ELISE KIM

Elise Kim is the co-founder of Athletes & Entertainers for Kids (AEFK) and serves as volunteer executive director to both AEFK and 9-1-1 for Kids since their respective inceptions.
Elise was headed down a championship path in her sports and entertainment career when her life was abruptly halted by the discovery of her mother, Helen Kim’s breast cancer. Elise and her family fought a 14 year battle against the catastrophic illness with Helen which eventually took her life in 1993.  Helen was both the inspiration and founding patron of the charity.
Elise served as an Assistant Athletic Director for the University of Southern California from 1980 to 1986. She was one of the pioneer women who boldly moved into the “old boys” network of sports. Recognized in the NCAA for her “Hollywood-style” public relations and media work with Cheryl Miller and the USC women’s basketball team, Elise helped pave the way for future media coverage for women’s athletics. Prior to her USC stint she had been appointed as Executive Director of the W.A.I.A.W. (Western Assn. for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women: Calif., Arizona, Nevada & Hawaii/prior to NCAA taking over women’s collegiate sports); and to the W.C.A.A. (Western Collegiate Athletic Conference: USC, UCLA, Univ. of Arizona, ASU, CS Fullerton, CS Long Beach).

In 1986 while responding to the request of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles to organize a surprise visit between USC Olympic basketball phenom, Cheryl Miller and patient Stephanie Alexander, a 15-year-old CIF high school basketball player with terminal leukemia, Elise envisioned creating a children’s service organization fueled by the support of athletes and entertainers.  She arranged the surprise visit between the two and the rest was history. She teamed up with NFL Hall of Fame inductee and Fox NFL Show analyst Howie Long, who was then a L.A. Raiders, to establish one of the nation’s most notable celebrity-corporate mentoring and educational organizations, AEFK. AEFK has served well over 500,000 youngsters and teens since its inception thanks to the initial support and inspiration of Helen.

“Besides my mom, the key figure in my collegiate sports career was Barbara Hedges, who was USC’s Associate Athletic Director. Barbara eventually became the first woman Division I Athletic Director in the nation for the Univ. of Washington.  She was an amazing role-model to me and to  all young women and girls who aspired to work in sports.  She was brilliant, beautiful and bold!  Barbara saw my raw talent when I couldn’t see anything.  She believed in me and enabled me to grow and evolve into who I am today,” says Elise.
During the 1984 Olympics, Elise served as one of the only three women media directors, moderating post game questions & answers and interviews, for the basketball games which were held at the Great Western Forum. In 1983 she was named director of entertainment for U.S.F.L. team, the L.A. Express and was able to implement her dance and choreography skills.
In 1986 sports commentator and journalist Roy Firestone, and L.A. Raiders Mike Haynes, recommended that Elise consider accepting the position as sports division director for the entertainment public relations firm Freeman and Sutton.  She accepted the position and her 30-plus clients included Marcus Allen, Roy Firestone, Michael Haynes, the Los Angeles Open, California Special Olympics, National Israeli Wheelchair Basketball Team, Reggie Theus and Jim Hill.

“The experience of working with legendary entertainment pros like Joe Sutton and Mickey Freeman was a once in a lifetime experience.  I will always be grateful and humbled by their awesome mentoring and the opportunity to work their powerhouse organization. Some of Joe’s early clients included Bill Cosby, The Doors, The Smothers Brothers, and The Beach Boys. He also personal managed Neil Diamond, Ricky Nelson, Lou Rawls, O.C.Smith and David Axelrod.  Can you imagine the stories Joe shared with me?”
Although Elise was committed to public relations, her heart was tied to the newly formed AEFK.  Beginning in 1987 she dedicated her full-time efforts to developing and operating the charity. “I was never a 100% about anything until AEFK came along except for my faith.  Service for children was the missing part of my life.  I thank God and my mother for affording me the life changing opportunity to start AEFK.  Service has huge benefits. If you’re feeling down or depressed then get involved in helping someone else, altruistic activities has powerful effects on personal well-being, happiness, health, and longevity.”

During the summer of 1987 Elise became friends with the late Ryan White, the hemophiliac youngster from Indiana who contracted the HIV virus from AIDS tainted blood during a routine transfusion. The two collaborated and created the first HIV/AIDS education program for students. In 1988 Elise produced one of the world’s most visible charity benefit concerts, “An Evening with Elton John hosted by Marlee Matlin and Charlie Sheen.” In 1989 AEFK was selected to produce Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s official retirement gala. In 1990 Elise teamed up with President and Mrs. Reagan, Milton Berle, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jimmy Stewart to produce a post Academy Awards soiree for AEFK, “Super Heroes, Super Stars Oscar Gala.”

During the early 1990’s Elise began to advise a national public safety ad hoc committee, led by her former USC intern Nancy Swanson. The committee was charged with the task of creating a school-based public education program addressing 9-1-1 caller training with the intention of reducing 9-1-1 misuse. 9-1-1 for Kids launched in 1994 and requested that Elise serve as its executive director.  Additionally, AEFK adopted the 9-1-1 for Kids program and became its guardian.

In 1996 Elise received a gubernatorial appointment to Governor Pete Wilson’s California Mentor Council and helped to establish and launch the nation’s first state wide mentor initiative program. In 2010 she was appointed to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) CSRIC council (Communications, Security, Reliability and Interoperability council). Elise actively supports NENA (National Emergency Number Assn.) and APCO (Assn. of Public safety communication officials. Together with AT&T and U.S. Best Repairs, Elise and 9-1-1 for Kids have brought critical awareness to 9-1-1 misuse.

Elise’s father, Dr. and Rev. C.S. Carl Kim, MD., was an urologist and surgeon for over 50 years in San Francisco and a Methodist pastor. Dr. Kim also served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corp during World War II. Her mother Helen was a talented and gifted health care entrepreneur and CEO. She has two older brothers, Dr. C. Stephen Kim, who is the former Assistant Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health and Dr. A. Edward Kim a retired endodontist.

Elise attended University of California Irvine, Saint Mary’s College and USC, for health care administration and business administration.  She serves on the board of directors for Providence Educational Foundation with AEFK International Ambassador Kathy Ireland.  Elise resides in Southern California.