Courtney Spence on Why Non-Profit Invests Big in Social Media Marketing

In Chapter 12 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "How is Your Non-Profit Learning to More Effectively Use Social Media?"  Spence details how her organization's social media marketing strategy has shifted drastically over the past few years.  She notes how traditionally non-profits are encouraged to invest most funds in programming and how that is finding more balance with marketing and communications initiatives involving social media.  Courtney Spence returns to CYF for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How is your non-profit learning to more effectively use social media?

Courtney Spence: So we realize, we tell stories of others, we don’t tell our own. We realize, oh, we’re on Facebook and Twitter and we had a website, but there was not real purpose or thought or monetary investment behind those efforts. I think that we’re seeing this transition from particularly in the non-profit world, you know, it’s you do your programming and your fundraising and your management, your administration, your marketing and communication, and, you know, you wanna put all or your money into programming, and that’s – the IRS encourages that, everybody wants to see that, but the truth is, that, you know, marketing and communications are no longer just something that you do on the side, they’re really essential to programming and I think that – I mean, this is what we believe at Students of the World that, you know, storytelling and video and photography and animation are all essential parts to fulfilling a mission because we – ‘cause non-profits truly causes are about movements, and movements take people and if people don’t know that you exist, how are they gonna you’re your movement?

So we – I think you’re starting to see a shift and I think we’re just at the very, very tip of it, very beginning, but you’re seeing a shift from some non-profits and causes that understand the real need to invest in social media and that it’s not something we do on the side and it’s not something we should be ashamed about doing or that we should downplay, it’s something that should be integral to our programming because that will make us more effective fundraisers, it’ll make us more effective as an organization, it’ll help us create a movement, and that is what is so exciting about social media and the possibilities but I think that’s also the great challenge is how do we – when budgets have to be slashed, when organizations can’t spend as much time, media marketing is like one of the first things to go and I think that’s a big mistake and that’s quite frankly a mistake that we made at Students of the World.

And it was only in the last, again, 6 months where it was like we can no longer afford to just sort of – pardon me, but kind of half ass that. We have to really invest in that, because that’s what we do, but that’s also how we’re gonna go build our movement and do what we do much better and bigger than we ever dreamed. So our whole approach to social media has drastically shifted.

Courtney Spence on How Fundraising Strategy Shifts as Non-Profit Grows

In Chapter 13 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "How Has Organizational Growth Changed How Your Non-Profit Raises Money?"  Spence notes her progressive focus on infrastructure investment from philanthropic donors.  As her vision is progressively enabled by a supportive team and project experience, Spence shifts focus into larger fundraising and alternative revenue sourcing.  Courtney Spence returns to CYF for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How has organizational growth changed how your non-profit raises money?

Courtney Spence: So we’re just starting to really run with raising money and investment and it’s still philanthropic dollars but I’m now trying to raise investor dollars, I’m trying to raise money from people that wanna help me invest to my infrastructures so I can scale and I can go do the really big dream that we have. I’m not asking people to fund an organization as its existed for the last 5 years, I’m asking people to invest in where we are now so that we can grow and I think that – that is a very – a much more exciting place to come from when you’re trying to raise money, I think it’s really important to – and I didn’t really ever quite realize this to have that big vision, and have that right team in place, and have that right year one, year three, year five, even though that might change because you know it will, but having those big, you know, year markers and that big vision is really important to raising money, and I think that we are truly moving as an organization from that kind of survival mode to thrive, right, and we’re still very much trying to survive, but what I’m realizing is that as we pushed the ball forward with Students of the World the last few years, it was really still on this track.

And we’re now kind of veering off into something much bigger and greater, and as we do that, our organization grows, and as we do that we need to raise more money, and as we do that, we need to also find alternative sources of revenue, and recognize what do we have to offer this world that is of monetary value, and we believe we have quite a bit. And that’s a shift in thinking for me as well. So I am focusing on fundraising in a way that I have never before – scary.

But I’m also coming from a place of absolute confidence in where we’re going and who we’re going with and what we wanna go do, and that’s something I’ve never had before either, so I think it’s important to – you can’t force an organization to grow, it has to grow with the right time. And as much as I tried to make things happen, 5 years ago, 3 years ago, last year, the timing wasn’t right. And for some reason, the timing was right starting at about September of last year and here we are today, so.

