2026 Speakers & Mentors
Meet the leaders joining us in Los Angeles on Friday, October 23 for the CKA Summit and NextGen Summit.
More speakers will be announced soon.
indicates a CKA Member
2026 CKA Summit Speakers
Friday, October 23 · Fairmont Century Plaza
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Dr. Abraham Kim
President, The Korea Society
Abraham Kim, Ph.D. is the President & CEO of The Korea Society, where he leads the organization’s efforts to strengthen ties between the United States and Korea through policy dialogue, business engagement, and cultural exchange. Dr. Kim brings more than 25 years of experience in public policy, national security, and nonprofit leadership, with a career focused on U.S.–Korea relations and Northeast Asia. He has worked closely with senior government officials, business leaders, and international organizations, providing analysis and guidance on geopolitical and economic issues related to the Korean Peninsula. Prior to joining The Korea Society, Dr. Kim served as Executive Director & President of the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), where he expanded the organization’s national footprint and strengthened its role in policy engagement and leadership development. He previously served as Executive Director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana and as Interim President and Vice President of the Korea Economic Institute of America, where he supported public diplomacy initiatives and educational programs focused on the U.S.–Korea alliance. Earlier in his career, Dr. Kim worked as a policy and risk analyst at Eurasia Group, CSIS, and SAIC, focusing on political risk, crisis simulations, and regional security issues in Northeast Asia. He holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Political Science from Columbia University, an M.A. from Harvard University, and a B.A. from Boston University.
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Angela Sungmee Killoren
President, CKA
Angela Killoren is President of the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), named to the role in May 2026 after serving on the Board from 2022, including as Board Chair. She is the former CEO of CJ ENM America and Head of Global Business for CJ ENM, where she led U.S. strategy and operations for Korea’s leading film, television, and music company (Parasite, Queen of Tears, Vincenzo, Mnet), including the acquisition of U.S. studio Fifth Season (Severance, Nine Perfect Strangers), development of English-language remakes and originals from Studio Dragon and CJ ENM’s IP library, and the creation and growth of KCON, the world’s largest celebration of K-Pop and Hallyu since 2012. She held multiple leadership roles over nearly 15 years, including COO and SVP Marketing, and a two-year tenure as Chief Marketing Officer for CJ America across its food, logistics, agri-bio, and entertainment divisions. Before joining CJ ENM, Angela served as Associate Director at the USC Center for Asian-Pacific Leadership, building the leadership capacity of Asian and Asian American policymakers, community leaders, and nonprofit executives, and developing the Center’s signature programs — the Network of Korean American Leaders (NetKAL) Fellowship and the NetKAL Summit. She later chaired the NetKAL Board and led its merger with CKA.
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Angela Eunjin Oh
Attorney Mediator
Angela Eunjin Oh is a mediator and activist who came to prominence as a vital voice and spokesperson for the Korean American community following the 1992 Los Angeles unrest. Appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Advisory Board of the President’s Initiative on Race in 1997, she helped reshape national conversations on diversity and equity beyond a binary framework. Oh serves as an Attorney Mediator with the California Civil Rights Department, an agency that enforces California’s civil rights laws. A former Chair of Senator Barbara Boxer’s Federal Judicial Nominations Committee, she has lectured at major institutions including UCLA and USC. An ordained Zen Buddhist Priest, Oh merges legal expertise with meditative practice, facilitating community healing, leadership development, and racial reconciliation.
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Angie J. You, PhD
CEO, Architect Therapeutics
Angie You is the founder/CEO of Architect Therapeutics. She also serves on the board of Oric Pharmaceuticals and Attovia Therapeutics. Angie was most recently CEO of Amunix Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired in 2021 by Sanofi. She has worked for multiple companies that have brought meaningful drugs to patients. Prior to Amunix, she served as CBO at Sierra Oncology (acquired by GSK 2021, Sierra’s drug Ojjara approved 2023 for high risk myelofibrosis) and Aragon Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Janssen 2014, Aragon’s prostate cancer drug Erleada approved 2018). She is a scientist by training with a PhD in Biochemistry from Harvard University. She is a co-founder of the Biotech CEO Sisterhood, a community focused on supporting female executives and increasing representation of female CEOs. She is also a co-founder/board member of ElevAAte, a non-profit focused on advancing East Asian representation at senior levels across the bio and pharma industry.
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Bryan Oh
Executive Vice President, 21 Laps Entertainment
Bryan Oh is a film executive and producer and current Executive Vice President of 21 Laps Entertainment. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Production at Paramount Pictures, where he oversaw numerous films, including BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, which broke box office records upon release. Oh is currently producing the feature film K-POP: THE DEBUT for Paramount Pictures, which will release in theaters worldwide on February 26, 2027. Prior to joining Paramount, he was Head of Development at Allison Shearmur Productions, producing varied film projects, including Disney’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. He began his career in the independent packaging department at UTA. A graduate of Princeton University, Oh spent five years working in finance before moving to Los Angeles, where he now resides with his wife and two children.
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Christine Moon
Co-Founder & President, BlueSpace.ai
Christine Moon is a technology executive and serial entrepreneur who believes AI should do the unglamorous work: the 3D jobs - dirty, dangerous, and dull. Her latest venture, Flow AI, puts that belief into practice, using large language models to modernize the legacy systems that run the world's critical infrastructure, and keeping them secure. Previously, she co-founded BlueSpace AI, an autonomous vehicle software company built on explainable AI, and led global business operations and partnerships for Android at Google, driving commercial agreements with global carriers and OEMs. A vocal champion for women in tech and Asian American leadership, she serves on industry advisory boards and mentors early-stage founders. Fully bicultural and bilingual, she holds degrees from Yale and Yonsei University as a Fulbright and Rotary Scholar. Off the clock, she's mom to three teens and to Astra, a husky who shares her name with the most powerful LLM to date, and acts like it.
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David Ko
Former CEO, Calm
David Ko is the former CEO of Calm, the #1 app for sleep, meditation and mindfulness. Before founding his own company, which was acquired by Calm, David spent over a decade as a leading healthcare executive. He is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of Recharge: Boosting Your Mental Battery One Conversation at a Time, and has been featured in TIME’s Leadership Brief, named a LinkedIn “Top Voice” and one of RockHealth’s “Top 50 Leaders in Digital Health.” David was also the COO at Zynga, which he helped take public in December 2011. Prior to his work at Zynga, he spent 10 years at Yahoo! and currently serves on various boards at his alma mater, New York University Stern School of Business.
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Drake Roth
President, National Korea Student Alliance
Drake Roth is President of the National Korean Student Alliance (N-KSA), a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting and empowering Korean and Korean American young professionals through mentorship, community, and networking. As a Korean adoptee, he is particularly interested in using his own experience to encourage and expand conversations about what it means to embody heterogenous Korean American identities. Drake is also a doctoral student in English Literature at the University of Virginia, where he studies the intersection of medicine and literature, with a focus on John Milton, Renaissance poetics, and medical humanities. He graduated with High Honors from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in Physics and English Literature on the Pre-Med track. Before beginning doctoral studies, Drake worked in pediatric clinical research at Nemours Children’s Hospital and hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of pediatric surgery and narrative medicine.
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Gloria Lee
Client Relations Partner, Rutan & Tucker, LLP; CKA Envision Gala Co-Chair
Gloria Lee is the Client Relations Partner for Rutan & Tucker, LLP, one of the largest full-service law firms in California. She is the only Korean American partner and Chair of the Firm’s Business Development Committee. Gloria is also the Co-Founder of Kwell Laboratories and a Venture Partner of Ethos Fund, a tech fund with a focus on investments in Southeast Asia, Korea and the U.S. Ms. Lee serves on the public company board of Hanmi Bank and several non-profit boards, including CKA. She formerly served on the Executive Board of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA, and is a past president of the Orange County Asian American Bar Association. Ms. Lee earned her JD at UC Berkeley and earned her BA and MA concurrently in four years from Stanford University where she played for the three-time national champion badminton team.
