Executive Director of Nisei Veterans Memorial Center to be Virtual Speaker at Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset
As a young woman she spent many years studying and working in Japan and China, an experience that shaped her deep respect for the contributions Asian cultures have made to Hawaii. She has extensive experience in non-profit and public sector administration and prior to joining the NVMC, she served as Chief of Protocol for the State of Hawaii in the administrations of Governors Neil Abercrombie and David Ige. Her facility with languages, Japanese and Chinese, proved beneficial in her duties which included meeting with heads of state worldwide, supervising visits of foreign dignitaries, managing official state ceremonies, and serving as an advisor on international relations and efforts to attract commerce and tourism to Hawaii. Before her work at the state-level, she was Director of the Maui County Office of Economic Development; Executive Director of Big Brothers, Big Sisters Maui; and past president of the Rotary Club of Kahului. She serves on the board of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii and the Pacific Buddhist Academy in Honolulu and is a member of the U.S. – Japan Council. She is a graduate of University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese and Chinese Studies and is a Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellow and a past recipient of Pacific Business News’ 40 Under 40 Award. Her presentation is entitled: “The Nisei Veterans: Their Legacy Lives On”.
Club members will receive an automatic invitation to this Zoom Meeting. If a guest would like to join this Virtual meeting of the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset contact Past President Mariko Higashi to be included on the invite list at marikoinmaui@gmail.com.