Members

Hagen Choi is an entrepreneur and an advocate for the San Francisco community. Originally from Seoul, Korea, Hagen moved to the United States in 1972 to further his studies in Hotel & Restaurant Management. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver. For over 35 years, Hagen then developed hospitality businesses and managed real estate properties in San Francisco. He founded Tower Tours, a premier tour sightseeing company in San Francisco and continues to serve as President. In July 2012, Hagen was appointed by the late Mayor Edwin M. Lee to serve as Chairman of the San Francisco-Seoul Sister City Committee. As Chairman, Hagen has initiated various programs, including the Visiting Scholar program between Seoul Metropolitan Government and San Francisco universities. Hagen continues to volunteer on several San Francisco community boards including Grants for the Arts and the Fishermen’s & Seaman’s Memorial Chapel. His focus will continue on the arts and intercultural engagement between Seoul and San Francisco. Hagen can be reached at hagen@sfseoul.com.

Stuart Fong, M.D. is a third-generation American of Chinese-Korean heritage, a public health advocate, and is committed to bridging communities in San Francisco and Korea. He currently serves as Secretary of the San Francisco–Seoul Sister City Committee, where he helps foster cultural, educational, and civic exchange between the two cities. Stuart has been a member of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC)for over a decade, actively learning about Korean history, politics, and reunification efforts, and sharing this knowledge with local communities to strengthen awareness and cross-cultural understanding. Professionally, Dr. Fong serves as Chair of the San Francisco Hep B Free–Bay Area campaign and Government and Community Relations Manager at On Lok, a nonprofit organization serving seniors across the Bay Area. A lifelong advocate for health equity, his work focuses on reducing disparities in Asian American communities through outreach, education, and culturally competent care. Dr. Fong earned his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and his M.D. from Ross University School of Medicine. His heritage and professional journey reflect a deep commitment to both public health and cross-cultural dialogue between the U.S. and Korea.

Min Kim has 15 years of experience in the financial and technology industry. Min is the founder of the ICON Project, a leading public blockchain project in the world. Previously, he was the Chief Strategy Officer of DAYLI Financial Group, Korea’s largest fintech holding company, and the Chief Operating Officer at Tapas Media, a U.S. digital content distribution platform backed by Daumkakao and SK Planet. Min started his career at Deutsche Bank's technology investment banking division in San Francisco. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley.

Director, Global Medical Affairs at Gilead Sciences, Inc. Julie Ryu, a passionate advocate for healthcare and evidence generation in priority populations and disadvantaged communities, is currently overseeing phase 4 research at Gilead Sciences. This includes external investigator- initiated and Gilead-sponsored post-marketing research studies focused on priority populations/topics in therapeutic areas of virology, oncology, and inflammation. Julie practiced clinical pharmacy at Dept of Veterans Affairs, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Walgreens HIV/AIDS Specialty Pharmacy. Julie received a PharmD degree from UC San Francisco, MBA from Golden Gate Univ and BS Psychobiology from UC Los Angeles. While in school, Julie was highly involved in student government and community service, such as leading wellness educational programs when she was Student Welfare Commissioner at UCLA and Vice President of Korean-American Health Professional Students Association at UCSF. Julie lived most of her life in the SF Bay Area and currently lives in SF. She enjoys hiking, traveling and philanthropic efforts.

