SAN DIEGO — As the world honors women this month, there’s a trailblazer in San Diego. Sallay Kim has been named the first African American female CEO and President of the Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation non-profit.
The organization helps beautify the grounds where the military and their family are laid to rest.
“There's a sereneness when you're there, you enter and you [get] to be among your brothers and sisters in arms,” said Kim.
The honorable Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day ceremonies and the Avenue of Flags is funded by the Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation. This month Kim was named the CEO and President of the non-profit.
“To be able to lead the support foundation is truly an honor,” said Kim.
She is a first-generation American. Her family is from Sierra Leone West Africa. Kim joined the U.S. Army when she was 18 and her younger sister followed.
As women continue to break barriers in the military, Kim credits the military for paving her path to leadership.
“I am very fortunate in that in that regard, again, having had women that I could look up to. But I do feel that I had to forge my own way to make this happen,” said Kim.
She became an Intelligence Officer and retired after serving 21 years in the Army and then built Serenity, an event planning agency. She is humbled to serve on board for the Military In Transition Firefighter for a Day and volunteers monthly at the Veteran’s Association of North County’s food drive. She also was a Big Sister with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego under the Operation Big/Military Mentoring Program.
Kim worked on the 2014 Marine Toys for Tots campaign, assisted the San Diego non-profit Resounding Joy funding campaign, and volunteered with the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington Cemetery for three years, escorting Honor Flight World War II veterans.
“It's amazing sometimes when you look back on your career, you don't realize how much that you've done until it's all there on paper and in your memories,” said Kim.
She joined the MNCSF board in 2015. This year she plans to add a virtual event to honor military nurses. One of the biggest projects for the board is funding the $600,000 amphitheater for services.
“It's a very special place, it's a place that we continue to beautify,” said Kim.
She is humbled to serve in this position and serve as a role model to other women.
“Anyone that I can help bring along and help reinforce the positive image of women in leadership roles,” said Kim.
The CEO says depending on approval from the National Cemetery Administration, the goal to build the amphitheater is by the end of 2022.
She is married to Tae Kim, an Army veteran and defense contractor with The MASY Group.
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