A native of South Korea and a former resident of France, Chief Programs Officer Shinnie Kim brings an advanced understanding of global arts and an expansive knowledge of Asian and European cultures to her role. At the Vilcek Foundation, Kim is responsible for directing the strategic planning and implementation of the Vilcek Foundation Prizes and Grants programs.
Kim first started at the Vilcek Foundation in 2015 as a program officer, where she oversaw the organization’s prizes initiative and led the development of prize-related events, including the annual awards gala. Under Kim’s leadership, the program expanded to nine annual prizes, increasing the visibility of the foundation’s mission to honor exceptional immigrants in the arts and sciences. Additionally, Kim managed the shaping of the Vilcek Foundation’s racial equity goals in alignment with best practices in award-granting institutions.
When Kim left the foundation in 2024, she joined the Asian Cultural Council as the director of programs to engage more closely with artists and scholars in Asia. While there, she directed and developed organization-wide grant programs for 26 countries and regions in Asia and the United States. Kim returned to the Vilcek Foundation in 2025 as the chief programs officer to contribute to the amplification of the positive contributions of immigrants from across the globe through further development of the prizes program and growing grants initiative.
Prior to initially joining the Vilcek Foundation, Kim worked at the International Studio & Curatorial Program in Brooklyn, New York, where she managed residency logistics and exhibition programs for hundreds of artists and curators from over 60 countries.Kim completed a bachelor’s degree at the Université de Paris VIII and coursework toward a master’s degree, both in visual arts. She is passionate about fostering meaningful connections between artists and arts organizations, and particularly enjoys collaborating with people from international backgrounds.