Election Platforms for GLJETAA 2018-2020
President:
Megan Worden
- Connecting with our surrounding communities: as a group that holds NPO status I want to help foster even stronger relations with our local Japanese communities and create cross-organization events.
- Local and Geosynchronous Events: We coined a new idea in the last few meetings and it’s spawned something I’d like to see through: geosynchronous
events. These would be events held at the same time (typically doing the same thing) in various regions around our chapter. Ideas so far have been Museum day (we all head out to local museums) and bowling, which would also be a regional competition (more to come on that!). - Cross-regional events: GLJETAA shares boarders with several other amazing chapters and I hope to foster more cross-chapter events at these border spots.
Ohio Vice President:
Jennifer Sherman
Treasurer:
Bill Schlatter
Hello everyone! My name is Bill Schlatter, and I was on the JET Program from 2012-2014. I taught at many high schools in Hokkaido, and lived in Iwamizawa, near Sapporo, from 2008.
I am running for GLJETAA Treasurer because I like being involved in the JET alumni community, and I have already been active in volunteering for the organization and attending board meetings over the last few years.
When I was in college, I was the treasurer of my university’s anime club for two years. There, I learned the importance of keeping an organization’s financial books in order – especially an organization that relies on grant funding, like GLJETAA. As treasurer, I led my university club’s application for funding to greatly expand their annual convention, which led to the event tripling in attendance in two years. When Great Lakes JETAA is ready to expand its programming, I intend to keep Great Lakes JETAA’s finances in good order so that, we will be able to secure the funding needed.
Thank you.
Secretary:
Alicia Smith
Webmaster:
Lily Sun
Board of Directors (4 positions available):
Eric Smith
Dear fellow alumni,
My name is Eric Smith and I was an ALT in Shizuoka from 2002-2003 and served as Great Lakes JETAA President in 2008. I’m proud of the efforts my fellow officers and successors made to build up our chapter after a few years of disrepair. I’ve worked with officers in many other chapters as well as staff at CLAIR New York. In 2015, I helped rewrite the bylaws and I always do my best to support current officers leading the chapter to even greater levels of activity.
My motivation for running as Director of the Board is to offer my formal support to the officers and ensure that he chapter remains open, transparent, and responsive to member needs. Understanding that my role would be largely advisory, I believe I have the time once again to give back to an organization and program that played an important role in my life.
– Eric Smith
Shizuoka-ken, ALT 2002-2003
Debbie Kim
My name is Debbie Kim and was a ALT in Tenryu-shi in Shizuoka-ken in 2002-2003. Like many JETs, my life was forever changed after working and living in Japan. I have always wanted to continue promoting both the JET Program as well as provide support for the Great Lakes JETAA community. Since coming back from JET, I have worked with the Detroit Consulate to do annual JET interviews, volunteered at the JET departure orientations, and taught Japanese language classes for departing JETs (many years ago when many JETs didn’t have Japanese language abilities). For JETAA, I served as treasurer in 2008 with a focus on transparency in Grant in Aid funding. I also volunteered as part of the voting committee for JETAA, ensuring that elections were credible and adhering to the current bylaws.
With all the progress that the Great Lakes chapter has made after my tenure, I have no doubt that new officers will continue to build on the many accomplishments of previous board members. As the chapter continues to grow, I hope to be an additional resource for officers and members. I am so impressed by the JETAA members who I’ve seen volunteer time and time again to promote the organization, but I’m also inspired by all the new members I see posting on the Facebook group or coming to JETAA events. By serving as a board member, my role will be to foster that engagement and growth in a community that will always be near and dear to my heart.
Kate Simon
My name is Kate Simon; I am the Program Director of the Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU). I have worked at JCMU since 2007. Prior to this, I served as a privately contracted Assistant Language Teacher in Iwate Prefecture (2004-2006) and completed the Lansing Community College Japan Adventure Program with the Biwako Kisen Corporation in Shiga Prefecture (1999). These experiences led me to become a passionate supporter of the strong relationship between Japan and the United States. In my professional capacity with JCMU, I work closely with numerous organizations that contribute to U.S.-Japan relations including the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit, the Japan Business Society of Detroit, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan-Shiga Sister State Board, higher education institutions and local organizations. As a member of the Board of Directors, I would leverage these connections to promote the goals and activities of the Great Lakes JETAA and further the work of maintaining a strong Japan-U.S. relationship.
Note: No candidates have submitted platforms for Michigan Vice President or Event Coordinator.