Founder; Board Member
Kilong Ung is a Cambodian genocide survivor. He came to U.S. as a refugee in 1979, learned English in high school, and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1983. He graduated from Reed College in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Two years later, he graduated from Bowling Green State University with a master’s degree in applied statistics & operations research.
Kilong was in documentary The Bombhunters, Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior (Saddam Hussein vs. Pol Pot), MTV’s Deadliest Warrior Aftermath, and documentary, Risking Light. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Portland and the Royal Rosarians. After an incredible journey filled with profound sorrow and triumph, Kilong published his first book, Golden Leaf: A Khmer Rouge Genocide Survivor. The book is a first-hand account that portrays Kilong as a leaf at the mercy of the wind. While two million leaves disintegrated, the leaf persevered. Kilong was a golden leaf. Against all odds, the leaf survived, laid down roots and became a tree.
Besides being the Founder and Board Member of Golden Leaf Education Foundation (GLEF), Kilong is also a software engineer at Fiserv. He is married, has two children, and is living in Portland, Oregon.
