Beyond Service
They were instrumental in making the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games a success. And if not for their rescue and relief efforts following the devastating Sichuan earthquake that same year, more lives could have been lost. Today, they continue their impact by tackling our world's most pressing problems.
They are volunteers and social entrepreneurs, and they are key to China's future.
Once rare in China, volunteerism and social entrepreneurship are beginning to take shape. In large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, volunteer programs and social-purpose organizations are sprouting. Multinational companies too are steadily joining the volunteering and social entrepreneurship wave, implementing service initiatives as part of their larger corporate citizenship programs.
Featuring a collection of true, inspirational and thought-provoking stories about volunteering and social entrepreneurship from around the world - from a young woman's journey fleeing the 1979 Iranian Revolution to starting a global volunteering platform in Europe, to a humanitarian worker's eye-opening experience teaching orphans of war at a refugee camp in Kenya - in both English and Chinese, Beyond Service will be the first guide to volunteering and social entrepreneurship of its kind in China.
About Us
Hannah Alexander
Founder & Editor
Hannah oversees the operations and communications of an international organization in New York. Previously, she led the development and launch of social venture fund Echoing Green's Work on Purpose book and program and a UN-affiliated sustainability initiative. She advises early stage to established impact-driven organizations globally and has served as an Advisory Board member of Summit on the Summit. Hannah holds a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Mount Holyoke College.
Joa Alexander
Senior Editor
Joa is a strategy consultant and recent MBA graduate of the Isenberg School of Management with over a decade of experience with East Asia. Prior to business school, she attended Harvard University, earning a master’s degree in East Asia Regional Studies. Her undergraduate and graduate studies at Harvard have taken her to China and Korea on multiple occasions to volunteer, research, study, and teach. Professionally, she has engaged on issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region through her work at the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York.
Su Gao
Associate
Su is a recent MBA graduate from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, she worked as a senior environmental, social, and governance (ESG) analyst at Bloomberg LP. She developed an interest in energy, environment, and sustainable development while an undergraduate at Harvard University studying Earth and Planetary Sciences. She joined the Beyond Service team during an eye-opening year in Beijing.
Lorie Yin
Associate
Lorie was born and raised in Shanghai, China. After obtaining a B.A. in International Relations from Carleton College and an MBA from Columbia Business School, Lorie has recently returned to Shanghai and now heads the e-commerce business of Loro Piana in Asia.
Hiroko Egashira
Graphic Designer
With an incredible talent for creating visual arts, Hiroko has led graphic design projects for world renowned companies and organizations in New York and Tokyo, including a United Nations associated sustainability campaign. She is currently a member of a unique Japanese creative team called Mar United, Inc.