Khmer Voices – Détails, épisodes et analyse

As a 1.5 generation Cambodian American growing up in Stockton, California, Sophaline Mao was shaped by the vibrancy of her heritage and the challenges of navigating a bicultural identity. These early experiences forged her deep empathy, strong work ethic, and lifelong devotion to empowering others.

Fueled by a commitment to education and self-betterment, Sophaline worked tirelessly to excel academically, ultimately earning dual graduate degrees from the University of San Francisco: a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Asia Pacific Studies. These achievements opened the door to an international career in the Asia-Pacific region—an experience that further expanded her worldview and strengthened her leadership.

In this episode, Sophaline gives us a look into her upbringing, her journey from school to work, and her canny pursuits to live life to the fullest and with purpose.

Currently practicing real estate in California, she also volunteers her time as the 2026 President of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® Alameda County, the Vice President of the Board for Tri-Valley Haven, and a Board Member of Caring for Cambodia.

Connect with Sophaline:

https://www.instagram.com/sophalinemao/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophalinemao/

https://www.facebook.com/sophalinemao209/

Podcast https://www.lovelistingslegacy.com/

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Dorothy Chow is a second generation Cambodian American who grew up in donut shops. She described her father as the northern California version of The Donut King. 

Her father's detailed account of his time surviving the Khmer Rouge regime and his subsequent life in the US on their podcast Death in Cambodia, Life in America earned them international coverage in media such as the CBS Morning Show and South China Morning News. 

In this episode, Dorothy describes how growing up, her parents steered her and her siblings towards their Chinese heritage more than their Cambodian side, her college and career pivots, why she ultimately decided to join the family businesses, and why she started the podcast. 

We also covered the launch of her nonprofit organization aimed at supporting mental health resources and encouraging genocide survivors to share their stories. 

Learn more https://www.deathincambodiapodcast.com/

Connect with Dorothy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deathincambodia/

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AhNy (Kaovny) Jonas is a Cambodian-American advocate, nonprofit leader, and cultural educator based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Cambodian Legacy Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Cambodian heritage while empowering the next generation of Cambodian-Americans to embrace both their cultural roots and American identity. 

Through storytelling, intergenerational connection, and community-based programming, AhNy works to strengthen cultural pride and belonging for families navigating dual identities.

In this episode, AhNy reflects on her experiences growing up carrying the weight of inherited trauma, her family's financial struggles, the positive impact of her teachers, and her decision to start the Cambodian Legacy Project. 

We also talked about the importance of hearing our parents' stories straight from them, something that AhNy didn't have a chance to do with her late father. 

Follow Cambodian Legacy Project on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/clprojectclt/

Note, this is the last episode of season 1. Khmer Voices will return on August 5 with season 2. Thank you for listening!

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Samantha Le—Nan at home, Sam at work—is the Vice President of Operations at Sagewind Capital, a New York–based private equity firm she’s called home since 2018. There, she leads firmwide operations across HR, IT, and everything in between. Before stepping into the world of private equity, Nan cycled through 10 full-time jobs, 8 part-time jobs, and 6 gigs—viewing work as a survival tool more than a calling. It paid the bills, helped her support family, and taught her how to keep going.

She was the first in her family to earn a college degree, graduating from UCLA with a BA in English at 26. At 40, she completed her MBA in Finance from Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business. For Nan, it’s never too late to become who we’re meant to be—or to decide that who we are is already enough.

Outside the office, Nan finds joy in cycling, sewing, and storytelling. She’s passionate about cultural reclamation and healing intergenerational trauma—especially within the Cambodian diaspora. Her creative work braids memory, identity, and transformation through personal essays and handmade fashion rooted in Khmer textiles. She’s currently learning to read and write in Khmer, reclaiming the language her parents once carried across an ocean.

Through storytelling, a growing Khmer American wardrobe, and community connection, Nan is committed to honoring her past while shaping a future that feels both joyful and true.

Connect with Nan on Instagram https://instagram.com/samle_v101 and LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/samanthayle

Read Nan's Substack https://samanthale.substack.com/

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I, Khmer Voices host, Vanny Whitchelo share my story in this solo episode. 

I talk about how my family moved around a lot in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada -- four times by the time I was in grade 8, my struggle to feel a sense of belonging, my career paths, and how Khmer Voices came to be.

You'll also hear a voice note from a new listener, which he has approved for sharing. 

Thank you for listening to Khmer Voices. I hope you enjoy this episode!

Along with the socials below, you can also connect with me on LinkedIn. 

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Chad Sammeth is a Khmer American who has been involved in the Cambodian community over the last two decades - primarily in Long Beach, California's Cambodia Town. This started in his early twenties whilst seeking to discover and reconnect with his Cambodian heritage and roots. 

This episode briefly covers his journey from IT to marketing, and focuses on the influential people that shaped him, the impact he wants to make, and his hopes for the Cambodian diaspora. We also discuss the complexities of navigating cultural expectations as first generation immigrants and the importance of community engagement.

Despite battling terminal cancer the past three years, Chad is still planting the seeds for the Khmer community and next generation to thrive. 

His journey of self-discovery has recently led him to creating the Khmer Tree podcast where he interviews people of the Cambodian diaspora. He captures his guests' personal stories, cultural traditions, and reflections on identity, heritage, and community. 

Find Chad on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/khmer.tree/

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When Savanrith (Savan) Kong attended Lakeside School, a prestigious private school with famous alumni such as Bill Gates and Paul Allen, he entered a world he only saw on television. 

