BOARD OFFICERS
BOARD PRESIDENT
Lori Matsukawa is JCCCW’s board president and a news anchor at KING TV. She is a founding member of the Asian American Journalists Association and a recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award. Lori has volunteered and served as a board member for the Japanese American Leadership Delegation, YMCA of Greater Seattle, and Asian Counseling and Referral Service. She graduated with a B.A. in Communication and American Studies from Stanford University, and earned her M.A. in Communication from the University of Washington.
VICE PRESIDENT
Kurt Tokita is a long time supporter of the JCCCW who brings a familiarity of JCCCW's history and policies to the Board of Directors. He firmly believes in the mission of the JCCCW and feels that the Cultural Center project is "essential to the community, city and region." Kurt brings an extensive background in managing IT projects, facilities, sales, and events and is currently employed with Volt Services as the Sr. Systems Engineer-Onsite Services. Kurt's family has a long established history in Seattle. His grandfather was a well-known local artist and his grandmother was a pioneering woman business owner having operated the historic Cadillac Hotel in Nihonmachi. The site of JCCCW is very important to Kurt as his family was one of the families to use the Japanese Language School buildings as transitional housing after resettling in the area after the Second World War.
SECRETARY
Dee Goto is a retired nurse. Dee established the Suzuki School of Music in 1967 in Seattle. She also established the Japanese Heritage Historical Society and helped to start Densho in 1995. Then she moved on to create the Omoide Project, now a program of JCCCW, which is a literary effort that collects childhood memories before, during, and after World War II. Dee earned her B.A. in Nursing, Public Health Certification and M.A. in Psychosocial Nursing with Stress Management from the University of Washington School of Nursing.
BOARD MEMBERS
Rian Ebesugawa: JCCCW is happy to welcome Rian Ebesugawa onto the JCCCW Board of Directors. Rian is a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. A member of the Washington State Bar and an active volunteer with the Nisei Veterans Committee, Rian brings a unique combination of legal expertise and community work to the Board of Directors. Originally from Hawaii, Rian moved to the Seattle area after transferring to the University of Washington where he graduated with a degree in political science. He then worked for Bon Marche (now Macy's) in loss prevention before attending the University of Puget Sound School of Law where graduated with his JD. Rian then began working for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office where he served as a prosecutor ever since.
"I have lived in Seattle for 30 years and, for too long, I have taken advantage of the opportunities that have come my way because of the sacrifices made by our fore parents. Being a member of the board will be a chance for me to repay a debt and to possibly make some small contribution of my own to our community."
Mas Tahara
Masaru Tahara has been an active Seattle Japanese Language School Board Member since 1980. He has served continuously in various capacities such as treasurer, secretary, vice president and when the Japanese Language School had its centennial celebrations in 2002, Masaru held the position of president. As of 2011, Masaru has been serving as an Expert School Director and represents the Seattle Japanese Language School Council on the JCCCW Board. Masaru’s two children both attended the Japanese Language School. He dreams that many other children and adults will have the opportunity to learn Japanese at JCCCW’s Premier Program for he knows that learning languages helps to build community between people and supports the exchange of culture and heritage. As Masaru shared, “People have worked together to make sure there are more eagles, an endangered species, flying in the skies of Washington. My dream is that we will work together to provide more opportunities to increase the number of people who can speak Japanese in Washington state so that the language does not become extinct.”
Tazue Kiyono Sasaki
As profiled by the Washington State Arts Commission when she received the 1994 Governor’s Heritage Award, Tazue Kiyono Sasaki of Seattle, Washington was born and raised in Seattle by Japanese parents. Tazue began taking lessons in Buyo (Japanese classical dance) at the age of four from master teacher Yamamura Fukuko. Soon she was also taking lessons on the traditional instruments, shamisen, tsuzumi, and taiko. By the age of eighteen Sasaki was teaching Buyo to students. After graduating from the University of Washington in Far Eastern studies, Sasaki traveled to Japan to study with the foremost dancer, choreographer, and Living National Treasure, Fujima Fujiko. Sasaki earned the title, Fujima Fujimine and her teaching credential (shihan) from Fujiko. Since then, Sasaki has been teaching dance and shamisen, especially to third- and fourth-generation Japanese Americans. Tazue joined Mitsubishi International Corporation, Seattle Branch, after returning from Japan and retired as a manager of nonferrous metals department. Currently, Tazue is also the board chair and performing arts chair of the Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival Committee. She also serves on the Japanese Community Service board and is a council member for the Seattle Japanese Language School.
Board of Directors
