KKOOM is very unique to be a virtually-run organization with Board members all across the United States and South Korea. For KKOOM, the Board of Directors are an integral part of the organizational leadership team, providing direction and vision for KKOOM. As we strive towards a more sustainable future to better serve children in Korea’s social welfare system, please help us in welcoming the newest board members for KKOOM! You can learn more about all of KKOOM’s Board of Directors here.
Amanda Cho (Assalone), Ph.D.
Amanda Cho (Assalone) is a Korean American Transracial and Transnational Adoptee who is actively involved in civil rights and advocacy organizations that support Communities of Color, particularly Asian Americans and Asian American Adoptees. She is the Policy Manager for Adoptees for Justice (A4J), a project affiliate of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) where her main priorities are to advocate for the Adoptee Citizenship Act and support adoptees who are without citizenship. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Prior to joining A4J, Amanda worked in the Higher Education field on various projects that focused on advancing DEI research and policy. She has over 20 years of professional experience working in K-12 and Higher Education. Amanda received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Tulsa and her PhD in Higher Education from the University of North Texas.
Amanda enjoys volunteering for adoptee-led organizations and is a founding member of the Korean Adoptee Association of Georgia (KAAG), and an Advisory Council member and conference co-chair for the Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN). She lives in Atlanta with her husband, stepdaughter, and dog; and is also in reunion with her Korean birth family.
HeeJae An
HeeJae An was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Cheongju, South Korea from 2018 – 2020. During his time with Fulbright, HeeJae volunteered at holiday parties hosted by KKOOM at Samsungwon and Emmanuel Orphanages. He was also an orientation coordinator for the 2019 Fulbright grantee cohort. HeeJae earned his B.A. and M.A in Clinical Developmental Health and Psychology from Tufts University and is currently residing in New York City. Since coming to New York, HeeJae has been deeply engaged with the nonprofit community in the city in his capacity as an organizational development consultant.
Jin Chun
Jin Chun is an IT Executive and SVP Head of Cognitive Computing and IT Fellow at Fidelity Investments. Prior to joining Fidelity, Jin was Chief Architect of State Street Global Markets. Based in the Boston area, Jin was born in Seoul and immigrated to the United States at the age of 3. Jin is a graduate of Yale University and part of the first generation of his family to graduate from college. He is very passionate about helping the children and young adults of KKOOM.
Jean So, Ph.D.
Jean So was born in Buffalo, New York to South Korean immigrants, moving multiple times before arriving to the small, rural city of Rome, Georgia. After graduating from Georgia State University with a B.S. in psychology, she continued her studies and completed her M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration at the University of Georgia. Her passion has always been promoting holistic development of college students with a career spanning over 20 years specifically in university recruitment, admissions, new student orientation, and retention. She returned to UGA and received her Ph.D. in Counseling and Student Personnel Services. Now contributing her time and energy to her family’s poultry services business, her role has pivoted from higher education to accounting and administrative services. Jean resides in North Carolina with her husband and two children and continues to use her extensive background and experiences to serve multiple community organizations and school boards. She is excited to serve as a first-time Board Member of KKOOM.
