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AKASF Announces and Welcomes New President, Kira Donnell
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                                                      Learn more about Kira HERE

San Francisco, CA – July 15, 2011 – The Association of Korean Adoptees - San Francisco (AKASF) proudly announces and welcomes Kira Donnell, current member and now new president of AKASF, a non-profit organization that has been serving the adult Korean adoptee community in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1997. Kira will assume the duties of the president effective August 15, 2011.

Outgoing president, Holly Choon Hyang Bachman, who has been serving as president for the past two years will continue to serve in an advisory role and work closely with the greater adoptee community and their families in other ways.

“It truly has been an amazing experience to watch this organization grow since coming on board with AKASF in 2009. With starting out with only two board members to now an active board of six committed and dedicated individuals who are as passionate about making a difference in the community as I am, I am truly honored to have been able to work with all of them as well as with all of the members and friends of this great organization.” Bachman continued, “The re-launch event that took place in May which promoted the Campaign for Unity 2011: Korean Adoptees with a Common Bond for a Common Cause was a great success and it just re-emphasized the need for an organization like AKASF and I know that Kira will continue to carry the torch of making a difference in the lives of all adoptees and their families here in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.”

As an active member in the Korean adoptee community as well as a poet, scholar, and activist, Kira holds a B.A. in English Literature and Environmental Studies from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in Asian American Studies from San Francisco State University, and she will begin her Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies at U.C. Berkeley this Fall 2011. Kira is also one of the authors for the More Voices anthology book that was recently released this past April.

“I am thrilled to be working with adoptees that make up the board and membership of AKASF. Filling Holly's shoes as the new president will be a big task, but I'm reassured by the great support and leadership of the board that I will be able to continue AKASF's relationships with its partners as well as forge new connections and opportunities with other organizations by and for the adoptee community,” expressed Donnell.

Current vice president, Pamela Benson added “We certainly will miss Holly, but we are confident with Kira’s background and experience that she will do a great job representing our Korean adoptee community here in the Bay Area and hopefully continue to take AKASF to yet another level.”

The AKASF board will start fundraising and recruiting for new board members and volunteers this Fall in order to continue its new membership program as well as plan for future events. AKASF’s mission is “to empower adoptees and their families to share common adoption experiences as well as create multicultural learning opportunities through shared partner programs, events and resources." To learn more about AKASF and its new leadership or to become a member or donate, please call 800.450.7896, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit www.akasf.org.