KAFH Directors

Song K. Choi, PhD received his BS, MEng, & PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, respectively.  He is a member of TBP (Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society), California Upsilon Chapter. His specialization is in autonomous unmanned robotics in hazardous, aerial, & underwater environments. He returned to Hawaii in 1991 and has been a professor/researcher in the Autonomous Systems Engineering Lab, and he has been the assistant dean in the College of Engineering and working with various primary, middle, and high schools in the State in promoting STEM education through robotics. He is also credited as one of the forefathers of scholastic robotics (K-12 grades) in Hawaii. His other interests lie in the areas of innovation & entrepreneurship and international business; and he was a co-founder of the Marine Autonomous Systems Engineering, Inc., a Hawaii-based spin-off company specializing in autonomous marine & robotic technologies and unique academic solutions. He is an active member of numerous engineering & academic societies, and serves as an officer & board member on many of these academic, engineering, technology, business, education, & philanthropic organizations.

Jeff Chung has been a Hawaii resident for over 50 years. He currently serves as President of KBFD TV and a Star Advertiser Sunday newspaper columnist for over 18 years. He also served as the Chairman of the Board for the Hawaii International Film Festival 2005-2008 when Korean cinema started to take a global stage. Jeff is one of the current Trustees at his alma mater Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, and past Trustee at St. Louis Schools.

Kloe studied art and architecture (MFA and D.Arch) at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa, and has been teaching at the University of Hawai`i and Kapi`olani Community College (KCC) since 1999.
Kloe is a member of Tau Sigma Delta, the National Architecture Honor Society at the UHM, and as a working artist and designer, she is also known for her large oil paintings and drawing video projects, which have been featured in numerous venues including local, national, and international art exhibitions.

Kloe has been actively involved in her local art and cultural community work as well. She has been serving as the founder and organizer of Edith Leiby Visiting Lecture Series at KCC (2007-present), a Visual Art Consultant for Hawaii State Foundation in Arts and Culture (2004-present), a Board member of the Korean American Foundation Hawaii (2021-present) and served as a member of the National Unification Advisory Council of the Republic of Korea (2011-2012 and 2017-2022).       

Mr. Kim was born and raised in Hawaii.  He is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Hawaii and is also a director of Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc.  Mr. Kim is also a member of the State of Hawaii Judicial Council, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court, which nominates candidates for the State of Hawaii Ethics Commission and Campaign Spending Commission to the Governor of the State of Hawaii. Mr. Kim was a founder and director of Ohana Pacific Bank (which is now a part of California-based CBB Bank) and was appointed by the Governor of the State of Hawaii as a member of the State of Hawaii’s Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission.  He is a former director of the East-West Center Foundation, which supports the East-West Center, an internationally recognized education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960.  He graduated from the University of California at San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts degree, received a law degree from the University of Hawaii and is a member of the Hawaii State Bar and is also licensed to practice law before the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Mr. Kim is also a former, multiple-term President of the Hawaii Korean Chamber of Commerce.

Jae-Young Lee is a member of both the Hawaiʻi and Korean Bar Associations. He received his J.D. and Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the William S. Richardson School of Law, as well as a Korean J.D. and B.A. from Korea University. He is currently a partner at the law firms Young Law Group and Jung and Kim, located in Hawaii and Seoul, South Korea, respectively.