JETAA DC (US-01)
- JETAADC, Communications and Technology Chair (2023-present)
- JETAADC, Professional Development Co-Chair (2022-2023)
- Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, Communications Intern (2021-2022)
- U.S.-Japan Council, Toshizo Watanabe Study Abroad Scholarship Application Reviewer (2020-present)
- TOMODACHI SoftBank Leadership Program, Resident Advisor (2019-2020)
- JET Program, Washington, DC, Interviewer and Recruiter (2018-present)
- JET Program, Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture (2016-2018)
In 2019, I got my first preview of what being part of JETAA could be like after moving to Washington, DC. It was there that I saw how active and vibrant the JET alumni community could be through my local alumni chapter, JETAADC. After joining JETAADC activities and programs such as their yearly Ramen Night and Shinnenkai, I knew I wanted to become more involved and be on the board.
As a result, I joined the JETAADC Board as the Professional Development Co-Chair in 2022. As the co-chair, I managed the JETAADC Mentorship Program, an annual four-month funded program that pairs recent JET returnees in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area with experienced JET alumni mentors to help them transition into their post-JET career trajectories and find employment after returning from Japan.
In 2023, I pivoted to a different role within JETAADC by taking on both the Communications and Technology Chair positions to help support the growth of our chapter’s online presence and public relations. With a professional background in public affairs, I updated our website and grew our JETAADC membership base on social media platforms, in particular, increasing our LinkedIn page follower count by over 500 new members.
During my two years on the board, I have learned immensely from my other board members and JETAADC partners like the Embassy in Japan and the JET Program Office on what it is like running an alumni chapter and organizing events. I also represented JETAADC at the JETAA 2023 National Convention (NatCon) in Monterey, California. Meeting JETAA leaders from all across North America at NatCon and Japanese government representatives opened my eyes to the larger ecosystem of JETAA leadership that is connecting and sustaining the global alumni community.
Joining sessions about building up chapter activity post-pandemic and connecting with current JETs leading AJET ultimately motivated me to apply to be JETAA USA Country Representative (CR) this year. After working on the micro-level at JETAADC, I want to expand my knowledge and contribute to JETAA-I on the macro-level as one of the United States’ CRs. As a JETAA USA CR, I would like to use my background in government and non-profit work, in addition to my work in program management, public relations, and technology, to better serve all of our JETAA chapters across the United States.
These strategic goals include:
- Developing opportunities to connect recent JET returnees with JET alumni all across the United States for professional development opportunities in addition to even global outreach through JETAA-I by potentially using the JETAADC Mentorship Program as a model
- Assisting with JETAA USA Quarterly Meetings to strengthen relationships between JETAA leaders and other related stakeholders for greater coordination and partnership
- Revamping the JETAA USA website to a more admin-friendly and user-friendly platform with increased viewership and engagement applications, especially for new JET alumni
- Analyzing social media data for JETAA USA and improving JET alumni engagement and outreach, based on my background in communications and public affairs
- Leveraging my experience in the public sector to examine how JET ties between the United States and Japanese governments can be reinforced for possible collaboration on events and programming
- Supporting the planning and implementation of the 2024 NatCon, such as promoting registration, developing conference sessions, and other tasks as needed
To view Vivian Chen’s CR Endorsements, see below:
