![[Photos of the Powell Street Festival]](../images/p-about.jpg)
The PSF Society is run primarily by a group of committed volunteers comprising the board of directors, several committees, and hundreds of other volunteers during Festival weekend.
Our active and dedicated volunteer Board of Directors sit on four volunteer committees (Advocacy, Programming, Fundraising, Festival) along with other community members. Our directors bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Society and share a love of the arts, Japanese culture and food! (See info on our community cookbook on our merch page!)
2006–2007 Directors
John Yamazaki :: President
Hitomi Nunotani :: Vice President
Angus MacLean :: Treasurer
Catherine Newstead :: Secretary
Kamara Kroeker :: Director
Nina Inaoka Lee :: Director
Alia Nakashima :: Director
Darren Okabe :: Director
Members’ Bios
Nina Inaoka Lee is a student advisor for international students in the private sector. As a graduate from Simon Fraser University with a BA in Linguistics and Asia-Canada Studies, she has a keen interest in organizing events to promote the Japanese Canadian arts, culture and history. Along with the PSF board she also serves on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Alumni Association as External Liaison.
Kamara Kroeker is a Certified Financial Planner with a BComm in Entrepreneurial Management from Royal Roads University, and a Diploma in Financial Management from BCIT. In addition to being a board Director, Kamara works as a volunteer tutor, assisting adults working towards their high school diploma. Kamara is an avid traveler and has recently discovered a new passion for scuba diving.
Angus MacLean has had a relatively short history with the Powell Street Festival, having been introduced to the Festival as a volunteer in 2001. The years since have seen him progress to Secretary, Director and Festival Security Coordinator. On a personal level, Angus enjoys creating and assembling intricate scale replicas of early flying machines, then smashing them.
Catherine Newstead is a new drummer and member with Vancouver’s Katari Taiko. She has an affinity for Japanese Canadian culture and joined the PSF Board in January 2007. Catherine is passionate about community projects such as PSF which invites people from all parts of the world and local neighbors to celebrate together. She believes that the PSF and festivals like it, embrace unique expression through the arts, food and activities.
Hitomi Nunotani has been a PSF board member for three years. After graduating from a university in Japan, she has worked as a Tour Coordinator, Translator, Interpreter, Artistic Coordinator at Vancouver Opera, and currently an HR Advisor at Capilano College. She loves creating jewelry and dreams about starting her own line one day.
Darren Okabe began his relationship with PSF by attending the festival with family decades ago. A pseudo fine and graphic artist, musician and thinker, this Surrey born and raised sansei is glad to be on board.
Alia Nakashima graduated with a BFA from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design and currently works as a producer at an animation studio in Vancouver. She is the treasurer of the Powell Street Festival Society and is a performing member of Sawagi Taiko.
John Yamazaki has been a part of the Powell Street Festival for as long as he can remember (which is approx. 7 years now). He is currently a co-owner of two furniture stores and is hoping for a third in the near future. One of his goals is to finally learn the Japanese language and be able to communicate with his grandmother fluently.