Ju-Bum Cha (he/him) is a 1st-generation Korean American who has been involved with MinKwon since 1994, working as a full-time staff member beginning in 1995 under MinKwon's previous organization identity, Young Koreans United. After a short leave, Ju-Bum returned to MinKwon in 2004 as a full-time staff member devoted to immigrant advocacy and educational organizing. Currently, as Senior Consultant of Strategy and Special Projects, advocacy and organizing, cultural program,  media relations and communications, and organizational strategy.

Ashley Chang (she/her) is the Staff Housing Attorney at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. She assists community members with housing and landlord-tenant issues, providing legal advice, counsel, and direct representation in housing court. Prior to joining MinKwon, Ashley covered consumer protection issues at The Capitol Forum, a legal and policy analysis publication based in Washington, DC. Ashley is a 2nd-generation Korean-American who was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio before moving to New York for college. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. from Cornell University.

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Sandra Choi (she/her) is the Civic Participation Director at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. She is responsible for building political power and visibility for the local immigrant community through MinKwon's civic engagement work. Her responsibilities include leading MinKwon's collaborative advocacy within local coalitions including APA VOICE. Prior to MinKwon, she served as the Director of Economic Development at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. Sandra was born and raised in Queens and is a former local candidate for U.S. Congress. She is a 2nd-generation Korean American who received a B.A. with honors from Fordham University and a Masters in International Affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

Grace Cui (she/her) is the Social Services Manager at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. She assists community members with access to financial benefits, immigration service, housing and/or labor-related service. Prior to joining MinKwon, Grace worked at Womankind and provided counseling and case management to women and children that are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Grace was born and raised in China and moved to the U.S. in 2008. She received her B.S. in Computer Engineering from University of Science and Tech Beijing and earned her M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Syracuse University. 

Jenny Eum (She/Her) is the Social Services Specialist at MinKwon Center for Community Action. Her role is assisting community members with access to public benefits (Food Stamps/HEAP/SCRIE) and tax preparations. Prior to joining MinKwon, Jenny worked at Hunter College where she processed medical records. She received her B.A in Psychology from Hunter College.

Joo Young Jeon (she/her) is a Health Outreach Fellow at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. She oversees a variety of in-person and online events aimed at health insurance education and outreach, managing tasks like tabling, distributing flyers, and conducting virtual information sessions. She also recruits and trains volunteers for outreach activities, designs promotional materials, shares public health information through multiple media platforms, and assists with rolling out new coverage options in 2024. Prior to joining the Minkwon Center for Community Action, Joo Young worked as an event and program coordinator during her internship at the Multicultural Resource Center. Joo Young earned both her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and her Master’s degree in Public Administration from Binghamton University.

Eunmi Ji (she/her) is the Intake & Administrative Fellow at the Minkwon Center for Community Action. Her position is interacting with community members and ensuring their needs are met. Prior to joining Minkwon, Eunmi served administrative management work and has experience as a teacher for youth programs at a nonprofit organization. She received her B.B.A. in Accounting from Baruch College.

Hanna Jo (she/her) is the Health Policy and Programs Coordinator at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. She assists community members with access to health insurance through the NYS Marketplace. Prior to joining MinKwon, Hanna worked in healthcare as a Radiological Technologist while volunteering for various Korean community and health-related initiatives. Hanna was born in Korea and immigrated to Canada with her family in 1998. Hanna received her B.Sc. from University of Toronto and her M.A. in Bioethics and Public Health from New York University.

Kapsong Kim (he/him) is MinKwon's Korean American Community Development Director, devoted to strengthening the organization's relationships with Korean community members and fostering donor relationships. Since the start of MinKwon's history, Kapsong has served at MinKwon's sister organizations in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. as a full-time staff member, and currently sits on NAKASEC's Board of Directors. Previously, he also served as a Korean American journalist for 20 years, which includes the role of editor-in-chief at The Korea Daily New York.

Yoon Ji Kim (she/her) is a 2nd-generation Korean American from Queens, who has been involved in diverse volunteer activities and advocacy since undergraduate years at University of Michigan. Since joining MinKwon as a full-time staff member in 2010, Yoon Ji has served as a core Social Services team member and currently oversees operations as Managing Director.

Aubrey Koo graduated from Binghamton University with a B.A in English and Political Science with an emphasis on Global and International Affairs. Prior to joining Minkwon Center, she has been involved with several different nonprofits and specializes in casework, program impact reporting, and project development. Her current role involves assisting community members in determining their eligibility and applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) Program.

Aubrey Koo graduated from Binghamton University with a B.A in English and Political Science with an emphasis on Global and International Affairs. Prior to joining Minkwon Center, she has been involved with several different nonprofits and specializes in casework, program impact reporting, and project development. Her current role involves assisting community members in determining their eligibility and applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) Program.

Huanjie Li (she/her) is the Organizer & Community Engagement Manager at MinKwon Center for Community Action. She helps coordinate MinKwon Center’s and APA VOICE’s civic engagement efforts in underserved Korean & Chinese communities and supports senior members and young community leaders through civic education and leadership training. Originally from Shenyang, China, Huanjie has been a fierce advocate for human rights and democracy. With skills in Computer Science and Graphic Design, Huanjie brings her experience to foster positive societal challenges and contribute to a more equitable future for all.

Trisha Kim (she/her) is a Community Engagement Associate at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. Working in community engagement, she organizes and coordinates campaigns and events for advocacy, education, and civic participation. Originally from Guam, Trisha is a recent graduate from Boston University with a B.A. in International Relations. She believes in inclusive social justice and the preservation of culture through a happy and healthy community.

