Image description: Photo of Yoo-Jin wearing a green dress with florals. She is looking into the camera and smiling.

Hi I’m Yoo-Jin!

I use she/her/hers pronouns | Hear how my name is pronounced.

I am a first-generation Korean-American raised in Seattle, Washington (Coast Salish & Puyallup Land) and the DC/Maryland area (Susquehannock, Nentego, & Piscataway Land). I hold two Bachelor's degrees from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in Modern Languages and Linguistics, with a concentration in Spanish, and Interdisciplinary Studies, with a concentration in culture and violence.

I am currently pursuing my Master of Public Health at UC Berkeley, where I will focus on the impact of racism on the health of women of color in the workplace.

My background is rooted in intercultural communication, public health, violence prevention, and mindfulness-based healing & facilitation.

I am a 200-hour certified Yoga instructor (with a special interest in trauma-informed yoga), Reiki Energy Healer, and certified in Mind-Body Medicine fundamentals. I approach my work from an anti-racist, person-centered, and trauma-informed lens, recognizing that these frameworks benefit us all.

Currently, I serve as the Senior Advisor, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at the Council on Foundations, where I provide enterprise-level support to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the organization’s programs, offerings, and communications.

Before my role at the Council, I was the Senior Training and Technical Assistance Specialist for Futures Without Violence’s Workplaces Respond program, where I led trainings, curriculum development, and consulting to support trauma-informed workplaces.

Prior to Futures Without Violence, I served as American University’s Coordinator for Alcohol and Other Drug Initiatives at the Health Promotion and Advocacy Center. Within my role, I directed and managed the alcohol and drug intervention program, where I provided trauma-informed, culturally sensitive alcohol and drug intervention practices for students and their families. In addition to my full-time role at the center, I founded and co-led the university’s People of Color (POC) Faculty and Staff Affinity group and served as the Vice-Chair of Staff Council. 

I specialize in working with & creating workshops for:

  • First-generation BIPOC folks

  • BIPOC Staff

  • Asian & Asian-Americans

  • Women of Color

  • Survivors of violence and trauma

  • People in recovery

When I’m not at work: I am hiking in nature, spending quality time with my kitten, practicing yoga & meditation, and baking vegan sweets! 

My Training & Education.

  • Masters of Public Health, UC Berkeley 2024

  • Bachelor of Arts, Modern Languages & Linguistics- University of Maryland, Baltimore County

  • Bachelor of Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychosocial & Cultural Perspectives on Violence), University of Maryland, Baltimore County

  • Karel Public Interest Communications Fellow

  • Stingray Artist Residency 2021

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate- University of South Florida

  • Racial Justice Leadership Institute - Race Forward

  • Somatic Embodiment & Regulation Strategies Certificate- Collectively Rooted, Dr. Linda Thai

  • Mental Health First Aid- Mental Health First Aid Inc.

  • Motivational Interviewing - Motivational Interviewing Network

  • Healthy Masculinity Training Institute - Men Can Stop Rape

  • Mind-Body Medicine Fundamentals- The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

  • 40-Hour IPV Advocacy Training - Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence

  • 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training- The Mindfulness Center

  • Reiki I Energy Healing- The Mindfulness Center

What People are Saying…

  • “Yoo-Jin is a lovely facilitator! The spaces that she creates are warm, welcoming, consent-driven, thoughtful, and abundant. Not only does she encourage a space where participants feel safe and welcomed to share and be active, but also her energy naturally brings joy and centers healing in a workshop setting. I always learn a lot from Yoo-Jin's workshops and always feel lighter + fuller afterwards!”

    —Training Participant

  • “My meetings with[Yoo-Jin] were one of the most positive, welcoming and uplifting experiencesI have had here at [university]."

    —Student Testimonial

  • “Yoo-Jin’s perspective on prevention helped us better understand how underage drinking prevention intersects with messages around wellness, which resonates more with college students. Her insights…provided us with a fresh perspective on the way the program is branded and promoted. We continue to seek out her insight and input on the programming we develop for colleges and universities, particularly now as everyone works to deal with the disruptions created by the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

    — National Partner

  • “Thank you for coming to speak with us! You have given me a lot of tools and words to use with myself and others to try to best practice self-care and community care, and I feel more confident exploring this realm.”

    — Training Participant

  • “Really appreciate the emphasis on community care and transformative justice! Always thinking about self-care from collective to individual senses. Always lovely to talk to and learn from Asian Americans professionals in fields we often don’t hear about. Attending your workshop and hearing your own personal experiences is a constant reminder that we are all navigating self care together and have different starting points!”

    -Training & Dialogue Participant

Leadership & Awards

  • Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) Fellow

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Astrophysics REDI Consultant

  • Women Leaders Emerge Fellow

  • Founder & Chair of Futures Without Violence's Transformative Justice Learning Group 2021

  • Founder & Chair of Futures Without Violence's Asian Pacific Islander Affinity Group 2021

  • Inclusive Excellence Award 2020

  • Vice-Chair of AU Staff Council 2019

  • Board Member-at-Large Yoga Service Collective 2020

  • Founder & Co-Chair of American University’s People of Color Staff & Faculty Affinity Group 2019

  • President’s Council on Diversity & Inclusion Mini-Grant Recipient 2019

  • Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society Circle Leader of the Year Award 2015

  • Honors College Leadership Award 2015

  • Karel Public Interest Communications Fellowship 2014