the team

Kong, Ken »kkong@seacleaders.com

Director of SEAC

Currently located : Long Beach, CA

Ken Sem Kong has served God for over 10 years in Youth Ministry, Regional Director, Prayer Ministry, and Church Planting. He has been a part of the community of Long Beach, CA healing process with its racial tension between Hispanic and Cambodians. As of October 12, 2007 he took a leap of faith into full time ministry. And as of August 4th, 2008 Ken Kong came on staff with The Navigators serving the Southeast Asian community as Director of SEAC, discipling young men in Long Beach, facilitating short term missions to Southeast Asia, and serving the Southeast Asian community in North America

His passion includes: The Lakers (Go LA!!), prayer, and God.

Khim, Keomanich ("Nich") »nich@seacleaders.com

Secretary / Creative Director

Currently located : Columbus, OH

Nich Khim loves the creative spirit. He currently works as an artist in the city of Columbus in various educating, ministerial, and professional sectors. He formerly served with the Cambodian Southern Baptist Youth and Young Adults (CSBY) as its Director for the past 9 years, and have now passed this torch on.

Nich continues with youth ministry in his local church as the youth director, and enjoys spending time with this group. While his hands seems to be in leadership, his heart is working with young people and helping them expose their God given talents, gifts, and creativity!

Ly, Nhuanh »nhuanh.ly@gmail.com

2012 SEALS Program Director

Currently located : Oakland, CA

As a self-identified “Jungle Asian,” Nhuanh loves being around other Southeast Asians - whether it’s in the jungles of Southeast Asia, or in urban areas stateside. Having spent time in Cambodia and Vietnam, she currently works with Banteay Srei - directing an empowerment and youth development program for Southeast Asian young women in Oakland, CA, and advocating for sexually exploited youth. Nhuanh also engages in event and wedding coordination as a way to practice her gift of hospitality and carry out her value of celebration.

With her beloved New Hope church community, Nhuanh is in the pursuit of God’s justice and peace - specifically for her neighborhood in Oakland, but also for the world, and in her own soul.

San, Nate »san.nate@gmail.com

Program Facilitator

Currently located : La Habra, CA

Nate is currently co-pastoring a church plant - Regeneration Church, in Anaheim, CA. He has served in various capacities from youth leader to camp director with young Next Generation Ethnic Christians. His passion includes building up young leaders and discipling Southeast Asian Christ - followers. Nate has a passion to see Christians live out God's call in the context of a church body bringing people into the family of God.

Nate also loves discipling from the back of a bodyboard, or on a trailbike and any outdoor activity. Feel free to give him some boarding pointers or great trails you've crossed.

Chan, Kim »kchan@seacleaders.com

Fundraising Director

Currently located : Los Angeles, CA

Kim Chan currently works full-time as a transportation engineer/planner for Jacobs Engineering, a civil infrastructure development firm. On her off time, she is helping her church, Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles, develop a new homeless ministry for families in the Los Angeles area in partnership with Family Promise USA, serves on the SEAC Board, and develops a leadership and professional development program for WTS (a professional organization encouraging women in transportation).

Hawes, Linda »lindanuhawes@gmail.com

Fundraiser Team : Booth Coordinator / Prayer Coordinator

Currently located : Sacramento, CA

Linda Hawes, ethnically Hmong, married in June 2010. She went to college at UC San Diego, graduated in 2006 with her BA in Sociology, then traveled the nation working in sales with the Southwestern Company. In 2009, she returned home to Sacramento where she worked under the Navigators at a non-profit organization. This is where she met her husband, Jeremy Hawes. They are very happily married and have recently started a family. Linda loves children and has a huge heart for helping others and making a difference in people's lives.

