Yonah Martin (born April 11, 1965) is a Conservative Senator from British Columbia. She was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on January 2009, and is the first Canadian of Korean descent to serve in the Senate of Canada and the first Korean-Canadian Parliamentarian in Canadian history. Yonah Martin graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1987, earned a Master of Education in 1996; and enjoyed a 21-year career as an educator until her Senate appointment in 2009.
Born in Seoul, Korea, Yonah Martin immigrated to Canada with her family in 1972, settling in Vancouver. With deep roots in both Korean and Canadian heritage, she became a community activist. Inspired by her Canadian-born daughter and immigrant parents, and with a desire to "bridge communities", she co-founded a non-profit organization, the Korean Canadian C3 in 2003.
Yonah Martin currently serves on several boards and committees, including the Multicultural Advisory Council of BC and Canadian Paralympic Foundation to name two. She is a proud alumna and honorary patron of the St. Patrick Regional Secondary School Concert and Chamber Choirs; the honorary patron of The Memory Project-Stories of the Korean War, and Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration; and leads the children’s Sunday worship service at the Korean United Church, something she has done for more than three decades.
Yonah Martin is equally passionate about mentoring youth and young adults. She is a mentor and adviser of the Executive Mentorship Program of UBC’s Sauder School of Business; and has mentored young leaders across Canada to pursue their goals and develop their leadership potential.
In recognition of her community service in the Tri-Cities area, Yonah Martin was awarded the 2004 Spirit of Community Award for Cultural Harmony. She was awarded the Order of Civil Merit Moran Medal in 2009 by the President of the Republic of Korea for her leadership and outstanding work in national development towards the enhancement of the rights of overseas Koreans.
She has been married to Doug Martin since 1990, and they are proud parents of a daughter.