 Sayoko
Kuwahara: Team LeaderSponsoring Club: Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club Sayoko, a member of the Rotary Club of Bellevue Breakfast, is known as one of the most energetic, active, committed members who bring fun and innovative ideas to the club. She currently serves as Club Administrator and Membership Support Committee Chair. In the past, she has served as Fellowship Committee Chair. After working for Becton Dickinson Immunocytometry Systems and Taito Software, Inc., Sayoko decided to establish her own business. Since 1990, she has been providing professional English-Japanese translation and interpretation services. Currently, her specialized services include preparation of Japanese regulatory approval applications for U.S. medical device manufacturers. Her business objective is to build relationships between American and Japanese business community on the foundation of mutual understanding, good will and common goals. Sayoko was born in Osaka, Japan, and graduated from Osaka Jogakuin College before deciding to study in America. She attended Boston University and earned her BA in psychology.
She resides in Bellevue, Washington.
Married to a Rotarian, Rourke O’Brien, Rotary is a way of life for
Sayoko. Two stepsons, 8 and 11, are also known to show up in
Rotary work parties. She enjoys sailing, skiing, cooking, and
gardening. She holds a 1st Class International Small Vessel
Operator’s license and 2nd degree black belt in Aikido.
|
 Alice
Hisako Ikeda: Rabbithole Productions, Inc., Television Producer
(Team Member)Sponsoring Club: Emerald City Rotary Club Alice is an Emmy Award winning television producer specializing in documentaries and series productions. She got her start as the Northwest Correspondent for a Pac Rim magazine style program called “Asia Now” that was a co-production between PBS and NHK Television Japan. From there she moved onto documentary production with emphasis on special High Definition Co-Production Projects for PBS and NHK Television Japan. Her work has spanned the globe behind and in front of the camera. She currently has her own company and works primarily on documentaries for cable outlets such as the History Channel and Fine Living Network. Alice is a native of Seattle. She has family here locally as well as in Japan. One of the best times in her life was the 16 months she spent living in Tokyo with her relatives while an exchange student at Aoyama University. Alice enjoys spending time with her husband and family traveling, skiing, swimming and just hanging out. She also loves dancing (took ballet for 16 years) much to her husband’s chagrin.
|
Kelly Guy: Casey Family
Programs, Prevention & Family Support Manager (Team Member) Kelly lives in Seattle and is a Manager in at a private child welfare foundation. She is responsible for the departments’ budget and operations, contract management, program development and implementation and assists with staff development. Kelly grew up in Seattle where she attended the University of Washington earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an emphasis on Public Relations. She later obtained her Masters of Arts in Public Administration at Seattle University. In her free time (when she’s not with her nephew and niece) Kelly volunteers with the Black Child Development Institute as the Membership Chair and sits on the King County Civil Rights Commission where she serves as co-chair of the Commission and chair of the Economic Development committee. Kelly has also volunteered with United Way’s Earned Income Tax Credit campaign the past two years. She enjoys reading, writing, attending concerts and sporting events. Kelly also likes to travel and is looking forward to learning about Japanese culture, meeting the people of Saitama and sharing her experiences with others upon her return.
|
Lindsey Lemm: Edward Jones,
Senior Branch Office Administrator (Team Member) Lindsey Lemm has been working for Dan Reid (Rotarian, Ballard) at Edward Jones Investment Company in Ballard for nearly 6 years. There she works as a Sr. Branch Office Administrator, supporting the Investment Representative, providing strong customer service, with the primary purpose of aiding individuals to reach their financial goals. Lindsey recently was invited to become a Limited Partner of Edward Jones. She is excited about the opportunities that are possible within Edward Jones in the future. Prior to this position, Lindsey has worked for various non-profit organizations including Cedar Park Christian School where she worked as the assistant to the Director of Development. The objective of this position was to raise the funds necessary to build a new high school building. The high school was built and occupied in 2004 and is one of the largest private schools in Washington state. Outside of work, Lindsey is very involved in her church and working with young people. She has been involved in leadership training and traveling abroad with youth to Mexico, Europe, the Philippines and Singapore as well many states within the US. She loves to travel, to read, to be surrounded by family and friends. Lindsey also enjoys movies, coffee, music and truly loves to be immersed in other cultures. Lindsey is
currently completing her BA in Business Administration at
Northwest University in Kirkland. |
 Michele
M. Fugiel: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Program Assistant
(Team Member)Sponsoring Club: Fremont Rotary Club Michele works as a Program Assistant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where she provides support to the Executive Office. After completing her M.A. degree in International Studies and Diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, she took a transatlantic flight and chose to settle in Seattle, a place she had never been. Originally from Chicago, in 2000, Michele completed her B.A. at Arizona State University in Communications with a minor in Spanish. Changing her professional direction, she took an offer with Phoenix Sister Cities to spend two years teaching English in Himeji, Japan, which she followed up by attending the year-long Asia Pacific Leadership Fellowship at the East West Center in Hawaii. Enjoying life in Seattle, Michele is also an active volunteer with the Saul and Dayee G. Haas Foundation where she participates in grant writing and fundraising for the organization. In addition, she has enjoyed a number of SeattleWorks programs including TeamWorks and The Bridge. In her spare time, Michele
enjoys staying active and exploring Seattle, taking some time
out for yoga, and planning her next trip abroad. |
| Alternate Team Members |
 Roger Gula: Mithun Architects + Designers + Planners, Architect (Alternate Team Member) Roger is an Architect and Senior Associate at Mithun Architects + Designers + Planners, where he has designed a variety of buildings in the past 10 years. Roger grew up in New Jersey, and moved to the Seattle area ten years ago. After graduating from Georgetown University in 1990, Roger spent two years in Gunma, Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher as part of the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program for the Ministry of Education of Japan. A Master’s degree in Architecture at the University of Oregon brought him to the Pacific Northwest. Roger has visited Japan a few times after the JET program, and spent two summers as a carpenter’s apprentice in Itakura, Gunma prefecture. In his free time, Roger is Executive Director of action:better city , a non-profit urban planning and architecture film studio and also mentors high school students in the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) program of Seattle. To relax, he enjoys long walks, basketball, and filmmaking.
|
 September Secrist: U.S. Department of Commerce, Trade Specialist (Alternate Team Member) September Secrist grew up in Olympia and moved to Seattle 9 years ago, where her family roots go back 5 generations. She is an International Trade Specialist with the U.S. Department of Commerce, assisting companies in the medical, healthcare, and biotech industry sectors find new markets for their goods and services. September is an active member of the International Trade Administration’s Global Healthcare Team where she is the national specialist for Healthcare Information Technology. September received her BA in Business Administration at Northwest University, where she spent a semester studying international business in Costa Rica and a semester studying international and domestic policy in Washington, DC. She also received a minor in Legal Studies, as well as in Teaching English as a Second Language. In her spare time, September enjoys entertaining, attending the theatre, coordinating social events, volunteering at her church, and edaciously adding to her nigh on surfeit book collection.
|
