Join Our Board of Directors

Help Build Something Bigger Than a Fan Community

Kulture Connection is seeking passionate, mission-driven individuals to serve on our Founding Board of Directors. As a founding board member, you'll have the unique opportunity to help shape the vision, culture, and future of an organization dedicated to building bridges through Korean culture, music, education, and community.This isn't just about governance—it's about creating something that will make a lasting impact for years to come.

Our Mission

Kulture Connection exists to foster meaningful cultural exchange, education, and community through the global influence of Korean culture—with K-pop serving as a catalyst for connection, curiosity, and lifelong learning.Through events, educational programs, outreach, scholarships, and community partnerships, we strive to create welcoming spaces where people of all ages and backgrounds can discover, celebrate, and share Korean culture together.

• Apply to Join Our Board

Why Serve on the Board?

As a founding board member, you'll help establish the foundation of an organization with the potential to impact communities across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.You'll have the opportunity to:🌏 Advance cultural understanding and global connection
🎵 Help grow innovative K-pop and Korean culture programming
🎓 Expand educational opportunities for youth and adults
🤝 Build partnerships with schools, businesses, libraries, and community organizations
💜 Create inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome
🌱 Shape the organization's long-term vision and strategic direction
⭐ Leave a lasting legacy as part of Kulture Connection's founding leadership

We're Looking for Leaders With Experience In...

While nonprofit experience is appreciated, it isn't required. We value diverse perspectives and professional backgrounds.We're especially interested in individuals with experience in:

-Nonprofit leadership or governance
-Finance or accounting
-Fundraising and donor development
-Grant writing
-Marketing, communications, or public relations
-Business development
-Education or youth programming
-Event planning
-Community outreach
-Human resources
-Legal or compliance
-Information technology or cybersecurity
-Graphic design, photography, or creative media
-Arts, entertainment, or cultural organizations
-Diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion initiatives

If you have professional skills you'd like to use to strengthen your community, we'd love to hear from you.

Board Member Responsibilities

Board members play an active role in helping Kulture Connection succeed. Responsibilities include:

-Attending regular board meetings (once a month)
-Participating on committees or project teams
-Providing strategic guidance and oversight
-Supporting fundraising and community partnerships
-Serving as ambassadors for the organization
-Helping ensure responsible financial stewardship
-Upholding our mission, values, and code of ethics
-Using your expertise to help the organization grow and thrive

Who Should Apply?

You don't have to be a K-pop expert to make a difference.We're looking for people who:

-Believe in the power of cultural exchange
-Enjoy working collaboratively
-Bring curiosity, creativity, and fresh ideas
-Want to make a positive impact in their community
-Are committed to helping a young nonprofit grow responsibly

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, professions, identities, and lived experiences. Diverse voices make stronger organizations.

Time Commitment

As a growing nonprofit, we're committed to respecting our volunteers' time.Board members can expect to:

-Attend one board meeting each month
-Participate in committee work as needed
-Assist with fundraising and community outreach
-Attend select Kulture Connection events when possible

While involvement may grow alongside the organization, we strive to create meaningful opportunities that fit within busy schedules.

Help Shape the Future

The decisions made today will influence Kulture Connection for years to come. As a founding board member, you'll help create programs that educate, inspire, and connect communities through Korean culture while building an organization that future generations can continue to grow.If you're excited about creating meaningful cultural experiences and helping launch something truly special, we'd love to hear from you.

Ready to Join Us?

We're currently accepting expressions of interest for our Founding Board of Directors.

• Apply to Join Our Board

Karissa Wheelock (she/her)

Founder

Karissa is the founder of Kulture Connection and a passionate community builder who believes shared interests can become powerful starting points for meaningful connection and cultural learning. Her involvement in Portland’s K-pop community began with pdxSTAY, a local Stray Kids fan community she helped grow through monthly meet-ups, creative activities, and other opportunities for fans to connect in person.Through that experience, Karissa saw firsthand how K-pop could bring together people who might otherwise never meet—and recognized the opportunity to build something bigger. She founded Kulture Connection to use K-pop as a catalyst for community, education, and deeper engagement with Korean culture, while creating welcoming spaces where curiosity and shared enthusiasm can grow into genuine connection.With a background in education, theater, event planning, and community organizing, Karissa brings a creative, people-centered approach to Kulture Connection and its developing programs. As founder and Board Chair, she is focused on building a strong foundation for an organization that can continue expanding its cultural and educational impact for years to come.

Emma is a relative newcomer to the K-pop world—and the first to admit she never expected to be here! After swearing up and down that she would never get into K-pop, she had to eat those words in the summer of 2025 when she discovered Stray Kids and was instantly hooked.She soon began attending pdxSTAY meet-ups, and from there, her love for Korean music and culture grew into something much bigger. Along the way, Emma also found something she hadn’t expected: a welcoming community where she could form genuine connections and meaningful friendships.Through her work with elementary-aged children, Emma has seen firsthand how K-pop can serve as a gateway to curiosity about Korean culture as a whole. It’s not unusual to find the kids she works with learning choreography to their favorite songs, practicing writing in Hangul, or asking questions about Korean history, mythology, and culture. Those experiences have shown her just how powerful shared interests can be in inspiring learning and cultural exploration.When Karissa first shared the idea for Kulture Connection, Emma was thrilled by the opportunity to help bring that vision to life. She is excited to help create a community where people can connect through the things they already love while discovering new ways to learn about, appreciate, and engage with Korean culture—and she can’t wait to see where Kulture Connection goes from here.

Emma gende (she/they)

Ren discovered K-pop during the 2020 lockdown and has been growing their love and appreciation for Korean culture ever since. Through K-pop, they have built meaningful connections, made unforgettable memories, and experienced opportunities they never could have anticipated when they first entered the community more than five years ago.Ren spends much of their time seeking out K-pop and Korean culture events throughout the Pacific Northwest and sharing them with others who are looking for fun ways to connect with the community. That passion has grown into a desire to help create more opportunities for people throughout Portland and the surrounding areas to come together, explore K-culture, and enjoy the interests they share. At the heart of it, Ren believes we all crave connection and people with whom we can share the things we love.Through Kulture Connection, Ren hopes to help people discover ways to engage with Korean culture beyond the media they already enjoy. There is a wide world of experiences, traditions, learning, and community to explore—and they are excited to help Kulture Connection tap into those opportunities together.

Ren rice (they/he)