CALAA Co-Founders
Tararith Kho
Peuo Tuy
Joan Chun
Ida Keovimean Borin
Sokreinith Ten
Bunrith E. Sath
Sokunthary Svay
Monica Sok
Moniphal Bing
Board 2022
Board President and Co-Founder, JOAN CHUN grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts and currently resides in Pueblo, Colorado. She is dedicated to preserving Southeast Asian culture in the United States and to helping Cambodian-Americans who are struggling with their bi-cultural identity to learn about their history and culture for better understanding of themselves. Joan believes that the Cambodian American Literary Arts Association (CALAA) is an important way for Cambodian-Americans to connect through writing and literature to address issues that affect the community. She also believes that we can use storytelling as a way to heal, to unite, and to inspire. In her spare time, she loves to travel and to spend time with her family, friends, and pets.
Email: jchun@calaalowell.org
A native of Cambodia, SOVICHETH BOUN, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of English as a Second Language and Literacy at Salem State University. He has been involved in English language teaching and education for language minority students both in the U.S. and Cambodia for over 15 years. His areas of expertise include language education (ESL/EFL/TESOL), bilingual education, language teacher education, sociolinguistics and (English) linguistics. He enjoys meeting new people, volunteering, travelling, exploring nature and outdoor activities.
LAURA LY currently serves on CALAA’s Executive Board as a Director, a role in which she collaborates and shares insights with the Board in order to fulfill the mission of the association. She is originally from Connecticut, but currently lives and works as a journalist in New York City; and is a News Editor and Week- end Assignment Desk Manager for CNN’s New York Bureau. Laura graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor's Degree in Urban Studies. She wrote her undergraduate thesis on ethnic communities in post-industrial cities and spent time interviewing Cambodian-American community members in Lowell, Massachusetts as part of her research. In her free time, Laura enjoys traveling (and writing about her travels!), painting, going for runs around her neighborhood of Astoria, Queens, and learning how to cook Khmer food.
CHRIS A. MILLER is an operations improvement consultant with more than 30 years of experience in leadership and change management in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. In working with clients, Chris compassionately supports organizations in reducing the gap between its stated desire for justice, equity and inclusion and its operational reality. He has a B.A. in Social Work from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from Boston College. In his free time, Chris is a fitness fanatic and camping enthusiast.
Volunteers 2022
LENA SARUNN is a state employee for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She received her Undergraduate degree at UMASS Lowell and Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources at FSU. Lena also has over eight years experience in social services. She has served on the Board as a director and as the organization’s Executive Director and is now serving as the Program Director. Lena lead the program for the Black Lives Matter Translations project and the Design Team for The Stilt House Zine and will continue to lead CALAA’s programs into a successful direction.
E-mail: lsarunn@calaalowell.org
Poet, writer and storyteller, SANARY PHEN was born in a refugee camp in Thailand during the Khmer Rouge era in Cambodia. She and her family emigrated to the United States in 1981 and resettled in Lowell, which has been home for more than 35 years. Sanary has a deep love and appreciation for the community and takes pride in giving back to the city and its people. She has over 15 years of experience in social work and the nonprofit sector and is currently working for Coalition for a Better Acre as their Workforce Development Coordinator. Sanary is also a freelance writer for the Lowell Sun and a dedicated volunteer with the Cambodian American Literary Arts Association.
Email: sphen@calaalowell.org
Volunteer Recruiter and Co-Founder, TARARITH KHO is a Cambodian author and poet, who has been working earnestly to revive Cambodian literature by establishing two literary associations in Cambodia: Nou Hach Journal and Sower Association. He is also a founder of PEN Cambodia. Kho Tararith got a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Royal University of Phnom Penh (1999) and a Master Degree in political science from Chomreoun Poly-technique University in Phnom Penh (2004), Cambodia. Over the years, Kho Tararith was working as a writer and media reporter for a local radio station and producing some substantial literary works including Ashamed (2012), Red Print (2010), Regretful (2009), Khmer Nigeria (Poetry collection, 2011), The Cage (a poem, 2008), Culture Shouldn’t Stay Alone (2006), Lesson of Life (1998). In recent years, Kho Tararith has been awarded a literary scholarship as a fellow at Brown University and then Harvard. He is a founding member and the workshop instructor/educator of the Cambodian American Literary Arts Association. .
Volunteer, BRAD DEMATTEO is an ethnomusicologist specializing in 1960s-1975 Khmer popular music as a form of cultural memory and heritage. He became interested in Cambodian music as an undergraduate in 2010 and in 2019 completed a Master's Thesis at Tufts University called "Flowing water makes me never forget: Memories of Khmer Pop Music in the Cambodian American Diaspora". His research brought him to Phnom Penh and primarily Lowell, where he studied Khmer and became close with the community. Brad volunteers with CALAA in a number of different areas, but is especially involved as a committee member for The Stilt House zine.
Volunteer, RESI IBAÑEZ is a queer Filipinx community-based storyteller, poet, and maker, settled on unceded Pennacook and Pawtucket land (Lowell, MA). They are the founder of the LGBTQ+ Lowell Open Mic series, and have been published by @bklynboihood and @loamlove magazine. They will soon be published by @lucky_jefferson , @mariasatsampaguitas , and in Blue Oak Press's They Rise Like a Wave: an Anthology of Asian American Women Poets. In their free time, they like to learn the ukulele, practice their tarot reading skills, dance around their apartment, and enjoy a good cup of iced coffee. You can follow them at @resi_ibanez
All tags are on Instagram.
Volunteer, ELLEN PROEUNG, is a healthcare professional working in pediatrics. Her family emigrated from Cambodia to the U.S. in the 1980’s and ultimately called Lowell, Massachusetts home. Ellen is passionate about helping those in need, promoting education and advocacy, and giving back to the community. She is elated to be able to support CALAA and its mission. In her spare time, Ellen enjoys getting immersed in a good story, arts and crafts, exploring and spending quality time with loved ones.
E-mail: eproeung@calaalowell.org
Volunteer, TONY HOEUN, was born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts. Tony has always resonated with the saying “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” He is always changing hobbies, his aspirations and goals. The one thing that stays consistent is his focus and belief in self growth and development. Tony is a huge advocate on understanding and bettering oneself as you are always growing and changing.