Rady Mey Oum is a Khmer Rouge genocide survivor, refugee, and lifelong advocate for Khmer arts and culture. Her journey from war-torn Cambodia to the United States is one of resilience, hope, and deep devotion to cultural preservation.
For more than 35 years, Rady has shared her passion for Cambodian classical and folk dance as both a performer and teacher. Through her artistry, she has helped revive and sustain traditional dance forms that were nearly lost during the Khmer Rouge regime.
As the Founder and Artistic Director of Cambodian Classical and Folk Dance of the Northwest (CCFDNW), Rady has dedicated her life to passing on the beauty and meaning of Khmer dance to younger generations. Under her leadership, CCFDNW has become a vibrant space where youth learn discipline, grace, and cultural pride through the art of dance.
Beyond her artistic work, Rady is a seasoned educator with more than three decades of experience in school administration, multilingual education, and special education. She serves as the Assistant Director for Multilingual Education in Tacoma Public Schools, Washington, where she provides leadership, professional development, and strategic direction to promote equitable learning opportunities for multilingual learners across the district.
Rady is a certified K–12 Principal and Program Administrator, holds K–12 certification in Multilingual Learners and P–12 certification in Special Education, and is a certified GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) Trainer for grades 1–12. In her role, she designs and facilitates professional learning that enhances language development and academic achievement. Her deep commitment to equity, identity, and education guides everything she does—both in schools and on stage.