Ellen Pao facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ellen Pao
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Pao in 2015
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| Born | 1970 (age 54–55) New Jersey, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Princeton University (BA) Harvard University (JD, MBA) |
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| Children | 1 (with Fletcher) |
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| Traditional Chinese | 鮑康如 | ||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | Bào Kāngrú | ||||||
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Ellen Kangru Pao (born in 1970) is an American lawyer and businesswoman. She is best known for being the CEO of the social media company Reddit from 2014 to 2015.
Pao also became well-known for speaking out against unfair hiring practices. She has criticized how people are hired and promoted in Silicon Valley. This is the area in California famous for its many technology companies.
After her time at Reddit, she co-founded Project Include in 2016. This is a non-profit group that helps companies become more diverse. They work to make workplaces fair for everyone.
Early life and education
Ellen Pao was born in 1970 in New Jersey, USA. Her parents were immigrants from Taiwan. She was the middle child of three daughters.
Her father, Young-Ping Pao, was a professor at New York University. Her mother, Tsyh-Wen Pao, was an engineer. Ellen learned to code from her mother when she was ten years old. The Pao family raised their children in Maplewood, New Jersey.
Ellen Pao went to Princeton University. She graduated in 1991 with a degree in public and international affairs. She then studied law at Harvard Law School. She earned her law degree in 1994. After working for two years, she returned to Harvard Business School. She received her MBA degree in 1998.
Career
Ellen Pao started her career as a lawyer. She worked at a law firm from 1994 to 1996. Later, she worked at several technology companies in Silicon Valley. These included WebTV and BEA Systems.
In 2005, Pao joined Kleiner Perkins. This was a well-known company that invests in new businesses. She worked as a special assistant to a senior partner, John Doerr. She later became a junior investing partner. Pao helped the company grow its business in China.
Pao believed that she was not promoted fairly. She felt that men with similar skills were given better opportunities. In 2012, she filed a lawsuit against Kleiner Perkins. She claimed that she faced unfair treatment because she was a woman. She continued to work there until October 2012. The company said she was let go for performance reasons. In 2015, a jury decided the case in favor of Kleiner Perkins.
In 2013, Pao joined Reddit. She became the head of business development. She helped Reddit connect with other companies. In 2014, she became the interim CEO of Reddit. She made changes to how Reddit hired new employees. She wanted to make sure salary offers were fair for everyone.
In 2015, some decisions made by Reddit during her time as CEO caused controversy. Some users were upset about changes to the website's rules. This led to many people asking for her to step down. On July 10, 2015, Pao resigned from Reddit.
After leaving Reddit, Pao co-founded Project Include in 2016. This non-profit organization helps tech companies improve diversity. They offer advice on how to create fair workplaces. Pao also wrote a book about her experiences. It is called Reset: My Fight for Inclusion and Lasting Change. The book was recognized as a top business book in 2017.
In 2017, she also worked at Kapor Capital. She was the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Kapor Center. She left these roles in 2018 to focus on Project Include. She is now the CEO of Project Include.
Personal life
Ellen Pao married Roger Kuo, but they later divorced. She then married Buddy Fletcher in 2007. They have one daughter, who was born in 2008. Ellen Pao is a vegetarian.
Images for kids
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Pao speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019.
See also
In Spanish: Ellen Pao para niños
- Women in venture capital
