Kathleen C. Yao is Co-Founder and Director of TLE Singapore, an educational consultancy with networks across the ASEAN region and China. Prior to this, Kathleen co-founded a financial information services firm in Hong Kong, acting as Chief Operating Officer, successfully securing US$7.2 million in venture capital funding to expand to Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Taipei & Shanghai. Using this experience in growing a company from start-up to pre-IPO, she co-founded TLE in hopes of opening up similar possible futures for others and has since successfully worked with over 18,500 individuals over the last 20 years to help them improve their creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills. She is also the co-author of The Entrepreneur’s Blueprint: Strategies and Lessons for Success, published by SNP and
accorded a foreword by then Economic Development Board (EDB) Chairman Teo Ming Kian for championing the spirit of innovation and became required reading for Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) students in 2004. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in Political Science
with a Business Emphasis and has since then continued her education through various certification programs including Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education on Using Multiple Intelligences as a Tool to Help Students Learn and the University of California at Berkeley, Haas School of Business on Social Sector Leadership.