YooNa Kim
Cohort 4 Alum - 2024-2025

YooNa Kim is a seasoned international educator and mental health advocate with over 15 years of experience across Korea, China, Kenya, India, Canada, and the United States. Her work centers on holistic education, fostering school ecosystems that empower individuals to explore their inner worlds and develop their innate strengths.

As the Director of Inner Development and Culture at citiesRISE, a global youth mental health NGO, YooNa leads internal team development and contributes to school-based intervention research across five international cities. Her commitment to holistic education began as a founding member at Branksome Hall Asia in South Korea, where she helped design a comprehensive well-being curriculum.

After moving to the United States, YooNa expanded her focus to spirituality, mind-body connection, and global mental health. She has collaborated with organizations such as Manhattan Hunter High School, the International Rescue Committee, and Columbia University’s Global Mental Health Lab, bridging theory and practice to advance emotional well-being and resilience in education.

YooNa holds a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in International Relations and Law, along with a School Counselor License from South Korea. She earned an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University, specializing in Global Mental Health & Trauma and Spirituality, Mind, and Body (Social-Emotional Learning).