How Entrepreneur Courtney Spence Seeks Advice and Mentors

In Chapter 14 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "At This Moment in Your Life, Where Are You Seeking Advice and Coaching?"  Spence notes how she is seeking advice and coaching in new ways, including her board of directors.  After Spence finds herself lonely and isolated as an entrepreneur, she places a higher priority on building peer entrepreneur and female mentor relationships.  Courtney Spence returns to Capture Your Flag for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: At this moment in your life, where are you seeking advice and coaching?

Courtney Spence:  I am seeking advice and coaching in ways that I haven’t before, for sure. I think if you’re gonna go do something big, or grow, or scale, you have to have mentors and people that can advise you. I, of course, have my parents. I have the members of our board of directors which are – we purposely have kept our board really small and they are people that I ultimately trust, and are guiding me just as much as they’re guiding the organization. I recognize that as we grow, that board of directors will need to grow and change as well, but right now it’s a really solid core group of individuals that can advise me from very different perspectives.

I would also say though that I think I am in a position where I would like to have a couple of more mentors in place, particularly female mentors, I think that I’ve never actively sought out mentorship before, and I have recognized that I desperately need that, especially from a female perspective. I think that just as I’m recognizing the need to surround myself with other entrepreneurs, I think there is a real need for – Well, let me just say this, I didn’t realize how lonely I was until about a few months ago, when I started to spend more time with other entrepreneurs through not any sort of purpose or it just – it just sort of happened. And when I was able to talk to people that had been through similar situations that I was going through and then understood that, you know, the need to be certain in times of uncertainty like that, you know, all of these things that I had been struggling with, I recognized, “Wow, I’ve been trying to do this all by myself”. And with not necessarily the adequate support.

And again, if wanna go run the most effective, wonderful organization movement that I can, I’ve gotta be supporting myself in some ways, so I am realizing that there is great value and need in having advice and mentorship.

Courtney Spence on How Support Networks Help Women Professionals

In Chapter 15 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "What Makes a Women's Professional Network Valuable?"  Spence notes the majority of her organization is female.  She notes the career and parenting balancing challenges being a woman presents and the importance of both giving support to and receiving support from other women while finding that balance over time.   Courtney Spence returns to Capture Your Flag for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: What makes a women’s professional network valuable?

Courtney Spence: Interestingly enough, our staff is 98% female. We work – it’s all women and it’s not purposeful it’s just how its happened. It’s been wonderful and I think what I’ve realized is I think women – everybody has their challenges and this is not a woe is us, but women do have a lot more to balance, in a sense of, you know, this – the urge and desires to have a family and the urge and desires to have a career, and just by default that women have to carry the babies for 9 months and deal with that repercussion, there’s a lot more to I think that struggle of I want – if I wanna be a mother, I wanna be a great mother. If I’m wanna be a professional, I’ll be a great professional, and I wanna do both. How in the hell am I gonna do both?

I think that, you know, I look at my mother and she was – she’s, I’m convinced, the best mother in the world. And I wanna be just like her if I choose that path to have children but how am I gonna do that and do Students of the World which is a child, and it’s my child that I have had for 12 years. So how do I do that? How do I struggle with the emotions that come with that? I think there’s, again, as you get into your 30’s, you start to really – you have to start making decisions that will affect the rest of your life. You have to start living more consciously than you did in your 20’s, or at least I have, because you do recognize that, you know, life doesn’t go on forever and that there are certain phases to life and you have to prepare yourself for those because you don’t wanna wake up one day and be like, how did I – I never made a choice, and this is where I am. I wanna be a lot more an active participant in my life personally.

And so as I’m struggling through what does that mean and what does that look like, finding other women to be supportive and give advice and go through those trenches with me and me to do that with others is really important because I think there’s not just the need to be mentored and supported but as women, we feel the need to support and mentor others in general, and there is great satisfaction that comes from that.

And I think that for me, the women – the women’s movement – and, you know, this started, you know, when I wrote a, you know, high school paper on the importance of first ladies, and I remember I sent a copy to then first lady Hillary Clinton. And I realized that Hillary has been such a really, really incredible role model for me, you know, that I, you know particularly since 2008, have recognized the need to really bring women together and that the importance of a woman’s network and how difficult that is because, you know, unlike other groups or cohorts, women are so diverse, you know, in physical locations, in socio-economic situations, but we all have the commonality of being female, of being a woman, and how do we bring that group together more effectively is a great challenge of our time I think.

