KAAN 2025: Full Schedule

The KAAN 2025 Conference will take place at The Grand Hyatt in Atlanta, GA, on June 20-22. The theme this year is Growth and Change. As always, we offer an adoptee-only track alongside our general breakout sessions, which are open to all. We also offer programs for adults and youth (ages 8-17). All are welcome, including adoptees, birth families, family members (adoptive parents, spouses/partners, siblings and children of adoptees), service providers, and Korean Americans. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at tech@wearekaan.org.

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10:30am EDT

KAAN 2025 Orientation: Adoptees Ages 26+ (Adoptee Only)

Friday June 20, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EDT

Highland 4 &5 (Lobby)

Speakers

Scarlett Hester

Chris Wodicka

Chris Wodicka (he/him) lives in Philadelphia, PA, where he is pursuing a PhD in social welfare, with a research focus on U.S. tax and social policy. Since 2022, he has served on the board of Hamkae Center (formerly NAKASEC Virginia), a nonprofit organization in Virginia that organizes... Read More →

Friday June 20, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EDT
Highland 4 &5 (Lobby)

Adoptee-Only Session

12:00pm EDT

Discovering Our Power Through Peer Groups*

Friday June 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT

Highland 4 &5 (Lobby)

This panel-style workshop will feature an open dialogue and facilitated conversation around the formation and impact of diverse transracial adoptee peer support groups. Panelists will share insights on organizing their specific groups, offering guidance and lived experiences that highlight the transformative power of connection, healing, and liberation within adoptee communities. This discussion will address key topics such as inclusivity, growth, change, and coalition building, with a focus on fostering a unified and supportive network. Recognizing that many adoptees experience isolation and that groups can sometimes become siloed, this panel aspires to build bridges and promote solidarity across adoptee communities.

This session will also be held on Saturday at 2:45 - 4:00 PM.

Speakers

Anna Mae Hee Kiesnowski

Anna (she/her) is a highly sought-after LGBTQIA+ educator, known for creating engaging learning experiences that challenge assumptions and promote a more equitable, safe future. As a licensed clinical social worker, she offers psychotherapy, supportive group processes, and gender-affirming... Read More →

Sunia Won

Sunia Won is a dynamic leader and creative visionary bringing visibility at the intersection of faith, arts, and justice. With over 25 years of experience leading non-profits, she is the founder of OMIJA, fostering courageous conversations and connections for Asian adoptees, and the... Read More →

Megan 고은 Tulius

Based in the Twin Cities, Megan 고은 Tulius facilitates a monthly support group for transracial adopted people. She studied Korean language and literature at the University of Minnesota, and is currently an LMFT graduate student at the University of St. Thomas. Inspired by discussions... Read More →

Friday June 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT
Highland 4 &5 (Lobby)

Adoptee-Only Session, Repeat Session

1:30pm EDT

Adoptee Perspectives From Around the World

Friday June 20, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT

Highland 4 &5 (Lobby)

Join Anna and Svetlana as they discuss the significant adoption changes that have occurred since KAAN last year. With the cessation of longstanding adoption programs in countries like China and Russia, alongside numerous international conflicts and increased public awareness of adoption issues, many adoptees are stepping forward to share their experiences. Engage in our conversation to explore the diverse and shared challenges faced by adoptees of different national origins. We invite you to reflect on how the past year has impacted you personally.

Speakers

Anna Sarkitova

Anna Sarkitova is an international adoptee from Saratov, Russia. She has been traveling the country as a travel nurse since January 2021, an adventure that has taken her and her husband to Baltimore, Detroit, Dearborn, Palo Alto, and Boston. This past fall she settled in Grand Rapids... Read More →

Svetlana Sandoval

Svetlana Sandoval is an International Adoptee from Russia. She was adopted to the U.S. during the peak wave of international adoptions in the late 90s. Svetlana is in reunion with her birthmother and family in Russia, and has been navigating reunion across language, cultural and legal... Read More →

Friday June 20, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
Highland 4 &5 (Lobby)

Adoptee-Only Session