Jhoon “Jake” Chung (BA ‘96) of Arlington Heights, Illinois, has recently taken on several new leadership positions with his career and the University of Iowa.

Chung joined East Maine School District 63 in Des Plaines, Illinois, as assistant superintendent of human resources, in the summer of 2022. Formerly superintendent of Salt Creek School District 48, he also previously served as a principal for two schools in Schaumberg School District 54 and in Arlington Heights District 25, where he served as assistant superintendent of personnel and planning.

Chung holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from the University of Iowa College of Education, and he earned his Master of Arts and Doctor of Education in educational leadership from National Louis University. He also earned a Certificate of Advanced Study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

After serving as the chair of the UI College of Education Dean’s Advisory Board, Chung was selected as the College of Education’s new representative to the University of Iowa Alumni Leadership Council.

He succeeds alumna Kathy Countryman (BA ’84, MA ’96), who stepped down after five years of service to the council and serving from 2015-17 on the UI Alumni Association Board.

“I am grateful to Kathy Countryman for her years of service and leadership,” says College of Education Dean Dan Clay, “and I am thrilled that Jake Chung has agreed to serve in this leadership role as an advocate and champion for the university and college.”

The Alumni Leadership Council serves as the university’s alumni advisory body and includes alumni representation from colleges, units, and areas across campus. Members serve up to two, three-year terms. Council members leverage their professional and personal experiences and relationships to provide vision, direction, leadership, support, advocacy, and constructive feedback to the UI Center for Advancement staff.

“It is truly an honor to serve on the UI Alumni Leadership Council as a representative for the College of Education,” says Chung. “I am extremely humbled by this opportunity to serve and give back to the UI stakeholders. I look forward to collaborating and learning from the other members already on the UI Alumni Leadership Council."

In 2013, Chung and his wife, Kimberly Dierks Chung (98BA), established the Jake and Kimberly Chung Scholarship at the UI, which is awarded to College of Education undergraduates during their semester of student-teaching. He also served on the UI Alumni Association Board from 2009 to 2015.

Chung is the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Iowa
in 2019, and he was honored with the Sallie Mae Foundation First Year Teacher of the Year award in 1998. He was also the keynote speaker at the December 2018 College of Education Commencement Ceremony.

Learn about the entire Alumni Leadership Council membership.