ITHA CAO

Itha Cao is the chef and owner of The Hungry Cao, offering virtual Chinese cooking classes and private events that since 2017 has had the dual mission of elevating the standing of ethnic Chinese cuisine in Pittsburgh and fundraising for an intersectional social justice cause.

She is also the Senior Civic Innovation Specialist at the City of Pittsburgh, Department ofInnovation and Performance, where she leads the City's Civic Tech efforts through external partnerships and is the program manager of PGHLab, the City's urban incubator for startups, prioritizing the elevation of minority/women/disadvantaged businesses.

Itha believes in civic engagement through diverse representation and currently serves as the Impact Officer for the World Economic Forum’s Pittsburgh Global Shapers community, is a Commissioner on Governor Wolf’s Commission for Women, and serves on the Boards of: Civically, Vibrant Pittsburgh, the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, and the Pittsburgh Urban Magnate (PUMP). She is also a proud high school mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program.