Kira Donnell, President

Strategic Partnerships / Membership & Volunteers / Post Reunion & Birth Family Resources

Kira Donnell is a Korean adoptee poet, scholar, and activist. Kira holds a BA in English Literature and Environmental Studies from the University of Michigan, an MA in Asian American Studies from San Francisco State University, and will begin her PhD in Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley in the Fall of 2011. She intends to continue her research in the field of Korean/International Adoption Studies, in particular, focusing on the stories of birthmothers and post-reunion family relationships. Kira is an active member of the Korean adoptee community and the Korean American community. Prior to joining AKASF's board, she worked as the Executive Director and Programs Coordinator for the Korean American Women Artists and Writers Association, and has co-directed and coordinated SFSU's Korean American Summer Camp for the past two years. Kira's writing, both academic and creative, has appeared in a number of publications, including the Journal for Korean Adoption Studies, Korean Quarterly, and the adoptee anthology, More Voices. In 2010, Kira reconnected with her birthmother in Seoul after 27 years of separation. She keeps a personal blog that documents their reunion and the developing relationships with her birth family at

http://www.starlingblue.blogspot.com/. 

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Jay White, Secretary

Founder, R.O.C.K. (Reaching Out to Cambodian Kids) / Social Activities & Community Engagement

Jay was adopted from South Korea and grew up in Minneapolis, MN. He currently lives in Modesto, CA and works as a contractor. Jay founded R.O.C.K. in which he travels to Cambodia every year to help kids and families in need. Jay hopes through R.O.C.K. and his involvement with AKASF, he can raise enough funds to establish a school and children's home in Cambodia someday. Jay will be overseeing the various social activities that will be offered by AKASF.

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Peter E. Vinyard, Board Member

Founder, S.C.C. Korean Club / Post Adoption Resources & Adoptee Advocacy

Peter is an activist, coordinator, stylist, and poet living in Sacramento, CA. Born in South Korea and adopted at the age of 3 ½, he grew up in Oregon and northern California. He is currently spreading awareness and educating people of the different issues that surround adoptees, such as the restricted access to original birth information regarding adoptees. Peter founded the Korean Club at the Sacramento City College campus and is currently supporting their efforts to promote Korean culture on college campuses throughout the Bay Area. Peter has recently been published in the More Voices book (Yeong & Yeong Publishing, 2011) that features some of his poems that reflect on his experiences of being adopted.

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Marshall Bennett, Board Member

Social Media / Marketing / Mental Health Advocacy & Community Outreach / Membership

Marshall Bennett is a kid at heart and still has not past the wonder lust phase and is likely to never do so. He currently works at Stanford Law School's Office of Communications as a Communication Assistant to the Associate Director of Media Relations.  He graduated from Stanford University with an M.A. in East Asian Studies (Cultural Anthropology) as well as Stanford's Inter-Univeristy Center for Japanese Language Studies. During his undergraduate career, he attended the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management during and graduated with a B.S.B degree in International Business and Asian Languages & Literature. He was adopted at the age of 4, and his Japanese is better than his Korean O_o. In addition to AKASF, he also promotes mental health advocacy for the Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club.