The Powell Street Festival Society would not be possible without the support of our generous and committed volunteers, who make up the Board of Directors, several committees, and hundreds of volunteer positions during Festival weekend. Staff work collaboratively with volunteers throughout the year, to ensure programming and events are inclusive and representative of the communities we serve.
Our active and dedicated volunteer Board of Directors sit on four volunteer committees: Advocacy and Outreach, Programming, Fundraising, and Festival (seasonal). Our directors bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Society and share a love of Japanese Canadian art and culture.
Edward Takayanagi is a child of post-war immigrants, born and raised in Alberta. He attended Kyoto University on the Monbusho Scholarship and lived in Japan for 5 years. After graduation he returned to Canada and moved to Vancouver to attend Law School at the University of British Columbia. He has worked for a Japanese multi-national company, in private practice, for non-profit organizations and government agencies. He has been appointed as a member of the Human Rights Tribunal in 2022.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Russell has been attending the Powell Street Festival for as long as he can remember. Russell studied environmental science at UBC and graduated with a JD from the University of Victoria in 2023. He currently works on the North Shore as an associate lawyer at Ratcliff LLP and looks forward to continuing as a board member this year.
Rachael (she/her) is a Japanese-Canadian of mixed descent. She was born and raised on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Over the past ten years, she has worked in various non-profit positions, including museum programming, informal education, and fundraising, which she now focuses on. As a yonsei with grandparents who frequented Paueru Gai before WWII internment and post-war resettlement, she is passionate about preserving Japanese-Canadian history and showcasing the community’s arts and culture in new and innovative ways.
Reiko (she/her) was born in Japan and raised in Burnaby. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, she works with children with communication disabilities. Reiko has been volunteering with PSFS since 2010 and previously served on the Board of Directors in 2010-2015. She is excited for this opportunity to return to the Board.
Asia (she/her) is a mixed-heritage yonsei settler living and working on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She has held various roles in arts organizations ranging from administrator to event producer to sales manager, and is passionate about building community through art. She has been involved with Powell Street Festival Society since 2015.
Kevin grew up locally and was born to a Japanese father born in Vancouver who was interned during WWII and a Japanese mother born in Japan. He has spent his entire life in the lower mainland and graduated from BCIT with Diploma in Marketing Management and a second one in Financial Management. He has been in the telecom industry since 1981 and has owned and operated Santel Communications since 1996. He has served on Boards and Advisory Committees for his local church, a summer kids camp facility and an annual Men’s Event. Kevin has attended dozens of Powell Street Festivals over the years. He is married for over 35 years and has two adult daughters (one married) living in the lower mainland and is excited to be serving with PSF.
Nakama Volunteers play a large role in our outreach, events, and governance. They bring a range of skills and expertise to the committee. Please contact emiko [at] powellstreetfestival.com if you are interested in joining any of these committees.
Sophie Yamauchi Latimer (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Powell Street Festival Society (PSFS), where she is honoured to steward the Society through its next chapter. A Yonsei and Gosei (fourth and fifth generation Nikkei) of mixed heritage, Sophie combines her lived experiences with her professional expertise in arts administration. With extensive experience in cultural programming, fundraising, public engagement, and non-profit development, Sophie has successfully led initiatives that foster community connection, cultural exchange, and inclusivity.
As Executive Director of PSFS, Sophie is focused on strengthening the Festival’s relationships with the diverse communities it serves, ensuring it remains an inclusive, dynamic, and relevant space for cultural expression. She is committed to honouring the Festival’s rich legacy while embracing opportunities for growth, innovation, and long-term sustainability. Sophie is dedicated to ensuring that the Powell Street Festival continues to evolve in a way that maintains its cultural significance and relevance, while remaining a vital and vibrant celebration for the Japanese Canadian community and Vancouver’s cultural landscape.
Contact: sophie[at]powellstreetfestival.com
Kathy Shimizu is a sansei, graphic and web designer, artist, and community organizer. She has worked for the Powell Street Festival Society in various roles since 1991, is a co-founder, collective member, and administrator of WePress, serves on the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association Human Rights Committee, and is a member of Sawagi Taiko. She works to use the importance of history, and the power and joy of arts and culture, to build community, fight for social justice and change, and help create space for the voices of communities and individuals marginalized by our existing systems.
Contact: kathys[at]powellstreetfestival.com
Anny Lin was born in Taiwan, an island where her ancestors were settlers on Indigenous land for generations. At the age of four, she moved to Los Angeles, where she spent the majority of her childhood before relocating to Vancouver, BC during her high school years. It was through her involvement with the Vancouver Taiko community that connected Anny to the Powell Street Festival community. Now a guest on Coast Salish land, Anny is grateful to contribute to the meaningful work of the Powell Street Festival Society and serve the Downtown Eastside community.
Contact: production[at]powellstreetfestival.com
Zia Ahmed Chapman (any pronouns) is a mixed Indian-Australian who grew up in Hyderabad, India. They settled in so-called Vancouver to pursue a BA in International Relations and Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and have since completed an MSc in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford. Zia is passionate about the intersection of arts, social justice, and community empowerment and hopes to center these values in their work.
ziac[at]powellstreetfestival.com
Vanessa Matsubara (she/any) is a mixed sansei + yonsei settler raised on Treaty 1 territory (Winnipeg, MB.) She has a Bachelor of Media Studies from UBC and is currently working with the UBC Learning Exchange to produce a podcast series highlighting sustainability efforts and concerns in the DTES. Vanessa has been with PSFS since 2022 and is deeply grateful to be working in Paueru Gai where her relatives once resided pre-internment.
vanessa[at]powellstreetfestival.com
Megumi Yamaguchi is a Japanese immigrant who grew up in Chiba, Japan. Since childhood, she has been passionate about Japanese traditional arts, including calligraphy, the tea ceremony, and kimono. With a background as a Visual Designer specialising in User Experience Design, she has dedicated herself to assisting small businesses in building their online presence. She is thrilled to be working for the Powell Street Festival Society and the surrounding neighborhood communities.
megumiy[at]powellstreetfestival.com
