Office Staff
Misa Murohashi was appointed Executive Director in January 2025. Before this role, she led international marketing and localization projects in the game tech industry and held a general management position in bilingual media publishing. With a BA in Business Administration from Sophia University and an MA in Urban Planning from the University of Washington, Misa brings her passion and expertise in organizational management and community engagement to the society. She is raising two daughters to embrace both their American and Japanese heritage.
Michiko spent most of her youth in Seattle, Washington in the US and received her undergraduate degree in Japanese Studies and Sociology at Middlebury College. After graduating, she worked in Yamagata Prefecture as a JET Program participant, where she gained an appreciation for ryokans, snow, sake, and good food. In 2021, she returned to Seattle and worked for JASSW as a Communications Manager until May 2024. Since then, she has worked for the Middlebury Language Schools as a Bilingual Assistant and now works part-time at JASSW and stays involved in the community. Outside of work, Michiko is an avid fan of musical theatre, live concerts, and traveling.
Small Business Empowerment Academy (SBEA) Staff
Dale L. Watanabe was Executive Director from May 2012 until retiring from this full-time role at the end of 2023. During his long tenure at the Society, he initiated several new programs the latest of which is the Small Business program in partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce's Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN). He continues to serve the Society as its Director of the Small Business Program which was created with the help of Society Board Member Kanako Matsumoto. The other 30 SBRN partners voted for him to serve on the SBRN Advisory Council and the SBRN Policy Committee as part of the innovative co-governance structure created by the WSDOC leaders of SBRN. The Society's Small Business efforts have helped over 100 businesses through technical assistance, business training, and a food business incubation program.
“I have appreciated the opportunity to be a part of such a well-respected, long-standing organization whose mission it is to foster friendship, cultural exchange, and trade with the land of my ancestors,” says Watanabe. “Japan and U.S. trade, business and cultural exchange are important for many corporations and individuals here and in Japan. I've enjoyed working with and learning from the many JASSW members and volunteers who are dedicated to the mission.”
After 20 years in public accounting as a CPA, Kanako has started her own accounting and consulting firm to assist small businesses owned by Japanese immigrants. She is passionate about assisting small and micro businesses to maneuver through the complex world of doing business in Washington state. During COVID, she created many YouTube videos in Japanese to breakdown the rules and regulations of grant and loan programs created by the federal and local governments, so that Japanese-immigrant business owners were aware of and were able to take advantage of those programs. She is originally from Kyoto, Japan and grew up in a family where her entire family members were serious athletes. Her childhood dream was to become a professional volleyball player. Her secret from the past is an experience of singing Karaoke on a float during one of the past Torchlight parades in Seattle.
公認会計士として大手公認会計士事務所に20年間勤務した後、日本の移民が所有する中小企業を支援するために独自の会計およびコンサルティング会社を設立しました。COVID‐19での経済的危機で多くの中小企業が打撃を受けている状況になってからは、連邦および地方政府のパンデミック救済の助成金とローンの要件を申請するプロセスを支援しています。また、Facebook（@kaikeikakekomidera）を介してタイムリーな会計および税務情報を積極的にコミュニティに提供しています。
フレッド・ハリマンは１９７７年から１９９４年まで静岡県浜松市にてプロの日本語とスペイン語翻訳・通訳者として活動していました。 現在はここアメリカで引き続きプロの通訳者として活躍しています。
Fred Harriman has worked as a professional interpreter and translator of Japanese and Spanish since the time he lived in Hamamatsu City of Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan from 1977 to 1994. During his years in Hamamatsu with his wife Takayo he participated in the local community as a father of 2 daughters and a son-in-law to Takayo’s Mom and Dad. He also worked in local radio and television as well as volunteering to translate and interpret for the local non-Japanese community.
Here in the U.S. Fred has continued his career as a professional interpreter. He has also worked many years recently as a contract interpreter for the US Department of State – handling DoS program work, ceremonies, conferences, and military interpreting work. He is also registered by the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts as an Interpreter of Japanese.
