PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP JOAN MCENTEE - CLASS OF 1965 Joan McEntee, TMLA Class of 1965 has spent her years since graduation in true Mary Louis style…as a trailblazer and pioneer in the highest levels of the federal government. Joan is currently the Chairman and CEO of Middle Kingdom Business Consultants LLC, (MKBC). MKBC concentrates on strategic consulting for a number of multinational firms with business activities in China. MKBC has offices in Washington, DC and Beijing, China, where her company leverages governmental relationships in both countries on behalf of company clients. Joan has visited China over 90 times and serves as an official economic advisor to several Chinese cities and Provinces. Among her Chinese advisory roles have been the Provinces of Yunnan and Jiangsu, as well as cities such as Kunming and Xian. Joan hails from Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica Estates. During her years at TMLA Joan excelled academically yet still found time for involvement with the Student Service League, Sodality, Debate Club, Math Club, Library Club, Red Cross, Crusader staff, the Basketball team, Bowling team, as a Cheerleader, President of the History Club and Class President for both her sophomore and junior years. Upon graduation from TMLA Joan went on to attend Marymount College for undergrad and earned her Masters in Government & Public Administration from The American University and her Juris Doctorate from Washington College of Law at The American University. Finding herself in the nation’s capital at the completion of her academic studies Joan was able to successfully launch a career in the federal government. Joan was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice-President of the United States, George H.W. Bush and was then appointed Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs…in this position Joan blazed a path for women as the first female U.S. Senate Staff Director in history. As an example of the “masculine” mindset in government at the time, Joan gave birth to her son on a Sunday during the congressional Memorial Day recess and had to be back at work by that Friday as there was no job protection for women on maternity leave at that time. In 1988 Joan made her transition from the White House and Capitol Hill to the Department of Commerce serving for six years in a number of senior international trade positions in the U.S. government, covering communication, transportation, aviation, defense and environmental
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