CASPA Mentorship Program

Overview 

The Mentorship Network is an exciting initiative designed to foster professional growth, skill development, and leadership within our community. Structured primarily around a dynamic group mentorship model, the program also offers the flexibility of optional 1-on-1 meetings to cater to personalized career goals. By connecting emerging talents with seasoned industry professionals, we provide a highly collaborative platform for knowledge exchange and networking.

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program structure

To ensure a tailored, organized, and engaging experience, the Mentorship Network utilizes a tiered leadership and team structure:

• 8 Specialized Groups: The network is divided into 8 distinct groups (see the table below for details). Each group is led by a dedicated Group Manager who takes full responsibility for their group’s operations. This includes recruiting experienced mentors and volunteer team managers, as well as reviewing and admitting mentees.
• Intimate Subgroups (Teams): Mentors and mentees are further divided into smaller, highly focused subgroups. To ensure personalized attention and meaningful interaction, each subgroup is designed to include:
  • 1 Mentor: An experienced industry professional providing guidance, feedback, and insight.
  • 2 to 4 Mentees: Professionals eager to learn, collaborate, and grow their careers.
  • 1 Team Manager (Volunteer): A dedicated volunteer who handles the subgroup’s daily operations. They are the operational backbone of the team, responsible for coordinating meeting times, setting schedules, drafting agendas, and collecting feedback.

Group Name	Mentors
NPO Executive	James Lei
Chip Design/Engineering/AI	Chunlin Wang  Fangqing Chu  Gary Wang  Ke Zhang Tony Xia
Business Development/Entrepreneurship/Management	Avery Lu Danny Hua Jimmy Cheng William Kou
Sales/Marketing	Joseph Lin Rainman Rui Stephanie Teng
Law	Jim Xu Sean Wang
Public Speaking	Justin Strong
HR	Helen Guan
Finance	Iris Song

Meeting Cadence & Time Commitment

We respect the busy schedules of our participants and have designed a manageable, high-impact meeting cadence:

• Core Monthly Meetings: Participants can expect an overall commitment of one core meeting per month, which alternates between the two group settings:
  • Subgroup Meetings: Held every other month.
  • Group Meetings: Held every other month.
• Duration: Each of these core meetings is scheduled for approximately 2 hours.
• Flexible Additional Mentorship: Beyond the standard schedule, participants are highly encouraged to organize additional mentorship sessions. These can be structured as smaller group discussions or personalized 1-on-1 meetings, depending entirely on what works best for the mentors and mentees.

Preliminary Schedule

04/02/2026 – 04/18/2026: Mentor Recruiting
04/19/2026 – 04/24/2026: Promotion material, web/flyer/signup form
04/25/2026 – 05/09/2026: Application
05/09/2026 – 05/16/2026: Admission
05/23/2026 :                           Kick off and first group meeting
06/01/2026 – 06/30/2026: First sub group meeting
07/01/2026 – 07/31/2026: Second group meeting
08/01/2026 – 08/31/2026: Second sub group meeting
09/01/2026 – 09/30/2026: Third group meeting
10/01/2026 – 10/31/2026: Third sub group meeting

 

Mentors’s Photo and Bio:

NPO Executive

James Lei

Chip Design/Engineering/AI

Chunlin Wang
Director of Architecture at Samsung’s Advanced Computing Lab

Currently the Director of Architecture at Samsung’s Advanced Computing Lab, Chunlin is at the forefront of GPU and NPU innovation. With a career spanning the entire silicon lifecycle from his time as Director of RTL Design to leading Design Verification, he brings a holistic perspective to hardware acceleration. Before joining Samsung, Chunlin honed his expertise in engineering and management at Qualcomm, Silicon Motion, and S3 Graphics. He is an alumnus of Southeast University (B.S. and M.S. in Electronic Engineering) and holds an MBA from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, blending deep technical mastery with strategic business acumen.

 

 

 

 

 

Fangqing Chu
Senior Principal Design Engineer at Marvell Semiconductor

Fangqing is a seasoned engineer with over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, specializing in high-speed interconnects. He holds a B.S. from Southeast University and an M.S. from Fudan University. Additionally, he is currently serving as the Board of Directors for CASPA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary Wang
President and Chairman of CASPA

Gary Wang has over two decades of experience in analog design, with a particular focus on power management circuits and systems. His expertise spans a wide range of areas including switching regulators, temperature sensors, charge pumps, and system-level design. Over the years, he has held senior engineering and leadership roles at several semiconductor companies such as Maxim Integrated, NXP Semiconductors, and Lion Semiconductor, contributing to both product development and system architecture. He has been working with Apple Inc as a chip and system architect for wireless power transfer.
He is currently working as a technical consultant, focusing on the design and integration of power management ICs and high-frequency wireless power systems. His recent work involves architecture-level innovation and hands-on implementation in next-generation power solutions. He got his PhD from Arizona State University. He holds 14 US/International patents. He is also currently the president and chairman of CASPA, a non-profit semiconductor professional association which is actively involved in the local communities and semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley, California.

