Meet Nikkei Place Foundation’s
Board of Directors
Board Members
2026 - 2027
Brian Tsuji
President
Brian is a highly experienced Canadian immigration lawyer with 40 years of experience including over a decade of experience leading the Canadian immigration practice in a global law firm, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP (formerly Davis LLP). He speaks Japanese and English and has worked in Tokyo, Toronto and Vancouver. He has represented clients from more than 50 countries. Brian is a past national Executive Member of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) Immigration Section and a past Chairman of the CBA British Columbia Immigration Section. Brian is also a director of Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society.
Paul Kariya
Vice President
Paul is consistently seeking ways to find effective and lasting solutions to public policy issues. With over 35 years of experience in leadership roles in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, his extensive knowledge covers topics in the areas of fish and fisheries management, clean and renewable energy development, and societal reconciliation. He is currently Senior Policy Advisor for Coastal First Nations, working to protect the northern bioregion environment and towards a sustainable coastal economy. Formerly, he was Executive Director of the Clean Energy Association of British Columbia, Executive Director of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, CEO of Fisheries Renewal BC, and Executive Director of the BC Treaty Commission.
Fred Yada
Treasurer
Fred is a retired partner in the chartered accounting firm DMCL, and was the treasurer and director of the Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation for 10 years. Fred previously served as a NPF director, and President of the NNMCC for 4 years. He is the treasurer and Board Member of the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation and past director of the Sarah McLachlan Foundation. Fred considers the most rewarding accomplishment during his term with the NPF was the granting of funds to the NNMCC to acquire land to build Nikkei Place.
Ian Burgess
Director
Ian is a recently retired chartered accountant who worked in various roles at the University of British Columbia for 34 years. Before retirement, Ian was the UBC Comptroller, responsible for overseeing the University’s Management Reporting and Budgeting Departments. He also oversaw the delivery of Finance support to all Academic and Administrative Support units across the Vancouver campus, and provided functional oversight to the Finance function at UBC Okanagan and to Administrative Systems Management in IT Services.
He is also involved as a Board member at several other not-for-profits, including the YVR Art Foundation, Ecojustice, and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society.
Don Campbell
Secretary
Don is currently the Senior Strategy Advisor at DLA Piper LLP. Formerly, he was the Group President of CAE inc. He wields extensive knowledge of international relations and business with Asia, particularly with Japan.
Prior to entering the private sector, he had a distinguished career with Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He has served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Personal Representative of the Prime Minster for G8 Summits, Ambassador to Japan, Deputy Minister of International Trade, Assistant Deputy Minister for the United States and Ambassador to Korea.
kevin isomura
Kevin has been a director of NNMCC since 2016 and has served as Vice-President, Chair of Community Awards Dinner, and member of the Executive and Finance Committees.
Kevin is a partner with Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte LLP and is a Chartered Professional Accountant who has over 30 years of financial experience. Kevin has a Bachelor of Commerce from UBC and has served as a director of various private and not-for-profit organizations. As a sansei whose parents were interned in Greenwood and Tashme, Kevin is committed to preserving Japanese Canadian history and advancing NNMCC’s mission.
Ryan Lang
Ryan Lang is a yonsei and currently lives with his wife, Eliza, in Vancouver, BC. He first visited the Nikkei Centre when his great grandmother Tamako Miki moved to Nikkei Place in the early 2000s. Ryan’s grandfather, Patrick Miki and his great aunt, late Joan Miki, have been significant contributors to the Nikkei Place. Ryan has attended many Nikkei events and would like to ensure the 4th generation Japanese Canadians are educated and active in the local community.
Ryan is a Managing Director at Deloitte Corporate Finance. Prior to Deloitte, Ryan spent 12 years in commercial and corporate banking, business strategy, and real estate development. Ryan holds a Bachelor in Business in Real Estate degree from the University of British Columbia, a Master in Business Administration from IE Business School in Madrid, Spain and is a CFA Charterholder.
Herbert I. Ono
Herbert is the Co-Chair of McMillan LLP's Japan and US Securities Practice Groups, with two years' experience as a foreign lawyer with the Tokyo "Big Four" law firm known as Nagashima, Ohno and Tsunematsu. A sansei born and raised in Sechelt, BC, he holds Master of Laws, Bachelor of Laws, and Bachelor of Arts degrees. Herbert is also Board President of the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.
Hiroshi Yamamoto
Director
Hiroshi came to Canada alone in 1971 from Tokyo when he was 19 and studied Civil Engineering at UBC. Early in his career he worked as an engineer on design and construction but now has a successful career in commercial real estate. Remembering the Nikkei people who have helped him, he wants to give back to the community and to pass on to the next generation Nikkei history, values, wisdom, and spirit. He enjoys hiking and backpacking.
Cathy Makihara
Cathy Makihara has served the seniors of the Japanese Canadian community for 30 years. Since attending Simon Fraser University, she has dedicated her work to serving her community. Cathy has played an instrumental role in the development of Nikkei Place, a multipurpose complex in Burnaby, BC. As the former Executive Director of the Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society, she helped to create one of the first publicly funded assisted living complex in 2002 and opened the Japanese Canadian community’s independent seniors housing; and operated programs and housing for seniors in need. In 2017, the Society was a driving force to develop Lively-Lively, a dementia-friendly day program that has expanded to several locations. Her introduction to the Japanese Canadian community began working as a field worker for the Japanese Canadian Redress Settlement where she developed a passion for working on community issues and needs.
Chris oikawa
Chris is a sansei from Vancouver. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Oceanography and Marine Biology and a Master’s degree in Animal Nutrition from the University of British Columbia. His career includes roles as a Distance Education Instructor at UBC, Research Technician with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Nutrition Manager for Skretting North America. He is currently the Production Manager at Coastwise Processors, a manufacturer of canned pet food. Chris has long supported the Nikkei community—helping organize the 1993 Pan American Nikkei Association meeting in Vancouver, co-founding the Japanese Canadian Youth Group (1993), chairing the Nikkei Centre Programs Planning Committee (1993–2001), and now volunteering with the Powell Street Festival Salmon BBQ and the Nikkei Seniors Health Care & Housing Society as Vice President.