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Published on: 8/14/2001
Last Visited: 9/24/2002
Ling Chai
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Inspirations:
Person "Nelson Mandela -- for his commitment and determination for freedom and democracy."
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Ling Chai
"It is my hope that freeing students of geographic, decision-making, and bureaucratic barriers will promote the spread of ideas and democracy."
Co-founder, President and Chief Operating Officer, Jenzabar.
In China, 1989, Ling Chais fellow students elected her leader of Tiananmen Squares pro-democracy student movement.That peaceful protest brought the attention of the world to the Chinese peoples struggle for freedom.
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For her leadership role in that historic event, Ling Chai was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace prize.
Now, 11 years later after arriving in the United States, without even knowing the language, Chai is president and chief operating officer of Jenzabar, a leading educational Internet enterprise software company (reaching $90 million in revenue this year) that she founded three years ago in her basement.
"Continuing my fight and rebuilding my life after escaping Chinese authorities, I entered the United States, and earned an M.P.A. degree from Princeton and an M.B.A. from Harvard."During this time, Chai also became president of China Dialogue.This Washington D.C.-based, nonprofit organization works to bring about political and social change for a democratic China by improving communication and education.
From 1993 to 1996, Chai worked as a consultant at Bain & Company, focusing on software computer systems companies and the Internet industry, and in investment banking with Morgan Stanley.After developing her skills and establishing a track record of building and managing successful enterprises, she formed Jenzabar.
"This started as a portal for universities based around an integrated calendar that brings course information, campus events, news and entertainment into a personalized package for students."Now its integrated products, deploying Net-related technology, are combining with its enterprise-level software system.
"My commitment to freedom and empowerment, tested in the fire of my experiences as a student organizer of the Tiananmen Square demonstrations found new expression in my company," said Chai.