Mayor Yan Zhao’s Leadership in Public Service and Motherhood

At the 3rd Global Motherhood Leadership Summit 2026, former Saratoga Mayor Yan Zhao served as a distinguished guest speaker, sharing her remarkable journey and insights on public service, leadership development, and motherhood.

Mayor Zhao reflected on her path following her graduation from the University of California, Berkeley. She became actively involved in nonprofit organizations and community service initiatives, which ultimately led to her appointment to the Saratoga Planning Commission. She later served as Chair of the Commission and was elected Mayor of Saratoga for two terms, in 2021 and 2024. As a first-generation immigrant to the United States, Mayor Zhao shared how she successfully transitioned from a career as an engineer in the semiconductor industry to a leadership role in public service. She spoke about overcoming the limitations of her naturally introverted personality, continuously challenging herself, embracing change, and evolving from a technical professional into a trusted public leader. Her journey exemplifies leadership traits such as resilience, responsibility, adaptability, lifelong learning, and a strong commitment to serving others.

Mayor Zhao also explored the mutually reinforcing relationship between motherhood and leadership. As the mother of three children, she believes that motherhood played a significant role in shaping her leadership journey and ultimately contributed to her success as mayor. The experience of raising children enabled her to better understand the challenges and needs faced by families in the community, allowing her to lead with greater empathy, practical insight, and a deeper connection to the people she served. At the same time, motherhood strengthened her communication skills, patience, emotional intelligence, and decision-making abilities, all of which became valuable leadership assets throughout her tenure in public office.

Mayor Zhao further shared that motherhood not only gave her a deeper sense of purpose but also became a powerful source of motivation for serving her community and contributing to society. Her leadership journey has profoundly influenced the growth and development of her children. They are not only proud of their mother’s dedication to public service but have also actively shared family responsibilities and participated in her campaign activities and community service efforts. Inspired by their mother’s example, her eldest daughter developed a strong leadership mindset, civic responsibility, self-confidence, and a commitment to serving others. She has actively participated in youth leadership programs and community service initiatives, emerging as an influential young leader within her community.

Mayor Zhao’s personal experiences beautifully illustrate the core mission of the Global Motherhood Leadership Summit: motherhood and leadership are not competing roles but complementary and mutually reinforcing journeys. The leadership traits and competencies cultivated through motherhood can enhance leadership effectiveness, while leadership experiences can strengthen family relationships and inspire future generations. Her story demonstrates how mothers can lead their families with love and responsibility, serve their communities with purpose and dedication, create meaningful social impact, and nurture future leaders characterized by integrity, courage, responsibility, and empathy. This is precisely the mission that the Global Motherhood Leadership Summit seeks to advance and celebrate.