iLEAP Global Team

Britt Yamamoto

Dr. Britt Yamamoto

Founder & President

he/him

Faculty

Britt has three decades of teaching experience at all levels (from elementary aged to post-graduate students) and, in addition to being the President of iLEAP, is currently also a Clinical Associate Professor in the University of Washington Department of Global Health and the CEO and co-founder of Perennial, a leadership training organization that designs and facilitates transformational experiences for seasoned social leaders from around the world. Britt holds degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of California at Davis, and the University of Washington.

Seattle, WA, USA
English, Japanese, Spanish
Russel Watts

Russell Watts

Vice-President of Partnerships

he/him

Faculty

For over thirty years, Russ has worked with young international leaders on their journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Russ is committed to designing learning experiences that help others to elevate their focus and flow in their pursuit of personal and professional growth. In addition to being the Vice President of Partnerships at iLEAP, Russ is also an adjunct professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, an adjunct professor in the Health and Wellness Certificate Program at Georgetown University, and a Founding Partner of Solutions for Online Integrated Learning (SOIL).

Lake Garda, Italy & Washington DC, USA
English, Italian
Kei Kasukawa Eriksen

Kei Kasukawa Eriksen

Vice-President of Programs

she/her

Faculty

Kei brings her two decades of experience in working with international students, young professionals, and leaders for their personal and professional development. Over the years of working at iLEAP and other colleges, she has guided youth and young professionals on their leadership journey, career paths and life transition with her deep listening and inquiry. Kei holds a Master’s degree from the SIT Graduate Institute in International Education specializing in student advising and cross cultural advising. Kei is also a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC).

Tokyo, Japan & Seattle, WA, USA
English, Japanese
Yuka Kitajima

Yuka Kitajima

Program Manager

she/her

Faculty

Yuka earned a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from DePauw University, specializing in collective memory and intercultural conflict transformation. Over the course of her career, she has worked with more than 1,000 high school students teaching entrepreneurship and art education. As a researcher at a think tank and a learning designer, Yuka’s mission is to help students cultivate self-determination and their social awareness.
Osaka, Japan
English, Japanese
Dr. Mya Fisher

Dr. Mya Fisher

Senior Advisor

she/her

Faculty

Mya has spent more than 20 years as an international education professional. Embedded in her work and program designs are creating spaces for people to ask hard questions, find their “voice” to engage in these conversations and equips them to be active and critical thinkers who will contribute to the reimagining of societies grounded in principles of equity and inclusion. Mya is a proud alum of Williams College (B.A. Psychology and Sociology), New York University (M.A., International Education) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (M.S. and PhD, Sociology).

Washington DC, USA
English, Japanese
Sunny Watts

Sunny Watts

Director of Curriculum

she/her

Faculty

For over twenty years, Sunny has been an educator with a passion for creating dynamic learning environments for individuals from diverse international backgrounds. When developing curriculum, she focuses on incorporating arts infused disciplines, so as to facilitate active learning where individuals fully participate in their growth and development. She works with GLA participants with a level of devotion, playfulness and flexibility in order to best light up their learning experience.
Lake Garda, Italy
English, Italian
Chie Aikawa

Chie Aikawa

she/her

Faculty

Chie has two passions in her life: learning and speaking languages and working with international youth; she has been involved in international youth exchange for nearly three decades, first as a participant, and later as a staff. A trained interpreter and translator, Chie now focuses on being an effective conduit between cultures and languages in the field of civil society, as well as promoting the sense of global citizenship among students and young professionals as a diversity facilitator of Japanese organization GiFT (Global Incubation X Forstering Talents).

Bonn, Germany & Tokyo, Japan
English, Japanese, German
Natsumi Mishio

Natsumi Mishio

she/her

Faculty

As a teenager, Natsumi experienced social withdrawal from Japanese society (hikikomori) and, as an adult, has committed her life to helping young people lift their confidence as they find their way in life. Studies in the United States and work in Southeast Asia were particularly formative in her growth and, since returning to Japan, she has worked with tens of thousands students from ages 7 to 22 in various leadership and educational positions. Natsumi sees her work with the GLA as a way to further advance her commitment to empower young people in the pursuit of their goals and dreams, despite what challenges they may face.

Okazaki, Japan
English, Japanese