Contact: Rohit Mahajan | mahajanr(a)rfa.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 07/21/22
RFA Welcomes New Members to its Board
<https://www.rfa.org/about/releases/rfa-welcomes-new-members-to-its-board>
Shanthi Kalathil and Allison Hooker Join RFA’s Governing Body
WASHINGTON -- Radio Free Asia <https://www.rfa.org/english/> (RFA), a
private nonprofit corporation, today announced the additions of Shanthi
Kalathil and Allison Hooker to its Board of Directors. Kalathil, who
recently served on the National Security Council (NSC) as Deputy Assistant
to the President and Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights, and
Hooker, who currently serves as senior vice president at American Global
Strategies (AGS), were approved at the July board meeting.
“We’re thrilled to expand RFA’s board with both Shanthi and Allison, who
bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise,” said RFA President Bay Fang. “With
Shanthi’s profound work on China and the information space, and Allison’s
extensive background in North Korea and Asia foreign policy, RFA will
benefit enormously. I’m delighted to work with them during this exciting
time of growth for RFA.”
“I have a deep admiration for RFA’s incisive brand of journalism and am
honored to join its board,” Kalathil said. “RFA has filled a critical role
in combating Chinese disinformation and providing timely news to millions
in Asia who would otherwise be in the dark. I look forward to helping RFA
achieve and accomplish more.”
“It’s an immense privilege to join RFA’s board of directors,” Hooker said. “As
malign actors in Asia relentlessly subvert democracy and human rights, RFA
plays a leading role in pushing back on authoritarian propaganda. I am
excited to help this organization tackle the challenges and opportunities
ahead.”
Prior to her appointment at the NSC, Kalathil served as the senior director
of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment
for Democracy. She also held various positions at other international
affairs organizations such as the U.S. Agency for International
Development, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Institute for
the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Early in her career she
worked as a reporter at the Asian Wall Street Journal before transitioning
to policy and academia.
Before her time at AGS, Hooker held senior positions within the White
House, serving as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director
for Asian Affairs at the NSC and as the Special Assistant to the President
and Senior Director for the Korean Peninsula. Previously, she was a senior
analyst for North Korea in the Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence
and Research and worked as the Council on Foreign Relations International
Affairs Fellow in South Korea.
The two new board members join Chair Carolyn Bartholomew, Commissioner of
the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission; Michael J. Green,
CEO of the United States Studies Centre (USSC); Michael Kempner, Founder,
President and CEO of public relations firm MikeWorldWide (MWW); and Keith
Richburg, Director of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at the
University of Hong Kong.
# # #
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and
publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian
languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media.
RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and
expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information
and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by
an annual grant from the United States Agency for Global Media.