Le, Tam Phuong »greencustardapple@yahoo.com

Scholarship Coordinator

Currently located : Alhambra, CA

"I have been involved in youth ministry for about seven years in various positions. After getting a degree in Christian Education, I have been serving at Emmaus Lutheran church as a full time Director of Christian Education for the past two years. I came to America as an international student a few years ago and this helps me look at ministry in larger perspective. Cross-cultural is a big part of my ministry. My passion is to bring people across ages and cultures together at the cross. I enjoy deep one-on-one conversation with children and youth because I want them to grow up knowing that there is at least one person who would always listen to their stories, no matter how silly or trivial it may be.
I hold on to I Corinthians 2:2-5 as my personal philosophy of ministry that is ministry under the cross. On a good day and the bads, it helps to be reminded that it is not my ministry but God's, and that I am here by God's appointment in His keeping under His training in His timing.

Sacdyphoud, Nou Nou »laoyouth@gmail.com

2012 Grounds Team Coordinator

Currently located : Rockford, IL

I have served at the Lao Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, IL for the past 5 years as the Associate Pastor. I am blessed to be able to minister in the very church that I grew up in. Among the various duties of my job, my heart belongs to youth and second generation ministry. I am also the director for the Lao CMA Youth which hosts a summer youth camp called FUEL. On my free time I enjoy bowling with my league, or playing with my new ipad :)

Vang, Martha »mrtyvg@yahoo.com

Fundraising : Internal Communications
2012 Grounds Team Coordinator

Currently located : Rockford, IL

Martha is excited to be a part of SEAC. She is currently a teacher. Her heart is for the orphaned and the fatherless youth lost in the educational system. Her passion for learning and working with young people stems from working with the children and youth at her home church as a Sunday school teacher and girls' group facilitator. During the summer, she volunteers at a Lao youth camp as a cabin counselor and team leader. She also works for the Upward Bound program, which prepares at-risk/first-generation students to go to college. Besides writing poetry and prose, she can devour a good book, chocolate, and coffee any day at anytime. Her mantra can be found in Galatians 6:9.

Vang, Dora »doravang@hotmail.com

Fundraiser Team

Currently located : Saint Paul, MN

Dora Vang is currently serving at House of God Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota where she currently teaches Sunday school and is developing young adult women outreach programs in her community. She has been involved with many different youth organizations and loves working with young people. God has put a passion in her heart to reach out to the second generation youth in her community to pursue Ephesians 4:1. She also volunteers at Shekinah camp every summer as the camp nurse and serves on SC board of directors. She is excited to work along SEAC to build network within the Southeast Asian churches and looks forward to what the Lord has in store for this ministry. She enjoys traveling, ice cream, babies and looks forward to medical missions in the near future.

Snowboarding Rocks!!

Chhom, Elizabeth »echhom@hotmail.com

2010 SEALS CREATIVE/WORSHIP DIRECTOR

Currently located : Los Angeles, CA

It is the melody of the ocean's roar, the sound of steel strings on a wooden box, and the resonance of silence that keeps her in tune with the Creator. Elizabeth Chhom enjoys the expression of musical worship in various settings whether it be leading at Regeneration Church in Anaheim CA, playing from the trunk of her car, or singing among a group of friends at the oceanside. With her civil engineering background, she has worked on transportation projects throughout the states and trusts that God will use her as an instrument in regions throughout the world. Elizabeth also enjoys exploring the outdoors realm, hiking the backcountry, and simply living out our mission.

Taghap, Wilmina »wilminat@gmail.com

Currently located : San Jose, CA

Wilmina Taghap is ever grateful for where the Holy Spirit has (and will) led her in life's journeys.  Such as the great learning experience at Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, CA) where she earned her Masters of Divinity degree.  Also, community living in the "hood" of Philadelphia; 'loving God and loving people' was what brought her to Mission Year.  And the molding experience at Bethel University (St. Paul, MN) where she received her BA in Theatre Arts.

Currently, you will find her serving with her parents as they plant churches in the South Bay Area; serving the poor (physical and spiritual) via a local non-profit; or traveling to some uncharted territory (hopefully involving sand and water) enjoying God's awe-ing creation!
  
As the role of pastor, counselor, daughter, friend, third-culture kid, sister, and the many different facets that she plays in everyday life, she hopes that she is found faithful in God's masterplan.