Kathleen Walsh leads strategic planning and business operations for the China Country Office at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Before relocating to Beijing, Kathleen was the Chief of Staff to the President of the Global Development Division at the Gates Foundation in Seattle.

Always ambitious, Kathleen was lucky to meet her husband, Scott, a truly supportive partner in life and love. When Kathleen and Scott decided to have a child, it was Scott who became a stay-at-home parent to their now 9-year old son, Will. And when Kathleen earned the opportunity to work at the Foundation’s China office, they embraced the adventure as a family and moved together to Beijing. But being the “primary breadwinner” is complicated in today’s gendered landscape. Not all men, or all colleagues and managers will have the same open mind and ideas.

Kathleen will share the challenges that her family has faced in supporting an equal opportunity household, including how to care for both the intellectual and emotional needs of your partner. She'll also discuss the importance of establishing a role in your economic future early in a relationship and how the "power of the purse-strings" can have a greater societal impact when women are making the decisions.

There is no extra cost for spotlight dinners. Participants only have to split the cost for the dinner (which will be less than 100RMB per person). Please email us in advance if you have any dietary restrictions.

Please note that the Spotlight Dinners are female-only events. All other Beijing Women's Network events are open to all genders. Please find out more information about other events here.