On February 19, USJC members in the Pacific Northwest attended the Japan America Society of Oregon’s Women’s Leadership Luncheon at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Portland. The luncheon included a panel by three speakers who discussed women’s leadership and empowerment in the workplace.
Council Leader Mari Watanabe moderated the discussion. The dynamic speakers included Miki Ebara, an international correspondent and executive producer at Japan’s leading media outlet, NHK; Julia Wada, a Japanese American leader at the U.S. subsidiary of Japan’s iconic automaker Toyota; and Melanie Strong, a Japanese American who leads global brand marketing at Nike. With great candor and humor, the speakers shared their personal stories about how they navigated barriers, gained leadership skills and developed their own potential in some of the most male-dominated businesses globally.