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Ho Nam
Co-Founder & Managing Director, Altos Ventures; 2026 CKA Envision Honoree
Ho Nam is a Managing Director of Altos Ventures, focusing on investments in the areas of software, mobile, and internet technologies. He currently serves as a director of Bitfinder, Chairish, DigitalPath, HireMojo, PandaDoc, Trilibis Mobile, TVU Networks, and WhiteHat Security. Ho led the firm’s prior investments in Axis Systems (Cadence), Enwisen (Infor), Evolve (Oracle), Immunet (Cisco), Lohika (Altran), Listen.com (Real Networks), Nishan Systems (Brocade), Pixo (Sun) and SayNow (Google). Ho began his VC career at Trinity Ventures and began his professional career at Bain & Company where he advised clients in technology and consumer products industries. Before co-founding Altos Ventures, Ho worked at Silicon Graphics and Octel Communications. Ho received an MBA from Stanford University and a BS in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College.
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Inhi Suh
Chief Executive Officer, Niantic Spatial
Inhi brings two decades of experience scaling enterprise software and digital AI businesses. She is now bridging the gap between digital and physical AI for complex work in the real world. Inhi is the CEO of Niantic Spatial, a physical AI and research frontier company. As a spinout from Niantic Labs which pioneered augmented reality games for people, Niantic Spatial is an early stage startup based in San Francisco pioneering real world models for machines – robots, wearables, agents, autonomous vehicles – and people. Previously, Inhi was President at DocuSign. She led product, engineering, design, security, customer support, channels and partnerships, growing the customer base from 1 million to 1.4 million paying organizations and taking the company from $2B to $3B in revenue, including its first ever full year of profit. She oversaw one of the largest SaaS and data platforms in the world, innovating with genAI early and driving API traffic to represent over 50% of all platform interactions. Before her operating role, she served four years on DocuSign's board, advising the CEO and leadership team during a period of hyper-growth from $250 million to $2 billion in revenue. Before DocuSign, Inhi spent twenty years at IBM. She led Global Strategic Partnerships – a $10B+ responsibility – working with the world's largest technology companies including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce and Amazon, as well as the world's leading consulting firms. As GM of Watson Customer Engagement, she ran P&L across enterprise software, eCommerce and supply chain solutions. Earlier she served as GM of Big Data, building IBM's portfolio across Hadoop, stream computing and machine learning at a time when few enterprise companies were taking those technologies seriously. She was also integral to IBM's acquisition of The Weather Company and has been published and quoted widely on the future of big data and AI. Inhi has given a TED Talk on data and healthcare – reflecting her belief that the most important applications of AI are still ahead of us. She serves on the boards of Otter.ai – the first voice AI agent used by over three million people, reaching over $140 million ARR – and AnitaB.org, the largest global nonprofit advancing women in STEM. She holds a law degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a degree in Biology and History from Duke. When she's not thinking about all things AI, she's been known to climb mountains, most recently Everest Base Camp and Yosemite Half Dome.
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Jaime Lee
Senior Managing Director, Capital Markets and Real Estate Investments, Kennedy Wilson; Trustee, University of Southern California
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James Shin
President, HYBE AMERICAS Studios
James Shin is the President of HYBE AMERICAS Studios spearheading premium US-based content IP and East-West synergy efforts. Currently, Shin is Producer on Paramount Pictures’ “K-Pop: The Debut” - breaking ground as the first major Hollywood studio film to shoot 100% in Seoul. The film will be released globally in theaters on February 26, 2027. Other recent efforts include “KATSEYE: Wild Hearts,” “BTS: The Return,” “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE,” FX’s “Dave,” and “Justin Bieber: Seasons.” Previously, Shin was a development executive at TriStar Pictures, behind films such as “Baby Driver” and “Money Monster.”
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Jee Young Han
Actress
Jee Young Han is a film, television, and voiceover actress based in Los Angeles. She can currently be seen in Anderson .Paak-directed film, K-POPS!, in theaters now. Han is best known for roles on the Hulu/Onyx Collective comedy series, Unprisoned, starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo, and HBO’s Perry Mason. Her television credits include Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Superstore, Station 19, and Santa Clarita Diet. Feature credits include Why Him?, A Case of You, Young Adult, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story. As a voiceover actress, Han stars in the Nickelodeon Korean-American animated series, Wylde Pak. Other notable credits include Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Dreamworks) and Dragon Age: The Veilguard (EA/Bioware). On top of screen credits, she’s landed talent development deals with CBS and NBC. Han can next be seen in Hannah Peterson’s Via Negativa, produced by Complementary Colors and executive produced by Samantha Quan (Anora).
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Jerry Kang
Ralph and Shirley Shapiro Distinguished Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law
Jerry Kang is the Ralph and Shirley Shapiro Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA. He graduated magna cum laude from both Harvard College (physics) and Harvard Law School, where he was a supervising editor of the Harvard Law Review. After clerking for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, he started his professorship at UCLA in 1995. A leading scholar on implicit bias, critical race studies, and communications law, Professor Kang collaborates broadly across disciplines and industries on scholarly, educational, and advocacy projects. An inspiring teacher, he has received UCLA’s highest recognition: the Eby Art of Teaching Distinguished Teaching Award. During 2015-20, he served as the UCLA’s Founding Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
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Jihee Huh
Vice-Chairman, Pacific American Fish Company (PAFCO)
Jihee Huh is the Vice Chair of PAFCO and Co-Founder of Pete’s Seafood where she oversees company marketing, strategic planning and new business development. Huh serves as the Asian Pacific Islander Public Affairs Commissioner for State of California. She is also an Active Life Trustee for public radio station SCPR. Huh has served as Chair of the Board of SCPR. At Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles’ board, she has served as past Vice-Chair of the Saban Research Institute. Huh is on the NPR Foundation Board of Trustees as well as the director of The California Club. In 2018, she joined the Executive Committee member for Human Rights Watch of Los Angeles. Huh and her husband Peter are on the US Olympic Foundation Board. She recently joined the California Community Foundation Board of Trustees. Huh is an active participant of the national organization The Council of Korean Americans. She has co-founded the Los Angeles Coalition Foundation Embrace Unity, which is a non-profit organization 501(c)(3) – supporting underserved scholars for diverse communities to learn about civic engagement and empowerment. Educated in New York City, Huh earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University. In 2012, she completed the Certificate Program at the Executive Harvard University for “Excellence in Not for Profit Governance.” Huh was recognized in 2007 by the US Congress for her work and support on the successful passage of House Resolution 121. She and her husband Peter have established the Peter Yun Huh 1982 Scholarship Fund at Amherst College to support underserved Asian students. Huh’s husband Peter serves on the AAAJ, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Board; The Chadwick Song Do – International School Board, in Seoul, Korea; and the Council of Korean Americans Board of Trustees. In 2018, she was awarded the Anti-Defamation League’s Deborah Award.
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Jinhee Ahn Kim
Co-Founder & CEO, Kumio.AI; CKA Envision Gala Co-Chair
Jinhee Ahn Kim is a serial entrepreneur, executive, and creative leader with a track record of building companies across technology, cybersecurity, esports, fashion, and education. She currently serves as the co-founder and CEO of Kumio.ai, a cybersecurity startup building the first continuous security layer for AI data center infrastructure. Recognized by Fast Company as one of its “Most Creative People,” Jinhee’s previous ventures include co-founding Snapette, a mobile fashion platform, and UYU, a championship-winning global esports organization. Her multi-industry career also includes consulting at Bain & Company, menswear design at Ralph Lauren, and leadership in early childhood edtech. Her multidisciplinary approach is backed by rigorous academic credentials, including a B.A. from Harvard College, an A.A.S. from Parsons School of Design, and a J.D. from the University of Hawaii. Deeply committed to community leadership, Jinhee has served on the boards of the Harvard Alumni Association, the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance, and the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), where she was the founding co-chair of the Inspire Gala and co-chaired multiple National Summit & Galas. Based between Seattle and London, she maintains deep connections to Korea through her lifelong engagement with the Korean American community.
