Audrey Tang, born in 1981 in Taipei, is a representative figure of contemporary Taiwan's civic technology and digital governance, and the first transgender member of the cabinet. Showing exceptional aptitude from childhood, she left conventional schooling early because it did not suit her, turning to self-study and taking up programming as a teenager. She was active in the free-software and open-source communities, contributing to many international open-source projects and building an international reputation in software engineering. Long attentive to combining technology with public participation, she was an important member of Taiwan's "g0v" civic-tech movement, promoting government transparency and citizen collaboration. In 2016 she was invited into the cabinet as a minister without portfolio responsible for open government, social innovation, and youth participation, advancing digital democracy through innovative collaborative methods. She promoted online deliberation platforms such as vTaiwan to let citizens take part in policy discussion, and during the COVID-19 pandemic she helped build digital tools such as the mask-availability map, drawing wide international attention. In 2022, when Taiwan established the Ministry of Digital Affairs, she became its first minister, overseeing digital governance, cybersecurity, and internet resilience. She advocates "radical transparency" and open collaboration and frequently shares Taiwan's experience of digital democracy at international forums. Tang is seen as a symbol of Taiwan's digital governance and inclusive diversity, her practice spanning the technical and public spheres embodying the innovative image of contemporary Taiwan.

• Became a cabinet minister without portfolio for open government (2016)

• Became the first Minister of Digital Affairs (2022)