Luis J. Kong, M.A.                  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 Community Development, Education and Training

Kong Consulting:  Consultant, Trainer, Facilitator and Coach

·         Designed and implemented education and training on strategic planning, visioning, fundraising, and communications for non-profits, cooperatives and small businesses. 

·         Provided organizational development support to community-based organizations and small businesses emphasizing sustainability, cultural diversity, team building, long range strategic planning, board excellence training and organizational transformation using creative, experiential and culturally diverse learning tools.

·         Coached and built team and individual competence with directors of local and national organizations.

·         Designed and conducted non-profit board of director's training in English and Spanish.  Currently developing a project on diversity and cultural proficiency training for North Bay
non-profits.

·         Experienced, insightful and resourceful professional life coach and facilitator. Able to move vision into action by exploring core values and providing effective structure for best performance.

Sonoma-Napa Action Project:  Educator/Community Organizer

·         Researched, designed, implemented and managed an model economic development program through cooperative enterprises to provide a living wage for low-income Latino immigrant communities in Sonoma and Napa counties.

·         Developed and taught program participants about cooperative business start-up, personal development, empowerment and leadership.

·         Initiated a revolving loan fund, low-toxic housecleaning training and a vocational English course specifically oriented for women in the housecleaning business.

·         Gained experience working with individuals from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds, varied educational levels and learning abilities. Trained as a community organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation.

Teaching and Leadership

San Francisco State University: Center for Adult Education. Department of Administration and Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Education. Faculty  

·         Teach a graduate course in the principles and methods of adult and vocational education
with a focus on social influences in the adult education field; objectives, methods, resources and evaluation of programs; overview of influential educators and the implications of their approaches to the learner, and the challenges that lie ahead for teachers and learners, particularly on issues of race, gender and class.

Sonoma County People for Economic Opportunity:   Program Director, Youthbuild Santa Rosa

·         Implemented the start up of a $2.1 million multicultural educational institute for youth leadership.

·         Initiated the institute's education curriculum (GED), counseling component, training for the construction of 12 affordable housing units and a job development program for a diverse group of young people ages 18 to 24 years old.  Managed, trained and supervised 8 staff members.

California Poets in the Schools:   Executive Director 

·         Unified and expanded the San Francisco based organization in 32 counties by creating structure and by expanding training, services and funding for poets, teachers and students. Supported over 6,000 annual K-12 grade poetry workshops, and teacher training. Supervised 20 Area Coordinators and 180 poet-teachers.  Managed a $500K budget.

·         Developed and facilitated multi-cultural training workshops for area coordinators, writers and teachers.

·         Effectively developed and implemented short and long range strategic plans for national, state and local fundraising, marketing, and membership and major donor campaigns.

·         Designed and produced annual statewide and international poetry education conferences, seminars and workshops. Introduced national and international writers to CPITS poetry education conferences. 

·         Published and marketed poetry anthologies, educational guides and manuals, and newsletters.

California Poets in the Schools:   Poet/Teacher

·         Taught cross-cultural, interdisciplinary creative writing workshops statewide in grades K-12, teachers and adult students.  Introduced the literary work of writers of color.

·         Created, compiled, edited and published poetry anthologies and lesson plans. 

·         Developed English and bilingual creative writing curriculum for young people and adults.  Worked with a wide range of learners while using a broad range of learning and teaching methodology.

Sonoma State University Intercultural Center:   Co-director 

·         Organized and produced special events, lectures, poetry readings, cultural activities and concerts.  

·         Curated Cultural Art exhibits at the Center's art gallery.  Curated the first major Chinese-American California Historical exhibit "Coming to Gold Mountain" at SSU, as well as exhibits and presentations on Asian-American, American Indian, African-American and Latin-American culture.

Media and Technology

KRCB TV 22- Rural California Broadcasting Corp.:   Producer/Creative Director -

En Camino Community Media Project   

·         Created, produced, wrote and directed En Camino, twenty-four 30 minute Latino monthly community affairs programs focusing on the North Bay and Bay Area.  Segments focused
on themes such as: Latino/US culture, oral history/curanderos, cross-cultural literature, poets
in the schools, popular artists and muralists, community and labor organizing, homeless families, healthcare issues like pre-natal care, mental health, drug abuse and recovery, and immigration issues.

·         Marketed, promoted and distributed the En Camino series for educational purposes.  Managed 2 staff and 10-15 volunteers.

·         Developed a TV production and media literacy curriculum for at-risk high school students.

KBBF FM - Bilingual Broadcasting Foundation:   Radio producer/programmer

·         Produced Flor y Canto, a pioneering weekly bilingual program of Latin American culture, North/Latin-American dialogue, traditional music and Nueva Canción (Indigenous, Afro-Latino, and popular song), historical and current events. 

·         Produced news segments for National Public Radio.