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Julie Kim
President & CEO, Takeda; 2026 CKA Envision Honoree
Julie Kim is president, chief executive officer (CEO) and representative director of Takeda. She was elected by shareholders and appointed by the Board of Directors in June 2026. She joined the company in 2019 through the acquisition of Shire and held several executive-level roles, including president of the Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit and president of the U.S. Business Unit before becoming CEO-elect in 2025. Julie is leading Takeda into its next era to make an expanded impact on the lives of patients and bring increased value to its shareholders. The company is launching multiple new products while advancing the most robust pipeline in the company’s history and transforming itself through advanced technology to operate with speed and growth. Prior to Takeda, Julie held roles of increasing responsibility at Baxter, Baxalta and Shire spanning global, regional and country-level roles across a variety of therapeutic areas and markets. Her global outlook, a result of having worked and lived in many countries and regions, including the U.K., Switzerland, China’s Hong Kong and the U.S., has helped her foster diverse teams to enable inclusive decision-making that keeps the patient at the center. A committed community and industry leader, Julie was appointed by the Mayor of Boston to the Board of Trustees of the Boston Public Library, one of the most iconic and respected institutions in the city. She also serves on the board of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), leading the International Committee, and is a member of the Council of Korean Americans. Julie holds an MBA from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College. Julie splits her time between Boston and Tokyo, where Takeda is headquartered.
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June Lee
Co-Founder and Board Member, ElevAAte Biotech; Board Member, Abivax and Tenaya Therapeutics
June Lee, MD, is a biotechnology executive and board director with over 25 years in biotech and pharma, spanning company founding, public company operations, and board governance. She has led two companies through Chief Executive Officer (CEO) roles, executed successful fundraising, initial public offerings (IPOs), and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and now serves on multiple public and private boards. She currently serves on the boards of Abivax (Nasdaq/Euronext: ABVX), Eledon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ELDN), and Tenaya Therapeutics (Nasdaq: TNYA). She is also a director at Breeze Bio, a private genetic medicines company, and an advisor to Cheiron. She was founding CEO and board chair of Renasant Bio, and previously served on the board of CinCor Pharma through its IPO and acquisition by AstraZeneca for $1.8 billion. Dr. Lee was most recently a Venture Partner at 5AM Ventures. Before that, she was founding CEO of Alumis Inc., which went public in June 2024. She previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer, and Chief Operating Officer at MyoKardia, where she built the development organization that led to its $13.1 billion acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020. Earlier, she was a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and led early clinical development in cardiovascular, metabolic, infectious, and respiratory disease at Genentech. Dr. Lee is a founding board member of Elevaate Bio and previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Council of Korean Americans. Dr. Lee is an Adjunct Professor at UCSF School of Medicine. She holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University, an MD from UC Davis, and completed clinical training in internal medicine and pulmonary & critical care medicine at UCLA and UCSF.
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Dr. Ken Song
Partner, Venrock
Dr. Ken Song is a physician scientist, life sciences entrepreneur, and investor. He recently returned as a partner to Venrock, a healthcare investment firm. Previously, he spent 15+ years as a serial entrepreneur with over $7.5 billion in realized shareholder value having served as CEO and/or Executive Chairman of Candid Therapeutics, RayzeBio, Ablaze Pharmaceuticals, Omniome, and Ariosa Diagnostics. Dr. Song earned his B.S. from MIT, M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology.
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Kristie Chon Flynn
Data Protection Officer, Google
Kristie is passionate about helping companies harness the power of data and technology by building and scaling products focused on driving brand loyalty, customer experience, and innovation grounded in digital responsibility.
At Google, Kristie leads a global team that architects and scales data risk management products in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. Kristie focuses on transforming regulatory challenges into strategic opportunities, enabling Google to accelerate innovation and maintain business efficacy without compromising user trust or compliance. As Google’s Data Protection Officer, Kristie oversees Google’s data protection program. In addition, Kristie actively engages externally, sharing Google’s technical approach to data protection and fostering a culture of digital responsibility across the industry. As a board director for five Korean Google entities, Kristie provides strategic guidance and oversight on governance and risk mitigation.
Kristie’s career is defined by a consistent thread: transforming how organizations approach data risk through strategic governance, scalable product development, and a deep understanding of evolving regulatory landscapes. Kristie brings proven expertise in aligning risk management strategies with core business objectives, driving organizational transformation, and building and scaling global product lines and programs from inception to maturity (0-10 and 10-100).
Prior to Google, Kristie spearheaded PayPal’s data governance initiatives as Chief Privacy Officer. As the organization’s first dedicated data governance leader, Kristie developed the foundational principles and built a global team that scaled privacy through a robust platform. Serving as Chief Privacy Officer at HCL Technologies, Kristie advised B2B clients on data risk management across diverse sectors: healthcare, banking, and consumer products. Kristie honed her expertise in digital privacy at American Express, where she built and advised on strategies to mitigate risks and ensure user trust.
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Lisa Yang
Managing Partner, LimNexus LLP; Board Member, CKA
Lisa J. Yang is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of LimNexus where her practice focuses on business litigation. Representing a wide range of clients, including major U.S. corporations, the Republic of Korea, Korean corporations with business dealings in the United States, nonprofit religious entities, elderly victims of World War II atrocities and Korean War veterans, Lisa handles complex commercial and contract disputes, defense of employment discrimination claims, wage and hour litigation, contests for corporate control, investment fraud, and commercial landlord-tenant disputes. Her practice spans both state and federal courts. Lisa is committed to serving the Korean-American community in legal and nonprofit settings. Lisa has served as the President of the Korean American Bar Association of Southern California in 2007, has been a board member of the Center for the Pacific Asian Family until 2010, and currently serves as the Chair of the Board and Immediate Past President of the International Association of Korean Lawyers, Overseas Chapter. Lisa also serves on the board of the LimNexus Foundation and the IAKL Foundation.
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Mark Keam
President, Korean American Institute
Mark Lee Keam currently leads the Korean American Institute. In government, Keam served in political roles for Presidents Clinton and Biden and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. In the private sector, Keam was a lead lobbyist for a Fortune 15 technology company, president of a national Asian American chamber of commerce, and an entrepreneur. Keam holds degrees from the University of California Irvine and U.C. Hastings College of Law.
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Michelle Rhyu
Retired Litigation Partner, Cooley LLP
Dr. Michelle Rhyu has twenty years of experience representing life sciences companies, with a primary focus on high-stakes patent, contract, and trade secrets disputes in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She has extensive experience leading litigation and trial teams, has argued at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and has led briefing to the US Supreme Court. Michelle has litigated cases involving small molecule drug compounds, pharmaceutical formulations, monoclonal antibodies, biofuels, hormone receptors, gene expression technology and medical therapies. She has experience with Hatch-Waxman litigation and the abbreviated regulatory pathway for biosimilars (BPCI Act). Michelle was recognized by the Financial Times in 2015 as one of the Top Ten most Innovative Lawyers of North America and “the epitome of the 21st Century lawyer.” In 2014, Michelle was recognized for her excellence in patent litigation and was named one of the ‘Top 250 Women in IP’ by Managing Intellectual Property. She has also been named to The Recorder’s 2016, 2015 and 2013 ‘Women Leaders in Technology Law’ list, which recognizes 50 female attorneys in California who have ‘demonstrated leadership and expertise in solving the most pressing legal concerns companies can face.’ Michelle’s graduate work on elucidating asymmetric cell division in drosophila neurogenesis was featured on the cover of the journal Cell. She is a recipient of the UCSF 150th Anniversary Alumni Excellence Award, which was presented to 150 alumni to honor the university’s 150th anniversary. She is also the recipient of the Distinguished Alumna of the Year for 2017 award from the UCSF Graduate Division. She served as a law clerk for Judge James Ware in the Northern District of California and as an intern for Judge Paul Michel at the Federal Circuit.
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Mina Kimes
Senior NFL Analyst, Journalist, & Podcast Host, ESPN
Mina Kimes is an award-winning investigative journalist, sports commentator, and Senior NFL Analyst at ESPN. Known for her analytical rigor, she features regularly on NFL Live, First Take, and hosts The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny. Before joining ESPN, Kimes was an investigative reporter for Bloomberg News and Fortune Magazine, earning the Nellie Bly Cub Reporter Award. A graduate of Yale University, Kimes is a prominent public speaker on sports analytics, journalism ethics, and Korean American representation in media.