In this episode, while exploring the theme of privilege, Savan also notes that luck sometimes comes into play, and grit. He talks about the limited access to resources and people his Khmer friends had compared to those in his alternate more privileged world. 

As a child of Cambodian parents who fled to Thailand as a result of the Khmer Rouge then settling in Seattle, Washington, United States he felt the pressure to exceed the highest expectations. 

A keener, go-getter, and always having a hard time slowing down, Savan's resume spans the private sector, where he built, scaled, and optimized innovative products across technology, real estate, and consumer industries. 

As the first employee at Redfin (NASDAQ: RDFN), he co-authored a patented (US9436945B2) interactive, map-based search and advertising technology that helped define modern real estate search. He contributed to medical software development at Kareo, led consumer design at Amazon, and held executive roles at Conenza and BlogTalkRadio during their early stages.

Most recently, Savan served as the first Customer Experience Officer (CXO) for the United States Department of Defense, where he led the Customer Experience Officer Portfolio Management Office. He played a critical role in shaping strategies that modernized digital services and customer interactions across the defense enterprise. His impact in the field of defense innovation was recognized with the 2024 DefenseScoop Industry Leadership Award.

Savan is currently in the process of writing a memoir and releases short stories on his website SavanKong.com.

Connect with Savan:

• LinkedIn Savanrith Kong
• Instagram @halfway_light

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Hervé Ky is a second generation French Cambodian born and raised in a suburb of Paris, France. He is the Co-Founder of Keybento, a home exchange platform that caters to families, providing them with affordable family-friendly accommodations. 

Hervé shares how his parents pushed him and his two sisters to excel in school, and how he had a difficult time getting a finance job in London, England because his English wasn’t strong enough. Today, he’s a polyglot communicating in French, Spanish, English, and Khmer. 

We covered his transition from investment banking to founding a startup with his life partner, sharing his highs and lows of entrepreneurship. He also reflects on his inspirations and aspirations of his business. A great episode for those exploring entrepreneurship, particularly in technology.

Become a Keybento member at Keybento.com

Connect with Keybento on Instagram and TikTok and Hervé on Linkedin

Follow Herve’s partner Ilona on YouTube where she details her life and journey in building Keybento.

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Ryan Samn is an Asian American writer, educator, and cultural practitioner. Ryan also runs the Instagram account @allthingscambodian where he shares impactful and insightful posts on Cambodian culture exploring themes of culture, identity, and language.

In this episode, Ryan shares his career journey from starting as an English language instructor in Faa'a Tahiti, French Polynesia to now a College Recruiter, managing the Outreach office and collaborating with local high schools.

We also delve into the complexities of Cambodian identity, the nuances of ethnic labels and language, and indigenous Khmer tribes. 

And importantly, he talked about his struggles with mental health, being bullied, and how his decisions led him to a life that not only put him in danger, but also his family. 

In 2023, he became a self published author and released Khmer Gat Chen - Southern Chinese Diaspora in Cambodia (a comparative study of the Chinese-Cambodian culture and I'll Be There, Too (a 45-piece debut collection of poetry). 

You may be interested in exploring these further:

The IG of the young gentlemen who is super knowledgeable of Cambodian music: https://www.instagram.com/seihamedia

The Podcast Ryan started for Tahitian American families: https://rss.com/podcasts/te-reva-nei-au/

The YouTube Channel Ryan praised for teaching us about the different ethnic groups in Cambodia: https://www.youtube.com/@Road_taste

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Sopheaktra Heang (aka Peter) is a Khmer Canadian who was born in a Thai refugee camp. He moved around a lot in his childhood and didn’t establish roots until he was an adult. 

Like many of us koun Khmer, his parents are survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide; this along with other emotionally and psychologically traumatic events in his childhood greatly affected him. He was in with the wrong crowd, dropped out of high school, and encountered problems with the law.

Returning to high school at 19 and obtaining a diploma in Financial Management at 24, Sopheaktra eventually found his path through education and entrepreneurship, starting a now thriving floral business with his wife called The Heart Company. When they started the business 11 years ago, they had no floral knowledge! Now, The Heart Company caters to large scale special events such as weddings and corporate functions. 

Sopheaktra also serves as the Cultural Consultant for the play Cambodian Rock Band, in Vancouver highlighting the importance of cultural representation and storytelling.

Cambodian Rock Band will be in Vancouver until April 6, 2025, so although tickets are limited, there are some left at the time of publishing this episode and there’s still time to attend. Buy tickets here.

Follow The Heart Company on Instagram @heartcompany604

Sopheaktra's Favourite Books:

Key Person of Influence by Daniel Priestl

Atomic Habits - James Clear

Art of Learning - Josh Waitzkin

His Favourite Youtubers:

Myron Golden - Peter writes, "This channel exists for the purpose of empowering entrepreneurs and encouraging them to the great heights that can not come from anywhere else."

Little Bit Better - Personal development & business books to help small business owners improve their lives and businesses.

JL Jupiter - Khmer American Food Vlogger 

Peter's Notable Instagram Influencers

Randall Pich - Khmer American Entrepreneur. Owner of LVFT brand apparel

A business podcaster Sopheaktra finds valuable:

The Game with Alex Hormozi - Hosted by entrepreneur, founder, investor, author, public speaker, and content creator Alex Hormozi. On this podcast you'll hear how to get more customers.

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Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

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