June 15, 2026 — The Board of Directors of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations announced today that they have selected career diplomat Sarah Beran as the organization’s next president. With more than two decades of experience at the highest levels of U.S. foreign policy, Ms. Beran will join the National Committee in October and will succeed Stephen A. Orlins on November 10, 2026.
Ms. Beran assumes leadership of the National Committee at a pivotal moment in the U.S.-China relationship, bringing deep expertise in managing complex bilateral negotiations and a longstanding commitment to maintaining channels of communication between the two countries.
“I am honored to take on the leadership of an organization that has been at the center of the most consequential moments in the bilateral relationship for six decades,” said Ms. Beran. “The National Committee has played a crucial role in fostering communication and exchange throughout this period of change in the bilateral relationship. I’m excited to build on a strong foundation, develop the next generation of leadership, and continue to grow the National Committee’s impact.”
Ms. Beran joins the National Committee following a distinguished 23-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, most recently as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and, prior to that, as Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs at the White House National Security Council. As the principal advisor to the President and National Security Advisor on China and Taiwan Affairs from 2023 to 2024, she led strategic preparations for multiple head-of-state summits, negotiated the reopening of senior governmental channels with Beijing, restarted counternarcotics cooperation, and forged the first U.S.-China understanding on AI related to nuclear command and control.
“Sarah is the right leader to carry forward the National Committee’s work and deepen communication at all levels of our relationship with China,” said Board Chair Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, former U.S. Trade Representative. “The Board is deeply grateful to Steve Orlins for his 21 years of distinguished service, during which time the National Committee served as the trusted bridge between our two countries, even when official relations were challenged. Sarah inherits a strong and flourishing organization poised to continue its indispensable role in the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world.”
Ambassador Barshefsky chaired a search committee comprising six members of the board, and national search firm Russell Reynolds was engaged to support the process. Ms. Beran was selected for the role from a pool of over 150 experts that the National Committee considered in its national search process.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Beran served as Deputy Executive Secretary for the Indo-Pacific region, led the office responsible for U.S. engagement in APEC, and served as Director of the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs. She has been posted in Beijing, Islamabad, Jerusalem, and Quito, and speaks Mandarin and Spanish. A longtime Member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, Ms. Beran brings to her new role two decades of experience working on U.S.-China relations to guide the organization’s mission of deepening understanding of this consequential bilateral relationship and supporting the development of the next generation of leadership.
The National Committee is pleased to honor Mr. Orlins at its Annual Gala on November 10, 2026. The Board extends its profound appreciation to Mr. Orlins for his many years of dedicated service to the organization, its mission, and its members.
Founded in 1966, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations is the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan organization encouraging understanding between the United States and China among citizens of both countries through education, dialogue, and people-to-people exchange.
Inquiries may be addressed to Joseph Weed, Senior Director of Communications at: jweed@ncuscr.org.