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Ned Koh
Co-Founder & President, Aaru
Ned Koh is the Co-Founder and President of Aaru, an AI platform that simulates human behavior. Founded in 2024 around the belief that the ability to understand behavior is the power to shape it, Aaru has become a $1 billion company within two years, helping the world's largest enterprises make better decisions. Before Aaru, Ned attended Harvard before dropping out and conducted research at MIT across AI/ML and political science. He is based in New York City and loves board games.
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Rachel Kim
Acquisition Officer, U.S. Department of War
A NYC native, Rachel is a military officer specializing in defense acquisition, finance, and industrial base policy. She has served in leadership roles across Europe and South Korea, and most recently taught economics at the United States Military Academy at West Point, her alma mater. She holds a master’s degree in international finance and economic policy from Columbia University and continues her research at the intersection of national security and economics. Rachel is passionate about mentorship, veterans’ advocacy, and Korean-American civic leadership. In her free time, she enjoys endurance racing and traveling.
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Salle Yoo
Principal, Craggy Oak, LLC
Salle Yoo is an early stage investor, advisor and board member. She is a limited partner with Construct Capital, Operator Collective, and Jane VC - funds led by women that seek to harness technology to solve difficult problems. She is also a direct investor and CEO advisor to a number of early stage tech companies and an advisor to SparkLabs Mobility Fund 1. She has served on the board of Qwick Inc. and Nova Labs, Inc. Salle is the former Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel of Uber Technologies, Inc. While at Uber, Salle was responsible for Legal, Regulatory, Compliance, Insurance and Safety teams. Salle was a member of the executive team that grew Uber from 11 cities and 4 countries in July 2012, to over 200 cities and over 40 countries by December 2017. Salle also served as the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of IonQ, Inc. Prior to Uber, Salle was a partner at the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. Salle serves as the Chair of the Asian Art Museum Foundation Board and the Asian Art Commission in San Francisco, California. She has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2018 and has served as chair of the Museum’s Compensation Committee and Executive Committee and has served on its Committee on Trustees and Audit Committee. She previously served on the Board of Trustees for Scripps College and on the Board of the Council of Korean Americans. Salle is a graduate of Scripps College and Boston University School of Law. She is a frequent speaker at USC Marshall School of Business, Columbia Law School and Stanford Law School.
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Steve Kang
President & Chief Film Liaison, City of LA Board of Public Works
Steve Kang serves as President of the Board of Public Works and Chief Film Liaison for the City of Los Angeles, making history as the first Asian American to serve as President of the Board. In his role, he oversees critical infrastructure, sanitation, street maintenance, and neighborhood services while advancing policies to strengthen the city’s film and television industry. A longtime Koreatown resident and Korean American community leader, Kang has dedicated much of his career to civic engagement, community empowerment, and strengthening Korean American representation in local government. He previously held leadership positions at the Koreatown Youth and Community Center and the Korean American Coalition – Los Angeles and currently serves as Chairman of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles. Kang holds degrees from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
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Sue Song
Senior Care and Mental Health Specialist at Lorien Health System
Professor Sue Song is an advanced mental health and senior care specialist with over two decades of leadership in clinical practice, academia, and community advocacy. She serves as Senior Care and Mental Health Specialist at Lorien Health System and manages outpatient mental health services at Life Renewal Services. Her academic career includes serving as faculty member at the University of Maryland, and visiting Associate Professor at Chungnam National University and Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea. An immigrant herself, Professor Song is dedicated to eliminating barriers for immigrant populations. She founded the Korean American Association. Beyond immigrant advocacy, she contributed to public health and welfare. Her civic leadership includes the Board of Health, Commission on Aging, the Community Foundation, and board of Johns Hopkins Medicine at Howard County Medical Center. She’s been recognized with prestigious accolades including induction into the Hall of Fame, College of Women Award, and Proud Washingtonian Award.
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Susan Kim
Limited Partner, Operator Collective
Susan Kim invests in and advises Asian American founders building early-stage consumer, marketplace, and health tech startups. A three-time CEO, she most recently led Edmodo, a global learning platform with more than 100 million members, and previously ran EatWith and Plum District after leadership roles at Google and eBay. She is a former board member of the Council of Korean Americans and a founding board member of the Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco.
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Dr. Suzan Song
Psychiatrist & Author
Dr. Suzan Song is a psychiatrist, researcher, and author who studies how people stay clear, connected, and purposeful when life doesn’t go according to plan. For more than two decades, she has worked across settings ranging from refugee camps and communities affected by war to government agencies and corporate leadership. She is the author of Why We Suffer and How We Heal (Penguin Random House, 2026) and has advised the U.S. government, UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency, and other organizations on mental health, resilience, and human behavior under adversity. Dr. Song established the Harvard Global Child and Family Mental Health program at Boston Children’s Hospital and has held professorial appointments at Harvard Medical School and George Washington University. Her work asks a practical question: How do we live and lead well when circumstances remain uncertain, unfinished, or beyond our control?
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Yul Kwon
Vice President/General Manager, Paradigms of Intelligence, Google; Board Director, CKA
Yul is a VP/GM, Paradigms of Intelligence at Google. His prior private sector experiences include working as a Director of Product Management at Facebook, a management consultant at McKinsey, an attorney at two law firms, and a small business owner (frozen yogurt). In the public sector, Yul’s government experiences include serving as Deputy Chief of the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, an adjunct instructor at the FBI Academy, a legislative counsel in the U.S Senate, and a judicial clerk in the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. He’s hosted several shows on television, including the PBS series, America Revealed, and KCETLink’s weekly news program, LinkAsia. In 2006, Yul became the first Asian American winner of the CBS reality show, Survivor. Yul received his B.S. in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served on the editorial board of the Yale Law Journal.
2026 CKA NextGen Summit Speakers
Friday, October 23 · Fairmont Century Plaza
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Angela Eunjin Oh
Attorney Mediator
Angela Eunjin Oh is a mediator and activist who came to prominence as a vital voice and spokesperson for the Korean American community following the 1992 Los Angeles unrest. Appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Advisory Board of the President’s Initiative on Race in 1997, she helped reshape national conversations on diversity and equity beyond a binary framework. Oh serves as an Attorney Mediator with the California Civil Rights Department, an agency that enforces California’s civil rights laws. A former Chair of Senator Barbara Boxer’s Federal Judicial Nominations Committee, she has lectured at major institutions including UCLA and USC. An ordained Zen Buddhist Priest, Oh merges legal expertise with meditative practice, facilitating community healing, leadership development, and racial reconciliation.
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Bryan Do
Founder & CEO, Ki One
Bryan Do is an innovator, media professional, and pioneer in the Korean craft beverage industry. Born in the United States and educated at UCLA and Yonsei University, Bryan spent years in corporate sales and tech marketing at Microsoft, as well as working as a TV news anchor and host. In 2013, he pivoted into entrepreneurship to establish Hand & Malt Brewing Company, which was later acquired by AB-InBev. He then founded Ki One Whisky Distillery, creating Korea’s first single malt whisky, which has won international acclaim including best Worldwide Whisky and Best Single Malt Whisky at the most prestigious international competitions.
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Collin Byun
CKA Emerging Leaders Fellow
Collin Byun is a Master of Science candidate in Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime at New York University School of Professional Studies, and graduated from New York University College of Arts and Sciences with a B.A. in International Relations. He served as a Political Affairs Intern at the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs and as Mayoral Program Coordinator at the NYC Office of the Mayor. Collin holds fellowships at CKA as an Emerging Leader Fellow, the Korea Society as a Kim Koo Fellow, and the Diversity in National Security Network as a National Security 2050 Fellow. He has worked on federal and state campaigns, including the Grace Lee campaign to elect the first Korean-American woman to the New York State Legislature. His work spans nuclear policy, AI governance, and coordination across local, federal and international stakeholders.
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Dr. David Choi
Conrad N. Hilton Professor of Entrepreneurship, Loyola Marymount University
Dr. David Y. Choi has had an active career as an academic, consultant and entrepreneur over the last 20 years. Dr. Choi has been a faculty member and associate director of the nationally ranked Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship at LMU since 2003. He has taught undergraduate and MBA courses in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, social entrepreneurship and technology management at LMU as well as other institutions around the world including Peking University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and Korea University. Dr. Choi is a winner of a national teaching award from the United States Association of Business and Entrepreneurship (USABE). He has been featured or quoted in many business publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Los Angeles Business Journal and Business 2.0, among others.
