Meet Jesse Hong
His Life Story So Far…
Jesse Hong grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and attended Alhambra High School. He received three degrees from the University of Southern California including a Bachelor of Science, a Masters in Business Administration, and a Doctor of Pharmacy.
Jesse moved to San Marino in 2001 to raise his young family. Both of his children began at Carver Elementary School. His daughter Elise is currently a senior at SMHS. His son Ethan graduated from SMHS in 2018 and is attending USC. Jesse began his school involvement when his children started their journey at SMUSD. He was a member of the Safety Patrol at Carver, volunteered in the computer lab, arts and crafts programs, Carver Carnival, and room parent activities. Jesse was also invited to join the Board of Partnership for Awareness and served as its Community Liaison. He volunteered for seven years as a San Marino Schools Foundation Trustee and was Treasurer for the Foundation. He also was on the Board of the Chinese Club of San Marino where he was appointed Principal of the Chinese School of San Marino. In 2019, Jesse was a member of the Facility Advisory Committee that helped to assess capital projects and upgrades for district buildings. Most recently, he was part of the San Marino Reopening Task Force, contributing to health-related issues.
Outside of his work and volunteering, Jesse enjoys cycling and traveling. He bikes regularly to the Rose Bowl from his home. An avid traveler, he has been traveling and volunteering overseas since his college days and has been to over 30 countries in four continents. A devoted family man, Jesse treasures the time he spends with his children.
Passion For Education
Jesse’s passion for education led to his 20+ years with USC School of Pharmacy. He is an adjunct Clinical Professor at the pharmacy school and mentored dozens of pharmacy students. He sat on the admission committee at USC and interviewed prospective students. Jesse served as Principal of The Chinese School of San Marino for several years and managed the education for hundreds of Chinese school students. He also started a study center a few years ago with a group of San Marino parents for their children. The Center closed in 2015 and Young Scholar took over the space (Jesse is not affiliated with Young Scholar nor have ownership).
He is currently the Chair of the Los Angeles Chapter of International Leadership Foundation, which offers youth leadership training workshops for Asian American youth. Locally, he is a member of the San Marino Rotary Club and a Caltech Associate. He hopes to bring his many years of volunteering experience in the San Marino School district, his knowledge of college and postgraduate training, and passion for education to serve the families of San Marino on the School Board of Education.
Professional Experience
For the past 25 years, Jesse has practiced pharmacy in settings which included acute psychiatric hospital care, inpatient care, and as a field medical scientist. Currently, he is the owner and pharmacist-in-charge of the Ramona Pharmacy Group, an expanding pharmacy group with both stores and online presence. Professionally, he has been a member of national and regional pharmacist societies and has served on the alumni board of the USC School of Pharmacy for the past 20 years.