Will Tiao

Best known for his work as the writer, producer, and star of the award-winning political thriller Formosa Betrayed, Will Tiao worked in international politics for a decade before entering the entertainment industry. He is the founder and president of Formosa Films LLC, the film development and production company that produced Formosa Betrayed. Will raised over $8 million from hundreds of investors to finance the independent feature film. In addition to writing, producing, and acting in the film - Will secured worldwide distribution for Formosa Betrayed through Screen Media Films. He is the executive producer, co-writer, and lead actor of the award-winning short film, A Starbucks Story. The film won the Audience Award for Best Short Film, and the Audience Award for Best Film of the Festival at the 2005 FAIF Los Angeles Film Festival. He is also the producer of the 2010 independent film Stan, a comedy written and directed by Evald Johnson. Born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas - and originally a cello performance major - Will pursued his passion in politics by studying international relations at Tufts University graduating magna cum laude, and at Columbia University where he received a Masters in International Affairs. He is a Fulbright Scholar and has studied and worked throughout Europe and Asia. Before coming to Hollywood, Will worked as an international economist for the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Administrations. He was a legislative fellow for the Committee on Ways and Means in the U.S. House of Representatives, and a staffer for Senator Nancy Kassebaum on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Previously, he worked for the Formosan Association for Public Affairs, a non-profit organization that specializes in promoting democracy and independence for Taiwan.