Kim is a Marine Corps veteran and proud to have been trained as a Veteran Peer Supporter, a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) facilitator, NAMI support group facilitator, and a teacher of NAMI Peer to Peer, NAMI Homefront, and NAMI Provider classes. She is also a state trainer of NAMI Peer to Peer class leaders. 

Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in public health from Northern Illinois University, with an emphasis on health promotion, and will graduate with a master’s degree in health communication from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in August. 

Experiences

Kim has been the Program Coordinator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness affiliate serving Kane-south, DeKalb, and Kendall Counties for the past 3 years. She is passionate about mental health and wellness and, as someone living with a mental health condition, Kim is committed to reducing the stigma around mental health and increasing conversation about mental health by sharing her experiences and supporting the members of the community.

Taking care of mental health is not indulgent or selfish; it is necessary. Most individuals will face a mental health challenge at least once in their lives. People have the same responsibility to care for their minds as they do for their bodies, and having discussions about mental health and well-being in the community is incredibly valuable. It is important to let those who are struggling know that they are not alone. For individuals living with mental illness, like many others, it is possible not only to survive but to thrive. It is not shameful to struggle, and asking for help is an act of strength.