 

Ke Zhang

 

Tony Xia
Director of Data Storage System Architecture at Avago Technologies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business Development/Entrepreneurship/Management

Avery Lu
Partner, Aventurine Capital Group & Senior Director, Program Development, Global Semiconductor Alliance

Operator-Investor | Partner @ Aventurine Capital | GSA | 30+ yrs Scaling AI, Semiconductors & Deep Tech | Co-Founder, CMO, Interim CEO | From 0→1 to Global Scale

A global executive leader in the semiconductor and high technology industries, I bring 30+ years of experience spanning business development, marketing, sales, and venture capital across startups, growth-stage companies, and Fortune 50/100/500 enterprises.
Currently, I serve as Partner & Head of Business Development at Aventurine Capital Group, where I focus on deep tech investing across AI, robotics, life sciences, energy, quantum computing, and advanced platforms. My work centers on identifying breakthrough innovation, driving IP commercialization strategies, and building strategic relationships with founders, institutional investors, and global corporate partners to scale transformative technologies.
In parallel, I am Senior Director at the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA), where I help shape industry-wide collaboration among 300+ member companies representing over 80% of the global semiconductor ecosystem. Through executive forums, strategic programs, and thought leadership initiatives, I engage directly with C-level and VP-level leaders to accelerate innovation, partnerships, and market growth across the industry.
My leadership extends into the broader global technology community:Chair, IEEE Santa Clara Valley Section and long-time contributor across IEEE initiatives, including founding startup-focused programs and advancing industry-academic collaboration; Board Member, CASPA (Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association), supporting entrepreneurship and executive engagement across the semiconductor ecosystem; Active advisor, investor, and board participant across venture capital, startup studios, and academic institutions.
Throughout my career, I have built and scaled businesses across AI, IoT, semiconductors (digital, analog, mixed-signal), data centers, automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. I’ve led global teams, driven multimillion- and billion-dollar revenue growth, revitalized stagnant business units, and secured strategic partnerships with some of the world’s leading technology companies.
I have also co-founded multiple startups and venture initiatives, combining entrepreneurial execution with corporate-scale discipline—bridging innovation with commercialization.
At my core, I am a builder of ecosystems and trusted advisor to executives—connecting ideas, people, and capital to create meaningful, lasting impact. I believe the future belongs to those who can translate deep technology into real-world value, and I am passionate about helping shape that future.

 

Danny Hua
Senior Director of Ecosystem Development in Futurewei Technologies

Danny Hua is currently Senior Director of Ecosystem Development in Futurewei Technologies, Advisor, Former President and Chairman in 2018-2019, and Life member of Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association (CASPA). Danny is also the board member of CHIPS Alliance from 2022 to 2026. In 2019, He joined Midas touch Inc. as VP of Business Development. In 2015, he joined IC lab in Futurewei Technologies as director of Strategic and Technical Planning responsible for technical cooperations for startup companies. Previously, he was responsible for the automation of microprocessor system level test and chip level test at Broadcom.
‭Mr. Hua joined NetLogic Microsystems, a startup company, in 2001. He is responsible for the smooth mass production of more than twenty kinds of TCAM products and improves the yield and efficiency. Netlogic was listed in 2004 and was acquired by Broadcom in 2012 for US$3.7 billion. In 1999, he worked for Altera for an advanced product engineering position.‬
Mr. Hua graduated from the University of Utah (U.S.) in 1997 with dual bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering. In 1999, he got a Master degree In Electrical Engineering at University of Southern California. He is also an IEEE senior member.

 

Jimmy Cheng
Head of the Technology Intelligence Center within the Corporate Strategy Office at Synopsys

Jimmy Cheng is a technology executive at the intersection of semiconductors and AI. He is Head of the Technology Intelligence Center within the Corporate Strategy Office at Synopsys, where his team leads emerging technology strategy and long-term investment planning. As Chief of Staff at Synopsys, he leads strategic oversight for 2,000+ engineers across EDA and AI-enabled chip design, partnering with senior executives to drive growth across core EDA businesses generating over $1B in annual revenue.