Part of the Opus Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, Joy focuses on empowering women to become intentional stewards of their wealth. In 2004, she started a women's speaker series called, "Women in the Know: Empowering Women Through Knowledge" to create a forum for women to learn about personal finance. Since then, thousands of women have come to learn about topics such as love and money, charitable giving, mission-based investing, education planning, and raising financially healthy children. Passionate about philanthropy, investing, and working with people who want to make the world a better place, Joy implements sustainable strategies and impact investments in clients’ portfolios as part of her team’s comprehensive wealth management strategy. An active philanthropist and member of her community, Joy supports the arts, education, health, and Korean culture. She co-founded the Asian Art Museum’s Council and chairs the Korean Art & Culture Committee for the museum. Joy also served on the executive board of Junior Achievement of the Bay Area, an organization which teaches 100,000 children about business and finance. In 2009, Joy was appointed to the Civil Service Commission of the City and County of San Francisco by Mayor Gavin Newsom. In 2013, Joy was asked to serve on the San Francisco-Seoul Sister City Committee and escorted Mayor Edwin Lee and his delegation to Seoul for their first trip. As a workout enthusiast, she also created JOYride, a spin class fundraiser in both San Francisco and New York which benefits the JOYfund at Memorial Sloan Kettering and the Cancer Prevention Institute of California, where Joy serves as a board member. Joy also serves on the Cornell University Council and is an ambassador for the university where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Development. Originally from New York, Joy lives with her two children in San Francisco.

Debbie Yi Madhok is an Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Neurology at University of California, San Francisco, and practices emergency medicine and neurocritical care at San Francisco General Hospital, with expertise in the recognition and management of neurological emergencies in the pre-hospital and emergency settings. In 2017, she created the Mission Protocol which transformed how the city of San Francisco managed stroke patients. She was previously the Chairperson of the San Francisco EMS Stroke Committee and an American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Advisory Committee member. She is a world-renowned researcher and educator in stroke and traumatic brain injury. Outside of the hospital, Debbie is an active supporter of Korean immersion education. She sits on the board of the San Francisco Korean Immersion Education Alliance and was the SF-Seoul Chuseok Gala Chairperson, which raised funds to support a Korea exchange trip for public school students in the city of San Francisco.

David Kim is engaged in various activities for the development and contribution of the Korean-American community. David is currently an Advisor at San Francisco-Seoul Sister City Committee (SFSSCC) since June 2013. In addition, he serves as a Vice President at Korean American Association of San Francisco and a Chairman of the Board at San Francisco Korean School. David Kim is a Principal Broker at BC Realty since 2007. BC Realty is specializing in property management for residential, commercial and medical building.

Currently leading APAC Partnerships for Google for Startups. Mike is passionate about empowering and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurial pioneers in Asia. Prior to Google, he led Global Business Development for LinkedIn's Profile & Higher Education product teams. He also served as Senior Director of Corporate Development for Baedal Minjok ( 배달의민족 ), Korea's largest mobile food ordering application, and spent time leading business development for Monster Worldwide and social gaming giant Zynga. While a student at UC Davis he founded University Passport, an all inclusive college touring company. Primarily focused on helping parents and students identify the right college to attend through highly interactive and engaging college visits. Upon graduation he founded Yollege, a student driven college review site, which was voted as one of the Top 5 Newcomers to the Web by BusinessWeek. In January 2011, Mike was elected by the voters of Assembly District 13 as a Delegate to the California Democratic Party.

Bo Yun holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Golden Gate Baptist Seminary. With a strong background in education and community service, she served as Director of the San Francisco Christian Korean School, where she led programs fostering cultural and academic growth. Since 2020, Bo has actively supported the San Francisco-Seoul Sister City Committee, contributing to its mission of cultural exchange and international cooperation. She currently works as an Executive Assistant, bringing organizational expertise and a deep commitment to community engagement.

Faith Kim is part of the Meetings & Special Events Team at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, where she helps deliver memorable experiences for guests by combining her passion for hospitality with genuine care for others. Born and raised in Chicago, Faith went on to attend Purdue University, where she earned her B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management. As a proud Korean American, Faith is passionate about giving back and staying engaged with her heritage. She serves on the SF-Seoul Sister City Committee Board, working to build meaningful connections between communities and celebrate Korean culture.

Director, Global Medical Affairs at Gilead Sciences, Inc. Kyung Min is a highly experienced medical doctor with a strong background in the pharmaceutical industry. Her expertise lies in clinical research and medical affairs, contributing valuable insights and driving advancements in healthcare for patients.