Shows
Khmer VoicesNavigating Career Pivots with Sophaline MaoAs 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 ex...
2025-12-0950 minKhmer VoicesEmbracing Fear and Taking Risks with Dorothy ChowDorothy 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 si...
2025-11-251h 04Khmer VoicesKhmer Voices Turns 1 Part 2Part 2 of 2 of Khmer Voices Turns 1 features 6 takeaways to round out my 12 takeaways of the year. I wanted to highlight more, but saving them for another episode. Enjoy, and let me know if you've got any favourite takeaways from Khmer Voices.------------ Let's connect on Instagram and TikTok @KhmerVoices Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.
2025-11-1118 min
Life Between TitlesFrom Refugee Camp to Community Builder with Vanny WhitcheloWhat does it mean to move beyond survival and start creating something that didn’t exist before? In this powerful episode, Savan sits down with Vanny Whitchelo, host of Khmer Voices and co-founder of the Cambodian Cultural Center of Vancouver, for a deeply personal conversation about courage, community, and the next generation of the Cambodian diaspora.Born in the same refugee camp as Savan, Vanny shares how she turned reflection into action—launching a podcast, co-founding a nonprofit, and building community while working full-time and raising two kids. Together they explore the...
2025-11-031h 23Khmer VoicesSaran Uthayakumar Interviews Vanny Whitchelo for DissertationThis is a first! This interview with me was part of a study that Saran Uthayakumar is conducting for his PhD dissertation that examines the diasporic experiences of Cambodians and Tamils. The dissertation asks: How do memories of violence and transgenerational trauma make 1.5/2nd generation refugee diaspora members more compelled or repelled from embracing identities and participating in communal healing and revival?Saran wrote, "I was influenced by my best friend, who's French Khmer, and this project idea of ours was to connect our respective communities since our peoples were displaced after genocide in very d...
2025-10-281h 08Khmer VoicesKhmer Voices Turns 1!Khmer Voices is 26 episodes in and I've been podcasting consistently for one year! To celebrate, I'm highlighting 12 takeaways from guests. This is part 1 of 2. Please share Khmer Voices podcast with someone you think might enjoy our stories. ------------ Let's connect on Instagram and TikTok @KhmerVoices Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.
2025-10-1418 minKhmer VoicesWhat's Hindering Cambodia's Progress with Community Leader, Scholar, and Former Monk Sophoan SengSophoan Seng is a first generation Khmer Canadian, a husband, a father and he was a Buddhist monk for 14 years!In this episode, Sophoan shares his memories of growing up during the Vietnamese invasion in Cambodia. We cover his journey from his time in the monastery, his academic endeavours, and finally his work as a professional interpreter and community leader in Canada. Sophoan holds a BA in Philosophy from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Bangkok. From the University of Hawaii at Manoa, an MA in International Relations as well a Certificate from the school's Asia Pacific Leadership P...
2025-09-301h 22Khmer VoicesWhen Art is Your Calling with Cheerted KeoCheerted Keo immigrated to the Netherlands with his family in 1988 when he was two years old. Today this Khmer-Dutch mural artist lives in Phnom Penh and his work has been commissioned by the likes of Air Asia, Marriott Hotels, and OCIC, to name a few. In this conversation, Cheerted shares his journey as an artist navigating cultural identity, personal growth, and Cambodian art. He discusses the importance of community, the impact of family support, and the transition from fashion to murals. Cheerted emphasizes the need for a modern visual language that reflects Cambodia's rich culture an...
2025-09-161h 24
Reignite with ReetMeet Your Host- Live Interview with Reet GermanThe conversation that started it all. 💫 Rewatching Vanny Whitchelo and I dive deep into what it really means to reignite your life brings tears to my eyes. This wasn't just our first live recording – it was the moment our community was born. Vanny's questions pulled stories out of me I didn't even know I was ready to tell, and the energy in the room was pure magic.Every episode since has carried that same spirit of authenticity and transformation. As Season 1 comes to a close, I'm so grateful for that leap of faith, for Vanny's beautiful heart, and f...
2025-09-0954 minKhmer VoicesGrowing Up Khmer Krom in Fresno, California with Cali Poeu HuynhCali Poeu Huynh is a second generation Khmer Krom and Sino-Vietnamese American of Teochew descent. He was born and raised in Fresno California to refugee parents and 1.5 generation refugee siblings. In this episode, Cali discusses the complexities of identity in the context of multi-ethnic backgrounds. We also cover the impact of cultural heritage, language, and historical context on personal identity, as well as the inter-ethnic tensions that can arise within diaspora communities. When it comes to his journey in his education and profession, he describes it as non-linear, i.e. majoring in Asian American Studies an...