Courtney Spence on Learning to See Networking as a Positive Pursuit

In Chapter 16 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "How Are You Learning to Make Your Professional Network More Useful?"  Spence shares her personal and professional transition from being internal focused to being more receptive of external pursuits, in particular networking.  Over time she starts to push away from seeing networking in a negative connotation toward something positive.  Courtney Spence returns to CYF for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How are you learning to make your professional network more useful?

Courtney Spence: The last 2 months have been very external for me. So we were internal, figuring out our vision, what we’re gonna go do? How are we gonna go do it? Who’s gonna do it with us? And really, you know, the end of 2011 was very internally focused. I didn’t travel as much. I didn’t take meetings. We did retreats and we, you know, we just built our team. And the whole concept was we would build our team so that come January 1, 2012, Spence would get out on the road and start to – not just raise money, but raise partnerships, like as we scale and grow, we want to do it with others. I mean there is such power in collaboration – what we do by nature is collaborative and we’re not gonna go do the big things without really great partners and purpose. So I’m not just out trying to raise donor dollars, I’m really trying to raise partners and bring more people onto our side and our team, and what’s been really exciting about being in that very external phase is that I have started to really expand our network and also started to see ways in which people connect.

I think one of the things I would love to do in the next couple of months is actually visually represent who is the Students of the World community and network, because dots are starting to connect in places I never would have dreamed. And I think there’s something about that kind of synchronicity that’s very encouraging and exciting, but you have to be in the right place and with the right frame of mind to see those connections and appreciate them. I think network prior to this phase that I’m in, network and networking had a very negative connotation for me. I think I really thought of it as a wheeling and dealing and – for some reason, it just didn’t – it didn’t sit right with me.

But I’ve realized it’s about we have something that we think is really important and we wanna go do. And we have to do it with other people, you don’t achieve success alone. And the only way we’re gonna bring the right people on is by being out there and being -- and networking, and by really figuring out who are the people that believe in this and want to be part of it. It’s a very positive thing, it’s not a negative thing, it’s very positive. So that’s been a pretty big transformation for me.

Courtney Spence on How to Define Social Entrepreneurship

In Chapter 17 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "How Do You Define Social Entrepreneurship?"  Spence learns from her father, who learned from his mother, it is about leaving the world a better place than he or she found it.  She believes it has little to do with legal structure - for-profit or not-for-profit - and more to do with cause, intention, and purpose to affect change.  Courtney Spence returns to CYF for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How do you define social entrepreneurship?

Courtney Spence: So a social entrepreneur wants to leave a place better than he or she found it. That is a lesson that my father taught me, that was taught to him by his mother. But if I think if you distill it down, what is a social entrepreneur, it is someone that cares about the world or their community or their family or an individual and wants to help make that situation better through his or her actions and leadership and idea. And, you know, that can be for profit, it can be non-profit, I quite frankly wish that we could stop using those words to describe what it is that we do, because quite frankly they’re legal structures, you can have non-profits that are terrible and that hurt the world and you can have for profits that are great and help the world. But what, you know, the best are the ones that do well and do good, and that are social enterprises and that are cause driven, that are socially driven and I think the world could use more of them.

Advice from Courtney Spence on Starting Career in Social Entrepreneurship

In Chapter 19 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "What is Your Advice to Aspiring Social Entrepreneurs on How to Start a Career?"  Spence details the importance of curiosity and cultivating it through research and conversations.  After gaining enough inputs Spence notes how aspiring social entrepreneurs will be better prepared to take action on the knowledge gained.  Courtney Spence returns to CYF for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: What is your advice to aspiring social entrepreneurs and how to start a career?

Courtney Spence: One of the essential qualities of really great entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs – the essential characteristic is that of curiosity. I think that we are all curious human beings but I think entrepreneurs, in general, are -- tend to be more curious than others, and so really understanding how to cultivate that curiosity and how to encourage that curiosity, and I think the ways to do that are by reading, and by meeting with new people, and going to new places, and really – as you’re trying to incubate your idea, really seeking out advice from as many people as you can, from as many diverse fields as you can.

