Dahyun Kim

Dahyun likes to say that she was “born in South Korea, bloomed in Oregon, and spiced up in Nairobi.” After finishing high school in South Korea, she moved to Oregon to study English, an experience she sees as a turning point in her life. Living in a diverse environment broadened her perspective and inspired her to help others experience similar life changing opportunities. During her undergraduate studies, she spent six months in Nairobi as a UN intern. She often says she left her heart there, and the experience shaped her belief in capacity and community building for the local youth communities. She earned her B.A. in International Studies and Economics from the University of Oregon on a full scholarship in 2018.

Over the past eight years, Dahyun has worked at the intersection of technology and humanitarian efforts. Her work has focused on addressing some of the world’s pressing challenges, from building censorship bypass tools for people in North Korea to countering influence operations by authoritarian regimes. Her genuine curiosity and passion have led her to take multiple hats from program management to building strategic partnership. She worked on projects funded by the U.S. Department of State, NED, NDI, and the EU.

Dahyun is a Rotary Peace Fellow at Duke University, where she focuses on technology policy to prevent the misuse of emerging technologies. She is particularly interested in bringing a whole of society approach to building resilience and draws on her experience working across diverse stakeholders to support this goal.

Most recently, she worked at Doublethink Lab, a Taipei based civil society organization, where she collaborated with international networks to accelerate information sharing and strengthen collective resilience against emerging threats. Through this work, she gained firsthand insight into how influence operations are carried out and their impact on society.

Dahyun is an inaugural Obama Leader, where she also serves as a community facilitator and mentor for new cohorts. She is also a 2026 International Strategy Forum Fellow with the Special Competitive Studies Project (SPSC), which focuses on building the next generation of global leaders in geopolitics, technology, and democracy.

Dahyun’s happy place is anywhere in nature, and she is excited to explore all that North Carolina has to offer. As of 2026, she has completed a half marathon, multi day cycling trips, and holds an Advanced PADI certification. She never misses a chance to go on a hike.