Helping hand: Anne Wang-Liu brings her planning skills to charitable causes

Anne Wang-Liu could be considered a master of planning. "I keep a relatively organised schedule of everybody's activities," says the mother of two young girls. "And I keep a very detailed running list of what needs to be done. For the children, I have a spreadsheet, actually, of all their activities - we try to fit in Chinese, English, music, sports, dance. They lead a very active lifestyle."

Born and raised outside New York City, Wang-Liu studied economics at Cornell University before working in finance. Since moving to Hong Kong 10 years ago with husband Julian Liu, project director for Shangri-La Resorts and Hotels, she has brought her planning skills to a number of charitable causes, including the Hong Kong Ballet and the newly opened Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre.

Wang-Liu, who is co-chair of this year's Nutcracker Benefit for the Hong Kong Ballet, shares a love of dance with her daughters. "Like my children, I grew up playing tennis, piano, and I danced as well. My mother also kept us very well-rounded," she says.

The luncheon benefit, one of the few family charity events in Hong Kong, includes a miniature version of performed by the committee members' children - including Wang-Liu's. "There's a lot of co-ordination - for the venue, the show, the auction," she says. "I'm sure every charity knows any fundraising event takes a lot of planning."

These days, Wang-Liu is not preparing just one major benefit. She's also working on an event for Maggie's, a centre on the grounds of Tuen Mun Hospital that offers free social and psychological support to patients and loved ones affected by cancer.