Laura Ouk

PRESIDENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Laura Ouk is a Cambodian educator based in Chicago. She was born in Paris, France after her family fled from the Khmer Rouge. Her family resettled in Chicago in the mid-1990s, where Laura grew up to be the first in her family to go through the American public education system. 

Laura has over a decade of experience in various educational settings, from elementary to high school to school administration. As a Pre-K-12 classroom educator, she gained hands-on experience of developing and implementing curriculum, allowing her to create and deliver effective instructional materials catered to the diverse needs of her students. Now, in her administrative capacity, Laura draws upon the extensive classroom experience to inform and influence the broader educational policies and strategies that she helps shape. 

She represented the Cambodian Association of Illinois on the steering committee led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago that advocated for the TEAACH Act in 2021, making Illinois the first state in the US to require the teaching of Asian American history in Illinois public schools. Laura has since been actively involved with its implementation through developing curricular resources and facilitating professional development workshops. 

Her involvement with Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago gives Laura many opportunities to support fellow educators across the country as they work to incorporate AANHPI history, experiences and contributions to their curricula. Laura intentionally strives to uplift the Cambodian community in the realm of education. She looks forward to serving the Cambodian community in Chicago and beyond through the boards of the Cambodian Association of Illinois and the National Cambodian Heritage Museum, promoting ongoing community celebrations.