporters Without Borders.

Joyce He

Joyce He is the Project’s senior web and graphics designer, in which capacity she also produces Project webinars. An alumna of the Penn class of 2025, she was the creative director of Penn Appétit and a designer in the student-run design agency Penn Visual Solutions. Her design experience ranges from print to digital, with a focus on editorial, marketing, and user interfaces.

Devan Schwartz

Devan Schwartz is the sound engineer for the Project’s podcast, China Studies, which launched in January 2025. He is an experienced audio professional who has worked with such organizations as NPR, the BBC, Slate, The New York Times, and various public radio stations.

STUDENT INTERNS

Rachel Ou

Rachel Ou is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Biology with minors in Chemistry, Science, Technology & Society, and Design. She participated in the undergraduate Policy Task Force on U.S.–China Relations in Spring 2024, for which she researched biotechnology and pharmaceutical collaboration. An artist and designer, she brings experience in fine arts, digital design, and multimedia to the Project. Rachel also serves as President of Penn Chinese Calligraphy and Captain of Penn Table Tennis.

Ysaach Habon

Ysaach Habon is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School studying Finance and Business Analytics with a minor in Design. He has completed two summers in Investment Banking and has researched AI-driven decision frameworks at the Wharton Climate Lab. He participated in the undergraduate Policy Task Force on U.S.–China Relations in Spring 2024, exploring dynamics in the South China Sea. Beyond academics, Ysaach mentors first-generation students and leads creative ventures in product design and entrepreneurship.