EDUCATION

Ed. D. candidate 
           Adult Education, National-Louis University, Chicago (ABD)

Master of Arts 
           Education, San Francisco State University.

Bachelor of Arts 
           English, Sonoma State University. Graduation with Distinction

           Biology – extensive course work.

 LANGUAGE AND COMPUTER SKILLS

·         Native Spanish speaker.

·         Proficient with Mac, IBM compatible, and the Internet.

AREAS OF INTEREST

·         The Immigrant Experience: Chinese-American history in Latin America and the U.S.

·         Literature of the Other: Giving voice to immigrant voices and writers of color.

·         The Learning Organization: Issues of human, organizational transformation and transfer of learning.

·         Popular Education: The development of a democratic education, equity issues and civic participation.

 ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS, PAPERS AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

·         Cultures at Work: a cultural diversity workshop. Latino Health Forum. Santa Rosa (2001)

·         Forum Theater presentation on conflict resolution and empowerment. Latino Health Forum.

·         Graduate course in Education. Center for Adult Education. San Francisco State University. (2001-)

·         Forum Theater and Popular Education. Instituto Sanchez-Mendoza. Santa Rosa (2000-)

·         Experiences of Low Income Latinas within a Housecleaning Cooperative: Socio-Economic Empowerment with a Focus on Gender, Race and Language Issues. A field Study for the Masters degree in Education.  Interdisciplinary Studies in Education Department, Schools of Education, San Francisco State University (2000)

·         "Arts Education: A Participatory Approach to Teaching Literature."  A Tribute to Paulo Freire Conference. School of Education, UC Berkeley (1999)

·         "An Introduction to Poetry in the Schools: A California Poets in the Schools Approach to teaching poetry to K-12 Students" Participatory Education and the Arts Conference. UC Berkeley (1999)

·         "Board Excellence Training." A Course in Governance for Non-Profit Organizations.  (1996-2000)

·         Folk Art and Textile Production in the Peruvian Andes:  A series of lectures on Peruvian textiles and folk art (1984-1990)

·         Lecturer on Arts Education: California Arts Council Annual Conference & CPITS. (1990-1994)

ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND CONFERENCES

·         Beyond Diversity: De-institutionalizing Racism workshop. Pacific Educational Group. (2001)

·         Co-Active Coaching, Coaches Training Institute (2001)

·         Advanced seminar for trainers and non-profit consultants. The Management Center (2000)

·         Popular Education and Participatory Research in Diverse Contexts Conference. UC Berkeley (2000)

·         Industrial Areas Foundation West Coast Training for Community Organizers (1996 & 1999)

·         Cooperatives and Community Conference, Center for Cooperatives, UC Davis (1999)

·         Participatory Education and the Arts Conference. UC Berkeley (1999)

·         Small business marketing, finance & business plan, Small Business Development Center (1999)

·         Education for Liberation: A Tribute to Paulo Freire Conference, UC Berkeley. (1999)

·         Careerquest and Strategic Visioning Workshop, Grove International (1999)

·         Conflict resolution training. Alternatives to Violence Project (1998)

·         Training the Trainer Workshops. Sonoma State University (1997)

·         National Service Executive Program. Corp. for Nat. Service. Presidio Leadership Center (1997)

·         Non-Profit Board Excellence Program trainer. So. Co. Volunteer Center (1997)

·         Youth leadership and training. YouthBuild USA/HUD (1995-1996)

·         Parents Supporting Parents (formerly Toughlove). Parent Education. (1995-1997)

·         Team facilitation, experiential leadership skills. Challenge Sonoma Ropes Course (1993-96)

·         Advanced graphic facilitator, Strategic Visioning workshop. Grove International (1990)

CIVIC AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

·         Alternatives to Violence, Non-violence training. Bilingual trainer.

·         Big Brothers - Big Sisters of Sonoma County.  Big brother, mentor.

·         Bilingual Broadcasting Foundation  (KBBF FM).  Former board member. 

·         California Arts Council.  Multicultural grants & Org. Support Program panelist, conference presenter,

·         Cultural Arts Council of Sonoma County. Former board member.

·         California Poets in the Schools, member, Former board president.

·         Instituto Sanchez-Mendoza. A grassroots organization dedicated to immigrant's rights.  Member.

·         La Luz Center.  A multi-cultural neighborhood center serving immigrant families.  Board member.

·         Redwood Empire Chinese Association, member.

·         Sonoma County Community Foundation: Distribution, NEA Arts Grant, & community panels.

·         Sonoma County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.  Founding Member.

·         Sonoma-Napa Action Project.  Voter Registration and citizenship classes.

·         Volunteer Center of Sonoma County.  Board Excellence Program. Diversity project.

•   Who's Who of Hispanic Americans in the USA

 USA

  Peru

China