Sophie Zhang
Co-Founder // Co-President
sophie.zhang@ping-pongdiplomacy.org
Sophie is the Co-Founder and Co-President of Ping-Pong Diplomacy. A Southern California native, Sophie is passionate about youth public speaking and community engagement. From a young age, Sophie has felt compelled to be an active citizen in her community, yet at times, felt hindered by public speaking skills. Overcoming these hurdles, Sophie found her own voice. Through various professional and volunteer activities, Sophie began to understand the challenges that some young people face when seeking to improve their communication skills and sought to make spaces more accessible to all. Ping-Pong Diplomacy is one of these inclusive spaces. Sophie truly believes in the power of international exchange and cross-cultural dialogue in furthering mutual understanding and cooperation among communities.
Norah Li
Co-Founder // Co-President
norahjadeli@gmail.com
Norah is the Co-Founder and Co-President of Ping-Pong Diplomacy. Raised in the mountain ranges of Utah, Norah is a high school student with a passion for the arts, computer science, and business. She is also an experienced archer, digital artist, and cat-lover. Through numerous professional and volunteer experiences, Norah saw public speaking as a means to explore opportunities and share her passions with the communities around her. As a strong believer in community-building and civic engagement, Norah sees the Ping-Pong Diplomacy event as a legacy of cooperation and our Ping-Pong Diplomacy nonprofit as a bridge to connecting with peers and creating a safe environment.
Ping-Pong Diplomacy aims to promote mutual respect, open dialogues, and positive engagement. We strongly believe in seeking common ground, while respecting differences. Our events demonstrate that different cultures, nations, peoples, and ideologies can peacefully co-exist and compete despite their differences. As Sino-US relations intensifies, the legacy and spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy remains significant, now more than ever.
Ping-Pong Diplomacy is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the State of California.
RECENT ENGAGEMENTS & ACTIVITIES
“A six-week program seeks to educate a group of twenty students from a variety of schools across Yorba Linda on how our government functions on a local level. Covering topics from City Infrastructure and Public Utilities to Public Safety and Intergovernmental Relations, YCLA dives into a variety of different subjects. Each of the weekly conferences meet at locations across the city, from the Yorba Linda Water District to the Nixon Presidential Library. Students are introduced to the bureaucracy and politics that contribute to the functioning city of Yorba Linda, with guest speakers from different fields and departments which aid in regulating the city.”
Ping-Pong Diplomacy 