2025-09-021h 02Khmer VoicesDecolonizing Therapy with Mao Beckett LCSW, LICSWMao Beckett (she/they) LCSW, LICSW is a liberation-centered, EMDR-certified practitioner, somatic-spiritual therapist and guide. She supports individuals in healing relational wounds, overcoming internalized oppression, and improving interpersonal connections. Through ancestral and spiritual practices, she helps folks reconnect with themselves and reclaim their voice. Her decolonized, non-pathologizing approach fosters transformation in mind, body, spirit, and community, guiding people to build ecosystems rooted in collective care and resistance to systemic harm.In this conversation, Mao shares her journey as a second generation Khmer American, reflecting on her cultural identity, family dynamics, the impact of her upbringing on her...
2025-08-191h 19Khmer VoicesWhy Celebrating Our Khmer Roots is More Important than Ever with Cambodian Cultural Centre President Sopheaktra (Peter) HeangSopheaktra (Peter) Heang and I discuss the establishment of the Cambodian Cultural Centre in British Columbia, Canada which aims to reconnect and unite the Cambodian diaspora with our heritage through arts, community building, and cultural events. We reflect on the success of the Roots of Compassion event in July and the upcoming Echoes of Angkor celebration in October, emphasizing the importance of unity and cultural preservation amidst challenges - in particular, the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. The conversation highlights the vision for a vibrant community space that fosters learning, mentorship, and cultural exchange.
2025-08-0532 min
Khmer Tree PodcastVanny Whitchelo - Founder & Host of Khmer Voices PodcastVanny Whitchelo - Founder & Host of Khmer Voices Podcast
2025-07-2752 minKhmer VoicesCambodian Legacy Project with Nonprofit's Founder Ah Ny (Kaovny) JonasAhNy (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 p...
2025-07-0859 min
Reignite with ReetFrom Surviving to Thriving: A Journey of Resilience & Cultural Identity with Vanny WhitcheloWhat if you could find yourself in the stories of those who are healing alongside you?Vanny Whitchelo, the fabulous and dynamic host of KHMER VOICES, started a podcast to answer that very question.In this conversation, Reet and Vanny explore what it means to honor your family’s struggles without being defined by them—and to celebrate the joy, connection, and identity you’re creating in the present.Vanny shares how reconnecting with her Cambodian heritage has shaped her healing journey and how amplifying others’ voices has helped her more fully embrace her own...
2025-07-031h 07Khmer VoicesQuiet Cambodian Girl Who Found her Voice with Nan (Samantha) LeSamantha 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...
2025-06-241h 13Khmer VoicesHow Khmer Voices Has Impacted Me with Host Vanny WhitcheloI, 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 al...
2025-06-1034 minKhmer VoicesWe Come From Greatness with Khmer Tree Podcaster Chad SammethChad 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.
2025-05-2756 minKhmer VoicesSeeing the Power of Privilege at Play with Savan KongWhen 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, Un...
2025-05-131h 03Khmer VoicesInvestment Banker Turned Startup Founder with Hervé KyHervé 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...
2025-04-291h 00Khmer VoicesAll Things Cambodian with @allthingscambodian Creator Ryan SamnRyan 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 t...
2025-04-151h 21Khmer VoicesIt's Never Too Late with Sopheaktra (Peter) HeangSopheaktra 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, Sop...
2025-04-0159 minKhmer VoicesRepresentation in Children's Books with Chanda Ouk WolfAuthor of A Dozen Delicious Donuts: A Sweet Cambodian American Story, Chanda Ouk Wolf has loved reading for as long as she can remember, but growing up in the United States, she never came across stories that gave her a sense of who she is as a Cambodian American. Chanda grew up in Long Beach, California and later Lowell, Massachusetts, both home to the two largest Khmer communities in the US. In this episode, we discuss the cultural significance of Cambodian-owned donut shops, navigating higher education and exploring different career options, her motivations for writing ch...
2025-03-1851 minKhmer VoicesChanging Careers at 37 with Cheata Nao from Cheata Cooks CambodianBorn and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Cheata Nao is a second generation Khmer Canadian who is pursuing a new career showcasing Cambodian cuisine. She has always been a good cook and loved hosting dinner parties since she was a teenager, but back then she was focused on learning how to master western dishes. It wasn’t until she moved away for university that she really missed her mom’s Cambodian cooking. That’s when she started experimenting and trying to replicate her mom’s delicious dishes. Cheata spent the last 17 years in the wine industry as a buyer...
2025-03-041h 01Khmer VoicesTransforming Emotional Pain into Purpose with Heng VayHeng Vay is a second generation Khmer American who was born in Los Angeles, Calfornia, spent his early teenage years in Minnesota, and then moved to Texas where he currently resides with his wife and two children. At the age of 14, Heng’s parents arranged a marriage for him. And guess what? Over 20 years later, they’re still together! Heng and his wife owned and operated a donut shop for 10 years. For a while, he was content making more than enough money to sustain his family, but he got tired of the long hours and he lost his p...
2025-02-181h 03Khmer VoicesThe "Lucky Princess" with Rothany SarRothany Sar is a first generation Khmer American who arrived in the United States via an arranged marriage. The Cambodian community here often said to her she was “so lucky” and her life was like that of a princess. But she didn’t identify with either of those labels. Was she lucky? Why didn’t she accept being a “princess?”Rothany was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. In 1992, when she was 6 years old, the camps closed and she and her family were forced to go to Cambodia. Their family of four started a new life there with o...
