Hello AAAW Members!
On October 10, 2012 AAAW’s Board of Directors conducted its annual meeting; during which some board of director members addressed their term conclusion or renewal.  We are sad to announce the end of term for three significant members of the community.  Each has contributed countless hours towards supporting AAAW.  Their decision to voluntarily step down is respected and admired; we wish them well in their future endeavors.
 
Subsequently, with this change of leadership, we would like to introduce and welcome the new President – Jenny Kelly, as well as a new board of directors.  We’ve also added new board member – Dainen Penta.  AAAW’s new board of directors looks forward to continuing to create opportunities for adoptees to connect in the coming year!
 
CONCLUSION OF BOARD TERM
 

SARAH KIM PARK
Sarah joined the AAAW Board of Directors in 2005 and previously served as the VP of Operations and as AAAW’s Primary Representative Director for the IKAA network.  She began serving as President of AAAW in November 2010.  Her commitment, passion, and leadership within the adult adoptee community helped build AAAW to what it is today.

TIM HOLM
Tim has been involved with AAAW since 1999, first as Treasurer and then as President and Treasurer.  He step down from President and has serving as board member since 2010. He has dedicated over a decade of time and service to the adult adoptee community.  Tim remains President and instrumental member of the Planning Committee for the International Korean Adoptee Gatherings (IKAA) taking place in Korea.

KEVIN DRISCOLL
Kevin joined the AAAW Board of Directors in 2009 and served as Treasurer.  During high school he served on the AAAW teen board for several years in organizing events for AAAW’s teen members. He attended Seattle University and graduated with a B.A. in International Business.  His current employer gave him an opportunity to relocate; Kevin is currently in Australia pursuing his career.
 
 
NEW LEADERSHIP
PRESIDENT

JENNY KELLY
Jenny has been an active board member of AAAW since 1999. She was elected Secretary at the end of 2000 then VP of Communications in 2003 and was serving as AAAW’s Vice President.
 
VICE PRESIDENT – Michael Hougham
SECRETARY – Deborah Colllins
TREASURER – Sonya Oh
BOARD MEMBER/YOUTH COMMITTEE – Aaron James
BOARD MEMBER – Adam Waldron
 
NEW ADDITIONS
BOARD MEMBER
DAINEN PENTA – Dainen has been active in AAAW since attending his first event in November of 2010.  He is a practicing attorney with 9 years of experience and served as 2011-2012 President of the Washington Young Lawyers Division (WYLD) Board of Trustees.  We welcome his professionalism and expertise to AAAW’s board of directors.

Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington is pleased to announce the opportunity to be granted a scholarship!

What:
A semiannual scholarship of up to $600 granted by the board of AAAW to support fellow adoptees to pursue educational opportunities that enriches their understanding of adoptees early cultural background.
Who:
The scholarship serves and is eligible to active AAAW adoptee members.  ”Active” implies at least one year of prior participation by the member having attended a minimum of 5 activities in one year.
Where:
The scholarship granted must be to an educational institution.  Eligible educational institutions must be accredited for their course provided or be approved by the AAAW board as appropriate to the scholarships mission of “providing enrichment and understanding of early cultural background” of the adoptee.  The educational institution may be located in the US or abroad.
How:
An adoptee member may apply before March 1st  for fall term and September 1st for spring term enrollment for a specific program by submitting a 600 minimum word essay on why and how the scholarship could positively impact their life and include a list of attended events.
The scholarship funds will be paid directly by AAAW to the educational institution applied to by the scholarship recipient.   The scholarship recipient will be announced on April 1st and October 1st.
Why:
One of the primary missions of AAAW is to serve as a resource that provides educational opportunities for Asian American and Pacific Islander adoptees.  AAAW has provided educational scholarships over the years and hopes to continue to build on this tradition.

600 minimum word essays can be emailed to aaawash@gmail.com.

Please contact AAAW at the email listed if you have any questions

We are happy to announce the AAAW Board of Directors for November 1, 2011 – October 31, 2012!

Sarah Kim Randolph – PRESIDENT
Jenny Kelly – VICE PRESIDENT
Sonya Oh – SECRETARY
Kevin Driscoll – TREASURER
Teresa Cabanilla
Deborah Collins
Tim Holm
Michael Hougham
Aaron James
Adam Sung Waldron

We bid a fond farewell to Heidi Park, who is ending her term of service after two years on the board.  Many thanks to Heidi for all of her incredible work on re-developing the AAAW website, helping with teen activities, and promoting AAAW to the larger API community in Seattle.

Special welcome goes to new board members Deborah Collins, Adam Sung Waldron, and Aaron James.  Deborah recently served on the Planning Committee for the AAAW 15th Anniversary Mini-Gathering.  Her parents adopted her from South Korea when she was 6-years-old, and she grew up in Seattle for over 24 years.  She attended college in Oregon and returned to Seattle to get her Master’s of Social Work at the University of Washington.   Currently, she works for the Department of Social and Health Services as an adoption social worker for the Division of Children and Family Services, and she is working on getting licensed as a clinical social worker.

Adam was born as Sung Ji Soo in Masan, Korea.  He was relinquished at age 3 and adopted at age 4.  He grew up in a small New England town and has one older sister and brother, both biological to his adoptive parents.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and afterwards he lived and worked in Nashville, Tennessee and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  He currently lives in Seattle and is finishing his second year as a Master’s candidate in the counseling psychology program at Antioch University.  He plans to become a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Washington, specializing in couples and adoptee issues.  Adam is also considering pursuing his doctorate in clinical psychology.

Aaron James is currently a firefighter/EMT and has been involved with AAAW since 2002 when he was a teenager.  He has seen changes and improvements to the organization throughout the years, and he is excited to now be involved in the decisions and direction AAAW takes in the future.  Aaron was adopted from Seoul, South Korea when he was six-months-old.  He spent his childhood and teenage years growing up in Lynden, Washington – a small town just south of the Canadian border.  During his childhood, he did not identify as a Korean American adoptee, but when he was 10, he was introduced to the adoptee community through Holt Heritage Camp, where he was able to start many new friendships.  At camp, he met adult adoptees that have mentored and taught him things throughout his life.  Since then, he has become a member of AAAW, been a counselor at several summer camps, attended numerous mini-gatherings and visited Korea in 2010 for the first time since being adopted.  Being able to mentor and guide young adults gives him gratification, and he hopes to create a positive environment for young adult adoptees.

On October 11, 2010 at the montly AAAW board meeting, presided over by Board President Tim Holm, AAAW held it’s annual board elections for officers position.  Tim Holm has elected to step down as AAAW Board President. We welcome new Board President Sarah Kim Randolph and Secretary Sonya Oh. We also welcome back Vice President Jenny Kelly and Treasurer Kevin Driscoll and Board Members Teresa Cabanilla, Michael Hougham, and Heidi Park.  Tim Holm moves to being our Past President and board member, where he will continue to bring his time and talent to AAAW.

Tim has been involved with AAAW since 1999, first as Treasurer and currently as President and Treasurer. Tim was an instrumental member of the Planning Committee for the International Korean Adoptee Gathering 2004 in Seoul, Korea. He also currently serves as the President of IKAA.

We, the board and the Asian Adoptee Community of Washington, have appreciated his many years of service to AAAW. Please join us in thanking Tim for his passion, leadership, and friendship!

Please share your stories with us at aaawash@gmail.com and we’ll showcase a few of them on our blog.