Gao Yanyan, born in April 1980, holds a PhD in Literature. She is an associate professor and a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC). She currently serves as Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Renmin University of China (RUC). She previously served as Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Committee of RUC, Secretary of the General Party Branch of the Department of Physical Education, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the School of Sociology and Population Studies, Director of the Department of Enrollment and Career of RUC, Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Committee of RUC, and Director of the Media Convergence Center of RUC, among other positions.

Her main research areas include ideological and political education in colleges and universities and university culture construction.