Created and Photos by catch4all.com,
Sandra Englund

Music by: Vivaldi Four Season

KAC-WA (Korean American Coalition of WA) Leadership Awards Gala 2014
October 17th, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, WA.

Major Sponsors:
Diamond Sponsor:  Korean Consulate in Seattle, WA

Platinum Sponsor:  Ike Lee, Gold Sponsor: Delta Airlines, and
Silver Sponsors: CDS Merchant , Susan Lee, Buwon Brown,
Kwang Synn (KAC Board Chair), and
Table Sponsors: Korean American Bar Association, Korean Community Service Center, Korean American Education & Culture Foundation.

The Program proceeded by MC: Elisa Hahn
Elisa Hahn joined King5 in 1996 as a general assignments reporter and was part of the station’s number one nightside team since 16 years ago.

MC Elisa Hahn pronounced  Welcome to KAC Washington's 2014 Awards Gala "Empower and Expand" and introduced herself as a MC that she will be leading this evening's exciting program.

Welcome and Greetings by:
Cheryl Lee, KAC-WA President
Kwang Chae Synn, KAC-WA Advisory Board Chair

Recognition of  Dignitaries and Sponsors:

Consul General Moon Duk-ho,  Consul Yoon Chan Sik, Consul Lee Jong Jae,  and Steven Gonzalez, Washington State Supreme Court Justice,  Associate Chief Justice Charles W. Johnson, Justice,  Justice Mary I. Yu,  Deputy Mayor  of Seattle, Hyeok Kim, Chancellor of UW Bothell, Bjong Wolf Yeigh, and many other judges and Auttorneys, and, community and business leaders including  Korean American Community Leaders have attended for this event.

Artistic Achievement Award:
Eyvind Kang and Jessika Kenny
Presented by Rachel Yang, Joule, Trove, and Revel 

Rachel and her co-chef and husband self chhirchi who own three popular Seattle restaurants:  Joule, Revel and the newly opened Trove, featuring Korean tabletop barbecues.

Eyvind Kang and Jessika Kenny’s ‘s musical tents who collaborate with many they are a formidable team which they have been known that take the ancient, and bring it to light with modern sound effects and mixes; resurrecting Persian and Chinese poets and experienced for 20 years. Recently known with Alastor, Book of Angels Volume 21, has been nomitated for the Talis Awards and includes Korean instruments with partner Jessika, Kenny provides the vocal overlay to Eyvind’s complex compositions.  She sings haunting memlodies rooted in Southeast Asian and Persian vocal traditions.  They received the 2013 Stranger Music Genius Awards.  In 2013.

Community Service Award
Dr. Jae H. Kim
Presented by
Diane Naraski, Executive Director of ACRS and  served since 1995
.

Dr. Jae Hoon Kim is the volunteering chairman and board member of the United Seattle & Bellevue Korean School. Dr. Kim has given vision and leadership to provide quality education in Korean language, culture and history to over 600 students annually and serving as Board of Directors since 2011. Currently Professionally, he is an Executive/Senior Technical Fellow of the Boeing Company Research & Technology (BR&T) in the Communications and Network Systems. He received an Outstanding Overseas Korean Award in 2008 from the President of the Republic of Korea, and an Asian-American Engineers of the Year Award (2009) from the Chinese Institute of Engineers in USA. Recently, he received the NW Asian Weekly Award (2013) as one of the Top Contributors to the Asian Community.

Business/Professional Leadership Award
Eugene Yang, MD, University of Washington Medical Center

Presented by Washington State Associate Chief Justice: Charles Johnson  who began service on the Washington State Supreme Court in January 1991, and is the longest serving justice on the court.

Dr. Eugene Yang is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine and Medical Director of the UW Medicine Eastside Specially Center in Bellevue. Dr. Yang is a graduate of Stanford University where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He obtained his medical degrees at the University of Pennsylvania and completed his residency in internal medicine, general cardiology and advanced cardiac imaging fellowships at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has particular expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease valvular heart disease peripheral vascular disease, congressive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, and lipid disorders. Dr. Yang served as past president of KAHPA (Korean-American Health Professional Association).

Keynote Speaker:  Hon. Steven Gonzalez,
Washington State Supreme Court Justice

Justice Steven Gonzalez was appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court on January 1^st, 2012, and subsequently won a contested race for a six-year term.  Before joining the supreme Court, he served for 10 years as a trial judge on the King County Superior Court hearing criminal, civil juvenile, and family law cases.  Prior to his election to the King County Superior Court, Justice Gonzalez practiced both criminal and civil law and has a decorated legal career.

Justice Gonzalez has received numerous awards throughout his career including the “2012 difference Makers Award” from the American Bar Association’s Solo.  Small Firm and General Practice Division and “Judge of the Year” awards from the Washington State Bar Association, the Washington Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Asian Bar Association of Washington in 2011.

Keynote speaker Justice Steven Gonzalez explained about The Washington Supreme Court which is the highest court in the judiciary of the US state of Washington. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Justices. Total of 9 members of the Washington State Suprememe Court.  Members of the Court are elected to six-year terms. If there is vacancy case is elected by Governor which recently with vacancy, selected Justice Mary Yu by Governor Jay Inslee.

Justice Steven Gonzalez introduced and  encouraged to vote  those who are to be voted by the people which is available via webiste votingforjudges.org and will be able to see more detail.

