Kevin Sunga

Deputy Director

Hi! I’m Kevin Sunga, Little Manila Rising’s Deputy Director overseeing the Urban Forestry program and financial sustainability.

What does a typical work week look like for you?

A day in my life is supporting our program leaders with grants, implementing programs effectively, and advancing the organization's mission and vision through advocacy in different spaces. Both responsibilities are very different, requiring different skills and wearing different hats. When I put my grants hat on, I support program leaders in identifying funding opportunities suited for them, strategizing plans, and helping prepare their proposals for the funder. When I put my program support hat on, I check in with program directors to provide direction, help overcome programmatic challenges, and re-examine processes to mitigate operational barriers. My favorite part about my job is having 1:1 time with directors- they're all amazing people with different personalities. It's common to have funny and memorable moments during these meetings.

How’d you get to LMR?

Funny enough, my wife was a Little Manila After School Program (LMASP) Educator and heavily tied to the organization, so I learned about LMR when I lived in the Bay Area. It was a subconscious dream of mine to work for LMR while working at UCSF Medical Center as an administrative leader. I felt connected to their mission and work, understanding my family's journey to America from the Philippines and the importance of cultivating space to build community. In 2021, my dream became a reality when I started as a COVID-19 mitigation coordinator, then as Program Director, to Grants & Fiscal Sustainability Director, and boom, I'm now in my current position as Deputy Director. I hope my journey illustrates that life is nonlinear and as you grow older, new passions may emerge that can steer your professional course.

What do you like to do when you're not at LMR?

I love planes, and I love flying. When I say flying, I do mean travel, but I have logged flight hours as a student pilot. I love film, particularly horror films after understanding it's just a mystery movie in disguise. I enjoy brainteasers such as NY Times puzzles and murder mystery games. I'm also an avid lifter trying to bump up my records on deadlifts constantly.

What does Stockton mean to you?

Stockton is a place of resiliency that has overcome harsh narratives.