Michelle Dammon Loyalka is an award winning journalist who has lived in China since 1997. Her new book, Eating Bitterness: Stories from the Front Lines of China's Great Urban Migration (University of California Press), provides an insider's look at the pain, self-sacrifice and determination of the people underlying China's dramatic economic turnaround. She has spoken on issues related to China's migration and urbanization at venues including the United Nations, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the National Committee on US-China Relations.She is a contributor to the soon-to-be released book of essays, Chinese Characters: Fast-Changing Lives in a Fast-Changing Land. Her work on the psychological repercussions of China's rapid development has earned her both an Overseas Press Club scholarship and the O.O. McIntyre Fellowship. Ms. Loyalka compiled and edited a daily feature section for BusinessWeek Online from China for six years. She has freelanced for publications including The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Inc., Fast Company and the San Francisco Business Times. In China she has published essays in local newspapers, appeared on a variety of talk shows and co-hosted a call-in radio program in Mandarin.In addition, Ms. Loyalka has extensive business experience in China in both education and technology. She served on the board of directors of the Concord Educational Network in Zhuhai, worked as a department head at Calikai Software in Xi'an, and launched a business consulting company in Xi'an's booming new High Tech Development Zone. She holds a master's degree from the Missouri School of Journalism and currently lives in Beijing.