Season 4: Guest Bios
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Caleb Eby (CAJ 2003)
Missionary Caleb was born and raised in Tokyo and attended Christian Academy in Japan (CAJ) from K-12. After receiving a degree in Intercultural Studies and a Minor in TESOL from Emmaus Bible College, he returned to Japan and worked several months in the headquarters of CRASH (Christian Relief, Assistance, Support, Help) during the initials months of the Tohoku disaster relief work. Later that same year he moved to Gifu where he worked 5 years in the Japanese public schools as an English teacher while doing missionary work on the side. Since 2016 he has been working as a full-time missionary in the Tokai region while still based in Gifu. He is part of a network called No Place Left that seeks to empower Japanese Christians to take the message of Jesus to their own circles of influence until all have had a chance to hear. He is currently living in Gifu city with his wife, Amy, and two sons. |
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Yumi Araki (ASIJ 2006)
Journalist (Senior Producer and Editorial Lead of a media lab) Yumi (Youme) Araki was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and raised in Tokyo where she was a “lifer” at the American School in Japan, attending from kindergarten through high school. Upon graduating in 2006, she attended Boston University’s College of Communication to pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and spent her formative years after graduation producing documentaries at a production company. She then earned her master’s degree at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and began working for the Washington D.C. bureau of Japan’s largest newspaper, The Yomiuri Shimbun. After covering the 2016 presidential election, Yumi moved on to work as a producer at “On Point,” a daily news show on Boston’s NPR station, and currently produces short documentaries and podcasts for a Washington-based defense think tank. Most recently, she hosted a four-part TV docuseries called Deciphering Japan, which explores hot-button issues that have both galvanized and polarized the nation. She interviews the people at the forefront of change in Japan. Docu-series on Japan, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video-on-demand/deciphering-japan |
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Dr. Tom Kashiwagi D.O./M.D. (ASIJ 2007)
Doctor (Internal Medicine) Tom graduated from ASIJ in 2007 and attended the University at Buffalo to study biochemistry. Upon earning his bachelors he would go on to attend the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he earned his M.D. and D.O. He has been dabbling with magic tricks since he was a little kid, but it wasn’t until high school when he received one-on-one training with a magician in the Philippines that he fell in love with the craft. He continued to showcase his magic tricks throughout medical school, especially to entertain patients. Tom believes that by sharing magic with patients has provided him with a purpose and more fulfilling medical school experience. It has been a way for him to combine his two passions in life, which he said is his advice to students just beginning medical school. He currently works at the University of Pittsburgh's internal medicine department. |
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Brenden Lynce (Kinnick 2003)
Semiconductor Equipment Engineer Brenden was born in Killeen, Texas. As the son of a Naval officer, he earned his title of 'Military Brat' moving across various states in the US during his youth before finally moving to Japan and graduating from Nile C Kinnick in 2004. After high school, Brenden spent a couple of years traveling in Asia and performing Music before joining the Military in 2007. He served on the Ballistic Missle Submarine USS Nevada (SSBN 733) as a Nuclear Reactor Operator. During his tour, he completed a historic Refueling and Overhaul of an SSBN Reactor and received several awards for tackling rare reactor casualties during Sea Patrols. After the Navy Brenden went to work as an Engineering Technician for Intel in Phoenix, Arizona repairing Plasma Etching equipment for the Semiconductor Manufacturing Process. While in Arizona, Brenden fell prey to one of the dreaded American Plagues of gun violence, receiving a bullet to the chest. After recovery, Brenden took a couple of years away from his career and traveled the Major Metropolitan areas exploring the Political, Economical, Mental, and Cultural issues surrounding America. Brenden then turned his focus back to his career, moving to Austin, Texas, becoming an Equipment Engineer for Cypress Semiconductor (now Infineon Technologies). In Austin, Brenden is researching the importance of the Electrical quality and coherency of food and water, and its effects on Mental and Physical Health. He also mentors Men and Youth on self-awareness and how to avoid the cultural pitfalls of America that will prohibit their version of success in the future. Via these, Brenden intends to start a Non-Profit that tackles some of what he observes as the base issues plaguing America. An Industrialized food system that exacerbates Physical and Mental Health Issues. The improper socialization of youth, including the use of electronic technologies, leading to a host of increasing effects that are left up to political and economic infighting to resolve. |
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Harshit Sedani (ASIJ 2010)
