Discover Our Staff

Contact Lindsay: ldumas@brightstarschools.org

Lindsay Dumas serves as the Community School Manager for Rise Kohyang Elementary where she collaborates with students, families, staff, and community partners to address essential school community needs. She envisions school as a place where everyone belongs, works together, and can thrive.

Lindsay has spent the last decade working in higher education and non-profit organizations focused on advancing educational equity. She strives to create safe and brave spaces for students, families, and communities through the use of restorative practices, and enjoys challenging the status quo and encouraging others to think outside the box. Lindsay holds her Master of Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for the Educational Policy, Organization, and Leadership program with an emphasis on diversity and equity. 

Originally from Minnesota, Lindsay lives in Long Beach with her husband, Jonathan, and in her free time she can be found watching women’s soccer, spending quality time with family and friends, traveling, eating spicy food, y practicando su español.

Ruth Kim is the principal of Rise Kohyang Middle School, and leads the school by empowering the Phoenixes with compassion to learn and grow to give back to their own kohyang (hometown). She encourages students to achieve academic excellence and grow their unique talents so they find joy and fulfillment in higher education, career, and life.

Ruth started with RKMS in its founding year in 2012. Previously, Ruth served Rise Kohyang Middle School as Assistant Principal and an English Language Arts teacher for eight years. During that time, she was also the 6th grade-level chair and ELA department lead, and she became a National Board Certified teacher in 2018. Ruth transitioned to her principal position in 2020.

Ruth holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UC Irvine, multiple-subject and administrative credentials from Cal State Fullerton, and a master’s in educational administration from Cal State Fullerton.