Christine Akiko Lucas is a ’92 graduate of Xavier University and long-time volunteer of the Japan American Society of Greater Cincinnati. Christine, who is half-Japanese, has relatives in Tokyo, Kobe, and Yokohama that were affected by the devastating 2011 Earthquake. She has a background in public relations, media relations, and fundraising, as well as special events and marketing. She also worked for Japanese Company in Cincinnati.
Christine is spearheading the publicity/fundraising efforts for the Ishinomaki Playground Project, and has been contacting local, national and international media, and other sources. She is honored and humbled to assist with this playground project as coastal Northern Japan communities continues to rebuild. She hopes that the children and residents there can again feel happiness, hope, love and dignity.
Email: christyakiko@hotmail.com
Andre Lampson, a University of Cincinnati and Nagoya University alumnus and Japan American Society of Greater Cincinnati volunteer who is fluent in spoken and written Japanese; While at Nagoya University Andre researched and studied topics from Japanese Linguistics to Cross-Cultural Communication. Andre translated the five playground design booklets into Japanese which are now being reviewed by the city of Ishinomaki.
Chie Schuller, a 2002 graduate of Indiana University, Chie grew up in Ishinomaki and came to the United States as an exchange student during her senior year of high school. She currently lives in central Ohio with her husband and two children. Chie’s family and friends live in Ishinomaki and many of her friends experienced tremendous loss after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Chie helped by selling specially designed tote bags to raise much needed funds. Now Chie is translating various letters and documents to the city of Ishinomaki for the playground project and offers her invaluable insight on the current situation in Ishinomaki. “I was so touched and moved when I learned about this project and am so grateful to be a part of it.”
Email: jonchieschuller@mac.com
Junichi Shishido, lives near Ishinomaki, Japan in the neighboring city of Osaki. During the 2011 tsunami, his sister Mariko and her family stayed upstairs in their house for four days when the water swelled to over five-feet on their first floor. Junichi is a member of Osaki International Association and is our local contact with Ishinomaki. Though the Osaki-Middletown, Ohio Sister Cities International, Junichi has visited Ohio on numerous trips, including five visits with Osaki high school students to Middletown, Ohio.
Email: junsjz@mvb.biglobe.ne.jp
Wataru Mukai, is a pediatric surgeon from Hiroshima, Japan who recently was an visiting observer at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Colorectal Center until the end of Jan. 2013.. On his visit to Ishinomaki in May 2012, Wataru reflected that, while some recovery of Ishinomaki has begun, the city still has a long way to go and will continue to need further help and assistance for some time. He is planning to return to Ishinomaki to help relieve the doctors there who are working tirelessly. Wataru will return to Hiroshima from Cincinnati at the end of January 2013.
Email: watarumukai@msn.com
