Council of Korean Americans Merges with the Network of Korean American Leaders

 

Combined Organization Poised to Develop Next Generation of Korean American Leaders

 

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Council of Korean Americans (CKA) and the Network of Korean American Leaders (NetKAL-USA) announced their merger. The combined organization will build on the legacy of NetKAL and the energy of CKA to develop leaders across the Korean American community. The merged organization will operate under the CKA name, preserving NetKAL as a key leadership development Fellowship program.

“NetKAL has trained and promoted Korean American leaders for over fifteen years,” said Michelle Rhyu, Chair of the Board of Directors of CKA. “In fact, CKA owes its inception to NetKAL. On behalf of the members of the Board of CKA, several of whom are alumni of NetKAL programs, we are thrilled to see this long-awaited combination happen. We will be stronger together, and our community will soon see the benefits of our collaboration.”

“We have found the perfect partner in CKA to ensure that our mission continues and the impact of our programs grows exponentially,” said Angela Killoren, Chair of the Board of Directors of NetKAL. “It is fitting that an organization which has roots in our Community Development Program and has alumni from our Fellowship Program is so committed to propagating the impact of our work. The success of our program participants is a testament to the vision that drove NetKAL. Thank you to all of our supporters, volunteers, alumni, NetKAL board members, and CKA for your commitment to continuing and deepening our lifecycle leadership programs. We are excited about the future.”

“The merger of CKA and NetKAL accelerates the ability of the Korean American community to develop a pipeline of innovative, civic-minded, and culturally competent leaders,” said Abraham Kim, Executive Director of CKA. “Building on NetKAL’s extensive experience in training leading professionals from across diverse sectors, we will launch a new Fellowship Program for Korean American leaders in the coming months. We look forward to expanding NetKAL’s important leadership development work and empowering a new generation of high-impact leaders who will strengthen the Korean American community, advance our voices nationally, and give back to this country.”

Founded in 2005, NetKAL has fostered leaders within the Korean American community to be more civically engaged and effective in our multicultural society. NetKAL’s premier program is their Fellowship Program, which has trained over 280 top professionals in the United States in ten cohorts.

Founded in 2011, CKA is a national membership community, bringing together Korean American leaders from diverse backgrounds around the country. CKA seeks to empower the Korean American community by amplifying its voice, building community, celebrating Korean American identity, and developing leaders.

Dr. Rhyu shall continue as chair of CKA, and two members of the NetKAL Board, Ms. Killoren and Esther Song shall join the Board of CKA. Dr. Kim shall continue to serve as Executive Director of the combined organization.

To learn more about CKA, its membership, and programs including the NetKAL Fellowship program, please visit www.councilka.org.

 

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The Council of Korean Americans is a national nonprofit organization. Our mission is to advance the national voice, interest, and influence of the Korean American community through education, collaboration, and leadership development.

 

For more information, contact:

Ruth Song
Director of Operations & Programming
media@councilka.org
202-660-0900