44 The Queens Courier • women in business ▶ w omen in business ✴• may 15, 2014 ✴ ✴ ✴ for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com MAY JANINE 20, 2014 MICHEL Executive Director, Christ the King Continuing Education As Executive Director of the Christ the King Continuing Education program, Janine Michel has distinguished herself for her innovative and creative development of a most worthwhile endeavor. Located in Middle Village on the Christ the King campus, the Continuing Education program encompasses a toprated daycare center, a pre-school and after-school program, summer camps, including basketball, soccer and dance, private tutoring in all elementary, high school and even college courses, special education instruction and a large adult education school, including a diverse combination of courses ranging from language classes to regents preparation to driver education to physical fitness for students of all ages. Having begun her career at Christ the King High School in 2008, assigned to the finance office, Janine’s talents were quickly recognized when she was asked to develop and expand the Continuing Education program, which was a limited operation and underutilized. Janine’s first priority was to provide special education support to respond to the challenges facing parents of children in need. Ms. Michel recognized the importance of assisting these children by facilitating their instruction by providing certified special education teachers at local schools. These after-school tutoring sessions expanded to the extent that this SETSS program now encompasses nearly 200 students in nine other locations. As a working mother, Janine Michel realized the value of family time, and became a progenitor of after-school programs for children of all ages, from six months to teens. Through her efforts, students were transported from their schools to Christ the King, making it unnecessary for parents to interrupt their workdays. The instruction includes courses as varied as dance and drama to foreign languages to karate. Janine Michel exemplifies the ingenuity that questions the status quo and explores areas otherwise undeveloped. As she herself once remarked, “If I can imagine something, I can create it.” Fortunately, for thousands of students and their parents, Janine Michel has a very fertile mind and imagination. Her successful, quality programs at Christ the King Continuing Education bespeak her creative and resourceful imagination and mind. SARAH BJ SUNG Chairwoman of the Korean American Family Service Center Sarah BJ Sung (BJ) is the chairwoman of the Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC), a leading nonprofit organization that supports and empowers adults, youth and children to lead safe and healthy lives based on dignity, compassion and mutual respect. KAFSC is committed to preventing and ending domestic violence, sexual assault, and relationship abuse, and creating a violence-free society. For the past 20 years, BJ has volunteered with KAFSC as a funder, board member and gala co-chair and also served as interim executive director. Under BJ’s leadership going on its sixth year, the organization has nearly tripled its operating budget, expanded its staff and programs, and increased support and services to the tri-state area. Recently, KAFSC merged with Rainbow Center (a nonprofit that provides shelter and services for Asian women facing homelessness and provides advocacy whereby women collectively empower themselves and each other to transform their lives) combining resources and expanding the organization to serve more clients. BJ is actively involved in the community and volunteers with many nonprofits focused on civic engagement, community foundations and human services. She currently serves on the board of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York and was formerly a board member of the Korean American Community Foundation. BJ was also a founding member and Co-Chair of Asian Pacific Heritage Network at Citi Private Bank and served as Vice President of the Korean Overseas Women International Network New York chapter, an initiative of South Korean Government Ministry of Gender Equality. BJ currently works in the Public Affairs department of Con Edison focusing on education programs and working with nonprofit organizations across the five boroughs to strengthen support for STEM programs. BJ was formerly a Vice President with Citi Global Community Relations group, working in the international sector supporting Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and Latin America regions for Citi’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts. Prior to her global assignment, BJ was responsible for program implementation in areas of financial education, affordable housing, home ownership, small business development and NGO capacity building for US North East region. Fluent in Korean and English, when not volunteering and fundraising, BJ enjoys fine dining, wine tasting, camping and spending time with her dozen nieces, nephews and grand niece and nephew.
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