Elizabeth Knup is the foundation's regional director in China, overseeing all grantmaking in the country from Ford's Beijing office. Prior to joining Ford in 2013, she served simultaneously as chief representative of Pearson PLC, one of the world’s foremost education and publishing companies, and as president of Pearson Education in China.

Having dedicated her career to developing stronger ties between China and the rest of the world in the education, nonprofit, and business sectors, Elizabeth started out at the National Committee on US-China Relations where, from 1988-98, she focused on expanding educational opportunities and strengthening social institutions in Beijing. In 1998, she moved to Nanjing and served as the American co-director of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies, overseeing the establishment of the center’s Institute for International Relations and a summer immersion Chinese language program. Later, she joined Kamsky Associates, a business strategy and investment advisory firm in Beijing.

Elizabeth is on the board of the National Committee on US-China Relations. She has served on the boards of numerous nonprofits, including the Institute for Sustainable Communities, the Capacity Building and Assessment Center, and the Global Environment Institute.

Elizabeth has a master's degree from the University of Michigan's Center for Chinese Studies and a bachelor's degree in political science from Middlebury College.