Ever since high school, Karen Chiu has been actively volunteering with children and youth. She spent many summers working with children at the Chinese American Service League [CASL], a non-profit organization that serves the local immigrant population in Chicago's Chinatown area. In college, Karen volunteered with young children at a crisis nursery on campus and tutored youth at the local junior high and high schools. Upon returning to Chicago, Karen reconnected with CASL as a volunteer English tutor for an after-school teen program, and later joined the staff as a tutor and mentor to high school students.
As director of the Educational Development Program at Project: VISION, Karen hopes to use her experiences in the community and passion for teaching to engage students in learning and foster interest in academics. Most importantly, she hopes to guide each student to reach their full potentials through education.
Karen is a native of the Chicago area, growing up in Chinatown and later in surburban Naperville. She attended Waubonsie Valley High School and graduated with honors in 1996. She then went on to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2000 with Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Biochemistry.
Currently, Karen is a senior medical student at Northwestern University. She plans to eventually enter a residency training program in internal medicine. However, after graduation, she plans to put her career in medicine on hold to devote more time to developing and carrying out the Educational Program at Project: VISION.
Vince Kwan / Director of Professional Development
As Director of Professional Development, Vince Kwan will use his experiences with various educational and career paths to give an unconventional picture of the job search and career development process. Rather than the typical "one-size-fits-all" method to post-high school planning, Vince prefers a more thorough approach that will ensure that Project:VISION's professional services are tailored to the unique strengths and desires of each individual youth.
Currently, Vince is a member of the Information Technology team at PAX Clearing Corporation. His IT experience also includes positions with Ernst & Young LLP, Cap Gemini US, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Outside of IT, Vince pursued his love of teaching by tutoring peers and youngsters in subjects as varied as Algebra, Calculus, U.S. Government, European History, French, Computer Programming, Swimming, and Music Theory.
Vince's interests in all performing arts beyond music inspired him to volunteer and work at UIUC's Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in various capacities from in-house usher to president of the student volunteer organization. He applied his leadership also with the UIUC Model United Nations Club as Secretary-General of the college-run Model UN high school conference. His experiences with Model UN, in conjunction with his coursework in International Relations and overseas politics, help Vince contribute both a global view to Project:VISION, as well as a local perspective due to his contacts with high school students, teachers, and administrators across the Midwest.
Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Vince holds dual Canadian and French citizenship. He completed all his primary and secondary education in the same Naperville school district, giving him a unique perspective as a native of the Chicagoland area, while always having one foot firmly placed abroad.
Karen Tam / Director of Personal Development
Born in Montreal, Canada, artist Karen Tam received her Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, Major in Studio Arts and Minor in Music from Concordia University, and her Master's Degree in Fine Arts in Sculpture from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Karen's video, Plum Sauce, won the Audience Choice Award at the Chicago Asian American Film Festival in 2002. She has also received a Master's Fellowship from Fonds pour la Formation de Chercheurs et l'Aide a la Recherche, a funding agency of the Quebec government, and a creation / research grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. Shown in various solo and group exhibitions in Montreal, Halifax, Dublin, Chicago, Florida, and New York, Karen has recently completed artist residencies at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (Ireland), the Khyber Centre for the Arts (Halifax), and Centre MAI (Montreal). Upcoming activities include exhibitions in Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Northern Ireland.
Karen has served as an instructor of record for studio art and art history courses at the School of the Art Insitute of Chicago. She has also given music theory and piano lessons for a number of years. Her past experiences include working at the Chinese American Service League's School-Age Program teaching art and Chinese culture, and collaborating with the Chinese community in art projects in Chicago, Dublin, and Montreal. Karen hopes to share her enthusiasm for creativity and the arts, and use her experience in teaching and working witih various community groups to develop programs that strengthen and build upon our youths' individuality, assets, and personal expression.
Kirsten Chan / Director of Civic Involvement
Through her role as Director of Civic Development, Kirsten Chan hopes to share her love of helping others with the students. While pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Kirsten volunteered with several organizations on campus, including the Volunteer Illini Projects Daycare Program, where she worked with children ages 2-6 at three different daycare centers. Her fervor for working with the kids was so apparent that she twice received an Honorable Mention for Volunteer of the Month, and ultimately was offered part-time employment at one of the centers. Kirsten was also a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed service fraternity, where she served as her pledge class Secretary and later became the chairperson for the Individual Points Committee. These experiences helped her realize not only the importance of giving back to the community, but also the fun and fulfillment that accompanied working with youth.
After graduating, Kirsten went on to become a Financial Analyst for IBM Corporation, where she continued to donate her time through IBM sponsored projects such as the Chicago Cares Serve-a-Thon, the IBM e-Mentoring Program for junior high students, and Junior Achievement, where she helped local high school students learn what it was like to run their own company in a simulated business environment. After leaving IBM, Kirsten chose to pursue teaching full-time, while simultaneously earning her Child Development Associate certification from the Council for Professional Recognition, and ultimately became the primary teacher of her own infant classroom.
Kirsten currently works for a greeting card company, Pulp Couture, which allows her to express her creativity on a daily basis. In her spare time, she also shares a love of the performing arts. An alumni of both the Acting and Improvisation programs at The Second City, Kirsten now performs with Chicago-based Asian-American theatre groups Tea Company and Stir Friday Night!
Sheri So / Director of Planning & Marketing
Sheri So was a youth immigrant from mainland China in 1989, and has since been living in Chicago, officially becoming a U.S. citizen in 1994. Sheri attended National-Louis University, and obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Computer Information Systems and Management in 1993. Several years later, in 2000, Sheri completed a 2-year Master's Degree program at Roosevelt University, obtaining her MBA in Finance. While attending school full-time, Sheri simultaneously worked, and has held corporate positions such as Assistant to Financial Services Executive, Senior Secretary / Translator, Administrative Assistant, and most currently, Budget Analyst.
Sheri feels lucky that she did not need much assistance as a youth during the early years of immigration. However, she does realize and agree that there are many youth who might need help developing themselves in the five areas of educational, professional, personal, interpersonal, and civic. Upon learning about such extraordinary efforts and remarkable programs put together by the original Project: VISION members, Sheri has decided to join the team and contribute her spare time and experience in business administration to help with matters related to budget and expenditure planning, fundraising, pricing, marketing, and advertising. She hopes to provide the other members with back-end support so that they can focus more on developing programs and working directly with the youth.