On Thursday, Myong J. Joun—a South Korean-born, Biden-appointed federal judge that has served on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts since 2023—issued a controversial ruling blocking President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The decision also mandates the reinstatement of more than 1,300 agency employees who were previously terminated.
The ruling has drawn sharp criticism, and now, Loomer Unleashed has uncovered a potential conflict of interest: both Judge Joun’s wife and transgender son are affiliated with Diversity@Workplace Consulting Group LLC, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consulting firm that contracts with both the public and private sector. President Trump has long condemned the Department’s DEI agenda, accusing it of indoctrinating America’s youth with radical ideology and DEI, which he banned with an Executive Order.
Judge’s Wife Operates DEI Consulting Firm Serving Federal Agencies
A serious ethical concern stems from Judge Joun’s family ties to Diversity@Workplace Consulting Group LLC—a firm deeply embedded in the promotion of DEI across both public and private sectors. Su Joun, Judge Joun’s wife, serves as the company’s Principal and oversees its DEI training, strategic consultation, and workplace transformation programs.
According to the “Our Approach” section of the company’s website, Diversity@Workplace identifies itself as “a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) consulting and training firm for your workplace,” offering a “highly specialized approach” to implementing customized DEI strategies. The site’s landing page declares, “We’re Here to Modernize Your DEI Journey,” and includes a prominently featured menu tab labeled “LET’S MODERNIZE DEI,” which links to a contact form. Adjacent to the form are the firm’s contact details, including a phone number and an email address using the domain @diversityatworkplace.com.
Additionally, the firm’s professional biography for Su Joun includes she/her pronouns hyperlinked to a Human Rights Campaign resource titled “Talking About Pronouns in the Workplace,” with a downloadable PDF provided.
The Human Rights Campaign is one of 161 identified partner organizations within the Democracy Alliance—a left-wing donor network with longstanding financial and strategic ties to George Soros.
Su Joun is also a prominent public advocate for DEI, frequently appearing in the firm’s promotional materials and public speaking engagements to emphasize the “importance” of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in American culture. On May 20, 2025, she was featured as a speaker in a live LinkedIn event titled “Modernizing DEI,” hosted by Stacey A. Gordon, MBA. The event focused on rebranding and implementing DEI initiatives in corporate and institutional settings.
Firm Promotes DEI Messaging Through Corporate Training and Online Platforms
In addition to federal contracting and public speaking, Diversity@Workplace has expanded its DEI influence through commercial training platforms. In partnership with Clementine Productions, the firm recently launched an on-demand Udemy course titled “Safer Conversations at Work.” Priced at $49.99, the course promotes inclusive communication strategies and urges users to foster “a workplace culture where we all feel included and heard.”
According to the course listing, it includes expert-led video lessons, real-world workplace scenarios, and actionable strategies to “modernize” DEI practices. The curriculum aims to help employees and managers identify harmful language, address microaggressions, and implement inclusive communication frameworks in professional settings.
The firm’s Udemy instructor profile further describes Diversity@Workplace Consulting Group as a “contemporary consulting and training company” that delivers “updated, modern, and timely solutions” to embed DEI into talent pipelines. Their services span recruitment, succession planning, performance management, employee engagement, and full-spectrum DEI integration across a company’s operations. The firm boasts experience with clients across pharma, finance, academia, tech, law, sports, and the nonprofit sector—demonstrating its reach and influence in both public and private institutions.
Promotional content for the course features members of the Diversity@Workplace team, including Su Joun. The material positions the company as not just a DEI advocate, but a strategic consulting entity embedded in industries that were previously influenced by federal DEI policies, which have since been rescinded under the Trump administration.
Judge’s Transgender Son Also Employed by DEI Firm
Further complicating the appearance of impartiality, the couple’s son, Marshall Joun, is listed as the Online Content Manager for Diversity@Workplace. According to the company’s official biography, Marshall uses they/he/she pronouns and actively promotes progressive ideology on both the firm’s and his personal social media accounts.
Screenshots shared in a post by Laura Loomer on X reveal that Marshall’s transgender identity and DEI advocacy are prominently featured by the consulting group—reinforcing concerns that Judge Joun’s ruling may have been influenced by personal and familial ideological alignment with DEI and the LGBTQ agenda.
Trump’s Executive Order Explicitly Rejected DEI and Gender Ideology
Judge Joun’s ruling stands in direct opposition to a detailed fact sheet released by the Trump White House on March 20, 2025, outlining the rationale behind dismantling the Department of Education. The document highlighted the Department’s entrenchment in radical DEI and gender ideology as a primary reason for its closure.
According to the fact sheet:
“The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Education to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States… The Order also directs that programs or activities receiving any remaining Department of Education funds will not advance DEI or gender ideology.”
Joun’s Ruling Must Be Overturned
Given the direct familial and ideological ties to a DEI training and consulting firm, Judge Myong J. Joun’s decision raises serious questions about judicial impartiality. The apparent conflict of interest undermines public confidence in the legitimacy of the ruling.
President Trump’s executive order to eliminate the Department of Education and end federally sanctioned DEI programs reflects the will of voters who rejected woke ideology in favor of local control and educational merit. Judge Joun’s ruling must immediately be appealed and overturned, and he should recuse himself from overseeing President Trump’s case.
