Tomo was enrolled into his first Japanese language class at the Vancouver Japanese Language School in 1980. Since that time, he has been involved with the VJLS-JH as a student, student council member, alumnus, volunteer, and board director and co-chair.
With a background in management and education, Tomo strives to continue the legacy and the role of the VJLS-JH for the Japanese Canadian community and its greater community.
Yuko is a nisei (2nd generation) Japanese-Canadian who attended Japanese Language School (Calgary) as a child. She is also a Professional Engineer with over 15 years of experience and holds an Executive MBA from the Beedie School of Business.
Yuko is closely involved in the local Japanese community, including being a Judo Yudansha (black belt) and coach at the Ishikawa Family Judo Club in Burnaby.
Miyuki is a professional accountant and serves as the Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair at VJLS-JH. She has been providing her expertise in accounting and tax compliance to the Board and supporting VJLS-JH for many years.
Her son attended Kodomo-no-Kuni and VJLS for 15 years, graduating from high school in 2014. During her volunteer work in the kitchen, she learned how to make manju. She and her son are dedicated and active volunteers at community events.
She is interested in learning about the history of Japanese Canadians and wants to continue to make a positive impact on the future direction of VJLS-JH.
Paula is an artist, mother of two grown children and a business person. Part of Paula’s practise is the Japanese art of Gyotaku. She has traveled internationally exhibiting this work and leading workshops. As far as she knows, she is the only woman of Japanese heritage teaching this art form in North America.
She has enjoyed learning more about the language, customs, the arts, sports and food while being at the School more frequently in the last year.
Her Japanese father’s family owned a convenience store before the war, just a couple blocks from the Japanese Hall. Maybe he ran down the street to watch the Asahi baseball games.
She sees so much care, life and attention alive at the Hall and would like to continue being part of its growth and success.
Russ’ daughter is a graduate of VJLS who started as a young child in Children’s World.
Throughout his life, Russ has been a martial arts enthusiast, practicing Judo in his youth, Karate in high school and Kendo as an adult. In the early 1980s, he traveled to Japan on an artisan visa to learn Japanese woodworking. Over the past 20 years living in Vancouver, Russ’ main interests have been in woodworking and retail. He was the owner of a Japanese Antique shop called Kikori (wood cutter). Before this he lived in Toronto where he had a business making Shoji screens and Japanese furniture.
He is also a reliable woodworker-for-hire for many Japanese restaurants and Japanese Canadian organizations. At VJLS-JH, Russ has built cabinetry that is in daily use by many students, and he helps the organization extensively with facilities and building maintenance.
Kerri is a finance and human resources professional with experience supporting organizations through growth, governance, and long-term planning. She has served in board and leadership roles, including as President of a non-profit sports organization and as an Advisory Board member for multiple CPG companies, where she has contributed to financial oversight and strategic planning.
A third-generation (Sansei) Japanese Canadian, Kerri brings a deep appreciation for community, culture, and stewardship shaped by her family’s history. She approaches stewardship with humility and a genuine commitment to listening and learning, and is dedicated to supporting the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall so future generations can continue to access and benefit from Japanese language, culture, and community. She also sees this role as an opportunity to deepen and share her Japanese heritage with her family, while contributing to its preservation for generations to come.
Donna is a Sansei Japanese-Canadian. She grew up in Canada and later moved to Japan to teach English. Upon return, she understood for the first time the relevance of the hyphenated “Japanese-Canadian” in terms of her identity.
Having previously served on the Board from 2010-2016, she returned in 2026 with over two decades of experience in human resources, communications, strategic planning and risk management. She enjoys thinking outside the box and is energized by opportunities to support and empower people. Fostering her skills through multicultural experiences, she has worked in numerous countries abroad, including Japan. As a lifelong learner and educator, she is fascinated by “the science of people”, culture, human development, and neuropsychology.
Donna’s grandparents were Tsutae and Hanako Sato, former VJLS-JH Principal and teacher. Donna sees the school as a place of community and connection, as well as a shining example of strength and resilience in the face of adversity. She is honoured to be part of the school’s ongoing legacy.
Lisa is a nisei Japanese-Canadian and a graduate of the Calgary Japanese Language School. What brought her to Vancouver was a dream job with the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Now, she proudly calls Vancouver the home where her daughter attended the daycare program at Chidlren’s World and is now in the Kinder-class on Saturdays.
What she loves about VJLS-JH is its openness to be an inclusive community for anyone interested in the Japanese language and culture. She says, “I’m not Japanese enough sometimes, too Canadian at other times, and occasionally, people are convinced I’m born and raised in Japan! VJLS welcomes all versions of me, and I am passionate about offering this sense of belonging to everyone who walks through those doors at the School.”
She brings over a decade of communications, marketing & media experience to the Board, which she hopes will support fundraising efforts. She loves cooking and has found extreme joy in the VJLS-JH kitchen on Saturdays.
Igor grew up in Moscow, Russia and received both MS and PhD in Applied Mathematics from Moscow State University. He and his wife moved from Moscow to Vancouver in 2006. Their decision was based on the google search results for the “Best place on Earth”, promptly returning Vancouver. Just a couple of months later, their daughter was born. It’s her passion for Japanese calligraphy (shodo), language studies and culture that brought his family to VJLS.
Throughout his professional career he has been working in research and development field as a software engineer, applied mathematician and researcher for over 25 years. He also has several years of teaching experience, both at the undergraduate and high school levels, and passionate about education in general, especially about helping young people find their future career and a meaningful goal in life.
Mariko grew up in Toronto attending Saturday Japanese language school and has a strong appreciation for the importance of language, culture, and community. She spent over twenty years living and working in Japan before returning to Vancouver in 2023 with her family. Mariko strives to ensure her children maintain a meaningful connection to Japanese language and culture through food, entertainment, and traditions.
Mariko is a finance professional with more than two decades of international experience across accounting, financial governance, and strategic planning in Canada, Japan, and the United States. Throughout her career, she has worked across a variety of industries and roles, supporting organizations with financial oversight, planning, and thoughtful decision-making.
Mariko has also been involved in volunteer and non-profit organizations, contributing her financial expertise in support of transparency and responsible stewardship. She is passionate about supporting VJLS-JH’s mission and contributing to the long-term sustainability of the school.