Grace Tsai knows firsthand how fragile dreams can be — and how transformative opportunity is. In 2015, during a family camping trip to Yosemite, her son Dragon and his friend tragically lost their lives when a tree branch fell on their tent. Out of this unimaginable loss, Grace co-founded the Dragon Kim Foundation to honor Dragon and ensure other young people could pursue their passions and give back to their communities.
The foundation began by offering free music lessons and instruments, reflecting Dragon’s own love of music. In 2017, it expanded to include the Dragon Kim Fellowship Program, which provides high school students with up to $5,000 in seed funding, six months of leadership training, and weekly mentorship to launch community service projects. The fellowship has grown from 11 fellows in its first year to 119 in 2024, with many coming from various socio-economic backgrounds. To date, 100% of participants go on to college—proof of the program’s transformative impact.
With three decades of marketing and nonprofit experience, Grace connects the foundation to funders, volunteers, and advocates through both persuasive strategy and heartfelt storytelling. Her belief, and that of the foundation, is clear: “The world underestimates young people. We’re here to change that.” That conviction has helped build a movement of support, enabling thousands of teens to discover their talents and apply them in service to others.
Beyond the foundation, Grace serves as Revenue Director at the Letterform Archive, is an active member of the Stanford GSB Asian Alumni Chapter, and is a volunteer leader for class reunions. She also helped organize the non-traditional careers panel at the 2024 Stanford GSB Asian Leadership Conference.
When asked in an interview about what inspires her, Grace said: “Beauty, poetry, art give me sustenance… and I’m inspired by my kind and talented children, Hannah and Dragon.”
