Katie (Kim Yun Mee) was raised in Crystal Lake, IL after being adopted from Seoul, Korean at 3 months old. Katie first connected with the Korean adoptee community as a teenager in the Camp Pride Korean culture camp, which takes place yearly in Itasca, IL. Katie is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Kinesiology, Pre-Medical Studies with a primary focus of Biomechanics. In 2006, Katie traveled to Korea with other adoptees through the Chicago Arirang Lions Club Tour. The Lions Club tour inspired Katie to travel to Korea again in 2007 to attend the International Korean Adoptee Conference (IKAA) in Seoul, Korea. The IKAA gathering brought together over 700 adult Korean adoptees to celebrate the Korean Adoptee community. After the IKAA gathering, KAtCH was founded in February 2008. As the President and co-founder of KAtCH, her focus will be to enhance and build strong relationships between adult Korean adoptees in Chicago by providing information, resources, and support. She will also ensure effective communication of events, schedules, and resources with the board and members of KAtCH in addition to appropriate organizations.

Kim was adopted from Daegu, South Korea at 18 months and grew up in Western Wisconsin. Since 2003, she has been involved with the international and transracial adoptee community, traveled to Korea with other adoptees, and helped initiate the development of KAtCH and Milwaukee Korean Adoptees. Kim received her undergraduate and Masters degree in Milwaukee where she later worked as an adolescent therapist and developed an interest in social justice. Currently, Kim is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, focusing on research related to oppression, racial socialization, and multicultural competence. In addition to connecting and learning from other adoptees, Kim hopes to contribute to the vitality of the Korean adoptee community, drawing upon her personal, professional, and academic experiences. As Vice President of KAtCH, Kim will focus on promoting racial and cultural awareness within the adoptee community and general public, organizing KAtCH cultural events and authoring a social justice column as part of the KAtCH newsletter.

Anne was adopted from Korea at 1.5 years of age, and grew up in Michigan. She became involved with the Adoptee community after visiting Korea in 2000 with her adoptive family and returned to Korea for the 2007 IKAA Gathering. During that time, she was inspired to get involved with the Korean Adoptee community in Chicago, and subsequently co-founded KAtCH with Katie Stefani and Kim Langrehr. She currently resides in Chicago, where she works in the arts and culture sector.

Danae was born in Pusan, South Korea and adopted at the age of four and a half months through Bethany Christian Services. She grew up in the southwest corner of Michigan. Danae holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a focus in Urban Studies and minor in Mathematics from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. In 2006, Danae traveled to South Korea on the Holt International Adult Adoptee Motherland Tour. Danae and her husband currently live in Chicago, IL where Danae works in the nonprofit sector.

Allen was born in Korea and adopted to the US bit hasn’t submitted a bio yet