I mean if you’re gonna go create a non-profit, don’t just go talk to people that run non-profits, you know? That’s why I think, you know, South by Southwest is such a great conference and a time to be in Austin irregardless of whether or not you’re in tech or communications or music or film, I think that you come here and you’re emotionally and intellectually stimulated in so many different ways and if you are an entrepreneur, and you’re coming up with an idea or a plan to change the world, you need to be stimulated in a lot of different ways, and in ways that you’re not anticipating right now. Because if you only cultivate that one aspect of what you’re trying to do, you put blinders on and you limit not only what you could really go out and do but how effective you can be in your mission and what you’re trying to achieve.

So really cultivating that curiosity and really soaking up as much information and knowledge and reading and conversations, and then knowing when to stop. Because at some point you will find that everybody has an opinion and everybody is giving you advice and some people say go right and some people say go left, and some will say go up, and then others will say go down. You will always get conflicting advice, and at some point you have to know, okay, I’ve taken in a lot, I need to retreat and really reflect on the advice I’ve been given, on the articles that I’ve read, on the books I’ve been reading, and figure out where is the right direction for me to go with this idea, this organization or for myself.

What It Means to Be a Community Leader - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 7 of 18 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?"  Curtis aims to make his a community a better place that he found it.  He notes the challenges that come with leading in a fast growing city of Austin, Texas.  He notes it requires defining goals, effective messaging, recruitment of the messengers, and then securing commitments from individuals and organizations to work toward goals.  Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was communications director for Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn.  In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards.  He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Cultivate a Future Generation of Leaders - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 8 of 18 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "What Has Been Most Exciting Thing About Making the Transition From Winning Austinite of the Year to Encouraging a Future Generation of Leaders in Austin?"  Curtis reflects on his time as Austinite of the Year and how he is turning his attention to promoting more formal program alumni involvement to support future award winners in the Austin community.  Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was communications director for Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn.  In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards.  He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How Community Leader Adapts As Responsibilities Grow - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 9 of 18 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "How are Your Community Responsibilities Changing?"  Curtis notes that as he gains age and experience he will need to be a more experienced leader and find more strategic ways to support his community.  He notes the importance of doing more sustainable work and more with less.  Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was communications director for Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn.  In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards.  He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Get More Involved in Your Local Community - Ken Biberaj

In Chapter 7 of 21 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council candidate and public relations executive Ken Biberaj answers "How Can One Make His or Her Community Service More Impactful?"  Biberaj makes several suggestions for people to participate in the process and be more engaged in the community.  He notes each individual has an obligation to step up and get involved and offers several examples of how to do it.  Ken Biberaj is currently a 2013 Candidate for New York City Council for the West Side of Manhattan.  He is also a public relations executive for the Russian Tea Room restaurant at One Fifty Fifty Seven Corporation, a family business focused on real estate development, investment sales and retail leasing.  Previously he was Florida Research Director for the Kerry-Edwards for President Campaign. He holds a JD from New York Law School, a Masters in Public Policy (MPP) from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a BA in Political Science from American University.

How to Manage a Busy Schedule and Get Things Done - Ken Biberaj

In Chapter 10 of 21 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council candidate and public relations executive Ken Biberaj answers "What Do You Find Are the Keys to Managing a Busy Schedule and Getting Things Done?"  Biberaj shares the approach he uses to map, prioritize, and manage obligations across his personal and professional endeavors.  Ken Biberaj is currently a 2013 Candidate for New York City Council for the West Side of Manhattan.  He is also a public relations executive for the Russian Tea Room restaurant at One Fifty Fifty Seven Corporation, a family business focused on real estate development, investment sales and retail leasing.  Previously he was Florida Research Director for the Kerry-Edwards for President Campaign. He holds a JD from New York Law School, a Masters in Public Policy (MPP) from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a BA in Political Science from American University. 

Creating a Global Incubator for the Creative Class - Phil McKenzie

In Chapter 7 of 21 in his 2011 interview, Phil McKenzie answers "What Criteria Have You Used When Considering International Expansions?"  McKenzie notes the importance of understanding his core purpose, to facilitate the global development of the creative class.  He then ties that back into the cornerstones of his initiative, keeping a close eye on when to move forward or when to hold back expanding into new cities.  McKenzie is the founder of Influencer Conference, an international event series bringing together tastemakers across the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology.  He is also managing partner of influencer marketing agency FREE DMC.  Previously he worked in Domestic Equity Trading at Goldman, Sachs, & Co.  He earned his BA from Howard University and MBA from Duke University. 

