- Profession: Founder and president of Faith and Community Empowerment
- Nationality: Korean-American
- Known for: Non-profit organization
- Fun Fact: Im worked with the Biden administration during the 2020 presidential election.
- Fun Fact: She's currently pursuing her Master of Divinity.
Hyepin Im currently serves as the Founder and President of Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD), whose mission is to help churches build capacity to do economic development work on a grander scale. KCCD's successes include organizing and reaching out to the 3300 Korean American churches in the United States, including two conferences with the White House bringing together a national delegation of Asian American faith leaders to learn about the faith-based economic development. In addition, KCCD also sponsored a historic faith-based conference held in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Over 350 participants attended this first-time conference with all major Korean media coverage.
Im is also a frequently invited speaker at conferences sponsored by such groups as the Christian Community Development Association, National Council of Korean Southern Baptist Churches, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Asian Americans for Equality, and the Southern California Conference of AME Churches. She has also been featured in many interviews with CNN, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and other media, including the Korean press. She recently completed a research study that focused on Korean American Churches and Domestic Violence. The paper is titled, Strengthening Families in the Korean/Asian Immigrant Community and was supported by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Im also served as the President of the Korean American Coalition from 1995 to 1996 and was instrumental in raising the coalition's profile. In 2001, Im was invited to become a member of the Pacific Council, the West Coast Partner for the Council on Foreign Relations. Im currently serves on several other boards and has been recognized for her contribution to the community. In March 2001, Im was selected to be a German Marshall Fund American Memorial Marshall Fellow, where she traveled to Europe over 23 days to build transatlantic relationships. Most recently, she was selected to participate in the Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute to learn about faith-based initiatives.
In August 2000, she was appointed by Governor Gray Davis to the Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism, which administers an annual budget of $34 million. In 1995, Im was also appointed as the youngest member of the prestigious Advisory Council on Korea's Peaceful and Democratic Reunification. Im also helped to found the Sponsorship Professionals Association, which garnered the membership of significant institutions in Los Angeles. A graduate of the Coro Leadership Southern California, Hyepin, was previously with GTA Consulting Company as Vice President, and Ernst & Young LLP as Consultant and Auditor. She received her B.S. from U.C. Berkeley and her M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. She is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Im’s Leadership
Under her leadership, KCCD has also implemented many initiatives, including an ongoing weekly radio program, a historic homeownership fair in the Korean community that brought over 600 participants, and a Home Buyer Center Initiative with Freddie Mac. She's also implemented a national database, research study on Korean American churches, and ongoing training programs. KCCD also recently received a federal grant through the Corporation for National and Community Service to place 26 AmeriCorps Vista members in multiple states.Im is also a frequently invited speaker at conferences sponsored by such groups as the Christian Community Development Association, National Council of Korean Southern Baptist Churches, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Asian Americans for Equality, and the Southern California Conference of AME Churches. She has also been featured in many interviews with CNN, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and other media, including the Korean press. She recently completed a research study that focused on Korean American Churches and Domestic Violence. The paper is titled, Strengthening Families in the Korean/Asian Immigrant Community and was supported by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Im’s Civic Activities
Im is involved in several civic activities related to faith-based economic development. Hyepin Im serves on the Steering Committee of Churches United for Economic Development, a chamber of commerce for churches involved with economic growth. Most recently, Im has been asked to serve as the Chair for the Asian Faith Commission for Assemblymember Herb Wesson. Hyepin has been a frequent speaker at numerous events on leadership, community service, fundraising, faith-based economic development, and the Asian American community. In September 2000, Im was one of the faith leaders invited to lead a prayer at the opening session with Andrew Cuomo, past Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, at the HUD-sponsored economic development conference. She was also invited to address the Southern California AME Conference in fall 2000.Im also served as the President of the Korean American Coalition from 1995 to 1996 and was instrumental in raising the coalition's profile. In 2001, Im was invited to become a member of the Pacific Council, the West Coast Partner for the Council on Foreign Relations. Im currently serves on several other boards and has been recognized for her contribution to the community. In March 2001, Im was selected to be a German Marshall Fund American Memorial Marshall Fellow, where she traveled to Europe over 23 days to build transatlantic relationships. Most recently, she was selected to participate in the Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute to learn about faith-based initiatives.
In August 2000, she was appointed by Governor Gray Davis to the Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism, which administers an annual budget of $34 million. In 1995, Im was also appointed as the youngest member of the prestigious Advisory Council on Korea's Peaceful and Democratic Reunification. Im also helped to found the Sponsorship Professionals Association, which garnered the membership of significant institutions in Los Angeles. A graduate of the Coro Leadership Southern California, Hyepin, was previously with GTA Consulting Company as Vice President, and Ernst & Young LLP as Consultant and Auditor. She received her B.S. from U.C. Berkeley and her M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. She is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary.
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