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Jaime Lee
Senior Managing Director, Capital Markets and Real Estate Investments, Kennedy Wilson; Trustee, University of Southern California
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Jinhee Ahn Kim
Co-Founder & CEO, Kumio.AI
Jinhee Ahn Kim is a serial entrepreneur, executive, and creative leader with a track record of building companies across technology, cybersecurity, esports, fashion, and education. She currently serves as the co-founder and CEO of Kumio.ai, a cybersecurity startup building the first continuous security layer for AI data center infrastructure. Recognized by Fast Company as one of its “Most Creative People,” Jinhee’s previous ventures include co-founding Snapette, a mobile fashion platform, and UYU, a championship-winning global esports organization. Her multi-industry career also includes consulting at Bain & Company, menswear design at Ralph Lauren, and leadership in early childhood edtech. Her multidisciplinary approach is backed by rigorous academic credentials, including a B.A. from Harvard College, an A.A.S. from Parsons School of Design, and a J.D. from the University of Hawaii. Deeply committed to community leadership, Jinhee has served on the boards of the Harvard Alumni Association, the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance, and the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), where she was the founding co-chair of the Inspire Gala and co-chaired multiple National Summit & Galas. Based between Seattle and London, she maintains deep connections to Korea through her lifelong engagement with the Korean American community.
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Julie Kim
President & CEO, Takeda; 2026 CKA Envision Honoree
Julie Kim is president, chief executive officer (CEO) and representative director of Takeda. She was elected by shareholders and appointed by the Board of Directors in June 2026. She joined the company in 2019 through the acquisition of Shire and held several executive-level roles, including president of the Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit and president of the U.S. Business Unit before becoming CEO-elect in 2025. Julie is leading Takeda into its next era to make an expanded impact on the lives of patients and bring increased value to its shareholders. The company is launching multiple new products while advancing the most robust pipeline in the company’s history and transforming itself through advanced technology to operate with speed and growth. Prior to Takeda, Julie held roles of increasing responsibility at Baxter, Baxalta and Shire spanning global, regional and country-level roles across a variety of therapeutic areas and markets. Her global outlook, a result of having worked and lived in many countries and regions, including the U.K., Switzerland, China’s Hong Kong and the U.S., has helped her foster diverse teams to enable inclusive decision-making that keeps the patient at the center. A committed community and industry leader, Julie was appointed by the Mayor of Boston to the Board of Trustees of the Boston Public Library, one of the most iconic and respected institutions in the city. She also serves on the board of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), leading the International Committee, and is a member of the Council of Korean Americans. Julie holds an MBA from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College. Julie splits her time between Boston and Tokyo, where Takeda is headquartered.
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L. Song Richardson
Chancellor's Professor of Law, UC Irvine School of Law
Professor L. Song Richardson, former UC Irvine School of Law Dean from 2018-2021, is Chancellor’s Professor of Law at UC Irvine School of Law. An award-winning educator and scholar, Prof. Richardson has been recognized for her transformational leadership in higher education. Her plans upon her return include launching an innovative institute, focused on issues of equity, opportunity, and leadership Prof. Richardson’s trailblazing career has been one of many firsts. She returns to UC Irvine after serving as the 14th president of Colorado College, making history as the first woman of color to hold the presidency. Previously, at the time of her appointment as the Law School’s second dean, Prof. Richardson was the only woman of color to lead a top-30 law school. She previously served on the Executive Committee of the Association of American Law Schools, on the board of the Council of Independent Colleges, and as chair of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference’s Presidents Council. She serves on the board of directors for the American Association of Colleges and Universities as well as Citizens and Scholars, and serves on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s consensus study committee titled “Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations.” She is an elected member of the American Law Institute. Prof. Richardson’s impactful leadership has earned her widespread recognition, including the Association of American Law Schools’ Derrick Bell Award, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s Trailblazer Award, GlobalMindED’s Inclusive Leader Award for Higher Education, and the Council of Korean Americans’ Empower Award. The Thurgood Marshall Bar Association in Orange County established the L. Song Richardson Legacy Award to honor individuals who make extraordinary impacts in the legal community. Prior to joining Colorado College as president, Prof. Richardson was named one of the Top Women Lawyers in California by The Daily Journal, one of the 100 Most Influential business and opinion shapers in Orange County, and one of the two most influential Korean Americans in Orange County. An interdisciplinary scholar, Prof. Richardson teaches and writes in the areas of criminal law, criminal procedure, and law and social science. Her scholarship applies cognitive and social psychology concepts to criminal law, criminal procedure, and policing. She has consulted widely on issues of implicit bias, race, and policing, working with various public and private entities to address racial and gender disparities. Her scholarship has been published by law journals at Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Cornell, Duke, and Northwestern, among others. Before joining UC Irvine in 2014, Prof. Richardson held law professorships at DePaul University, American University, and the University of Iowa. In addition, she was a partner at a boutique criminal law firm, worked as a state and federal public defender in Seattle, and served as an assistant counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Prof. Richardson received a J.D. from Yale Law School and an A.B. from Harvard College. She is a classically trained pianist who performed twice with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
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Lisa Yang
Managing Partner, LimNexus LLP; Board Member, CKA
Lisa J. Yang is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of LimNexus where her practice focuses on business litigation. Representing a wide range of clients, including major U.S. corporations, the Republic of Korea, Korean corporations with business dealings in the United States, nonprofit religious entities, elderly victims of World War II atrocities and Korean War veterans, Lisa handles complex commercial and contract disputes, defense of employment discrimination claims, wage and hour litigation, contests for corporate control, investment fraud, and commercial landlord-tenant disputes. Her practice spans both state and federal courts. Lisa is committed to serving the Korean-American community in legal and nonprofit settings. Lisa has served as the President of the Korean American Bar Association of Southern California in 2007, has been a board member of the Center for the Pacific Asian Family until 2010, and currently serves as the Chair of the Board and Immediate Past President of the International Association of Korean Lawyers, Overseas Chapter. Lisa also serves on the board of the LimNexus Foundation and the IAKL Foundation.
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Michelle Kim
Head of Field Operations, Postman
Michelle Ji-Yeun Kim (MK) is a Revenue Operations Executive and Executive Coach. She leads Field Operations at Postman and is passionate about coaching Korean women founders on how to break into the U.S. market. She has 15+ years of experience at tech companies such as Zendesk, Seagate, and LinkedIn in Go-To-Market functions including Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Revenue Operations. In her free time, Michelle serves as a non-profit Board Member for Women in Revenue (10,000 members globally), hosts a podcast called Breaking the Tech Ceiling, and is a competitive mahjong player.
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Monica H. Kang
Managing Director of Programs and Strategy, CKA
Monica H. Kang is passionate about bringing out the best in leaders and teams. A strategy and systems expert with 18+ years of experience, she specializes in building thriving environments and bridging cross-industry communities.
As Managing Director of Programs and Strategy at the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), Monica oversees a leadership portfolio spanning from C-suite to next-generation initiatives. She manages people and operational systems required to scale CKA’s mission and empower the Korean American community.
Previously, as Chief Strategy and Partnership Officer at SHIA by Chef Edward Lee, she oversees the nonprofit fine dining restaurant’s strategy, partnerships, and educational programs to drive operation and strategic success. As the Founder of InnovatorsBox®, she provides bilingual executive coaching to make leadership development practical for global audiences.
A dedicated community builder, Monica also serves as Executive Director of TEDxLogan Circle, managing a 30+ person team and 60+ partners. Her background as a U.S. government nuclear policy expert informs her strategic work across D.C., Geneva, Vienna, and Seoul. A bilingual Korean American, she is committed to bridging K-culture across generations. Monica holds an M.A. from Johns Hopkins SAIS and a B.A. from Boston University.
