This September, we are excited to count down to this year’s gala. Our theme, Reclaiming our Narrative, Redefining our Future, honors and celebrates the inspiring heroes who are making a positive impact within our communities. Please join us in celebration on Saturday, October 23, 2021. Registration is now open.
We would also like to note a few important developments over the summer.
- We extend our congratulations to Judge Lucy H. Koh, who has become the first Korean American woman to be nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by President Biden.
- Last month, we lost a big hero in the Korean American community, Dr. Myung Ki Hong. We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Myung Ki “Mike” Hong who passed away on August 18th, 2021. Dr. Hong was honored at our 2016 CKA Gala for his lifelong support for the Korean American community and his passion for education to ensure future generations do not forget our history.
- From Greenwich, Connecticut to San Francisco to Montana, our members have reconnected during the summer months after a long period of isolation and Zoom-only events. This fall, we will be holding more gatherings in Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and many more places. Please look out for announcements and we hope to see you there.
As always, we are proud to share the work of our CKA Members. Please read about our members’ achievements in the fields of advocacy, policy, science, technology, business, government, law, and sports. If you wish to join as a CKA Member, please apply here.
Thank you all and take care.
Best Regards,
Abraham Kim, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Council of Korean Americans
2021 CKA Gala: Reclaiming our Narrative, Redefining our Future
The Council of Korean Americans is excited to announce this year’s gala theme: Reclaiming our Narrative, Redefining our Future to honor and celebrate the inspiring heroes who are positively impacting our communities.
Meet our honorees at this special CKA 10th anniversary event on Saturday, October 23, 2021. Follow us on social media to get the latest updates on our gala program, honorees, performers, and more! For more information, please contact us at gala@councilka.org.
Congratulations to Judge Lucy H. Koh on her nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit! If confirmed, Judge Koh would become the first Korean American woman to serve as a federal appellate judge and the second Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) woman to serve on the Ninth Circuit.
With this nomination, the importance of Asian American representation at higher levels of our judicial system is recognized a significant step toward amplifying Korean American voices.
Honoring Dr. Myung Ki Hong
Richard Chin
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated closes acquisition of Kindred Biosciences, advancing Elanco’s access to the fast-growing dermatology market, complementing the company’s existing pipeline and increasing R&D capability in biologics and monoclonal antibodies.
Sang Cho
Sang Cho shares his journey of how making gun holsters in a garage became a booming success in Jax Daily Record.
Carol & Eugene Choi
Carol and Eugene Choi have received the highest honors, the Extraordinarus Award, from the University of California, Irvine, at the “Lauds & Laurels” ’50th Anniversary. Carol Choi is a Founding Chair of the UCI Korean American Alumni Chapter.
Hogene Choi
Hogene has joined Morrison & Foerster’s as partner in the Patent Strategy + Prosecution Group. Her technical expertise in machine learning and artificial intelligence, among other experiences, will help expand Morrison & Foerster’s life sciences and healthcare footprint.
Juliet K. Choi
Juliet has weighed in on the importance of FDA approval on the Pfizer vaccine for minority groups and co-authored an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association about healing and health equity for AAPI communities. She was a featured panelist for the Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: Reckoning with Our Racial Past Forum, which focused on race, health, and wealth. Also, she joined America’s Health Insurance Plan’s podcast to discuss racial equity and justice in health care.
David Chun
David’s company, Equilar, has established a partnership with Snowflake to provide new data sets in the Snowflake Data Marketplace, allowing for better engagement with key decision makers using ‘people data.’ Equilar, alongside EY, is sponsoring the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Next Generation Board Network, a program that works to accelerate corporate board preparation for high-potential leaders.
David Hong
Congratulations to the proud new parents of Gabrielle Hong!
Michael Keyoung
Dr. Keyoung expressed CBC Group’s enthusiasm in acquiring significant equity interest in Korea’s largest medical aesthetics company, Hugel.
Dow Kim
This year, Dow will be a keynote speaker at the Korean American Scholarship Foundation (KASF) award banquets. He will deliver his speech at seven regional award banquets.
Duyeon Kim
Dr. Duyeon Kim has recently received her Ph.D. at Korea University.
J. Joseph Kim
Inovio Pharmaceuticals has received authorization from Brazil to conduct its Phase 3 efficacy trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Throughout September, Inovio will be presenting at numerous investor conferences.
Kenneth Kim
Dr. Kim contributed to recent debates on whether to get a Johnson & Johnson vaccine booster shot and mixing vaccine booster shots. Ark Clinical Research was honored as one of 75 outstanding small businesses in California.
Charlotte Koh
Charlotte has joined Confluential Films as its first President. She will work to drive the organization’s vision, operational strategy, and development projects.
Jennifer Koh
Jennifer’s concert with Alan Alda for Bridgehampton Chamber Music was covered in the East Hampton Star. Her experience working on her collaborative Alone Together album was featured in NPR and on Violinist.com.
Linda Lee
Linda, president and CEO of Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, has won the Democratic primary for New York City’s District 23 City Council seat.
Kee Park
Dr. Park co-authored a report on North Korea’s COVID-19 vaccination capabilities and was consulted in a Washington Post article about delays in an UN-backed vaccination rollout.
Sue and Randy Sim
In October, Sue and Randy will be Event Chairs for Asia Society Texas Center’s Huffington Award Dinner, honoring Dr. Robert Gates.
Jen C. Won
Jen C. Won was included in the “2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for her work in Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” highlights the most promising lawyers in the U.S. who have been in private practice for between five and ten years based on positive recommendations by their peers.
Suzanne Yoon
Suzanne, founder and managing partner of Kinzie Capital Partners, was featured in Emerging Manager Monthly. She discusses Kinzie’s collaborative culture, innovation, women in the buyout space, and more. She was also named to Mergers & Acquisitions’ list of 2021 PE Leaders in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.