Team Leadership
FEW Japan was founded in 1981 and has been run solely by members for its members for over 43 years. Legally incorporated in July 2020, FEW Japan Not-for-Profit Incorporated Association is continuing the legacy of building women’s empowerment as a multi-stakeholder community partnering for SDG17 (partnership for the goals) to bring together individual members, organizational members (for profit and nonprofit), and corporate members.
Collaborative Leadership
Our all-woman board brings together womxn from diverse nationalities and professional backgrounds, welcoming womxn of all cultural backgrounds, mother tongues and sexualities, and bringing an explicitly trans-inclusive commitment to our safe space for womxn in Japan. Directors serve on a purely volunteer basis and have separate professional activities and family responsibilities outside of their board role. As a membership-based community including individuals, organizations and corporations committed to our mission, we are grateful for these individual directors’ willingness to contribute their precious time and talent in support of this vital womxn’s empowerment community in Japan.
Leadership
Get to know more about our current Board of Directors by clicking the "Learn More" button under each of their names below. If you are interested in getting more involved with FEW, please talk to one of us at our next event or contact us via email anytime!
2024-2026 FEW Japan Board of Directors
Dr. Jackie F. Steele
Representative Co-Director since 2020
President since 2021
Dr. Jackie F. Steele
Representative Co-Director since 2020
President since 2021
Dr. Jackie F. Steele is a trilingual “diversity in law/policy” specialist, feminist philosopher, and Japan scholar with a track record at leading universities in Canada (UOttawa, SFU) and Japan (UTohoku, UTokyo, Nagoya Law). For 2 decades Jackie has worked with social justice organizations, diplomats, MPs, and public/private sector policy leaders in the co-creation of democratic innovations towards greater gender equality, diversity integration, and LGBTQ inclusion for equitable innovation. She has represented Canadian civil society on women’s equality to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (2008/2009), served as a gender/diversity advisor to the Japan Women’s Network for DRR for the UN international Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015), is regularly commissioned by UNESCO for research on diverse women in Japan, and serves on the International Advisory Board of SSJJ, University of Tokyo since 2018.
Since 2020, as CEO of enjoi Japan KK (Nagano) and enjoi Innovation Inc (Vancouver, 2023), Jackie contributes international expertise to guide c-suite leaders in how to transform corporate ecosystems into diversity-positive and innovation-driven enterprises. Using best practices from Canadian public policy, Dr. Steele offers evidence-based ESG business strategy, DEI change management and consulting. Recognized by INvolve (2023) for LGBTQ leadership as an OUTstanding Executive and as a pioneering Japanese entrepreneur by APAC Entrepreneur (2021), Jackie is working with global allies to build a feminist legal tech solution that will curate thriving and equitable workplaces at scale. Jackie is a proud Activator and investor in the Coralus Community, and a member of the Canadian Women’s Chamber, the Japanese Business Association in Vancouver, and . Jackie served as a CCCJ Governor for 4 years, was the inhouse Senior DEI Business Partner for Amazon Japan G.K. She is mother to two delightful children and considers Nagano and Vancouver her hometown communities of lifelong belonging.
Stephanie Napier
Representative Co-Director since 2024
Co-President since 2024
Stephanie Napier
Representative Co-Director since 2024
Co-President since 2024
Stephanie Napier is a mother, feminist, and biologist with a diverse career spanning over 2 decades. She conducted research in university labs in the United States before moving to Japan, where she spent several years at the University of Tokyo. After more than 10 years in academic labs, Stephanie transitioned to an industry management role at a contract research organization. She then spent 5 years at a multinational pharmaceutical company, where she was actively involved in promoting inclusion and diversity.
Following the birth of her second child, Stephanie shifted her focus out of the lab, taking on a role as a Business Development Manager at a Japanese biotech company. She currently serves as the R&D Project Manager at her present company.