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Ned Koh
Co-Founder & President, Aaru
Ned Koh is the Co-Founder and President of Aaru, an AI platform that simulates human behavior. Founded in 2024 around the belief that the ability to understand behavior is the power to shape it, Aaru has become a $1 billion company within two years, helping the world's largest enterprises make better decisions. Before Aaru, Ned attended Harvard before dropping out and conducted research at MIT across AI/ML and political science. He is based in New York City and loves board games.
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Sandra Schubert
Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Sandra Schubert is a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where she leads a team responsible for advising ultra-high net worth families and family offices, endowments and foundations. She and her team oversee $7+ Bn in client assets, and she is a member of the firm’s Top Advisors Council, a select group that represents the top 10% advisors of the firm. Sandra joined Goldman Sachs after receiving her MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to graduate school, she was in Asia and in France, heading the ELLE brand for Hachette in Korea. Sandra received her undergraduate degree from Middlebury College and is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School. She serves the communities where she lives and works as a Steering Committee Member of the GS Asian Network, Trustee of the Brooklyn Public Library, Korea Finance Society, and Council of Korean Americans. She and her husband, Peter reside in Bronxville, New York, and have two children, Keala and Kai.
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Senator Rocket
Founder, Eat Vermont; President, Farmhouse Chocolates
Senator Rocket is an artist, software designer, and entrepreneur based in White River Junction, Vermont. He is the creator of Eat Vermont, a digital media and technology platform with over 100,000 followers dedicated to local food culture. He is also the co-owner of Farmhouse Chocolates, a boutique confectionery manufacturer, and leads an independent software development studio. Rocket holds a Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College ('14) and a J.D. from Vermont Law School ('24).
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Steve Kang
President & Chief Film Liaison, City of LA Board of Public Works
Steve Kang serves as President of the Board of Public Works and Chief Film Liaison for the City of Los Angeles, making history as the first Asian American to serve as President of the Board. In his role, he oversees critical infrastructure, sanitation, street maintenance, and neighborhood services while advancing policies to strengthen the city’s film and television industry. A longtime Koreatown resident and Korean American community leader, Kang has dedicated much of his career to civic engagement, community empowerment, and strengthening Korean American representation in local government. He previously held leadership positions at the Koreatown Youth and Community Center and the Korean American Coalition – Los Angeles and currently serves as Chairman of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles. Kang holds degrees from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
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Wonny Lee
Founder & CEO, ELOREA
Wonny Lee is the Founder and CEO of ELOREA, a New York–based fragrance brand dedicated to sharing Korean culture through olfactory storytelling. He began his career at 19 on Samsung’s investment team and has since built a career as a serial entrepreneur and investor, founding and scaling consumer and technology businesses through multiple successful exits. In 2022, he founded ELOREA to bring a deeply personal expression of Korean heritage to the global stage.
NextGen Roundtable Mentors & 1:1 Office Hour Sessions
Mentors lead small group roundtable sessions and 1:1 Office Hour meetings for NextGen participants.
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Dan Matthews
Senior Director of Brand Partnerships and Production, Transparent Arts
Dan Matthews is the Senior Director of Brand Partnerships and Production at Transparent Arts, bringing 18 years of Brand Strategy & Production experience. A pioneer in Asian American media, Dan worked alongside Wong Fu Productions and Far East Movement to help build International Secret Agents (ISA), one of the very first Asian American digital platforms reaching millions worldwide. Today, he leads campaigns for clients like FX/Disney, bibigo, and Toyota. Dan is also a proud member of the Korean Adoptee community, producing the critically acclaimed documentaries AKA Dan (2014) and AKA Seoul (2016) along with being an indie rap artist releasing five full-length albums (@DANAKADAN).
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Dr. David Choi
Conrad N. Hilton Professor of Entrepreneurship, Loyola Marymount University
Dr. David Y. Choi has had an active career as an academic, consultant and entrepreneur over the last 20 years. Dr. Choi has been a faculty member and associate director of the nationally ranked Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship at LMU since 2003. He has taught undergraduate and MBA courses in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, social entrepreneurship and technology management at LMU as well as other institutions around the world including Peking University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and Korea University. Dr. Choi is a winner of a national teaching award from the United States Association of Business and Entrepreneurship (USABE). He has been featured or quoted in many business publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Los Angeles Business Journal and Business 2.0, among others.
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Eunice Song
Executive Director, Korean American Coalition – Los Angeles
Eunice Hur Song, Esq. is the Executive Director (ED) of the Korean American Coalition – Los Angeles (KAC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1983 to promote the civic and civil rights interests of the Korean American community. Under her leadership, KAC focuses on three strategic pillars: Civic Engagement and Community Advocacy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Leadership Development. A Los Angeles native, Director Song is a California-licensed attorney and experienced mediator with over 16 years of practice. She began her legal career as a Reserve Prosecutor and Volunteer Attorney in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and served as Mediation Director at KAC’s 4.29 Alternative Dispute Resolution Center prior to becoming ED in 2018. During her tenure, she co-led the Koreatown, Los Angeles Redistricting Task Force, successfully unifying Koreatown into a single City Council District (CD 10) for the first time in history. Commissioner Song is the President of the East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission (ELAAPC), where she oversees land use and development decisions, zoning appeals, and conditional use permits. She also serves as Community Co-Chair of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC), where she has contributed for over six years, and as a member of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s AAPI Advisory Board. Director Song earned her Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School’s accelerated two-year SCALE program.
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Dr. Jeffrey Kim
Educator, Anaheim Union School District / Cal State Fullerton
Dr. Jeff Kim has served in education for over 24 years as a teacher, instructional leader, and adjunct professor at CSUF. He authored the nation’s first high school Korean American Ethnic Studies course and supported hundreds of Irvine teachers through IPSF’s PACE program for more than a decade. A USC doctorate and National Board Certified Teacher, Jeff has received numerous honors for his work in education. He has served with distinction on the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education and currently serves as Board President. He is also an educator in the Anaheim Union High School District at Cambridge Virtual Academy and is the founder of a YT Channel called Edfamily w/ Dr. Jeff.
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Grace Park
Assistant Director of Behavioral Health, Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC)
Grace Park, LCSW, is the Assistant Director of Behavioral Health at the Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC). She holds a B.A. in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in Social Work from Columbia University, specializing in Family, Youth, and Children’s Services. Grace began her clinical career at KYCC as a children’s therapist before moving into program development, where she helped launch an academic intervention program for at-risk youth in NYC. In 2013, she returned to KYCC to coordinate the Korean Integrated Services Management Model, providing holistic programming for the Korean community. After managing the Clinical Services Unit for a decade, she now oversees KYCC’s Behavioral Health Division.
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Howard Ro
Head of Product for Global Payments, Tesla
Howard Ro is the Head of Product for Global Payments at Tesla, where he is responsible for business operations globally, driving business and product strategy and execution across international markets. Alongside Tesla, Howard is active in the startup ecosystem - advising and mentoring early-stage founders and serving as an a16z Insider. He brings more than 25 years of technology and product experience to the founders and companies he works with. Earlier in his career, Howard spent over a decade at Microsoft in product leadership roles. He holds a B.A. from the University of Washington.
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Dr. Isabella Park
Chief Medical Officer, Parker Jewish Institute
Dr. Isabella Park is board certified in Hospice/Palliative Medicine and Clinical Bioethics, with primary board certification in Family Medicine, and serves as the Associate Medical Director, Director of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, and Chair of Bioethics at Northwell Long Island Jewish Forest Hills. She champions health equity for patients and cultivates diverse workforce engagement, while also overseeing clinical hospital operations and throughput efficiencies, and Quality Assurances. She is also an executive advisor and lead for Age-Friendly Care, she ensures comprehensive, equitable, and quality care for older adults across the institution. Dr. Park has also initiated several innovative system clinical and operational programs, including a physician language referral guide that supports culturally and linguistically concordant care, and she founded Asian Bridges BERG—originally Korean Bridges BERG—which now boasts over 700 members dedicated to bridging relationships between Asian communities and Northwell Health. In addition to her clinical leadership, she is actively involved in educating healthcare professionals at the Zucker School of Medicine and Hofstra School of Nursing and Physician Assistants and serves on the Board of Directors for the Korean Community Service of Metropolitan New York, underscoring her deep commitment to culturally competent care for vulnerable populations. Dr. Park bridges institutional leadership with grassroots civic engagement, dedicating herself to mentoring physician leaders, residents, and students so they are equipped to champion equitable care for the most underserved communities.
