Mai Anna Pressley

Mai Anna serves as the Operations Manager at the Korea Economic Institute and as the Public Programming Lead for the National Association for Black Engagement with Asia (NABEA), where she coordinates public and partnered events. With a robust focus on providing the NABEA community access to a diverse range of U.S.-Asia relationship insights, Mai Anna is instrumental in forging and managing partnerships to plan these events jointly.

Her interest in Asia deepened during her undergraduate studies when she studied abroad in South Korea. This experience spurred her to return to Korea to teach English and later earn a Master’s Degree in International Studies with a focus on East Asia from Korea University’s Graduate School of International Studies. Her academic and professional interests center on South Korean history, politics, popular culture, and North Korean human rights.

At the Korea Economic Institute of America, Mai Anna coordinates the visits of policymakers and researchers, supports programming, oversees the intern program, and manages day-to-day operations. Outside of work, she indulges in exploring new dining experiences in the Washington, D.C., area and enjoys the latest Korean dramas.