More About Me

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Originally from Pearl City, Hawaii, I first became interested in the field of international education studying Japanese language in the 7th grade. I was fascinated with the discovery of how intertwined Japanese language and culture were, and I went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Studies and minor in Politics from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. 

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After graduating college, I went home to Hawaii for a year, where I expanded my Japanese language knowledge in a business setting, working part-time for Vera Bradley, and familiarized myself with the inner workings of non-profit organizations working part-time at the Japan-America Society of Hawaii.

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Following these extremely valuable work experiences, I decided to put my cumulative knowledge to the test by applying to the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). I was placed in the small town of Fukusaki-cho in Hyogo Prefecture, serving as the town's ALT for the 4 kindergarten, 4 elementary, and 2 junior high schools from 2015-2017.

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After returning to Hawaii in 2017, I was hired for the position of Assistant to the Chancellor at Hawaii Tokai International College, a branch affiliated campus of the Tokai University System from Japan. I became acquainted with the administrative aspect of a higher educational institute, where I worked closely with the Chancellor, Executive Committee, and Board of Trustees preparing official documents and participating in the institution's reaccreditation process.

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I was then offered a job at the Japan-America Society of Hawaii (JASH) as Educational Program Coordinator, where I managed all 4 educational programs facilitated by JASH, which included the Japan Wizards Statewide Academic Team Competition, Japan-in-a-Suitcase, the Asian-Pacific Children's Convention, and sister-city cultural exchanges. I also obtained experience writing grants to fund all educational programs. It was at this time I realized the need and desire to learn foundational knowledge in international education and when I discovered the Middlebury Institute of International Education, where I currently study. 

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