Dr. Yan Xie is Associate Research Professor in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; International Coordinator, NESS International Science Network; Chair, China Species Specialist Group of SSC (ChSSG), Vice Chair for China and Steering Committee Member of Species Survival Commission (SSC/IUCN); Chief Scientiest, International Alliance of Protected Areas (IAPA/ISZS). 

Since 2017, she actively involved in National Eco-Security System (NESS) Initiative to promote wider society to participate and support conservation. NESS Initiative encourages and promotes each country in the world to actively build its National Eco-Security System (NESS) and further promote the joint building " An Eco-Security System for All People"  (ESSAP); during 2005-2012, as the China Country Program Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), she promoted conservation on Amur tiger, Tibetan antelope, Chinese alligator conservation and wildlife trade control; during 2004-2013, her effort on promoting a comprehensive Protected Area Law of China has big impact to current protected area system reform in China; in 2013, she raised Protected Area Friendly Concept and has been promoting practices; During 2000-2009, she led the significant initiative for developing China Species Red List where evaluated over 10,000 species; Since 2020, she conduct research on establishing national parks in China, including management mechanism, establishing conservation stations, needs assessment on staff and funding, solution to address conflict of plantations to conservation.