Originally from the East Coast, Sumi started out as a studio art major at NYU, but ended with a B.S. in applied psychology. She moved to Los Angeles and attended Pepperdine University where she eventually received her M.A. in clinical psychology. During this time she interned as a group facilitator at a center for grieving children called Our House and joined a research team at the UCLA Pediatric Pain Program helping children with cancer cope with painful medical procedures. She also worked as a behavior therapist for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. She then moved back to the East Coast upon getting accepted into Temple University’s Ph.D. program in counseling psychology. After finishing her coursework, she was about to embark on her dissertation journey when she became a mother to two kids and quickly realized her new mission in life.

Fast forward 17 years, with her children all grown up and college bound, Sumi began thinking about her next chapter in life. She started volunteering at CHAP in 2017 and quickly fell in love. CHAP allowed her to combine her love for art while working with kids. Giving back to the community through service became her main focus and passion, leading Sumi to get involved in multiple projects. She is currently serving as a life coach at the Borland Free Clinic helping to prevent type 2 diabetes in high risk patients. She is also a group facilitator at The Dougy Center for children who are grieving the death of a family member.

In her free time Sumi enjoys painting, playing tennis, camping and traveling with her family.