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Jen Kim
Founder & Principal, Better Together Law
Jen Kim is the founder and Principal of Better Together Law, a boutique corporate transactions law firm based in Los Angeles. Jen specializes in M&A, startup advisory work and commercial transactions. From her experience working in both top law firms and in-house settings in the US and Asia, she brings global legal acumen paired with cross-cultural fluency. Outside of her law practice, Jen works as a life coach, helping professionals navigate career inflection points through self-discovery and leadership development. Jen earned her J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and her undergraduate degree in business from Ewha Woman’s University.
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Jennifer Chung
Deputy Public Defender, Los Angeles County
Jennifer Chung is a Deputy Public Defender for Los Angeles County, representing indigent defendants in complex legal proceedings. Raised in Koreatown, Los Angeles, Jennifer is deeply committed to protecting constitutional rights and reforming the criminal justice system to ensure equal representation for underserved populations. In addition to her legal advocacy, she volunteers with several local community-based organizations and non-profits across the Los Angeles area.
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Johanna Lee Kim
Founder and President, Kerymen Property; Serial Entrepreneur
Johanna Lee Kim is an attorney, investor, and serial entrepreneur with 40 years of experience building, operating, and investing in companies across healthcare, clinical research, social media marketing, real estate, and technology. She has co-founded five businesses and independently founded four, developing expertise in launching companies, driving growth, and navigating diverse industries. Her most recent ventures reflect her commitment to collaborating with the next generation of entrepreneurs, including partnering with young founders to launch two businesses. Johanna brings a practical, forward-looking approach to leadership and innovation. She believes curiosity, initiative, and disciplined problem-solving are essential to creating opportunity and achieving lasting success. She is passionate about sharing her experience and empowering emerging leaders to embrace challenges and define their own paths. Johanna holds degrees from Smith College, UCLA School of Law, and Harvard Graduate School of Design. Her philanthropic interests focus on education, youth development, and community enrichment. Her past and present board service includes the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation, UCI School of Law, Boys & Girls Club, and Pacific Symphony.
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Joo-Seuk Maing
Managing Director, FUCHS Group Korea
Joo-Seuk Maing is a Korean-German Executive and Advisor with extensive leadership experience across the mobility sector and Asia. The son of the Korean-German diaspora—raised by a father who worked as a miner and a mother who worked as a nurse, living in Germany for over 50 years—Joo-Seuk spent 5 years in South Korea serving in CEO roles for German companies. He subsequently led multi-region group initiatives and teams for the Bosch Group across Japan, Singapore, and India. Married to a Singaporean-Korean, he bridges Western European and Asian business cultures, serving as an advisor to corporate executives and MBA programs.
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Dr. Kenneth Kim
Founder & Executive Chairman, Ark Clinical Research
Dr. Kenneth Kim is a physician, serial healthcare entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Ark Clinical Research. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Affiliations, the President's Leadership Council for Searching for Common Ground, the Board of Governors for the Bowers Museum, the board of Braver Angels, and served on the Board of Directors for the Council of Korean Americans from 2015-2019.
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Michelle Kim
Head of Field Operations, Postman
Michelle Ji-Yeun Kim (MK) is a Revenue Operations Executive and Executive Coach. She leads Field Operations at Postman and is passionate about coaching Korean women founders on how to break into the U.S. market. She has 15+ years of experience at tech companies such as Zendesk, Seagate, and LinkedIn in Go-To-Market functions including Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Revenue Operations. In her free time, Michelle serves as a non-profit Board Member for Women in Revenue (10,000 members globally), hosts a podcast called Breaking the Tech Ceiling, and is a competitive mahjong player.
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Monica H. Kang
Managing Director of Programs and Strategy, CKA
Monica H. Kang is passionate about bringing out the best in leaders and teams. A strategy and systems expert with 18+ years of experience, she specializes in building thriving environments and bridging cross-industry communities.
As Managing Director of Programs and Strategy at the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), Monica oversees a leadership portfolio spanning from C-suite to next-generation initiatives. She manages people and operational systems required to scale CKA’s mission and empower the Korean American community.
Previously, as Chief Strategy and Partnership Officer at SHIA by Chef Edward Lee, she oversees the nonprofit fine dining restaurant’s strategy, partnerships, and educational programs to drive operation and strategic success. As the Founder of InnovatorsBox®, she provides bilingual executive coaching to make leadership development practical for global audiences.
A dedicated community builder, Monica also serves as Executive Director of TEDxLogan Circle, managing a 30+ person team and 60+ partners. Her background as a U.S. government nuclear policy expert informs her strategic work across D.C., Geneva, Vienna, and Seoul. A bilingual Korean American, she is committed to bridging K-culture across generations. Monica holds an M.A. from Johns Hopkins SAIS and a B.A. from Boston University.
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Nayon Kang, LCSW
Behavioral Health Administrator, Koreatown Youth & Community Center (KYCC)
Nayon Kang, LCSW, is the Behavioral Health Administrator at the Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC). Holding a B.A. in Psychology and a Master of Social Welfare from UCLA, she brings over two decades of experience in direct social services and non-profit leadership dedicated to serving the next generation. Having served on staff at KYCC since 2007, most recently as Director of Community Health, she oversaw early childhood education, youth services, mental health, medical case management, and prevention education across Los Angeles County. Throughout her career, she has mentored over 30 leaders and hundreds of staff. Nayon has served as Board Secretary of the AAPI Equity Alliance, co-chaired the LA County API Child Abuse Prevention Council for over a decade, and sat on numerous healthcare and educational equity advisory boards across Los Angeles.
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Rachel Kim
Acquisition Officer, U.S. Department of War
A NYC native, Rachel is a military officer specializing in defense acquisition, finance, and industrial base policy. She has served in leadership roles across Europe and South Korea, and most recently taught economics at the United States Military Academy at West Point, her alma mater. She holds a master’s degree in international finance and economic policy from Columbia University and continues her research at the intersection of national security and economics. Rachel is passionate about mentorship, veterans’ advocacy, and Korean-American civic leadership. In her free time, she enjoys endurance racing and traveling.
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Sam Ha
Faculty, UC Berkeley; Partner, Log Investment
Sam Ha is a product leader who helps organizations navigate ambiguity, prototype possibilities, and launch new ventures. He plays four roles: Co-founder of Craft Futures (accelerator), Head of US at Log Investment (venture capital), Faculty at Berkeley-Haas (entrepreneurship), and Faculty at THNK (leadership). Previously, Sam led zero-to-one product development at Deloitte Digital and advised founders at the NASDAQ Entrepreneurship Center. He is a superconnector for global impact--developing innovative leaders who are more responsible and responsible leaders who are more innovative.
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Senator Rocket
Founder, Eat Vermont; President, Farmhouse Chocolates
Senator Rocket is an artist, software designer, and entrepreneur based in White River Junction, Vermont. He is the creator of Eat Vermont, a digital media and technology platform with over 100,000 followers dedicated to local food culture. He is also the co-owner of Farmhouse Chocolates, a boutique confectionery manufacturer, and leads an independent software development studio. Rocket holds a Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College ('14) and a J.D. from Vermont Law School ('24).
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Taeju Ko
Founder & CEO, NoWhere Running
Taeju Ko is a Korean-born content creator, community builder, and founder of NOWHERE Running and Loculize. Moving to the U.S. in 8th grade, growing up between Korea and America shaped his perspective on cultural storytelling. Through Loculize, Taeju creates content around food, culture, travel, and authentic city experiences. Through NOWHERE Running, an LA-based running community, he fosters intentionality, wellness, and genuine human connection.
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Yun Pak, LMFT
Lead Clinical Supervisor, Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC)
Yun Pak is a highly accomplished Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with nearly two decades of clinical experience. Since joining KYCC in 2009, she has been deeply committed to delivering high-quality mental health services and fostering community wellness. Licensed as an MFT since 2011, Yun combines deep clinical knowledge with evidence-based practices to support individuals, youth, and families navigating complex emotional and developmental challenges. Yun became Clinical Supervisor in 2013. In this capacity, she provides comprehensive guidance, administrative oversight, and clinical mentorship to associate therapists, preceptors, and licensed clinicians. Known for her collaborative approach, empathy, and strong interpersonal skills, she fosters a supportive training environment that elevates team morale and clinical excellence. Yun remains passionate about cultivating the next generation of mental health professionals while continuing to advocate for accessible, high-impact care within diverse communities.
