Kate Nam

KCI Board Member
Kbean.com

PROFILE:
Kate is a chief operating officer at Kbean.com, an online marketplace for digital art. She has been a strategic business leader for 20 years in new business development, transformation, and organizational leadership driving results. Born and raised in South Korea, Kate received an MBA from Cass Business School in London and worked as a managing director and CEO of Danish companies in South Korea including Royal Copenhagen and Georg Jensen. Kate is also a passionate artist and curator connecting traditional Asian art to western living and digital technology.

What motivated you to get involved with KCI and join the Board?

As an artist and entrepreneur, I have been introducing Korean heritage painting — Minhwa (민화) — to modern society within a rapidly evolving design and cultural context. My passion is to transform and apply the traditional art forms and elements to be more effectively communicated to today’s audiences. Since I moved to the States from Seoul in 2016, I have been following my passion and actively worked as both a consultant and a content curator, connecting creative content from Asia to U.S. audiences. During this journey, I had a grateful opportunity to present an introductory Minhwa workshop as part of the 2nd Annual Chuseok Festival hosted by KCI. When I learned about KCI’s history, mission and supporting programs, I deeply appreciated KCI’s work in community development and support that not only aligns with my passion but also helped me realize the influential role of Asian culture in the Bay Area.

What is your vision for the role of KCI in the Bay Area’s community?

All activities and programs of KCI are considerably above my expectations. It has been a hub for cultural, educational, and social services not only to Korean but other Asian heritages. Nevertheless, changes or influence required for social policies and programs are far greater than any one nonprofit organization could handle. I will probably need to learn a lot more about KCI before I can share a more specific vision. But, for now, having a collective voice from our community, prioritizing those voices, and effectively providing positive influences to the community come to my mind. Many Asians currently live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yet there seems to be less than optimal opportunities and representations effectively meeting all the needs of the community.

How would you like to contribute to KCI’s mission?

I was impressed with KCI’s history and its meaningful achievements thus far. Interest in Korean culture, music, food, and language has never been higher than now. By following the theme of cultural outreach and education, I would like to contribute to two areas: the first is to establish an influential and sustainable cultural content provider platform within KCI. The platform would include music, film, food, crafts, art, and design. The second is to help the organization become more resilient with healthy growth in talents, funding and other resources necessary that could deliver meaningful outcomes back to the community.