Sheryl Wudunn

Author, Half the Sky

Bio Current as of September 22, 2015

The first Asian-American reporter to win a Pulitzer Prize, Sheryl WuDunn has journeyed through several industries, from banking to journalism and book writing, pulling together critical insights to bear upon her work. Most recently, she has written a new book, A Path Appears, about spreading opportunity and making a difference in the world. Previously, she was co-author of Half the Sky, about the oppression of women and girls around the world. Sheryl has used her immense talent as a writer, speaker and thought leader to advocate for those without the resources to advocate for themselves. Selected as one of Newsweek’s “150 Women Who Shake the World,” WuDunn has helped raise awareness about the challenges facing women, such as sex trafficking. A highly successful business executive and best-selling author, she currently works with entrepreneurs in new media, technology and social enterprise at Mid-Market Securities, a small investment banking boutique in NYC.

In her inspirational best-selling book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide – written with her husband, Nicholas Kristof – WuDunn goes beyond simply exposing the devastating daily reality for so many of the world’s women, and uses the powerful book as a call to action for solutions. The book had an immense impact on exposing the plight of oppressed peoples around the globe, sparking activism and a new sense of awareness worldwide. Thanks to the book’s popularity and global impact, it soon grew into a multi-platform digital media effort that now includes a highly popular documentary series on PBS, mobile games and an online social media game on Facebook.

Previously a vice president at Goldman Sachs, WuDunn has an adept understanding of macro and micro economic trends. Winning the Pulitzer Prize with Kristof for their coverage of China, WuDunn is an expert on the Chinese economy. She has co-taught on China as part of a global affairs course at Yale University, and she frequently speaks about business and economic challenges facing China to a wide range of audiences. Her on-the-ground approach to insights about China have helped many of her audiences get a much better grasp of this remarkable and expanding nation. Her stories and first-hand experiences over many years in China make the country come alive for her listeners. She discusses Chinese economic issues on major television and radio programs such as Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News and NPR. She also was an esteemed guest at President Obama’s State Dinner at the White House for Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Thoughtful, engaging and clever, Sheryl WuDunn delivers her important message of leadership, hope and on-the-ground solutions in China and around the world to audiences worldwide. With her extensive global experience, and her experience working with a variety of entrepreneurs in various fields, WuDunn has unique insight on market solutions to human rights issues, taking audiences on a remarkable journey and giving them first-hand accounts of lives that are rarely seen. A commanding speaker, she is frequently called upon by senior officials both in the U.S. and abroad to speak on economic, political and social topics related to women in the developing world, the global economy, China and other emerging markets. Sharing the important stories that often go untold, Sheryl WuDunn shows audiences not only what needs to change, but how to take action to make ideas become reality.