 

 

 

 

 

William Kou
Head of Business Development (ACS North America) at Advantest

William Kou is the Head of Business Development (ACS North America) at Advantest.
He previously served as VP of Sales at Expedera (AI/ML silicon IP), and held sales leadership roles at proteanTecs, GUC, UMC, Chartered (now Global Foundries), and Lattice Semiconductor.
Early in his career, William spent twelve years working at IBM in various positions such as engineering, consulting, and sales, and he had experience working with technologies including networking, storage, software, and microelectronics.
William received MS in electrical engineering (with a minor in computer science) form the University of Minnesota, and BS in electrical engineering from the Ohio State University.
He has been an active board member at the Chinese-American Semiconductor Professional Association (CASPA ) since 2008.

Sales/Marketing

Joseph Lin

Joseph Lin sits on CASPA Board of Advisors since 2010 and on CASPA Board since 2003. During this time, he made lasting contributions to CASPA as Secretary-General in 2007, Vice President in 2008, and ultimately Chairman and President in 2009. As 2009 President, Joseph devoted tremendous time and efforts in energizing the semiconductor professional community in Silicon Valley during the severe economic turn-down and in advancing business collaboration between the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific. Joseph works at Tekscend Photomasks as Asia-Pacific Sales Director and is responsible for U.S. IC design companies and foundries in the Asia-Pacific. Prior to Tekscend, he held various management positions at MPS and Chartered Semiconductor (acquired by GLOBALFOUNDRY). He has over 30 years of semiconductor experience in fab process engineering, technology development and sales/marketing. Joseph received his MSEE degree from the University of Texas.

 

 

 

Rainman Rui
Marketing Director at Silergy Technology

Rainman Rui, Marketing Director from Silergy Technology, is a tech entrepreneur with 20+ years in hardware design, IoT, and smart energy. He leads development of intelligent energy gateways for home microgrids, enabling real-time monitoring and grid interaction. With deep U.S.-China experience, he has driven cross-border projects in semiconductors, LED drivers, and industrial automation. As a CASPA volunteer, he supports innovation through symposiums, marketing, and ACBD collaboration.

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Teng

Stephanie brings over 20 years of experience in senior sales, marketing, and business development, with deep industry expertise across the semiconductor, cloud, and telecommunications sectors. She is known for her strong business acumen, as well as her ability to lead, coach, and mentor teams across diverse functions and cultural backgrounds.
In addition to her professional work, Stephanie is actively involved in leadership roles within the CASPA mentorship group and her church ministry, where she focuses on supporting and guiding Generation Z. She holds a Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of California, Irvine, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. She is also a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at the University of California, Irvine.

 

 

 

 

Law

Jim Xu

Sean Wang

Sean Wang has served as legal counsel to startups and emerging companies in Silicon Valley for over nine years.He specializes in corporate structuring, corporate finance, transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities issuances, and equity incentive arrangements, including SAFEs, convertible notes, and NVCA preferred stock financings.
In addition to his transactional practice, Sean has significant experience in commercial disputes and litigation. He regularly advises clients on pre-litigation strategy, contract disputes, and risk mitigation. He approaches disputes with a practical, business-oriented mindset, aiming to resolve conflicts efficiently while preserving his clients’ legal and commercial interests.
Sean’s professional experience includes a substantial tenure at a major Silicon Valley law firm (Coblentz), as well as extensive involvement with startup and growth-stage companies. He currently serves as legal counsel to a broad range of clients, advising on complex transactions, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and dispute resolution. His practice emphasizes proactive risk management and aligning legal strategy with business objectives.

 

Public Speaking

Justin Strong

Justin Strong is Principal at Strong Communications where he teaches classes and coaches communication skills. He was an instructor of presentation skills at Western Digital for several years and was an invited guest lecturer at Cornell University and @Cloud in Silicon Valley. Most recently he was a speaker coach for the speakers at TEDx Folsom. He has over 30 years of customer presentation experience in the technology industry and is active in Toastmasters. His passion is helping people deliver better presentations than they thought was possible.

 

 

 

 

 

HR

Helen Guan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance

Iris Song
Principal Financial Analyst, JV Finance

Iris is a results-driven financial professional with extensive experience in the semiconductor sector, currently serving as Principal Financial Analyst at Sandisk, CFO of CASPA, and Member of the Executive Committee of the Tsinghua University Alumni Association. Expert in JV financial modeling, capital planning, and revenue management, she has successfully overseen billion-dollar budgets and optimized global pricing strategies. She combines deep analytical rigor with executive-level leadership to improve financial transparency, automate reporting processes, and deliver actionable business insights.

 

 

 

Prior Year Program Details

2024