ABOUT ME
I wrote my novel, Dreams of My Mothers, because I have been privileged to bear witness to some very unique circumstances and experiences, at extreme ends of the human condition and at the margins of the American saga. I wanted to share some of these in a way that truly brings the reader inside each experience and each moment as if they were the character going through it.
But, at a time when our society seems to be struggling to find a shared identity - with race, culture, and what it means to be American - I also wrote the book because it reveals deep, unique insight, adding to the social discourse through a topic - multiracialism within transnational and transracial adoption - that rarely gets much attention from any quarter, because it represents such a niche subset of our society, yet contains within it all the most relevant, timeless, and deeply felt - and held - human themes, passions, values, insecurities, tragedies, and judgments...and loves.
I was born in Korea to a peasant Korean woman. My biological father, an American GI, is unknown. Adopted from Korea into a small town in Minnesota when I was nearly seven years-old by a family of strong Swedish heritage, I grew up in America's heartland, offering me compelling - and contrasting - experiences and rare insights into what drives culture, personal identity, and the wonder and power of not one, but two mothers’ love and sacrifices. I borrowed from certain events from my personal background to craft my first fictional novel, hoping to shed new perspective on the evolving dialogue in America about race, family, identity, and the myth and reality of the American Dream.
As a first time author, writing has not been my profession. My background is in corporate business, financial services, and education.
I am the founder and CEO of Student Planning Services, LLC, a leader and paradigm-changing provider of comprehensive supplemental educational support services. At the same time, I continue to be the managing partner and CEO of Pintoresco Advisors, LLC. Pintoresco’s advisory services include merger & acquisition structuring and execution, complex project management, and business strategy development.
Earlier, I was SVP, Europe Lines of Business and head of European strategy and M&A for Level 3 Communications, Inc., based in London, England. I led operations in 15 countries throughout Europe. Before Level 3, I was head of global strategy and M&A for a $7 billion independent global venture of AT&T and British Telecom. I was responsible for all global strategy, worldwide business development, mergers, acquisitions, strategic alliances, investments and investment portfolio management. At the same time, I was also CEO of its subsidiary internet software and infrastructure company and its subsidiary Australian internet service provider.
Prior to AT&T and British Telecom, I was an executive director at BellSouth with responsibility for international M&A activity and certain domestic wireless M&A. I completed deals totaling nearly $30 billion in 25 countries, including BellSouth’s largest international wireless M&A transaction. Prior to BellSouth, I was a corporate banking VP with large U.S. and international firms working in corporate finance and investment banking. Before my business career, I served 7 years as an active duty U.S. Navy officer.
I am currently a PhD pre-doc in Education Policy and Reform at Claremont Graduate University. I earned my MBA from The R. B. Pamplin School of Business at Virginia Tech and my BA in economics from the University of Virginia. My wife, Darleen, is a PhD and an Associate Dean at a leading private university.
