Name: 2026 CKA NextGen Summit
Start: 2026-10-23T08:00:00.000-07:00
End: 2026-10-23T21:00:00.000-07:00
Location: Fairmont Century Plaza Los Angeles at Beverly Hills

Council of Korean Americans

CKA 2026 NextGen Summit | October 23, 2026

Building a career is rarely a straight line—and standard professional networks rarely address the unique realities of the Korean American experience.

How we work, lead, and build our careers is shifting rapidly. While global appreciation for Korean culture and heritage is at an all-time high, dedicated spaces to explore how identity, voice, and culture shape modern leadership remain exceptionally rare. Navigating career transitions, overcoming burnout, breaking into competitive industries, and finding authentic community are challenges no one should have to figure out alone.

As the only national organization dedicated to Korean American leadership development from C-suite executives to emerging trailblazers, the 

 is proud to launch the Inaugural 2026 CKA NextGen Summit.

emerging Korean diaspora young leaders, creators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers

, this high-impact gathering is a space to rethink what is possible for your career and leadership journey. Whether breaking into tech, law, civic engagement, healthcare, creative fields, or entrepreneurship—or simply seeking a community that truly gets it—this space was built for you.

This summit was not created behind closed doors. To design a experience that deeply reflects the real-world needs of our rising generation, CKA spent four months on a national listening tour, gathering direct insights from 150+ young professionals, students, recent graduates, and community leaders across the country.

The mandate was clear: emerging leaders want candid mentorship, real conversations about navigating failure, tools for mental health and resilience, and guidance on how to step boldly into their Korean American voice.

Welcome to a day built around those pillars—a space to ask hard questions, embrace new challenges, and forge lifelong friendships. More than just a gathering of young professionals, this summit offers direct access to CKA’s broader executive network, with CKA members and C-suite leaders meeting right next door and joining throughout the day.

 turns years of vision into reality—bringing 15+ years of organizational learning into an empowering, home-like space where the next generation can grow, lead, and thrive.

🍽 Plus breakfast, lunch, dinner bites, and some snacks are on us!

Drop into small-group table discussions led by subject-matter experts across key industries:

Looking for individual feedback on your career path or leadership journey? Connect with experienced Korean American mentors who are excited to support emerging leaders.

 Slots are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis

—indicate your interest during registration to reserve your spot.

Keep the conversation and connections going at the 

 at ELOREA Los Angeles in Koreatown! We will head over together directly following the program.

Look forward to music, delicious bites provided by CKA, and bespoke beverages crafted after ELOREA’s signature scents. Plus, hear inspiring, brief remarks from 

Come raise a glass with us as we celebrate our community.

Thank you Sponsors and Community Partners

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to sponsors, community partners, volunteers, and many contributors who made generous support to help make the 2026 NextGen Summit possible.

We want to make sure everyone who wishes to attend can do so! Thanks to support from the 

 we are offering a limited number of subsidized scholarships for those facing financial hardship.

is a national non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the voice, interest, and influence of the Korean American community through education, collaboration, and leadership development. CKA connects national leaders across business, public service, academia, arts, and philanthropy to mentor the next generation and shape the broader American narrative.

Come ready to connect, learn, and envision what’s next.

If you have any questions reach out to us at info@councilka.org.

Evening Event Location is ELOREA Los Angeles