Jason Koo
Beacon,NY
Summary
Award-winning Korean American poet, professor, and editor with twenty-five years of experience in writing, editing, and publishing. Visionary founder and executive director of the nonprofit Brooklyn Poets and director of creative writing at Quinnipiac University, with a proven track record in steering organizations and programs toward success through strategic planning, team building, innovation, and effective management. Known for high productivity and efficient multitasking across various jobs in different industries, with a demonstrated ability to transform challenges into opportunities, resulting in significant impact on growth and profitability.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder & Executive Director
Brooklyn Poets
Brooklyn, NY
05.2012 - Current
- Developed and implemented strategic business plans, transforming a small poetry blog into one of the nation's top nonprofit organizations in the field of poetry, offering workshops, classes, events, and innovative programs through both physical and virtual platforms.
- Directed the opening of the organization's first brick-and-mortar location in historic Brooklyn Heights, collaborating with board and staff members, designers, general contractors, real estate agents, and attorneys to transform an existing space into a highly distinctive cultural venue in New York City.
- Provide leadership for all operational aspects of the organization, including board and staff recruitment, development, management, collaboration, and assessment.
- Spearhead marketing efforts, including writing, editing, and proofreading promotional content for the company's website, newsletter, social media, and press releases.
- Edited major print and online publications for the organization over its initial decade, which encompassed the esteemed "Poet of the Week" feature on the company website as well as the pioneering Brooklyn Poets Anthology, the inaugural anthology dedicated to contemporary Brooklyn poets.
- Lead fundraising efforts for the organization by establishing strong connections with donors, securing grants through meticulous application processes, and orchestrating memorable events such as galas and festivals.
- Manage company finances by overseeing budgeting, bookkeeping, forecasting, investing, and financial reporting.
Associate Teaching Professor of English
Quinnipiac University
Hamden, CT
08.2012 - Current
- Direct the English department's creative writing program, coordinating events featuring visiting authors and collaborating with committees to judge annual undergraduate writing contests.
- Manage the annual budget for creative writing program events and publicity, successfully securing additional funding through grant applications and partnerships with student groups.
- Develop innovative initiatives like an undergraduate certificate in creative writing and a summer camp in creative writing for high school students.
- Collaborate with university colleagues on various committees such as the College of Arts & Sciences Executive Committee and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
- Design inclusive curricula for teaching creative writing, literature, and composition by highlighting the work of marginalized writers.
- Craft engaging writing prompts and assignments to inspire students to write with confidence and strengthen their foundational skills.
- Provide meticulous feedback to students on their writing, which includes line edits for mechanical issues and global comments on the overall work.
- Inspire students to embrace experimentation and step out of their comfort zone by encouraging them to view failure as an integral part of the writing process.
- Facilitate student-led writing workshops to encourage substantive critiques, fostering a shift from teacher-centered to student-centered learning.
- Conduct one-on-one conferences with students, guiding them in cultivating their distinctive writing style and voice.
Education
Ph.D. - English And Creative Writing
University of Missouri - Columbia
Columbia, MO08-2007
Master of Fine Arts - Creative Writing
University of Houston
Houston, TX05-2002
Bachelor of Arts - English
Yale University
New Haven, CT05-1998
Skills
- Creative Writing
- Social Media Content Writing
- Editing & Proofreading
- Teaching, Team Building & Leadership
- Strategic Planning
- Operations Management
- Financial Management
- Fundraising & Marketing
Websites
Languages
English
Native language
Portuguese
Upper Intermediate (B2)
B2
Korean
Elementary (A2)
A2
French
Upper Intermediate (B2)
B2
Spanish
Elementary (A2)
A2
Timeline
Associate Teaching Professor of English
Quinnipiac University
08.2012 - Current
Founder & Executive Director
Brooklyn Poets
05.2012 - Current
Ph.D. - English And Creative Writing
University of Missouri - Columbia
Master of Fine Arts - Creative Writing
University of Houston
Bachelor of Arts - English
Yale University