2019 JETAA Elections Are Here!

Calling all JET Alumni – the online voting polls for the 2019 JETAA officer elections are now open! Polls are open from March 28th to April 10th. The officer platforms are listed below and the online voting is ready for you to cast your vote for this year’s JETAA officers.

Here’s what you need to do: 1. Review the platforms for the candidates running for officer positions (scroll down to see below). 2. Vote for the candidate of your choosing online. (Important: Make sure to enter your e-mail address, or your vote will not count).

Click here to vote today!

PRESIDENT Name: Anna Schneider Prefecture: Miyagi Years: 2013 – 2015

After serving as Treasure for two year, I’m looking forward to continuing to carry out JETAA Portland’s mission to be a resource for our alumni and connect us to the Japanese community here. My dayjob sees me carrying out inbound international exchange programs at WorldOregon, and I love connecting WorldOregon and JETAA Portland initiatives and collaboration when possible. My goals for the JETAA Portland community this year is to grow engagement and continue to emphasize opportunities for alumni to find meaningful careers upon their return or move to the Portland metro area. Thanks for your consideration!

VICE PRESIDENT Name: Rosalie Fordham Prefecture: Nagasaki-ken Years: 2014 – 2017

Hi, everyone! I’m Rosalie, but feel free to call me Rosie. I was a JET in the small city of Sasebo, Nagasaki for a little over three years. While there I served as an Area Representative for the JETs in my town, became Editor-in-Chief of a prefecture-wide English magazine, and founded a writing and arts group that met twice a week in local cafes. I became very attached to the Sasebo community through the school I worked at, the hobbies I participated in, and the local businesses I patronized.

Now that I’ve been back in Portland for over a year, I’d like to get more involved in JETAA, maintain my ties to Japan, and help strengthen and build our community. I believe my experience in leadership roles in Japan gives me the skills I need to succeed as Vice President. I am organized, responsible, and used to bringing groups of people together. I am an experience writer, and would be happy to contribute my writing skills to JETAA in any capacity. I would also be interested in creating more outlets for JETAA members to express their creativity.

I hope you will consider me for Vice President for the coming year. Thank you!

TREASURER Name: Serena Glick Prefecture: Ehime-ken Years: 2010 – 2012

I have been active in the JETAA community since moving to Portland in 2012. I have served on the board previously as Secretary from 2017-2018. I’m currently considering a career change to accounting and/or finance, and would love the opportunity to serve as JETAA Treasurer. I am looking forward to being a part of the JETAA officer team once again and to get to know fellow board members as well as other JETAA community members at various events. Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu!

SECRETARY Name: Michaela Duffey Prefecture: Sapporo-shi Years: 2017 – 2018

Hello fellow JET alumni,

My name is Michaela Duffey. I returned from JET last August after spending a short but amazing year in Sapporo, Hokkaido. One thing that I loved about Sapporo (aside from the snow and soup curry) was the large community of JETs in the city. There were about 30 of us, and we loved hanging out, be it in small groups or at the occasional all-ALT parties. So, coming back to Oregon, I’ve really enjoyed having such an active JETAA chapter, and plenty of opportunities to talk with other JETs about the good ol’ days and practice Japanese.

I benefit so much from having this community and going to events, so I would love to join the board as secretary and help to keep our JET community active and strong. In college I was an active member of both the Japanese and French clubs, helping where I could, and senior year I became the president of the French Club. As president, I was responsible for organizing meetings and several events open to the whole campus, such as a concert by Portland’s resident French musician Eric John Kaiser, a cheese tasting event, and a reduced-price 3-course dinner at the local French restaurant. As secretary, I will bring my planning skills and note-taking abilities to help organize events to keep our JETAA chapter alive and thriving.

Thank you for your consideration.