2025-02-041h 11Khmer VoicesFinding Community After Loneliness & Making an Impact with Mitchell KeoMitchell Keo is a second generation Khmer American born and raised in Houston, Texas. He grew up in a Mexican neighbourhood, and never felt a connection to a community growing up. He started exploring his Asian American identity while studying biology at University of Texas at Austin. Today, Mitchell works as a software engineer and credits his love for books and Sokha, owner of Mam's Bookstore, for helping him explore his cultural identity and cultivate his very own community through his book club, Seattle Chinatown Book Club. Connect with Mitchell on Instagram or LinkedIn.
2025-01-2157 minKhmer VoicesThe Cambodian Can Collector with Keo SarKeo Sar is one of 6 children in his family. At a young age, his father who was the breadwinner got injured at work which resulted in him going on disability. To bridge the gap between disability cheques, he, his older brother, and their father would wake up early to dig in people's trash bins for cans before school started. Back then, recycling and garbage weren't separated! Kids at school called Keo, "the Cambodian Can Collector." In this episode, Keo shares his remarkable journey from being born in a Thai refugee camp to growing up in San Diego...
2025-01-071h 10Khmer VoicesTaking the Path Not Taught in School with Channy SalazarChanny Salazar is a strong, resilient, and tenacious lady from Texas, USA. She was born in Cambodia in 1973 and remembers bits and pieces of her time before arriving and settling in the US. Her recollections (at the 4 minute mark and lasting about 1 minute) are traumatic. Life wasn't easy growing up, but she had the love and support of her parents and grandparents. They instilled in her the importance of getting an education and how that will get her out of poverty. But school didn't teach her what she eventually became after 13 years in corporate: a successful entrepreneur.
2024-12-1056 minKhmer VoicesThe Only Asian in The Class with Sokha MovSokha Mov shares her journey from being born in a refugee camp in Thailand to growing up in France where she was the only Asian in her class, navigating cultural identity, and pursuing a career in law and public service. She discusses her transition to Cambodia, the challenges of adapting to life there even though she’s koun Khmer and she speaks the language with good fluency. She’s currently working at an NGO that provides a well rounded education to girls from kindergarten to post-secondary and is also an Advisor for Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor and Vo...
2024-11-2658 minKhmer VoicesFrom Stay-at-Home Mom to Technical Lead Delivering IT ProjectsDimary (aka Mary) Leak didn't know how to speak English when she started kindergarten. A non-satisfactory test score in grade 1 ignited her desire to perform well academically, which she did all through primary and secondary school. When it came time to decide on a career however, she didn't have a clear direction or vision, and life went on.In this episode, we talk about Mary's pivot from stay-at-home mom to working in IT, the challenges she faced (some noted above) and how she overcame them. We connected over our parents' over-protectiveness and how we navigated that. We...
2024-11-1229 minKhmer VoicesWhat next? Rediscovering yourself with Soeun OuthGrowing up, even though Soeun knew what she wanted to do, she let the words of others cloud her judgment at times. We discuss this and her journey in rediscovering herself and her heritage in her 40s. She’s gotten to a point in her career where she’s content and doesn’t know what her next move is, and we talk about navigating this. Soeun has over two decades of experience in administrative college and university positions, and currently holds the position of Director, National Recruitment and Market Development at Centennial College in Toronto, Canada. She has als...
2024-10-2729 minKhmer VoicesBuilding Community and Cultural Pride with Marpheen ChannIn this episode, Marpheen Chann shares his personal story of growing up in rural Maine, US which includes foster care and being adopted by a religious white working class family, the trauma his family experienced as a result of the Khmer Rouge, and his journey of self-discovery and cultural reconnection.Marpheen Chann works in the nonprofit and advocacy sector as Executive Director and Founder of Khmer Maine and does consulting work for nonprofits and political campaigns. He's also an award-winning author and speaker on intersectionality, inclusion, and belonging. Marpheen's instagram -- www.instagram.com/marpheenchann
2024-10-1352 minKhmer VoicesIntroducing: Khmer Voices with VannyKhmer Voices shines a spotlight on the achievements of the Khmer diaspora around the world. We chat with inspiring guests who are achieving success in their fields. From entrepreneurs and artists to community leaders and techies, we’ll explore their paths to success and the unique challenges they’ve overcome. Representation matters! And through these conversations, I aim to amplify the voices of the Cambodian community, inspire the next generation, and showcase the diverse talents and contributions of Khmer people worldwide.------------ Let's connect on Instagram and TikTok @KhmerVoices Do you have...
2024-10-1302 minKhmer VoicesThea Em's Journey: A Testament to ResilienceThea Em shares her journey from being a refugee in Canada to becoming a nurse. While she was studying, she was involved in a serious car accident that left her in a coma and affected her memory. She faced other hurdles on top of these, and she shares how she got through them in this episode. ------------ Let's connect on Instagram and TikTok @KhmerVoices Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.
2024-10-1326 min