Tammy Kim Leading for Irvine City Council

Irvine, Calif.—  Irvine Finance Commissioner, Tammy Kim announced her candidacy nearly a year ago. She will compete for one of two seats in an at-large election with over 135,000 registered voters. In the past year, she has been raising money, community outreach and earning endorsements. According to Tammy Kim, “Irvine is no longer a small city. Running for City Council in Irvine takes a lot of hard work, planning, a strong vision, and experience.”

Tammy Kim is the founder and Managing Director of the Korean American Center, now a division of Korean Community Services, the largest nonprofit organization in Orange County serving the Korean American Community in Orange County. Tammy is responsible for all operations in Irvine and for promoting Korean language, culture, and education to 2nd/3rd generation Korean Americans and the mainstream community.  which includes serving as. Tammy has also helped promote language education for other cultures. She helped Irvine Tamil Language School by providing them with classroom space and opportunities for curriculum development and teacher training.

“I’m extremely proud to be a part of the fabric of Irvine,” says Kim. “In past decades, Irvine has led the way on the things we all value – excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, robust business environment and open spaces. But Irvine now faces challenges such as COVID, unsustainable growth, projected budget deficit, high cost of living, and traffic congestion. These issues are jeopardizing our quality of life and require immediate action and strong leadership.”

Prior to nonprofit, Tammy spent nearly 20 years working through the corporate ranks, where she was an executive for Fortune 500 companies and venture backed companies in the technology sector.

“As a nonprofit leader in Irvine, an educator, a small business owner, and a former corporate executive who oversaw complex global business operations and multi-million budgets, I have the skill set to take on these challenges and bring  innovative and comprehensive solutions to my city. Moreover, my experience as a community advocate and working mom has given me a deep and nuanced understanding of the day-to-day realities that our residents experience. I know, personally, the challenges facing working families in Irvine. I am ready to lead Irvine in a positive direction and I will fight to improve quality of life for ALL of our residents, including our families, our seniors, and our young people.”

Tammy serves as Chair of the Language Access Committee for the Orange County Registrar of Voters, Education Advisory Council for Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie Norris, Irvine Global Village Festival Steering Committee, and Irvine Complete Count Committee for 2020 Census. Ms. Kim is an appointed Delegate to the California State Democratic Party and co-founder and chair emeritus of Asian Americans in Action, a nonpartisan, progressive political action organization aimed at elevating the political voice and impact of the Asian American Pacific Islander community in Orange County through civic engagement and advocacy.

In her many roles as a community leader, Tammy has been featured in media outlets such as NPR, NBC News, Los Angeles Times, and the OC Register.

When elected, Tammy Kim will be the first East Asian female elected to Irvine City Council and the will be the first Korean American female elected to the City Council of a major city in California. She currently serves as a Finance Commission appointed by Farrah Khan.

Tammy is endorsed by State Controller, Betty Yee,  Congresswoman Katie Porter, Congressman Gil Cisneros,  Irvine Councilmember Farrah Khan, Former Irvine Mayor Beth Krom and Sukhee Kang, and countless organizations including Emily’s List, WAVE (Women for American Values and Ethics), National Women’s Political Caucus, Asian Americans in Action, and Korean Americans for Organizing.

For more information on Tammy’s campaign, visit www.TammyKim.com

Tammy Kim has lived in Irvine for the past 15 years. She moved here when her son was in pre-school and he is now starting NYU in the fall. Tammy was born in Korea and came to America when she was only a year old.

Contact:

Website: TammyKim.com
Email: tammykimOC@gmail.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TammyKimOC
Twitter: @TammyKimOC
Instagram: @TammyKimOC