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.

Inthavongdy, Somneuk ("Mickey") »mickey@seacleaders.com

Vice Chairwoman of SEAC

Currently located : Fairfax, VA

Somneuk Ouliephone Inthavongdy aka Mickey has lived in Virginia for over 20 years. After graduating with a BS in Health Education from Liberty University, she spent a year in Bangkok, Thailand teaching ESL and worked as a church planter through the Int'l Mission Board. After Thailand, Mickey had the privilege of speaking and challenging the youth regarding the sanctity of life through Rock for Life, a pro-life youth organization base in VA. She now resides in Fairfax, VA and is serving as a worship leader at the Lao and Thai Church. Mickey's deepest desire in life is to love God, serve people, and reach the world.

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!

San, Nate »san.nate@gmail.com

Program Facilitator

Currently located : West Covina, 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.

Nguyen, Peter »peterqnguyen@gmail.com

Marketing Director

Currently located : St. Petersburg, FL

Peter Nguyen is currently the Executive Director of Asian American International Ministries (AAIM), a non-profit organization devoted to creating innovative projects that cater towards the next generation Asian American community. He has started five business start-ups over the past 6 years as an entrepreneur. Peter spent a number of years as a marketing consultant for the global leader in electronic payments. He has spent over 6 years serving in youth, college, and young adult ministries in various leadership roles in the Vietnamese American community. He has traveled the states speaking and empowering next generation Asian American leaders. He also is a contributing writer for a national diversity business magazine. Peter serves on a board for numerous non-profit organizations including World AIDS Marathon, Southeast Asian Committee, and GoHub. Currently, he is the Director of Marketing for a progressive startup based in Clearwater, FL. He currently lives in St. Petersburg, FL.

Chey, Sam »goiahawks80@hotmail.com

SEALS Seminar Speakers Coordinator

Currently located : Des Moines, IA

Sam Chey is currenty studying sports management and is a fulltime working class young adult. As young adult leader at Praire Ridge Church in Ankeny, IA., he loves to share the love of Christ through sports, other recreations, and everything else he gets into. Sam has such a servant's heart and as often as he possibly can, he'll help at Laos Evangelical Church in Rockford, IL. Sam is also an Iowa Hawkeyes fan for life!

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).

Soukasene, Bounhom "Hom" »homphoto11@yahoo.com

Fundraising : Public Relations

Currently located : Nashville, TN

Bounhom has served as activity coordinator, member of a praise band, and has served as President of Lao Baptist Youth (LBY) for the past 4 years. She is also the Laotian Youth Director for New Life Lao Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, TN. Bounhom has also served through the North American Mission Board in a Multi-Asian Task Force Team to research the needs of the Next and Second Generation. She was also a missionary to Thailand by Collegiate Ministry of MTSU, and the TN State Convention.

Thao, Linda »lindathao@gmail.com

Fundraiser Team : Booth Coordinator / Prayer Coordinator

Currently located : Sacramento, CA

Linda Thao is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego. She received her degree in Sociology and is currently working in sales for a publishing company. She came to Christ in college through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Linda has a huge heart for helping others and making a difference in people's lives. She is passionate about prayer, loves kids, traveling and smiling. :D

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.

Vang, Martha »mrtyvg@yahoo.com

Fundraising : Internal Communications

"Martha is excited to be a part of SEAC. She is a full time undergraduate student at Rockford College studying English and minoring in Secondary Education. Her passion for learning and working with young people has led her to work with the children and youth at Lao Evangelical Free Church as a Sunday school teacher and girls' group facilitator. During the summer, she volunteers at FUEL camp as a cabin counselor and team leader. She is proud to be a tutor mentor and team leader for the Rock Valley College 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 anyday at anytime. Her mantra can be found in Galations 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 Grounds Team Co-Coordinator

Currently located : Hayward, CA

It is the melody of the ocean's roar, the sound of steel strings against a wooden plank, and the resonance of silence that keeps her in tune with the Creator. Elizabeth Chhom leads worship in various settings whether it be at her home church - Cambodian Mission Church in Alameda CA, the streets of Skid Row LA, or at the seaside with a group of friends. With her civil engineering background, she has worked on transportation projects throughout the states and hopes and prays God can use her as an instrument in other 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

2010 SEALS Grounds Team Co-Coordinator

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.

Jo Saeliew, Jai »adviceguyy@gmail.com

Assistant Ground Team Coordinator

Currently located : Berkeley, CA

"Jai is excited about the possibility of working with the various Southeast Asian Christian leaders residing in the local Bay Area and whoever that may want to partner up to further His kingdom. Jai's current passion is to serve at his local Yiu-Mien church in Richmond, CA as one of the English service speakers and as a national Mien camp director of Mien Christian Youth Associan www.mcya.net. He hopes to go back to school for his MA in divinity so he can help train "trainers" to the upcoming young leaders. In the mean time, Jai is a UNIX Systems Administrator for Kodak Gallery with a BA in film from UC Berkeley".
"In his spare time, Jai enjoys playing badminton, camping, working on various film projects, and fishing with his friends and family".

Le, William »will@seacleaders.com

Web Administrator

Currently located : Fountain Valley, CA

"I'm a 2nd Generation Vietnamese-American, born and raised in Orange County. I used to be Buddhist, completely void of understanding, naked and poor in the sight of GOD. I was a rebel, deviant, social zero, pothead, sexually confused, internally de-fragmented child. At the age of 17, while at a youth worship gathering, I was told of Jesus and how He died in my place and saved my life -- it was the greatest thing I ever heard. Even now, I can't express how much peace, wholeness, and life I have found in Jesus since that evening. Everything I do, including SEAC, is towards that end: that souls be saved and GOD's Kingdom advance".
"I love leading worship, prayer meetings, and evangelism initiatives. I'm looking towards seminary next year, and I have aspirations to become a Bible translator and missionary".