Dear CKA Supporters and Friends,
We were pleased to celebrate the service, voice, and strengths of the Korean American community at our 2022 CKA Envision Gala & Summit! Thank you so much for your generosity and your love for our community. To those of you who were unable to join us, please view some of our favorite moments and check out photos from the fantastic weekend.
As we enter the holiday season, we want to remember and mourn those impacted by the Itaewon tragedy. We send our warmest wishes to you and hope you take the time to relax, find comfort, and recharge with loved ones.
As always, we are proud to share the accomplishments of CKA members and the incredible impact our Korean American community makes in academia, finance, advocacy, policy, healthcare, law, and business. If you are interested in becoming a CKA member, please submit your membership application here.
Thank you and take care.
Warm Regards,
Abraham Kim, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Council of Korean Americans
Amplifying Korean American Presence in Congress
With the recent midterm elections, Korean American political leaders have increased visibility in Congress across the nation. Rep. Sharon Chung made history as Illinois’s first Korean American lawmaker. Rep. Andy Kim (NJ-3), Young Kim (CA-40), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), and Michelle Steel (CA-45) will continue to serve their respective districts. Rep. Andy Kim is the first Member of Congress of Korean descent to serve three terms since Rep. Jay Kim in 1996.
Congratulations to Pat Chun, Janice Lee and Joseph Bae, and Toni Ko on their induction into the 2022 Asian Hall of Fame! 2021 Gala Honoree Chloe Kim is also part of this class of leaders.
Korean American Marvel Superhero Takes the Small Screen
Silk: Spider Society, a Spider-Man spinoff, follows the story of Cindy Moon, a Korean American woman who was bitten by the same spider as Peter Parker as she escapes imprisonment and searches for her missing family. The Walking Dead’s Angela Kang is set as showrunner.
Frank joined the U.S. Institute of Peace podcast “On Peace” to discuss North Korea’s recent missile tests and military exercises and co-authored a paper with 2017 PSI Alumnus Paul Kyumin Lee on U.S.-North Korea-South Korea youth perspectives on peace. He was also quoted in Newsweek on North Korea and Russia relations.
Jeanie has expanded Noona’s Noonchi® and turned it into a company with a team all around the country and in Seoul. The purpose is to promote belongingness through Cultural Confidence® where K-Dramas are utilized to benefit mental health, identity, mindfulness practice, and build resilience.
Eugene authored an op-ed in The Hill about the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act (GMPTA) and other efforts to address global food insecurity. He also presented the keynote address at the 2022 Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) Summit.
In an interview with Coach Josh Fan, Marshall reflected on his journey into basketball, how he creates and nurtures team culture, and overcoming imposter syndrome.
David Chun was featured in the “Leadership Reimagined” podcast, discussing his journey to become a master in corporate governance and board recruiting.
Amazon has signed a lease on an Innovo property, now occupying the first floor of the Bronx logistics center.
Sam has spoken on the Anti-Asian Hate panel for the Korean American Coalition National Conference in Seattle and was the keynote speaker for the Relational Coordination Collaborative Conference hosted by Brandeis University’s Heller School and for the Asian American & Pacific Islander Caucus for Public Health.
Jihee was appointed to serve as the incoming Co-Chair of the NPR Foundation Board of Trustees. Congratulations!
Monica spoke at Meta’s global annual Supplier Diversity Summit about authentic leadership.
Alyson has received the Certified Physician Executive (CPE) certification by the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL) to recognize leadership in medicine, healthcare and public health.
Andrew starred on the “Understanding Healthcare with Sam Feudo” podcast where he discussed his path to medicine, experiences in government and healthcare, research on vaccine diplomacy, and how a diverse range of interests can serve to enrich health and well-being.
David authored a piece on the role of multimodal transportation in sustainability and equity.
Dr. Kim was quoted in ABC7 News about Pfizer’s combined COVID-19 and flu vaccine. He will start testing Moderna’s version of a combo vaccine in December.
Kevin was listed in the New York City & State’s Economic Development Power 100 for his work in connecting New York City entrepreneurs to needed resources.
Soo moderated the Korea Times’ Korea-U.S. alliance forum and joined Arirang News’ current affairs program from Seoul to discuss North Korea’s amped up provocations, denuclearization/deterrence, and the consequences of accepting North Korea as a nuclear weapons state.
The Tina Kim Gallery will take part in The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht, the Netherlands, in March 2023.
Representative Linda Lee was honored as the Trailblazer Honoree at Korean American Story’s 12th Annual Gala.
Youngwon was recently interviewed by MBC in a special feature on young start-up leaders.
David is the first recipient of Chicago United’s new Business Leader of Color President’s Award. Congratulations!
Sunny was featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution regarding his journey to fulfilling his American dream and the inspiration he received during childhood.
Dr. Shin co-authored an LA Times Op-Ed regarding the implications of Xi Jinping’s third term and authored an essay for his monthly series “Shin’s Reflections on Korea” on contemporary Korean issues.
Jenny was quoted in Newsweek on discussions between Russia and North Korea on potential military acquisitions or assistance.
Jerry interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris for the “Dear Asian Americans” podcast, where she shared the importance of getting loud and staying loud for our communities. He also attended the YouTube AAPI Luncheon, an uplifting event that brought together Asian American content creators.
Starting in January 2023, Lisa J. Yang will succeed as one of the Co-Managing Partners with T. James Min II at LimNexus. Congratulations!
Eugene has moved back to New York from Seoul and is now based in the New York office of Covington & Burling LLP.
NCSOFT announced its strategic partnership with Mysten Labs. Both organizations hope to explore future collaborations to create more engaging and player-centric digital entertainment experiences. Dr. Yoon was also featured in Korea Joongang Daily for her 2022 CKA Trailblazer Award.
Congratulations to Gideon on joining PGA of America’s Board of Directors!