Amya Miller / Moderator & Panelist
Amya Miller is an American born and raised in Japan with a 30-year career in furthering US-Japan relations. A 28-year resident of Japan, she recently returned to the US after spending seven years working in Rikuzentakata (Iwate Prefecture) as a disaster relief consultant in the aftermath of the 3/11 disaster. The only foreigner hired by a municipality to offer post-disaster crisis management support, she liaised with foreign embassies/companies/media/organizations, international schools, NPOs and NGOs, raised funds for the city, and created a sister school and sister city partnership with a high school and city in California. With her native-level fluency in language and culture, she brought attention to the City or Rikuzentakata on a global scale. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband.
Samantha Fuller / Panelist
Hello! I'm Samantha Fuller, but I usually go by Samma. I'm from Crescent City, California and in 2016, at 16 years old, I was given the opportunity to visit our sister school in Rikuzentakata, Iwate amongst a group of other high school students. I was also able to visit again in 2018 as a student delegate within a city delegation. Because of these trips, I'm able to continue the friendships I have from Rikuzentakata. I'm currently living in Sonoma County, California studying Economics at Sonoma State University.
Jen Kelley / Panelist
A former participant in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program, Jen Kelley spent two years living in southern Japan (Kochi Prefecture), teaching at local Japanese high schools and promoting international exchange at the community level. After moving to Crescent City in 2015 with her husband and two young boys, Jen has had the opportunity to meet with members of the Japan Club at Del Norte High School on several occasions. She’s continued her internationalization efforts by teaching the high school students basic Japanese introductions and etiquette, helping prepare them to host students from Takata High School in Rikuzentakata, and making Japanese foods together.
Chris Howard / Panelist
Chris Howard is a native of northern California, graduating from the University of California at Davis where he studied veterinary medicine. He was recruited in 1994 to research Pacific salmon and northern spotted owls on private timberlands in northern California’s coastal redwood forests, where he currently resides in Del Norte County. He developed the longest running life history data set on pacific salmon in the State, and focused his research efforts on many rare and endangered species in the region. His passion for community interests and economic develop landed him at the forefront of the Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce for eight years as president and director, and many regional non-profit boards. Chris was recruited by Elk Valley Rancheria in 2009 as Director of Economic Development, Public Relations and Environmental Services where he served in various capacities to strengthen tribal sovereignty. He left his career with Elk Valley in 2012 to work with family friends Blake and Stephanie Alexandre, where he focuses on strategic growth initiatives on the State’s largest organic, pasture-based dairy to strengthen the family operation and create value added markets for the Family’s organic and regenerative farm products. He was elected in 2014 as a Del Norte County Supervisor and enjoys traveling with his wife Lisa of 25 years and two sons, Bryce and Gabe.
Takanori Obayashi / Panelist
Takanori Obayashi was born and raised in Kanto/Tokyo region in Japan, and had an opportunity in 2004 to visit Rikuzentakata when he was a student of Keio University. Experiencing beautiful nature, food and genuine hospitality of local people, Rikuzentakata has become his second home. He started his career in 2007 at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) where he was engaged in various technical cooperation and grant aid projects for developing countries such as Philippines, Malawi and Tanzania, etc. While he was stationed in JICA Tanzania Office as Assistant Resident Representative, he was convinced of the importance of local players who have commitment to invigoration of a community, which led him to decide to root himself in Rikuzentakata and become a part of rebuilding efforts from the 3/11 disaster. Being recruited by the City in 2015 as principal inbound tourism officer, he contributed to create the sister city relationship with Crescent City in California, as well as Tokyo 2020 exchanges with Singapore. After serving as chief of staff to the Mayor, he currently works as assistant director of Branding and Business Development Division, where he focuses on city branding and local economic development.
We will keep you updated on our FB page too.
Amya Miller / Moderator & Panelist
Amya Miller is an American born and raised in Japan with a 30-year career in furthering US-Japan relations. A 28-year resident of Japan, she recently returned to the US after spending seven years working in Rikuzentakata (Iwate Prefecture) as a disaster relief consultant in the aftermath of the 3/11 disaster. The only foreigner hired by a municipality to offer post-disaster crisis management support, she liaised with foreign embassies/companies/media/organizations, international schools, NPOs and NGOs, raised funds for the city, and created a sister school and sister city partnership with a high school and city in California. With her native-level fluency in language and culture, she brought attention to the City or Rikuzentakata on a global scale. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband.
Samantha Fuller / Panelist
Hello! I'm Samantha Fuller, but I usually go by Samma. I'm from Crescent City, California and in 2016, at 16 years old, I was given the opportunity to visit our sister school in Rikuzentakata, Iwate amongst a group of other high school students. I was also able to visit again in 2018 as a student delegate within a city delegation. Because of these trips, I'm able to continue the friendships I have from Rikuzentakata. I'm currently living in Sonoma County, California studying Economics at Sonoma State University.
Jen Kelley / Panelist
A former participant in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program, Jen Kelley spent two years living in southern Japan (Kochi Prefecture), teaching at local Japanese high schools and promoting international exchange at the community level. After moving to Crescent City in 2015 with her husband and two young boys, Jen has had the opportunity to meet with members of the Japan Club at Del Norte High School on several occasions. She’s continued her internationalization efforts by teaching the high school students basic Japanese introductions and etiquette, helping prepare them to host students from Takata High School in Rikuzentakata, and making Japanese foods together.
Chris Howard / Panelist
Chris Howard is a native of northern California, graduating from the University of California at Davis where he studied veterinary medicine. He was recruited in 1994 to research Pacific salmon and northern spotted owls on private timberlands in northern California’s coastal redwood forests, where he currently resides in Del Norte County. He developed the longest running life history data set on pacific salmon in the State, and focused his research efforts on many rare and endangered species in the region. His passion for community interests and economic develop landed him at the forefront of the Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce for eight years as president and director, and many regional non-profit boards. Chris was recruited by Elk Valley Rancheria in 2009 as Director of Economic Development, Public Relations and Environmental Services where he served in various capacities to strengthen tribal sovereignty. He left his career with Elk Valley in 2012 to work with family friends Blake and Stephanie Alexandre, where he focuses on strategic growth initiatives on the State’s largest organic, pasture-based dairy to strengthen the family operation and create value added markets for the Family’s organic and regenerative farm products. He was elected in 2014 as a Del Norte County Supervisor and enjoys traveling with his wife Lisa of 25 years and two sons, Bryce and Gabe.
Takanori Obayashi / Panelist
Takanori Obayashi was born and raised in Kanto/Tokyo region in Japan, and had an opportunity in 2004 to visit Rikuzentakata when he was a student of Keio University. Experiencing beautiful nature, food and genuine hospitality of local people, Rikuzentakata has become his second home. He started his career in 2007 at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) where he was engaged in various technical cooperation and grant aid projects for developing countries such as Philippines, Malawi and Tanzania, etc. While he was stationed in JICA Tanzania Office as Assistant Resident Representative, he was convinced of the importance of local players who have commitment to invigoration of a community, which led him to decide to root himself in Rikuzentakata and become a part of rebuilding efforts from the 3/11 disaster. Being recruited by the City in 2015 as principal inbound tourism officer, he contributed to create the sister city relationship with Crescent City in California, as well as Tokyo 2020 exchanges with Singapore. After serving as chief of staff to the Mayor, he currently works as assistant director of Branding and Business Development Division, where he focuses on city branding and local economic development.
We will keep you updated on our FB page too.