Nancy Yao

Nancy Yao Maasbach is an American museum administrator who served as president of the Museum of Chinese in America from 2015 to 2023. She was formerly the executive director of the Yale-China Association.

Life Yao Nanxūn was born in the United States to Gong Tiānxiá (Tina) and Yao Ce (William Yao). She earned a B.A. in diplomacy and world affairs with a minor in Chinese language from Occidental College. In March 2023, she was selected to succeed interim director Lisa Sasaki as the founding director of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum. Yao's resignation came amid a review of how she had handled sexual harassment complaints, although Yao cited "family issues that require her attention" in deciding to withdraw from her designation as founding director of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum.