A Global Leader in the Construction Field
I was born in Tokyo Japan and attended school there until age 17, when I came to the United States as an exchange student. After graduating from the Japanese High School, Kyoritsu, I attended Temple University to study and earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture. It’s through Temple’s rigorous curriculum when exploring ethical and social dimensions of architecture that my leadership interest peaked. Temple’s academic program develops an ethos of responsibility in its students and prepares us to “become effective leaders in practices and discourses surrounding the complex global and local issues of our time.”
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After obtaining information about USJLP, I see this as an exciting opportunity to expand my interest and reach my goal of becoming a global leader in the construction field. As a leader in my field, participant in your program, and a contributing delegate, USJLP is a perfect match for achieving my long-term goal while making a lasting contribution worldwide.
A Leader in My Field
As shown on the attached resume, for more than ten years I have been employed by several architectural firms. These positions required working with government building projects such as public libraries, fire stations, military dormitories, and municipal offices. In these positions, my leadership skills were exemplified by managing projects and supervising interns. I demonstrated flexibility and responsibility when coordinating designs with clients, engineers, contractors, and drafters while staying in budget and completing each project on time. I am currently employed as an assistant architect with the Department of Sanitation in New York City. Since obtaining this position in 2009, my organization and communication skills are constantly used to make sure that project team members clearly understand their role, specific tasks, and overall project goal.
. Outside of employment, I have served as a board member of JaNet, started a study group, and designed a website called LEED Japan (www.leedjapan.com). My social networking website was developed to fulfill the need of individuals to have green building information provided in Japanese. Therefore, people interested in LEED or green building from any country are able to sign up to be a member and discuss LEED or Green building. At the same time, I took the broad step of meeting with USGBC representatives to discuss the need to have an “official” LEED professional group recognized by USGBC.
Currently, Green Building Japan (GBJ) is the only USGBC official group for LEED professionals in Japan and I became involved with board members at GBJ before this group became official. In the process of starting GBJ, I worked closely with LEED fellows, who are a “highly accomplished class of individuals” contributing to advancements in the field of green building. Whether on the job or in the community, I have always strived to make a difference by contributing my leadership skills to the goal and mission of the organization.
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A Participant in USJLP
USJLP’s leadership program greatly interests me because it complements my long-goal to become a global leader in sustainable architecture. The green movement, which started in 1993 in the U.S. has expanded worldwide. Therefore, the more I learned about this exciting movement and its huge role to help solve environmental problems, the more determined I became to identify a project to get involved with this worthy, global effort. To contribute to a program that focuses on saving energy, preserving water consumption, reducing waste, recycling materials, ensuring clean air, and so much more in an effort to make this planet better – is part of my passion. I see USJLP as one vehicle to do this since the program develops a network of communication, friendships, and understanding among the next generation of leaders in each country. It fosters continuous dialogue among future leaders representing a broad variety of professions.
I believe in USJLP’s approach on the exchange of valuable information that needs to be shared between Eastern and Western countries. And to be an effective global leader, one has to increase awareness of global issues. One has to understand, identify, define, and propose solutions – tasks for the next generation of leaders. Therefore, USJLP will provide an opportunity for me to broaden my perspective, create new friendships, discuss current global environmental issues, explore optional solutions, and increase membership of the LEED Japan study group. Being accepted into your program will increase my ability to make positive changes towards a healthier world.
A Contributing Delegate
In addition to fulfilling USJLP program requirements and participating as an active member of the team, I will share knowledge of sustainability from an architectural perspective based on years of experience in the field. This sharing will increase the awareness and knowledge base of fellow delegates as it relates to key solutions on environmental issues in their countries.
USJLP presents a diverse and dynamic platform that focuses on global issues. Being fluent in spoken and written English and Japanese, as well as understanding building codes along with competent computer skills enable my contributions to the program to be significant. And having served in various leadership positions throughout my career, I have good oral presentation skills as an open communicator who never meets a stranger. These skills, abilities, and personal attributes enable me to be a contributing delegate in your program.
My short-term goal complements USJLP’s mission: identifying new young leaders who can contribute to the financial future of the program. Young leaders who become part of a larger community in green building to increase global awareness on sustainability, demand more sustainable buildings in the future, educate the next younger generation, and find quality delegates to participate future leadership programs. The secondary goal is to create easy-to-understand sustainable building manuals for non-English speaking individuals.
My long-term goal is to participate in the project to create sustainable communities with green buildings that will be recognized globally. To become an influential leader worldwide, who increases the awareness of environmental issues and travel to different countries attending conventions (e.g., United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) that enables me to spread the knowledge and make a difference.