Seongwon Kim (she/her) is the NJ Program Manager at the Minkwon Center for Community Action. She coordinates, develops, and strengthens new and existing programs in MinKwon Center - New Jersey’s site, and leads community outreach and engagement of marginalized community members in Palisades Park and surrounding areas. She also collaborates with NJ partners and coalitions to advocate for immigrant rights. Prior to joining MinKwon, Seongwon formerly worked at MinKwon’s national organization NAKASEC as an Immigrant Justice Fellow. Seongwon graduated from William Paterson University with a Master of Business Administration. She believes in the united power of love and organizing in communities.

Gwen Phagnasay Le (she/they/he) is the Youth Organizer at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. They coordinate and supervise the Youth Programs at the Center including the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) and The Organizing Committee (OC). By creating safe community spaces, embracing student-led participatory approaches to organizing, and providing progressive political education and a dialectical materialist approach to understanding one’s place in the world, Gwen hopes to empower marginalized students to become empathetic and impactful leaders in their own communities. Before joining the MinKwon Center, Gwen spent time as a theater-maker with a focus on highlighting the experiences of queer people of color; a social science researcher in the field of transitional justice and reparations; and a student and community organizer at Stanford University. They received their Bachelor’s Degree from Stanford in International Relations and Human Rights in 2023. Gwen is a proud child of Lao and Vietnamese refugees, and a recent resident of New York City with roots in Fresno, California.

Misun Jeong Modell (she/her) serves as the Program Associate at the MinKwon Center for Community Action in New Jersey. In this capacity, she works closely with the Program Manager and Korean American Community Development Director, providing essential support to community members, fostering development, and optimizing the effectiveness of various programs and campaigns within the organization. A cultural hybrid, Misun spent the first half of her life in South Korea and has been a resident of the United States for 18 years. She takes great pride in her Korean heritage and is dedicated to supporting Asian immigrants. Misun has completed coursework in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in Korea and earned her B.A. in Social Sciences at Mount Saint Mary College in New York, furthering her commitment to understanding and contributing to the community’s social dynamics.

Michael Oh (he/him) is the Staff Immigration Attorney at the Minkwon Center for Community Action. He is a 1st-generation Korean American who came to the United States in 2002 to pursue a college education at the University of Notre Dame, after spending his freshman year at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. Prior to joining MinKwon, Michael worked as a graduate fellow at Advocates for Justice, a small nonprofit organization fighting for social justice. Michael received his B.A. in Political Science and Chinese from Notre Dame and J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. 

Woojung (Diana) Park (she/her) is the Immigrant Justice Organizer at the Minkwon Center for Community Action. She leads activities in regular outreach and engagement of undocumented immigrants and immigrants with temporary status including DACA, TPS, and asylum visas, with a focus on APA communities. She also collaborates with other coalition groups, advocacy efforts, and other external relationships on joint campaigns, including the NAKASEC network. Diana hopes to bring her personal experience as an immigrant to inspire and benefit other immigrants in the community. An avid writer and believer in the power of storytelling, Diana explores the identity of being a Korean undocumented immigrant in the form of poetry. She is currently attending Hunter College, majoring in English Literatures & Criticism.

Jaximus Park (they/he) is the Administrative & Operations Associate at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. He primarily addresses everyday operational inquiries and assist staff in recruitment, onboarding, and exit processes. Additionally, they coordinate logistics and sustain operational protocol and systems within the office. Jaximus, a 2nd-generation Korean American, was born and raised in San José, CA. They received their B.A. in Psychology, with minors in Japanese Studies and Asian Studies, at Seattle University and their Master's in Library and Information Science at San José State University. Prior to MinKwon, Jaximus was a library advocacy intern who launched outreach efforts for California lawmakers, librarians, and constituents.

John Park (he/him) is the Executive Director at the MinKwon Center for Community Action. He oversees MinKwon’s all program areas including Advocacy & Organizing, Civic Participation, Social Services, Development and Operations. Prior to joining the MinKwon Center, John served as the Executive Director of the Korean American Youth Foundation and the Director of Operations and Development at the YWCA of Queens. John received both his B.A. and M.A. in English at the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

Yeonjeong Park (she/her) is the Senior Legal Services Coordinator at the Minkwon Center for Community Action. She assists community members with their immigration cases, including Naturalization, Adjustment of Status, Greencard Renewal, and DACA Renewal. She is a 1st-generation Korean American and moved to New York City in 2018. She received her B.A in Consumer Economics and Psychology from Sookmyung Women's University. Prior to joining the Minkwon Center for Community Action, she was an English teacher in Korea. Besides teaching students, she held fundraising events to help build English language schools for low-income families in Ethiopia and Cambodia. In her free time, she likes to listen to hip-hop, house, and soul music.

Matilde C. Recalde (she/her) is the Senior Immigration Attorney for MinKwon Center for Action. Prior to joining MinKwon Center, Matilde worked in the private sector focusing on immigration law in the areas of business immigration, family petitions and litigation (removal defense). Her nonprofit role includes her work as the Senior Immigration Attorney for Covenant House/NY in the Advocacy & Legal Services Department where she represented youth in immigration matters. She also advocated for undocumented youth living in foster care under NYC’s Administration for Children’s Services.  Matilde was born in Quito, Ecuador and grew up in Connecticut. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from New York University and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law in Newark.