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Leadership Development Program

KALCA 2008 Leadership Development Program Information and Schedule

STEP UP to LEADERSHIP: Creating Opportunities Through Self Awareness
 
BRIDGING THE GAP: Understanding Asian Pacific Americans
March 26, 2008

@ The Korea Society
950 Third Avenue, 8th Fl.
NYC 10022

The first Workshop is a comprehensive primer on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

• WHO ARE WE?
• WHAT IS OUR HISTORY IN THE UNITED STATES?
• WHAT ARE THE ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITIES?
• HOW ARE WE PERCEIVED AND MISPERCEIVED BY OTHERS?
• HOW DOES OUR CULTURE INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR?

Using a multifaceted approach that examines history, demographics, diversity, community issues, stereotypes and culture, LEAP trainers get to the heart of what it means to be "Asian American or Pacific Islander."

Lecturer: Linda Akutagawa is the Vice President for Resource and Business Development at Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP). Envisioned as a vehicle to develop future leaders, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP) is a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1982 to achieve full participation and equality for Asian Pacific Americans (APAs).

Unmatched in vision and scope, LEAP offers leadership training, publishes original public policy research, and conducts community education to advance a comprehensive strategy of APA empowerment. LEAP has grown steadily from its roots as a volunteer organization offering community training, into a national organization with a current clientele of nearly 500 nonprofit, community and student organizations; federal, state and local government agencies; colleges and universities; and Fortune 1000 companies. For the past twenty five years, LEAP has been intent on "growing leaders." LEAP programs encourage individuals to assume leadership positions at work and in the community, to be informed and vocal about policy issues relevant to APAs, and ultimately, to become role models for future leaders.

Ms. Akutagawa is a member of the Board Directors of the Asian Women Leadership Network and a Board member of Japanese American Community Services (JACS), a community grant making organization. Previous to joining LEAP, she was the Marketing Manager for Japan and Orient Tours, a tour operator specializing in Asia and the Pacific. Linda received her B.S. in International Business with a minor in Economics from California State University at Los Angeles.

RISK TAKING: Making Changes Happen
April 19, 2008

Though often feared, taking risks is essential to personal and professional development. Participants will define risk taking, explore why people do or do not take risks and discuss possible cultural Influences on risk-taking. Through this practical, cultural-based workshop, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders will learn the strategies of how and when to use a risk-taking process model to think "out of the box" and go beyond their comfort zone.
Lecturer: J.D. Hokoyama currently serves as President and CEO and a founding Board member of Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP), Inc. As LEAP's chief executive officer, he is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the organization.

A former Peace Corps volunteer serving in Ethiopia, Mr. Hokoyama taught English at Daniel Murphy and at Loyola High Schools where he was also chair of the English Department. He was the principal of Maryknoll Elementary School for 2 1⁄2 years, after which he returned to teaching English at Immaculate Heart High School. Mr. Hokoyama left teaching to become the Associate National Director of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the oldest and largest national organization in the country serving Japanese Americans. After two years as the Associate Director, he assumed the position of Acting National Director. Subsequent to leaving the JACL in 1981, Mr. Hokoyama served as the first director of the office of Asian Pacific American Student Services (APASS) at the University of Southern California, and then as Executive Vice President for Fund Development and Public Affairs at Keiro Services until January 1988, when he assumed his current position with LEAP. He holds a BA in English, a secondary teaching credential and a M.Ed. in educational administration from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Mr. Hokoyama's current community affiliations and involvement include: vice chair, Board of Directors, Independent Sector; board member, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans; advisory board member, Alliance for Nonprofit Management; founding member, National Diversity Network; advisory board member, Academy for Educational Development "New Voices" fellowship program; advisory board member, Asian Pacific Exchange; advisory board member, Asians for Corporate and Community Action, AT & T.

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND IDENTITY
October 4, 2008

If you were a product, how would you market yourself? Successful companies craft unique brand identities to set themselves apart from the competition. In an increasingly competitive workplace, individuals can also use these strategies to grab the attention of their employers and boost their career marketability. In this workshop, participants will learn from corporate marketing practices to discover their own brand identity.

ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING
November 2008

Do you hate to "make waves?" Are you succeeding in making yourself heard? Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who do top-notch work sometimes find themselves being overlooked because they do not assert themselves in the workplace in the same ways as other employees. This workshop tackles possible reasons for these problems and offers practical ways for Asian Pacific Americans to get the recognition they deserve.

Future Lecturers: Karen J. Watai is the President of Karen Watai Associates LLC, a firm dedicated to working with professionals through coaching and training to enhance performance and achieve results in a long-term and sustainable manner. She is committed to the process of enabling individuals to achieve leadership in their desired areas. Karen is a certified coach from the Coaches Training Institute. Her clients include CEOs, Managing Directors, Vice Presidents and managers from professional services firms, as well as entrepreneurs.

Prior to founding Karen Watai Associates LLC, she spent 20 years in the investment banking and private equity industries. Karen was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs & Co. where she executed transactions in the Private Finance Department and was a relationship manager in the Capital Markets Department. She also worked in the Management Development and Training Department where she designed, developed and delivered major initiatives including mentoring, diversity, compliance, and business programs.

Karen left Goldman Sachs to become a partner in the Exeter Group of Funds, a private mezzanine and equity investment firm. Karen holds a J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, as well as an A.B. from Harvard University.