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Welcome to the JAWAUCB webpage!
Annual Meeting - April 24, 2010
On April 24, 2010, the Japanese American Women Alumnae of the University of California, Berkeley held its 20th annual luncheon meeting at Yoshi's Jazz Club & Japanese Restaurant, Jack London Square, Oakland, California, with 78 members and guests in attendance.
Keynote Speaker Judge Joni Hiramoto
The keynote speaker, the Honorable Joni Hiramoto, Judge of the Superior Court, Contra Costa County, spoke on the “Perspectives of an Asian American Woman Judge”. Judge Hiramoto’s presentation was a fascinating discussion of the challenges and remarkable accomplishments she has experienced both in private and public practice with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Branch Chief, Enforcement Division, and now as the only Japanese American woman jurist in Contra Costa County. Appointed to the bench in March 1998, Judge Hiramoto’s devotion to justice, her family and her community was both apparent and inspirational. Presently assigned to hear felony jury trials, Judge Hiramoto previously presided over the Drug, Behavioral Health, and Domestic Violence Courts. Judge Hiramoto is also a faculty member of the Bernard E. Witkin Judicial College of California, the New Judges’ Orientation program in San Francisco and the State Judges’ Qualifying Ethics. In 2004, Judge Hiramoto was the City of El Cerrito’s Woman of the Year.
 
Alumna of the Year Congresswoman Doris Matsui, left
Vera Kawamura, presenting, and Trent Sunahara, accepting for Doris Matsui
The Outstanding Alumna of the Year, Congresswoman Doris Matsui was honored for her dedication to public service and her many achievements as a member the U.S. House of Representatives. Congresswoman Matsui’s constituents are the citizens of the Sacramento region. Prior to coming to Congress, Representative Matsui served on numerous advisory boards, community organizations, and honorary committees in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C. A veteran of the Clinton Administration and a key member of the 1992 Presidential Transition Board, Congresswoman Matsui succeeded her late husband, Rep. Robert T. Matsui, in office. In 2008, Congresswoman Matsui was appointed to one of the most powerful committees in Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee. As a member of this influential Committee, Representative Matsui participates in developing legislation to address the most critical challenges facing all Americans, including health care, clean energy, commerce and consumer safety issues. One example of Congresswoman Matsui’s dedication to public service is her ongoing work on the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents. Representative Matsui grew-up on a farm in the Central Valley of California. She met her husband, the late Congressman Bob Matsui, while earning her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Trent Sunahara, Field Representative, accepted the Alumna of the Year Award on behalf of Congresswoman Doris Matsui.
Scholarship awardees (left to right)
Asako Miyakawa, Emily Ikuta, Katy Nomura,
Crystine Gill, Terri-Lynn Tanaka
Each of the five scholarship recipients gave a brief presentation. The recipients of the 2010 JAWAUCB scholarships are:
o Asako Miyakawa - Ph.D. Candidate in Neuroscience
o Emily Ikuta - Undeclared, College of Letters and Science
o Kathryn Nomura - Undeclared, College of Engineering
o Crystine Gill - Undeclared, College of Letters and Science
o Terri-Lynn Tanaka - Ph.D. Candidate in Near Eastern Religions
Coordinator, Alumni Events and Groups of the California Alumni Association (CAA), Matt Ulery brought greetings from the CAA.
An annual business meeting preceded the luncheon. Following the treasurer’s report, the following slate of officers was unanimously approved: treasurer Ruth Ichinaga, corresponding secretary Momo Hatamiya, directors at large Nina Fallenbaum, Betty Furuta, Leslie Tsukamoto .
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