Fred remarked for this profile: “Japanese people have shown me patience and kindness throughout my life. My fellow Americans can learn much from Japanese culture and the Japanese worldview, and I hope I can play a role in bringing those to the Pacific Northwest."
スミス美季です。千葉県船橋市出身です。日米協会のスモールビジネスメディアコーディネーターとして「週刊知っ得情報」SNSポストや日米協会のポッドキャスト, JASSW Small Business Bitesやスモールビジネスニュースレターを担当し、ワシントン州内のスモールビジネスオーナー様向けに役立つ情報を提供しています。新しいことを知ることが大好きです。新しいアイディアを学ぶことも好きです。アイディアや皆様からのお知らせも大歓迎です。msmith@jassw.orgまで、お気軽にご連絡ください！
Hi! I’m Miki Smith from Funabashi-shi, Chiba-ken, Japan. As the Small Business Media Coordinator, I am in charge of the “Weekly Knowledge” Social Network posts and the podcast, JASSW Small Business Bites, and the SBEA Newsletters to provide useful information for Japanese small business owners living in Washington State. I love to learn new things. I also love to learn new ideas. We welcome ideas and your news, so please feel free to contact us at msmith@jassw.org!
ワシントン州日米協会で、小規模/個人ビジネスを支援する「Small Business Resiliency Program」のプログラム・コーディネーターになりました光富里美です。１２年半暮らしたNYから２０２０年、パンデミック中にシアトルに引っ越してきました。
人を助けるような仕事がしたくて、以前はリハビリの仕事や、お店でのお客様の対応をしていました。今度はワシントン州でがんばってらっしゃる事業主の方のお手伝いができるのを楽しみにしています。
Satomi Mitsutomi is a program coordinator of the Small Business Resiliency Program that helps immigrant Japanese and Japanese-American owners of small and microbusiness with their operations in Washington. She began working there in May, 2024. She moved from New York, where she had lived for twelve and a half years, to Seattle during the pandemic. She worked as an occupational therapist in Japan and in New York City. She always wanted to work in jobs that help people. Now, she is looking forward to assisting hardworking entrepreneurs in Washington state.
Interns
Geonwoong was born and raised in Korea. In high school, he came under the spell of Japanese culture through anime, novels, etc. He has studied Japanese Language and Literature, and International Business and Trade at Myongji University for the past 3.5 years. He is participating in the Korea West exchange program sponsored by the Korean government and the U.S. Department of State. As the new intern at JASSW, he is harnessing his creativity and energy to support JASSW's prosperity.
Imogen was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Looking for a path to take at university, she chose to study International Studies and Japanese, hoping to study abroad in Japan. She studied Japanese for two years at Seattle University and then went abroad to Sophia University, ultimately passing the N2 JLPT exam. Since returning to the US, she has endeavored to build upon her social media and marketing skills. As the new intern at JASSW, she is combining her skills and passions for Japanese and social media to support the JASSW’s mission.
Japan In the School (JIS) Lead Presenters
As a rotary exchange student in high school, and later as a high school English conversation teacher, Lisa Maria has first-hand experience in Japanese Schools. When she heard about the Japan In the Schools program, she was very excited to share her experiences with American Students. She joined the Japan in the Schools program as a volunteer in 2004, then as a staff member in December 2012.
Chiyo is from Hiroshima, Japan. She is a new JIS lead for the South Sound, WA area. She has over 10 years of experience as a Japanese teacher in public high schools in America and Japan, as well as at the university level. Additionally, she is a Japanese calligrapher and has done workshops and live performances at various places. Her lifelong mission is to share the joy of the Japanese language, calligraphy, and culture.
Koichi Kitazumi is a 4th generation JA who lived in Kumamoto for 4 years to go to school and teach English. Since then, Koichi has had a passion for learning, teaching and supporting the community through projects like the Japan In the Schools program. As the most recent recipient of the JASSW Lily McMahan Outstanding Volunteer Award, Koichi looks forward to volunteering at schools to share Japanese language, customs and culture with kids of all ages. Most of all, Koichi enjoys seeing the faces of kids speaking Japanese, using hashi (chopsticks) and playing jan ken po.