Carol was adopted with her twin sister from South Korea and grew up in Maryland and rural Oregon. She has worked in the nonprofit sector as a domestic violence advocate, health educator, and organizational development and racial justice consultant and trainer.
From 2000 to 2002, and again from 2010 to 2016, she worked for the Oregon Health Authority, first overseeing grants and contracts to culturally-specific community organizations, then as equity and policy manager in the OHA Office of Equity and Inclusion, working with community partners to advance administrative and legislative policy that improved the health of marginalized communities. She also spent five years at Meyer Memorial Trust, as a program officer and DEI Manager.
Carol is currently the CEO of The Collins Foundation based in Portland, Oregon. Carol is the board secretary for Foundations for a Better Oregon and has served on the boards of Seeding Justice, the Hambleton Project (support for lesbians with cancer and their partners) and the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence. Participating on the Pride Foundation’s board helps her bridge her commitment to both racial and LGBTQ justice.
Carol is still madly in love with Kris, her partner of 30 years, and is obsessed with her cat Finn and karaoke.
Favorite Quote: “I bring quadruple diversity to the Senate: I’m a woman; I’ll be the first Asian woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate; I am an immigrant; I am a Buddhist. When I said this at one of my gatherings, they said, ‘Yes, but are you gay?’ and I said, ‘Nobody’s perfect.'” – former US Senator Mazie Hirono, HI
Favorite Place in the Northwest: Oregon