Janet Yang, Producer and Former Film Academy President, Will Chair Board of Committee of 100 (Exclusive)

Janet Yang, the Oscar-winning producer and former Academy Awards president, takes the helm of Committee of 100, a nonprofit organization advocating for Asian American interests in policy, culture, and business. Yang succeeds Gary Locke, the ex-Washington governor and U.S. Ambassador to China, who chaired the group for five years.

Yang's appointment marks a significant moment for the entertainment executive, who led the Academy during a transformative period following the 2022 Oscars slap incident. As a producer, Yang's credits include the Best Picture winner "Everything Everywhere All at Once," cementing her influence across Hollywood's creative and governance spheres.

Committee of 100, founded in 1990, counts prominent figures from finance, politics, academia, and entertainment among its membership. The organization focuses on advancing Asian American representation and policy interests at the national level. Yang has been a member since 1998, giving her two decades of organizational experience within the group.

Her new role positions Yang at the intersection of entertainment industry influence and broader civic engagement. The Committee of 100 chairmanship adds another leadership credential to her resume, which already includes producer credits on acclaimed films and her stewardship of the Academy during a globally watched institution's pivotal moment.

Locke's tenure saw the organization navigate post-pandemic recovery and continued advocacy for Asian American visibility across sectors. Yang inherits that momentum while bringing her distinct perspective from Hollywood's production side and recent experience managing one of entertainment's most visible institutions.

The move reflects how entertainment executives increasingly shape conversations beyond film and television, translating industry visibility into broader cultural and political influence. Yang's dual authority in both Hollywood and nonprofit governance demonstrates the blurred lines between entertainment leadership and civic responsibility in contemporary American public life.