About KK

Hi, I'm KK! I believe every person deserves to feel seen, understood, and equipped to navigate what life brings their way.

As a first-generation Burmese American, I grew up knowing what it felt like to be the only one in the room, navigating bullying, limited resources, and the weight of big emotions without always having the words for them. It was through the support of mentors, community, and faith that I found my footing and my purpose. When my father suffered a life-threatening stroke, I turned to what I knew: I wrote and illustrated My Whole Heart! — a children's book about emotions, big and small, and the courage it takes to feel them.

That book became a movement. As a psychology graduate and researcher at the University of Notre Dame's Shaw Center for Children and Families, I work on NIH-funded projects focused on family well-being  

and emotional health,  then bring that understanding into real classrooms through The Whole Heart Initiative. Whether I'm in the lab, in a school, or on a stage, my goal is the same: to be a bridge that connects people to understanding, to each other, and to themselves.

I'm a four-time published illustrator-author, a community advocate, and someone who is chronically curious and creatively resourceful. Most of all, I'm someone who believes the time to start the conversation is always now.