Everett Wakai currently serves as the Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Beijing. He leads a binational team of American commercial diplomats and Chinese trade experts to promote U.S. - China business development, trade and investment. Before moving to Beijing, Mr. Wakai was the Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Consulate, Shanghai.

Michael Mangelson is the intellectual property (IP) counselor based at the U.S. embassy in Beijing, China where he serves as the chief IP officer for advocating U.S. IP interests, policies, and initiatives in China. Michael works closely with U.S. businesses on promoting and protecting their IP interests in China, and he advises and coordinates with U.S. government agencies and China counterparts to resolve IP issues, promote U.S. IP policy, encourage effective IP protection and enforcement in China, and secure high IP standards in laws and trade agreements, for the benefit of U.S. stakeholders.

Will Hope is a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State currently assigned to the ECON Section of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China. Prior to his current assignment, he was assigned to the Office of Intellectual Property Enforcement where he covered China and Asia IP issues as well as trade secrets and IP-related cybercrime. Will holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Washington, a masters in computer science from the University of Illinois, a masters in systems engineering from Cornell and a J.D. from Indiana University

Claire leads the Member Services, Government Affairs & Policy teams, and oversees the Chamber’s Cooperation Programs.

Ruixue Ran specializes in U.S. Section 337 investigations (“ITC practice”) and intellectual property litigation (“IP litigation”). Her practice has involved cases spanning a wide range of claims, including patent, trade secrets, trademark, and other types of unfair competition. A pioneer ITC practitioner in China, Ruixue is among the few lawyers who have consistently handled Section 337 cases on behalf of Chinese companies over the years and has substantial experience in representing Chinese companies in high-stakes IP litigation before the ITC and U.S. courts. Her representative cases include the historic litigation victory for Baosteel and China’s steel industry in all three claims of the Section 337 Steel case (Inv. No. 337-TA-1002). She further serves as coordinating counsel for Chinese companies’ complex IP litigations in multiple jurisdictions, including but not limited to the U.S., EU, and China.
In addition, she helps multinational clients navigate cross-border IP litigations involving China and coordinates legal proceedings outside of China with overall global IP strategy. With integrated litigation experience in China and U.S., she has succeeded in resolving international companies’ high profile disputes in China. Ruixue’s successful representation of clients has drawn upon her rich work experience in both U.S. and Chinese law firms, U.S. and Chinese companies, and the Chinese government, as well as her in-depth understanding of the hi-tech and manufacturing sectors.