CJCA Board of Directors
CJCA board of directors meets on a monthly basis to manage the continued oversight of the Community Hall, local programming, and community events. The Board is elected annually at our AGM, and we ask for a two two-year commitment.
PresidentMaureen ColemanVolunteering on the CJCA board provides her an opportunity to give back. She hopes that her involvement will help strengthen and grow community ties – acknowledging the dedicated pioneering spirit of the members as well as the blended perspectives of newly arrived immigrants.She is committed to help bring people together to celebrate the Japanese culture and history.
Vice PresidentSusan Matsumoto“I have long believed that my ikigai – my life’s purpose – is to help others. I began my volunteer ‘career’ back in 1973 while attending the University of Waterloo.”
Susan’s volunteer history includes the Cooperative housing Society of Waterloo, the Alberta Habitat Education and Development Board, and many organizations serving individuals living with disabilities in Calgary. Susan’s involvement with the Japanese community began with the National Association of Japanese Canadians in 2012, with the Hastings Park Foundation in 2018, and with the CJCA in 2019 as a member of the Calgary Nikkei Cultural Fund committee. Susan joined the CJCA Board in the role of secretary in 2020. Susan hopes to contribute to our community in a positive way, deepen her knowledge of our strengths and challenges, and support an enduring vision for our future.
TreasurerKaty Takaoka
SecretaryChris ShukudaChris was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and has called Calgary home for almost 20 years. Being raised in a Japanese household, he attended the Metro Edmonton Japanese Community School and he is fluent in Japanese. Chris has a background in landscape design and brings an appreciation and keen interest in promoting Japanese culture, traditions and omotenashi – he brings a strong business knowledge base to our board. Chris has taken on the formal position as secretary, however in addition he has quickly joined the Omatsuri committee, the legacy committee and will be a regular feature writer for the magazine.
DirectorKim AbanKim comes with a deep rooted connection to the Japanese community as he immersed himself in the culture when he met up with his Japanese American partner and they lived in Tokyo, Japan. While in Japan he was an English language teacher, however on his return to Canada he returned to university and studied Aviation & Business Management. His strengths lie in program coordination, nurturing partnerships and community outreach. Kim has actively participated as a volunteer with the Japanese Festival, he is active on the committee and since joining the board continues to take a strong interest in the ongoing development of the festival. Kim has taken on the position as strategic social media enhancement lead and works with other board members as part of the marketing and business liaison team.
DirectorTomoyuki HondaHe is also a director of a Japanese dance team called Yosakoi, and performed in various events including Stampede parade and Globalfest. He has planned and executed a number of community events including cooking class, online Japanese class, Medical Webinars at CJCA.He will continue to plan fun, entertaining events for the community to keep people attracted to Japanese culture.
DirectorMaureen McElhinneyMaureen is a third generation Japanese Canadian, with strong Alberta roots. Her grandparents had been involved in the early Calgary Japanese community association and she has been very active in volunteering in various aspects of the organization. Calgary has been home for over 40 years, prior to retiring earlier this year she had a successful career in the world of print. Maureen has been active in the volunteer sector in non profit organizations in Calgary. She comes with a background in marketing and design, with this interest she has taken on the marketing lead with a group of very creative and inspirational team members.
DirectorKen RichardsonReconnection with his Japanese side of the family happened after he had started his own family. Through reconnecting with his Japanese birthmother, Ken’s two boys grew up and got to spend their entire lives with way more grandparents than most kids get. His serious interest in Japan was triggered early on by a trip with the Calgary Stampede Show band when they when to Japan for the first time – a trip that evoke constant feelings of deja vu for him even though he had never been over-seas before. Ken would later spend a year working for an advertising agency in Tokyo in his 20’s. During his year living in Japan he was also able to study Kyudo (Zen archery), learning rudimentary Japanese language skills, explore the hidden side-streets and indulging in Japanese food. Ken now lives here in Calgary with his wife and youngest son (eldest son is now an illustrator for an animation studio in Vancouver). The interest in all things Japanese has never waned and is now something shared with his whole family. Other interests include fly fishing, Bowhunting, art, Photography, reading, music, wood-working , and almost all foods (particularly Japanese) and a dedication to making life better for Calgarians. Ken is looking forward to another year of opportunities to help promote and share Japanese culture with Calgarians.
DirectorTetsuro YokoyamaTetsuro was born in Japan, came to Canada to complete his high and university education. He has over 20 years experience in the software industry. He has strong analytical and problem solving skills. He has presented internationally at conferences and presents workshops in software design. Tetsuro has a master level tea ceremony ( Kyojusha level ) from Omotesenke school of tea. Interestingly he also has a speciality coffee roasting company in California. With his strong background and expertise in software engineering, Tetsuro has taken on the lead in website and media development for the organization. Joining with the social media and marketing teams, he has begun developing an integrated information system for the organization.
AdministratorSayuri TomaSayuri was born and raised in Okinawa. After graduating from a college, she moved to Tokyo and worked as a programmer for about 5 years. She then spent time in Calgary, Kelowna, and Vancouver, as a language student. Then she back to her hometown, she worked as a web designer and website administrator for about 6 years. In 2012, she moved to Calgary, where she currently serves as the administrator for both NAJC (National Association of Japanese Canadians) and CJCA (Calgary Japanese Community Association). She has been a member of the Calgary Okinawan Club since her immigration and has been a board member since 2020, initially serving as treasurer and currently as vice-president. Her hobbies include paddleboarding and playing the Okinawan sanshin.