Please vote for the 2020-2022 Officers!

Election time is here! If you are a registered member of the Great Lakes JETAA Chapter, please fill out the ballot to vote for the 2020-2022 Officers! The voting window is from March 30th to April 5th.

Included in the ballot is also the chapter-wide vote to amend our by-laws which was drafted on June 23, 2019.


Here are the platforms of the people who are running:

Great Lakes JETAA 2020 Election Platforms 

President – Megan Worden 

Members of Great Lakes JETAA, 

Hello, my name is Megan Worden. I was a JET in Toyama from 2013-2015, and currently teach Japanese at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. I’ve had the privilege of being president for this region for the past two years, and I have loved every second of it. 

I am running again because I’m passionate about helping connect our vast JETAA community with the Japanese community at large. Over the last two years we’ve successfully worked with members of the JBSD and the Women’s Club for events, and I want to keep expanding our cross-organization participation. I also want to continue our smaller, member centered events around both states to help keep the JET spirit alive, and have a thriving community ready to welcome those who come home after the JET experience. 

I would be honored to serve as your president for another term, and hope I can count on your vote. 

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu! 


Vice-President (Michigan) – Alicia Smith 

Hello, my name is Alicia Smith, and I am running for GLJETAA Vice-President of Michigan. I have enjoyed being an officer of GLJETAA in various positions (Webmaster, Secretary, Vice-President), and am hoping to continue my volunteer efforts as VP of MI. Some of my contributions this term have included member/community outreach, newsletter design/content production, and researching/posting local events. If I am re-elected, I hope to increase the number of online virtual events and connections across our states (and the world). Thank you for your consideration. 


Vice-President (Ohio) – Jennifer Sherman 

I am your current Great Lakes JETAA Ohio Vice President Jennifer Sherman, and I would love the opportunity to continue serving our community. My JET hometown was Mihama, Mie from 2012 to 2016. For my current full-time job, I write and edit articles related to anime, manga, and game news as Associate Editor at Anime News Network. With northeast Ohio as my home base, I’m thrilled to work with all of you on exciting projects to engage with JET alums in Ohio and Michigan. As GLJETAA’s representative, I participated in JETAA USA’s National Conference in Denver in 2018, gaining valuable tools and making connections to improve our chapter. I want to continue to collaborate with other JET community leaders to develop and host more events throughout Ohio. I look forward to hearing your ideas for the coming year. Thank you for being an active member of our chapter! 


Treasurer – Bill Schlatter 

Hello JET alumni of Michigan and Ohio! My name is Bill Schlatter, and I was on the JET Program from 2012-2014 in Hokkaido. I am running for re-election as Treasurer of Great Lakes JETAA. I’ve been on the job for two years now, so I understand the paperwork and bureaucracy involved in JETAA chapter finances. It’s not fun work, but it needs doing, so vote for me if you want me to keep doing it for another two years! 


Secretary – Kyle Belanger 

My name is Kyle Belanger and I’ll be running for the Secretary position on the Great Lakes JET Alumni Association board. I’ve only recently returned back from my time on the JET Program in Shizuoka where I volunteered in my local AJET chapter as Vice President. Back in Michigan, I wanted to continue to lend a hand in events oriented toward international exchange and keeping the JET community as well connected as it was in Japan. I pride myself on my organizational and interpersonal skills and feel they would be an asset as Secretary. 


Webmaster – Lily Sun 

Hello, my name is Lily Sun. I was a JET ALT from 2015 to 2017 in Ishikawa Prefecture. 

I would be honored to continue to serve the Great Lakes JETAA community in the position of Webmaster. I have three years of experience making websites for myself and other freelance clients with WordPress. I have experience making websites using HTML and CSS. I also have an Associate degree in web design and a BFA in graphic design. 

As a webmaster, I will re-design the website using an award-winning WordPress theme. I will make timely updates to the website, and make it more accessible to members and create a hub of information. I will host and facilitate events as an Officer to support the community. Please vote for me for the Webmaster position. Thank you for your consideration!