2026 Women’s Affinity Group Summit Speakers
Thursday, October 22
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Angela Sungmee Killoren
President, CKA
Angela Killoren is President of the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), named to the role in May 2026 after serving on the Board from 2022, including as Board Chair. She is the former CEO of CJ ENM America and Head of Global Business for CJ ENM, where she led U.S. strategy and operations for Korea’s leading film, television, and music company (Parasite, Queen of Tears, Vincenzo, Mnet), including the acquisition of U.S. studio Fifth Season (Severance, Nine Perfect Strangers), development of English-language remakes and originals from Studio Dragon and CJ ENM’s IP library, and the creation and growth of KCON, the world’s largest celebration of K-Pop and Hallyu since 2012. She held multiple leadership roles over nearly 15 years, including COO and SVP Marketing, and a two-year tenure as Chief Marketing Officer for CJ America across its food, logistics, agri-bio, and entertainment divisions. Before joining CJ ENM, Angela served as Associate Director at the USC Center for Asian-Pacific Leadership, building the leadership capacity of Asian and Asian American policymakers, community leaders, and nonprofit executives, and developing the Center’s signature programs — the Network of Korean American Leaders (NetKAL) Fellowship and the NetKAL Summit. She later chaired the NetKAL Board and led its merger with CKA.
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Catharina Min
Partner, Covington & Burling LLP; Board Chair, CKA
Catharina Min is a partner at Covington & Burling LLP’s corporate department. She represents high technology and life sciences companies from the U.S. and Asia in domestic and cross-border transactions. She is the Board Chair of CKA, previously served as Chair once before and is Co-Founder of CKA. She is a frequent speaker at many organizations including the Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs and the Korean IT Network Forum. Catharina has been named by The Recorder to “Top Women in Technology Law” and “California Women Leaders in Law”. Catharina is very active in civic and bar associations. She was Overseas President of the International Association of Korean Lawyers; Director and past president of Korean-American Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco and Korean-American Bar Association of Northern California. She received her B.A. and J.D from the University of Virginia and served as Editor of the Virginia Law Review.
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Esther Song
Founder and CEO, Song Group
Esther Song is Founder and CEO of Song Group and CBO at LM Brands. She previously served as a Senior Advisor for Strategic Partnerships and Asia Pacific at United Talent Agency. As a partner of Song Group, Esther also acted as North American CEO for SD Biotechnologies, an innovator of inner and outer wellness products, and prior to that as SVP and Head of North America for 123RF, a leading digital content rights management platform. Additionally, she is a producer in partnership with This Machine Filmworks and 10x10 Entertainment, and an advisor to KHS Agency connecting US and Asian content opportunities for co-production, collaboration, and remakes. Earlier in her career, Esther was the Country Manager of Korea for Akamai, where she established and developed the Korean business, scaling operations over seven-fold in just four years. Prior to Akamai, she worked as a Senior Mechanical Analyst Engineer at the Boeing Space and Communications Division. Esther earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Engineering from UCLA, studied Fashion Design at Otis College of Art and Design, is a NetKAL alumna, and served as Vice-Chair of the NetKAL Board until its merger with the Council of Korean Americans (CKA), where she currently serves as a board member.
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Dr. Isabella Park
Chief Medical Officer, Parker Jewish Institute
Dr. Isabella Park is board certified in Hospice/Palliative Medicine and Clinical Bioethics, with primary board certification in Family Medicine, and serves as the Associate Medical Director, Director of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, and Chair of Bioethics at Northwell Long Island Jewish Forest Hills. She champions health equity for patients and cultivates diverse workforce engagement, while also overseeing clinical hospital operations and throughput efficiencies, and Quality Assurances. She is also an executive advisor and lead for Age-Friendly Care, she ensures comprehensive, equitable, and quality care for older adults across the institution. Dr. Park has also initiated several innovative system clinical and operational programs, including a physician language referral guide that supports culturally and linguistically concordant care, and she founded Asian Bridges BERG—originally Korean Bridges BERG—which now boasts over 700 members dedicated to bridging relationships between Asian communities and Northwell Health. In addition to her clinical leadership, she is actively involved in educating healthcare professionals at the Zucker School of Medicine and Hofstra School of Nursing and Physician Assistants and serves on the Board of Directors for the Korean Community Service of Metropolitan New York, underscoring her deep commitment to culturally competent care for vulnerable populations. Dr. Park bridges institutional leadership with grassroots civic engagement, dedicating herself to mentoring physician leaders, residents, and students so they are equipped to champion equitable care for the most underserved communities.
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Jessica Lee
Senior Manager of Business Development and Services, Centrus Energy
Jessica Lee is Senior Manager of Business Development at Centrus Energy, where she leads commercial negotiations and deal structuring for nuclear fuel. Prior to joining Centrus, Jessica served as Associate Administrator for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration and as Senior Congressional Advisor at the State Department, both as a White House appointee. Previously, Jessica was a researcher at a think tank focused on ending the Korean War and promoting nonproliferation in Asia. Her research has appeared in Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and other major publications. Jessica also held senior policy roles in the House of Representatives for six years and led the Council of Korean Americans for four years. At CKA, Jessica drew upon her knowledge of constituent advocacy to connect Korean Americans with their representatives and build leadership programs for students. Jessica holds degrees from Wellesley College and Harvard University.
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Joanne Molinaro
Creator of The Korean Vegan, New York Times bestselling author and content creator
With over 5 million fans across social media platforms, New York Times best-selling author Joanne Molinaro, a.k.a The Korean Vegan, has appeared on The Food Network, The Today Show, and PBS. She’s been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and CNN; her debut cookbook was named one of “The Best Cookbooks of 2021” by The New York Times and The New Yorker. Molinaro is a Korean American from Chicago. Her parents were born in what is now known as North Korea. Molinaro started her blog, The Korean Vegan, in 2016, after adopting a plant-based diet. In July 2020, she started her TikTok (@thekoreanvegan), to cope with isolation caused by the pandemic. She posted content on politics and life as a lawyer during quarantine. After a single post making Korean braised potatoes went viral, Molinaro shifted to 60 second recipe videos, telling stories about her family.
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Lisa Yang
Managing Partner, LimNexus LLP; Board Member, CKA
Lisa J. Yang is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of LimNexus where her practice focuses on business litigation. Representing a wide range of clients, including major U.S. corporations, the Republic of Korea, Korean corporations with business dealings in the United States, nonprofit religious entities, elderly victims of World War II atrocities and Korean War veterans, Lisa handles complex commercial and contract disputes, defense of employment discrimination claims, wage and hour litigation, contests for corporate control, investment fraud, and commercial landlord-tenant disputes. Her practice spans both state and federal courts. Lisa is committed to serving the Korean-American community in legal and nonprofit settings. Lisa has served as the President of the Korean American Bar Association of Southern California in 2007, has been a board member of the Center for the Pacific Asian Family until 2010, and currently serves as the Chair of the Board and Immediate Past President of the International Association of Korean Lawyers, Overseas Chapter. Lisa also serves on the board of the LimNexus Foundation and the IAKL Foundation.
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Dr. Suzan Song
Psychiatrist & Author
Dr. Suzan Song is a psychiatrist, researcher, and author who studies how people stay clear, connected, and purposeful when life doesn’t go according to plan. For more than two decades, she has worked across settings ranging from refugee camps and communities affected by war to government agencies and corporate leadership. She is the author of Why We Suffer and How We Heal (Penguin Random House, 2026) and has advised the U.S. government, UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency, and other organizations on mental health, resilience, and human behavior under adversity. Dr. Song established the Harvard Global Child and Family Mental Health program at Boston Children’s Hospital and has held professorial appointments at Harvard Medical School and George Washington University. Her work asks a practical question: How do we live and lead well when circumstances remain uncertain, unfinished, or beyond our control?
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