Consultant Born in India, moved to Tokyo when I was 2 and attended Santa Maria. I moved back to India for middle school but returned to finish high school at ASIJ. I moved the US for college, attending Claremont McKenna, where I got a degree in Mathematics and Economics. I took a gap semester in sophomore year and attended Waseda for a semester. After graduating in 2014, I did 3 years of consulting at BCG, did a short stint at AirAsia, then got my MBA at Harvard before returning to consulting in summer 2019. I try to focus my work on aviation, transportation, infrastructure, and the entertainment industry. Outside of my day job, I lead a volunteer coordination program that is aiming to contribute $1M+ in contribution of consulting time and I do small business consulting for women or minority owned business, including in Japan. I also genuinely enjoy mentoring younger people. If anyone is considering doing anything I have, they can reach out to me at [email protected]. To relax, I enjoy traveling, with my favourite destinations being eastern and southern Africa, South East Asia, and home (India, Japan, Cali) and passionately following AC Milan, Indian cricket and F-1 (in that order). I keep in very close touch with my ASIJ friends and often travel with them. |
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Akshaj Alex Mody (SMIS 2012)
Software Engineer Akshaj graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelors in Economics, an emphasis in International Finance and a Business Minor in Financial Analytics. During his time at University, Akshaj interned at Lockheed Martin and Ball Aerospace, working as a Market Research Analyst and Financial Planning and Analysis intern respectively. Upon graduating, Akshaj moved to the Silicon Valley/Bay Area to work in portfolio management at Fisher Investments as a Portfolio Implementation Associate. There he handled the construction of portfolios for high net worth clients primarily located within the EU. In late 2019, Akshaj shifted his focus from finance to tech after months of self-studying. From there, he prepared for and was accepted to one of the top coding bootcamps for full-stack software engineering. With 3 months of pre-bootcamp work and 3 months of rigorous full-time bootcamp studies, he graduated from Hack Reactor as a full stack software engineer, Currently, Akshaj lives between San Francisco and Tokyo where he continues to work on software engineering products primarily for e-commerce and fintech applications. |
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Rafai Eddy (ASIJ 2007)
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality Design Rafai was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and graduated from ASIJ in 2007. He majored in International Business at the University of San Francisco (USF) and was a division 1 intercollegiate athlete on the men’s soccer team. Rafai currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Mika (also ASIJ class of ’07), and works as an AR/VR Product Designer specializing in mixed reality experiences and solutions. He also plays for LA 10 FC, a semi-pro soccer club owned by Alessandro Del Piero. Outside of work and soccer, Rafai enjoys snowboarding, attending music festivals and exploring creative side projects. As he and Mika are expecting their first child in September, they have most recently been working on Adalu Baby, a brand of educational products and services for mixed kids. Mika Eddy (Wang) (ASIJ 2007) Digital Health & Product Innovation Mika was born in LA, raised in Tokyo, and graduated from ASIJ in 2007. At Stanford University, she majored in Human Biology and minored in Modern Languages where she also conducted autism research and taught a course on the neurobiology of relaxation (very California :). Mika, Rafai and their two pups, Taro and Kuro, live in sunny LA where they enjoy hiking, skiing, and beach going. Mika has worked in healthcare and the lifesciences for nearly 10 years and is passionate about leveraging technology to improve access and delivery of care. She is currently Director of Clinical Product Innovation at UnitedHealthcare and was previously a Fulbright research fellow based in Xi’an, China. |
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Raymond Wong (SMIS 1985)
Representative Director After graduating SMIS in 1985, Raymond Wong studied in University of Pennsylvania with BA in Math and BSE in Finance. Born and raised in Japan, he carried Taiwanese passport until age four, before naturalizing to become Japanese. He also attended Tokyo Chinese School during his primary years. Raymond had been in Financial companies for 30+ years, and currently is serving as a Representative Director for Wells Fargo Securities in Japan. He is also currently Chair for St. Mary's Alumni Association for 2020-2023. He is also an avid athlete, having completed 60 full marathons and 9 IronMan events. Raymond and his wife Miwa have three children who studied in SMIS and SIS (Class of 2008, 10, 12). |
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Tats “Fujisen” Fujioka (ASIJ 1997-2014)
Japanese Teacher 藤岡先生は渋谷区原宿で生まれ、大学卒業後東洋大学京北中学高等学校で教師 生活をスタートした。６年間後、ASIJの中等部日本語科専任教諭として奉職 することに。在職中は７年生と８年生の担任としてアウトドアエデュケーショナル プログラム（鳩ノ巣、三宅島、北海道・長野・苗場スキー旅行、広島旅行、伊豆旅行） の企画立案及び引率に従事する。また、冬季シーズンのバスケットボール部、春季シーズン のベースボール部のコーチを１７年間務め、数多くのASIJアスリートを育て上げた 。 大病を患った母親を看病するためにASIJ を退職後、２年間家業の不動産業を継ぎながら 介護生活をおくる。その後、東洋大学〜東京都教育委員会などに奉職し、現在は 都立一貫校で教鞭を執る。 Riki Fujioka (ASIJ 2018) の父である。 |
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Taka Kaneko (MC Taka) (YIS 2004)
MC - Entertainer Born and raised in Yokohama, went to St.Joseph International School, transferred to YIS from 8th grade. Graduated in 2004, went to Chapman University in California, graduated in 2008. Upon graduating, he returned to Japan to work for a trading company. 2013年より世界最大のバンドコンテスト、 「エマージェンザ」にてMCとしてのキャリアを始める。 TV番組のレギュラー出演や専用コーナーを持つなど、 メディアでの出演も含め現在までに500本以上の現場実績を持つ。 業界屈指のバイリンガルスキルを活かし、 アーバンスポーツ「パルクール第1回日本選手権」や LINE主催「LIVER AWARD 2019」等の大規模イベントでの MCを始め、ライブイベントや企業パーティ、ブライダル、 様々なイベントでMCとして活躍。 |
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