The US-Japan Foundation is proud to announce the newest class of Delegates to the US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP). The purpose of USJLP is to develop a network of communication, friendship and understanding among the next generation of leaders in the U.S. and Japan. The Program aims to foster a continuing dialogue among rising stars in leadership from a variety of backgrounds and professions. It starts this process by bringing together some 20 young leaders, ages 28-42, from each country for two intensive weeklong conferences over two years, with discussions revolving around historical and current issues in bilateral relations, as well as issues reaching beyond our two countries. Through serious conversation as well as recreation and shared cultural activities it seeks to nurture lifelong friendships.
Once selected for the Program, members gain lifelong access to the unique pool of USJLP talent and are able to engage in activities that take place throughout the U.S. and Japan, from intellectual gatherings to informal meetings. After eighteen years, the USJLP network boasts 410 members in both countries. Prominent members of the Program include: Foreign Minister Taro Kono, National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Matthew Pottinger, member of Japan’s House of Representatives Motohisa Furukawa, renowned violinist Midori Goto and pianist Gohei Nishikawa, Claire Chino (Managing Executive Officer, Itochu Corporation), Johnathan Capehart (The Washington Post), Nikole Hannah-Jones (The New York Times Magazine), CNN anchor John Berman, medical journalist Dr. Mona Khanna, composers Todd Frazier and Christopher Theofanidis, racing driver Keiko Ihara, architect Satoshi Okada, NASA astronaut Dan Tani, actor Tetsuya Bessho, U.S. State Senators Aaron Ford (Nevada) and Benjamin Allen (California), former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski, and Olympic silver medalist Yuko Arimori.
The pool of candidates for seats at the 2018 conference was extremely competitive. In addition to leadership criteria, selections for each class aim to shape the unique delegation of first and second-year participants with a diverse representation of professions, geographic areas and perspectives. In total, 23 new Delegates (8 Japanese and 15 American) will join 21 returning second year Delegates for the Program’s Nineteenth Annual Conference in Seattle from July 28 – August 4, 2018. The Class of 2018-2019 will convene for their second conference next summer, to be held July 21-28, 2019 in Japan. Delegates will be joined by Fellows (alumni) on the final two days of each conference, creating new and strengthening existing inter-class bonds.
Click here to view all 44 Delegates to the 2018 Seattle Conference
2018-2019 Japanese Delegates:
- Yuichiro Enomoto, Director for Prudential Standards, Prudential Standards Office, Financial Services Agency Japan
- Arfiya Eri, Associate Expert, United Nations
- Satoshi Ezoe, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York
- Yohei Sadoshima, CEO, CORK Inc.
- Masao Takahashi, Senior Director, Head of Membership and Technology Pioneers; Senior Director, Head of Business Engagement – Japan; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum
- Yusuke Tsugawa, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine & Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
- Mai Yaguchi, Deputy Director, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
- Shintaro Yamaguchi, Partner, International Tax Services, PwC Tax Japan
2018-2019 American Delegates:
- Megan Carroll, Team Leader, Peacekeeping Evaluation Section, United Nations
- Chloe Demrovsky, President & CEO, Disaster Recovery Institute International
- Brian Ferguson, President & Co-Founder, Arena Labs
- Elena Grewal, Director, Head Data Scientist, Airbnb, Inc.
- Alison Grigonis, Senior Attorney, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP
- Howard Hanna, Founding Partner, Manaia Hospitality; Chef / Owner, The Reiger and Ça Va
- Michael Morales, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force; Legislative Liaison and Chief, Mobility and Special Operations Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force
- Craig Mullaney, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Facebook
- John Noonan, Senior Counselor for Military and Defense, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR)
- Rei Onishi, Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary, Office of California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
- Latoya Peterson, Deputy Editor, Digital Innovation, The Undefeated / ESPN
- Sunny Ramchandani, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Aetna
- Monica Sanz, Vice President, AIG Investments, Emerging Markets Research, American International Group (AIG)
- Dennis Skelton, Founder, Paradox Sports; President and CEO, Kairos Alliance Group;
President, A Moveable Feast, Inc. - Guy Snodgrass, Commander, U.S. Navy; Director of Communication and Chief Speechwriter, Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense