Kay Rho is a respected community leader and former executive based in the Chicago area, known for her commitment to cross-cultural understanding and the empowerment of Asian American communities.
She most recently served as Executive Director of the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago (KCCoC), where she led the organization through transformative growth—expanding programs, deepening outreach, and securing a $600,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to support the development of the Bisco Hall Performing Arts Center.
Before her nonprofit leadership work, Kay built a strong foundation in the corporate and technology sectors. She worked as a systems engineer at Rockwell International and later served as a technology consultant in Accenture’s Learning and Development division, where she developed and managed training programs to build consultants’ technical and industry-specific skills across diverse sectors. These roles honed her strategic planning, systems thinking, and team development skills—strengths she later applied to her community leadership.
She currently serves on the board of the Chicago Cultural Alliance, where she previously held the roles of Vice President and Treasurer. She is also a board member and Treasurer of the Asian American Coalition of Chicago, where she actively promotes civic engagement and representation across Asian American communities.
Her past initiatives include developing “Passport to the World: Korea” in partnership with the Chicago Children’s Museum, a successful cultural education program that introduced thousands of families to Korean traditions through immersive exhibits.
Kay holds an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a BS in Computer Information Science from Cleveland State University, and a BA in Drama & Theater from Dong-Guk University in Seoul.
Now retired, she continues to stay engaged in community and cultural life—and enjoys swimming and reading with her book club in her free time.
