Elizabeth Van Wie Davis is an expert on security and the Asia Pacific. She has lived and worked in Asia for many years. She and her family lived in China on several occasions, primarily in Nanjing and Beijing, and traveled extensively throughout the country. After 17 years in academia, Davis took a hiatus to work for the US government on issues related to Asia. Based in Hawaii, she traveled regularly to Asia working on issues of preventive diplomacy. Simultaneous to on-the-ground projects, Davis maintained a rigorous academic agenda, including briefing US senators and congressmen, top military officers, and foreign government officials on issues related to China and Asia.