Yao is with LEAD China team as a Communications Intern and the program assistant. She joined LEAD firstly as an associate of Cohort 13, and became one of organizers of its national and international training sessions since 2009. She also acted as a resource person during the site visits of Beijing IS and contributed to the training workbook by providing background articles, especially on the theme of ‘business and climate change’ under the constitutions of sustainable development and climate change strategies. Her earlier career included Media Planner for Shanghai SunBridge Advertising, research assistant in China Foreign Affairs University and in Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS).
She finished her postgraduate studyies in Strategic Affairs in Australian National University in 2008, which focused on security and political affairs in Asia and Pacific region. She was granted a Bachelor degree in Computer Science and Art in 2005 from Tongji University in Shanghai.