Dana Lewis,
President
Dana Lewis has spent most of her professional life at the interface between Japan and the world. With a BA in Far Eastern Languages and Literature and an MA in journalism from the University of Michigan, she has worked for the Asahi Evening News, Kyodo News Service, Newsweek, and most recently with Newsweek Japan magazine, writing on Japanese politics, society and culture, U.S.-Japan relations, and the rapidly evolving political landscape in East Asia. Her reporting on Japan in Asia has taken her to China, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia. A 17-year resident of Tokyo, she has also translated thousands of pages of manga, from the award winning “Blade of the Immortal” to “Oh My Goddess.”
dlewis@usajapan.org

Makenna Barris,
Operations Manager
Makenna Barris received her BA in Mass Communications from the University of California, Berkeley, where she also focused on Japanese language studies. Makenna spent one year abroad at the International Christian University, Tokyo where she received a certificate in Japan Studies. Upon graduation, she returned to Japan as a JET Program participant in Chichibu, Saitama. In addition to her academic accomplishments, Makenna was named All-American and MVP of her college rugby team, having also played at the Nittaidai Sports Science University in Tokyo. She was Assistant Coach of the Cal Women's Rugby Team from 2003-2006 and now plays for the Berkeley All Blues. mbarris@usajapan.org

Erika I,
Language Class & Program Officer
Erika I grew up in Kumamoto, Japan and came to the United States in 2000 as a high school exchange student in Maine. She received her BA in Studio Art, concentrating in Ceramics, from the University of New Hampshire. She came to San Francisco hoping to serve as a bridge between the locals and the Japanese community, utilitzing her background and strong interest in the arts and culture of Japan.
ei@usajapan.org

Matthew Lewon,
Office and Finance Manager
Matthew graduated from the University of Arizona in 2001 with a BA in History and a minor in Japanese. While a student, he was a counselor for the university's Kanto Gakuin University foreign exchange program. After three years as an office intern and clinical assistant for the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities, he went to Japan as a JET Programme participant in Kumamoto from 2003-2006. He enjoys playing music and has recorded and toured both in the United States and Japan. For general information, memberships, and internship inquiries, please contact him at mlewon@usajapan.org.

Susan Parini,
Program Officer
Susan Parini received a BA in Art from San Francisco State University and an MA in Asia Pacific Studies from the University of San Francisco. As a graduate student, she presented research on Southeast Asia at Columbia University’s Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Conference on East Asia and was published in the online journal, Asia Pacific: Perspectives. In 2006, she was selected to attend the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations Conference in Singapore as an Environment Policy Workshop Delegate. Prior to joining the Japan Society, Susan served as a Junior Associate at The Asia Foundation, as well as Marketing Coordinator for two San Francisco-based environmental consulting firms. She currently volunteers at the Asian Art Museum.
sparini@usajapan.org