Introduced Position 1 Mary Yu, Position 3 Mary Fairhurst, Position 4, Charles W. Johnson, and Position 7 Debra L. Stephens.

He also appreciated to the younger generation and emphasized that we need young generation's leadership, and mantorship, meanwhile, he appreciated Justice Mary Yu's mantorship to him ten year's ago.

Justice Steven Gonzalez stressed that If  anyone who are interested in the law,  it is open to all to support how to succeed law school. He also emphasized that the system of justice is all equal before the law no matter where you from and who you are, it is all equal, courage, integrity, and diversity together that we commit to keep that promise.

Justice Gonzalez is passionate about providing open access to the justice system for all. He was appointed by the Supreme Court to the Washington State Access to Justice Board and served on the Board for seven years including the last two years as its chair.

Raise the Paddle was done by: Cheryl Lee, KAC-WA President,

Meanwhile, Cheryl Lee introduced, Mr. and Mrs. Bang (Deli Owners) whom have gone through so much troubled to get resolve the case for their small business lease.   King 5 Elisa Hahn's Report and KAC has been involved in order to situated what it takes.  Bangs emotionally appreciated to Elisa Hahn and KAC for making differences for our communities and what it takes.  After all these support, Bangs have offered better situation and their business has been much better situation than before.

Many people have supported "Raise the Paddle" as  raising their assigned numbers.  The most raised was $5,000 and lowest was $50 with their heart of gold.  Bangs explained that supporting KAC is good cause which included herself support by KAC and explained without KAC she could not have running the business as what is now!

Performance by Tangerine:

Tangerine is Seattle based local band team includes Marika, Miaro, Toby, and Ryan whom they performed first show in January 2013.  Since then, they have released two EPs, “Pale Summer” and “Radical Blossom.” There were born  and raised in Seattle.  Tangerine have played SXSW, Bumbershoot, Capitol Hill Block Party, and Treefort Music Festival in the past summer which they  planned release  a 7 song EP, “Behemoth” in October, 2014.

2014 Future Leader Awards:
Kate Kyoyi Lee
Jenny Na Young Chung
Nathan Lee
Presented by Bjong Wolf Yeigh, Chancellor of UW Bothell

2014 Future Leader Awards presented by Scholarship Committee Chair Jan Lee and Chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell, Bjong Wolf Yeigh:  he became UW Bothell’s Third chancellor since September 1^st, 2013.
 

Jenny Na Young Chung is a senior at Inglemoore High School.  She is pursuing an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate whom she also involved in leadership as the President of the National Honor Society, Vice President of Future Business Leaders of America, as well as sering on the senior commencement committee.  She involved in the Korean American Community through voluteering in various organization such as Cornerstone free medical clinic. For her leasure, play the piano which she opened benefit concerts to aid those in need in the local and global community.  Na Young wants to continue to purse studiesin the natural science field as well as music to contribute to the well being of her community.

Nathan Lee: Seattle Native who goes to Shorewood High School (senior) Plays viola in orchestra, also on the varsity wrestling team.  Background with christian family, he holds value for helping neighbors which he has done helping underprivileged young adults and participating mission trips to Mexico, where he volunteered as a dental assistant treating locals and remodeling the local assistance center; and to Kalka, India where he volunteered at summer vacation bible school as the lead game organizer for 600 preschool to 10th graders.  Nathan was a participat of EXPLO at Yale University in 2012.  Outside of school, he spends play piano, guitar, also plays baseball for his local team who is the oldest of three siblings in his family.

Kate Kyoyi Lee. is a junior at the University of Washington, majoring in Environmental Health and Biochemistry with minor in chemistry who is serving as an officer in Student Environmental Health Association (SEHA) and an undergraduate officer of the Dean's Advisory Council of Students.  She recently finished her internship in Life science and Global Health Sector in the UW Dept. of Commerce.  Currently, works in the antibiotic resistance lab with Dr. Marilyn Roberts.  Her past research experience includes stem cell development and pigment cell movement.  For the past five years.  Kate has been volunterring at the Milal Organization where she assists people with disabilities.  Kate and her family moved to the U.S. from Korean in 2006.

Rocky Kim Pioneer Award
Hyeok Kim, Deputy Mayor of Seattle

Presented by Shari Song, KAC-WA Past President.Shari Song is the past president of KAC-WA and the founding president of the Korean American Professional Society, which evolved to KAC-WA. She served on a number of non-profit organizations boards, including Asian Counseling and Referral Service.

Hyeok Kim Hyeok Kim is Deputy Mayor for the City of Seattle, appointed to this position by Mayor Ed Murray in January 2014. As Deputy Mayor, she is responsible for helping to promote Mayor Murray’s vision of a just, inclusive and vibrant city through external and community relations.

Before joining the Murray Administration, she was Executive Director of Interim Community Development Association (Interim CDA), a nonprofit affordable housing and community development corporation based in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District. Deputy Mayor Kim is a former Commissioner on President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (2010-2013), and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Area Foundation.

She is also on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Area Foundation. She is also a Marshall Memorial Fellow (2010) and a Casey Fellow through the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Children and Family Fellowship Program (2010-2011). Deputy Mayor Kim is a graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York who was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the Pacific Northwest at the age of five.

MC, Elisa Hahn King 5, announced dessert Dash cake winning tables to choose one cake for each table accordingly from the highest bid and to the lowest for their favor to choose which was fun dessert experience.

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