Directors/Executive Members
President – Dr. Kelly Kaita
Currently Kelly is employed at the HSC and University of Manitoba as a professor of medicine specializing in caring for patients with liver disease for the last 26 years. He is actively involved in medical education, medical research and administration. Kelly has been a JCAM board member for the last few years and has found this experience to be very rewarding, finding himself learning so much more about his Japanese heritage. He has been involved in many areas including Folklorama, Bon Odori, oshogatsu, shichigosan, web design, social media, donburi and ramen lunches, bento sales just to name a few. His capacity on many other boards has allowed Kelly to bring a new perspective to the JCAM board and to ensure that the best interest of the membership is not forgotten.
Vice-president – Debra Takeuchi
Debra has been a member of the JCAM board since 2017, and has served as Vice President and Secretary. Debra is an associate lawyer at D’Arcy & Deacon LLP, and practices in the areas of family law, wills and estates, and real estate. Debra has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree, both from the University of Manitoba. From 1999 to 2007, Debra lived in Japan where she taught English and studied Japanese. Debra has volunteered on a number of JCAM committees including the Community Fund, Community Events, Folklorama and Finance.
Secretary – Yuhito Adachi
Yuhito is a Financial Advisor in investments and insurance, product sales, audit technician. Since his arrival from Japan, Yuhito has been active on various JCAM committees and chaired Oshogatsu, Shichigosan, Bon-Odori, and coordinated the Setagaya delegation and COVID 19 community support program. He has volunteered with Japan PSP, language school, kitchen help for various dinners, Folklorama as adult ambassador and cultural displays. He communicates with consulate general’s office on matters relating to Japanese citizens in Manitoba. Yuhito believes that Japanese culture, traditions and language are important for all newcomers’ (issei) identity and are crucial components of Japanese Canadians identity as he encourages these traditions for all Japanese Canadians and the younger generations. He brings to the Board his business knowledge and general Japanese cultural and traditional knowledge that he learned from his family and at university.
Treasurer- Les Kojima
Les Kojima, born and raised in Winnipeg, attended Japanese school at the Manitoba Buddhist Church, and while growing up he and his family enjoyed the annual picnics and Japanese festivals with the community. Les’s parents were active in acquiring the original and current cultural centre buildings, and initiating programs like the Newcomers Club and the Japan Public Schools Program. During the 1980’s, Les lived in British Columbia where he was active in the Redress movement and was president of the Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society during the settlement. Les lived overseas from 1989 – 2016, most recently working as a financial management specialist in the South Asia region of the World Bank. Since retiring and returning to Winnipeg in December 2016, he has served as the Treasurer of JCAM, and is currently the Treasurer of NAJC as well.
Past President – Ken Teramura
Ken is a san-sei born and raised in Winnipeg and thoroughly enjoying life as a Jiichan. He has just completed his term as President after serving two terms as Vice President at JCAM. Aside from his executive duties, Ken has been involved in the Community Fund, Keirokai and Finance Committee. As well as working on JCAM’s Folklorama Planning committee, he has served on many Folklorama Board committees. Ken has been involved with NAJC, notably Chair of the 2018 NAJC conference held in Winnipeg and currently serves on the Membership and Audit Committees.
After being employed with Investors Group for 30+ years, Ken founded and runs Be Positive- team based consulting as a business coach working with entrepreneurs predominantly in western Canada.
Directors
Miyuki Cumming
Miyuki is currently employed as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and has been a JCAM Board member for the past two years. She was born in Japan, came to Canada in 2000, is married and has 3 children. She is Chair of the JCAM Language School Committee and on the Finance and Community Fund Committees. She has been chair of the Children’s Christmas Party and volunteers at many cultural activities. For her, JCAM is a place where Japanese newcomers gather and share information and help one another to live and raise children with people of Japanese background. Her close contact with the newcomers is of great benefit to JCAM. She contributes her accounting experience, knowledge of Japanese culture and customs, strong relationship with the Japanese Consulate and is a bridge between the language school and the Board.