What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder - Kyung Yoon

In Chapter 1 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Kyung Yoon answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?  In her non-profit leadership role, she finds her work gets easier as her organization brand becomes stronger and better known.  Yoon finds drawing boundaries for non-profit and community initiatives progressively more challenging as she identifies more deserving potential grantees yet remains constrained by fundraising limitations. 

Kyung Yoon is the executive director of the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) in New York City.  An award-winning journalist and documentary film producer, Yoon earned an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in History and Political Science at Wellesley College.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen:  What's getting easier and what's getting harder in your life?

Kyung B. Yoon:  I think professionally, being the executive director of a nonprofit organization, community foundation that was essentially a start up.  This is our ninth year.  And, I can see that it is getting easier as the Korean American Community Foundation is becoming known.  We are definitely establishing a brand.  And, especially in the Korean American and Asian American communities, particularly around the New York area, people know what we are about.  And so, I think it's easier to talk about our vision, our mission.  It's never easy to raise funds but it certainly is very different from the early days when I would say, KACF and they'd say, "KFC?  Are you selling chicken?" 

As far as what's getting harder, I think as we, as a community foundation, we are funders in the community, so there's the grant making aspect, working with our grantee partners who are nonprofit organizations that are addressing some of the most pressing needs in the community, really working with some of the most vulnerable populations.  And so, I think it's harder to draw boundaries around what it is.  Because of course, we want to help everyone and yet our resources are limited and we need to stay focused on what is the mission of KACF.  For me personally, I think it's just hard because I'd like to go out to every single one of the benefit dinner galas of our grantee partners, also being in the community.  Also, as a fundraiser in the community, we know we need to constantly be doing work to raise awareness about KACF.  And so, I find that it's kind of never ending.  And, that's challenging but it's also work that is extremely near and dear to my heart and very meaningful.  So, I feel very blessed to be able to do it.

Finding Personal Best by Speaking From the Heart - Kyung Yoon

In Chapter 2 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Kyung Yoon answers "When Are You at Your Best?"  Yoon finds her personal and professional best when speaking from the heart.  In her experiences across the Korean and Korean American communities, she learns to be a philanthropic changemaker and bridge seemingly disparate cultural issues from her youth.  Kyung Yoon is the executive director of the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) in New York City.  An award-winning journalist and documentary film producer, Yoon earned an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in History and Political Science at Wellesley College.

Networking Advice for Women Professionals - Kyung Yoon

In Chapter 8 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Kyung Yoon answers "How Do You Use Your Network to Get Help Making Career and Life Decisions?"  Yoon notes how she focuses more and more on connecting young female professionals.  Over her career, she learns to make networking a priority.  She shares her learning experience and offers advice to young women wanting to improve networking skills.  Kyung Yoon is the executive director of the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) in New York City.  An award-winning journalist and documentary film producer, Yoon earned an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in History and Political Science at Wellesley College.

How Commitments Create Leadership Culture - Kyung Yoon

In Chapter 9 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Kyung Yoon answers "Why is It Not Only Important to Participate in a Network But Also to Contribute?"  In her work as a non-profit executive, Yoon finds leadership to be the greatest constraint to an organization's success.  Beyond the ideas, mission, and intentions, it is necessary for individuals to emerge and drive the mission forward.  Yoon notes how taking responsibility and making a contribution is fundamental to move beyond simply forming a group of participants.  Kyung Yoon is the executive director of the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) in New York City.  An award-winning journalist and documentary film producer, Yoon earned an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in History and Political Science at Wellesley College.

What Makes a Professional Women's Network Valuable - Kyung Yoon

In Chapter 10 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Kyung Yoon answers "What Makes a Professional Women's Network Valuable?"  Yoon shares how networks provide women professionals a chance to support one another based on shared experiences, positive and negative.  By helping empower one another in a network, Yoon shares how participants are then able to more powerfully pursue careers.  Kyung Yoon is the executive director of the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) in New York City.  An award-winning journalist and documentary film producer, Yoon earned an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in History and Political Science at Wellesley College.