Lee Ann Kim's on-going endeavors truly reflected the values and mission of the award founders. A first-generation Korean American, Lee Ann anchored the news and was a general assignment reporter for KGTV Channel 10, ABC Television's local affiliate. She worked at KGTV from 1996 to 2008. She also served as executive director of Pacific Arts Movement (formerly the San Diego Asian Film Foundation), which presents the annual San Diego Asian Film Festival, an event she founded in 2000 with the Asian American Journalists Association of San Diego. Kim served as executive director of the San Diego Asian Film Foundation and Pac-Arts until she retired from the nonprofit in April 2016. She has received numerous awards for her work including an Emmy for investigative reporting, the California Teachers' Association award for best educational reporting for her coverage of bilingual education, and best news report by the California Chicano News Media Association, and two national Asian American Journalists Association awards for best reporting in Asian and non-Asian related issues.