Taka Hattori
Taka provides bookkeeping services. His occupational background is accounting, small company owner/manager and chef. He has been an instructor at MB Kendo Club, and also a treasurer for the group. He has been a member of the JCAM financial committee since 2018, and volunteered for multiple events such as, Gala dinner, Bon-odori, Mirai 311 and others. He believes that cultural transition is happening with gathering of people and that the cultural identity can be created with these gatherings. JCAM should be the gathering place for the people who want to share Japanese culture. Taka will encourage more people to come to JCAM, promote healthier communications between the board and the members. Taka is prepared to bring user group’s opinion and concerns to the Board.
Nicolas Matsuo
Nicolas is currently Administrative Assistant with the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Training, Government of Manitoba. He is a student of Political Science at the University of Winnipeg and president of the Political Science Student Association. With JCAM he was Co-coordinator of the Folklorama Pavilion last year and in past years was involved other areas. He volunteered at ‘Things Japanese Sale’ and ‘Bon Odori’ Festival. JCAM has always been a central part of Nicolas’ life – attending various events as a youth with his grandparents, who encouraged his participation in Cultural Centre activities. By joining the Board, he hopes to contribute with his skills in fund-raising and event organization. With his knowledge of government and politics he can assist in seeking support through connections with small businesses and assist in seeking sponsorships or partnerships for various events.
Art Miki
Art has held leadership roles in national and community organizations as president. He was president of JCAM during the amalgamation of MJCCA and MJCCC in 2012. He has been active in JCAM activities as Coordinator of Japanese Pavilion on numerous occasions, spearheaded a fund raising campaign and seeking of grants for vestibule and renovation projects. Art is passionate about preserving Japanese Canadian history and is working to create a database of historical events and arranged the mural project on Japanese in Manitoba. Art is involved with the Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Landscapes of Injustice project and with NAJC’s BC Redress initiative. For Art, JCAM and the Cultural Centre are important vehicles that will keep the Japanese Canadians community relevant in the future.
Robert Okabe
Robert is currently the Executive Director and Registrar for the Certified Technicians and Technologist Association of Manitoba. Prior to 2015 Robert served as the Supervisor of Public Service Operations, Public Works Department, City of Winnipeg where he was employed for 31 years. He has worked in both the private and public sector in various capacities and has been involved with many volunteer activities. He first volunteered with the MJCCA in selecting a coordinator for the Japanese Pavilion for Folklorama and recruiting volunteers. He has participated and was on the executive of the Orient Express Curling League, volunteered for Folklorama and is a member of JCAM and the Manitoba Buddhist Temple. He brings to the Board experiences in management and business skills including grant writing, special events management, community outreach, media relations and Board governance.
Pamela Okano
Pamela is currently a high school teacher in River East Transcona School Division and taught a year in Florianópolis, Brazil in 2015-16. She worked as an Administrator at Manitoba Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre and spent a year on the JET Programme in Shiga-ken, Japan in1992. For many years Pamela was artistic director and performer with Hinode Taiko and was involved internationally in various taiko projects. No stranger to the organization she was first involved with the MJCCC Board in 1997. JCAM is important to Pamela as she considers the JC community to be her home and participated in many events throughout the years. Her interest now in JCAM is to build for the changing Japanese Canadian community and its future while continuing to celebrate and share Japanese Canadian history and culture with the wider Manitoba communities.
Satoshi Takeuchi
Satoshi is from Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. He immigrated to Canada in 2007. Satoshi has been employed in the railway industry in various positions for nearly 30 years, and is also a volunteer at the Prairie Dog Central Railway. You will have seen Satoshi volunteering at a number of JCAM events, including Folklorama, Bon Odori, and other events at the cultural centre. JCAM provides Satoshi with a valuable connection to the Japanese Canadian community.
Grant Voakes
Grant is currently employed with the Office of the Auditor General of Manitoba and conducts reviews of government programs. He has been a Board member since 2013 and currently serves as Chair of the Finance Committee, as well as a member on the Community and Scholarship Funds Committee and other committees. He is the JCAM Liaison and coordinator to AI Kon, Bar coordinator and volunteers at Folklorama, banquets and other events. Grant’s interest in Japanese culture began when he participated in the school exchange program with Setagaya, Winnipeg’s sister city in Japan. JCAM allows him to continue to learn about Japanese and Japanese-Canadian culture. He assists newcomers to Winnipeg and that allows him to reciprocate the hospitality received during his visits to Japan. Grant is interested in Japanese art and has collections of Ukiyo-e, tsuba, and other artifacts