Akiko is a co-founder of WCN who developed her passion for wildlife and wilderness areas during her childhood in Costa Rica. She believes that the goals of conservation are best served by a combination of entrepreneurial energy and commitment to local involvement and development. Akiko and her husband, Jerry Yang, founder of Yahoo, are active supporters of a number of philanthropic organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Akiko is the board chair of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. An avid horsewoman, she also serves on the National Advisory Committee of the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. Additionally, she and her husband are ardent supporters of their alma matter, Stanford University, having co-chaired the $1 billion Campaign for Undergraduate Education and provided the naming gift for the Environment and Energy Building.