PAEA Staffer Sam Kang to Move On to Sunny California

Sam Kang, PAEA's manager of education programs, will be leaving the Association after the Annual Education Forum to join a new family business in California. He will be working with his parents and his older brother as an administrator in a home health care business that will provide nurses for home visits. In a year or so his younger brother, now serving in Iraq, will join them.

Sam became part of the PAEA staff in October 2005 in the middle of the frenzy of preparations for that year’s Annual Education Forum in Puerto Rico. He was at something of a disadvantage at that meeting, spending much of his time looking for people whose faces he didn't know. But he handled the transition with his usual good humor and hard work and soon learned the ropes. He applied these same qualities to his other areas of responsibility, which included supporting the CASPA Advisory Committee, the Education Committee, FDI, and PACKRAT.

Sam quickly became known for his attention to detail, his thoughtful and frequent communication with members and staff, and his politeness — any e-mail exchange involving Sam would inevitably include many pleases, thank yous, and best wishes.

Said Ted Ruback, chair of the CASPA Advisory Committee, "On behalf of the CASPA Advisory Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to publicly thank Sam for his steadfast support in managing much of the day to day workload associated with overseeing the application service. Sam has been a joy to work with and has contributed significantly to our efforts of ensuring CASPA's success. We all wish him well in his future endeavors."

Sam's work with PAEA has prepared him well to work in a different aspect of health care. “My time at PAEA has provided me with opportunities to learn and to gain valuable experience that I will continue to use," he said. "I am truly grateful to the PAEA board, members, and staff for their constant professionalism, dedication, and encouragement. For those reasons and many others, I will miss being a part of the Association.”

Sam came to the Association after a stint in the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan and has traveled widely around the world. California will be a short trip by comparison — as will the trip back to Alexandria for visits to staff and friends.