Feminism and inclusion have been important drivers for Stephanie’s volunteer’s efforts at previous companies. She was a founding member of an employee resource group dedicated to supporting foreign hires and Japanese returnees in adapting to traditional work environments. She initiated a female-only lunch group for sharing strategies to navigate balancing paid work and unpaid caregiving responsibilities and also played a role in organizing a seminar series for female scientists.
As a member of the FEW Japan Board, Stephanie aims to leverage her experience in governance to further FEW’s mission of empowering womxn across Japan. Originally from the United States, Stephanie has called Japan home since 2008 and now lives in Yokohama with her two children.
Mahi Patki
Deputy Representative Director since 2024
Vice President, Membership Engagement since 2024
Mahi Patki
Deputy Representative Director
Vice President (Membership Engagement)
Mahi Patki is a graduate student majoring in Environmental Sciences at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo). Born in India, she has lived in Japan for the past 16 years and is proactively engaged in many student-led projects tackling environmental and social issues. In her previous role, at the sister organization WomEnpowered International, she spearheaded a series of events to educate about and destigmatize menstruation and women’s health called Period rediscovered. The series explored the science behind menstruation, period products, contraceptives, lifestyle factors, menopause, and period poverty. In continuation, she organized multiple documentary screenings of “A Bloody Taboo” at UTokyo. Mahi joined the FEW Board in 2024, and led the organization of the community engagement pieces of the FEWture Conference, now she serves as the Vice President of Member's Engagement.
Mahi is also a co-founding member of the UTokyo Green Transformation Student Network (GXSN), which has spurred many student-led environmental sustainability-related projects. In particular, she led the installation of water dispensers across UTokyo campuses as an impetus to change single-use culture, organized Campus Changemakers Summits and UTokyo’s Sustainability weeks. She is a trained facilitator and trainer for environmental educational workshops such as the Climate Fresk, and a part of the Ichigo Bloom collective. Mahi enjoys pottery, embroidery, and origami in her free time.
Emily Donkin
Deputy Representative Director since 2024
Vice President, Finance / Membership Development since 2024
Emily Donkin
Deputy Representative Director
Vice President (Finance / Membership Development)
Emily Donkin is a dedicated Education Management professional who has spent nearly 20 years within the Education sector in Japan. A qualified Australian High School History, Politics and Studies of Society and Environment [SOSE] teacher, Emily moved to Japan in April 2005. Mostly, in Japan she has been working with Early Years students in Osaka and in April of 2024, she decided to make the big move to Tokyo. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in teacher-training, curriculum development and implementation, HR, educational leadership, team building and Project Management. And in 2023 she completed her MBA to ensure a well rounded understanding of business and school. She is a true believer in the idea of lifelong learning and applies this to her own life whenever she can.
Kishi Kedia
Treasurer, Fundraising & Finance Team
Kishi Kedia
Treasurer
Kishi Kedia, originally from India, has been residing in Japan for the past 21 years. She currently serves as an Administrative Assistant for a renowned jewelry designer in Tokyo. With a background in recruitment, Kishi brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to her role. Her responsibilities include accounting, coordinating and providing essential support to ensure smooth operations.
Kishi is known for her kindness, hard work, and cooperative nature. She is always keen to introduce new ideas and excels in research, making her an invaluable asset to her team. Her dedication and innovative approach have consistently contributed to the success of the projects she undertakes.
Inspired by the talented women at FEW, Kishi aspires to join their ranks and contribute to their mission. She is motivated by the dynamic and supportive environment that FEW fosters and is eager to bring her skills and enthusiasm to her team.
Outside of her professional life, Kishi enjoys cooking, baking, Temari and learning something new, which helps her maintain a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle. Her commitment to continuous learning and growth drives her to seek new challenges and opportunities.
Kishi’s journey from India to Japan and her diverse professional experiences have shaped her into a well-rounded and adaptable individual. She looks forward to leveraging her skills and passion to make a meaningful impact in her current role and future endeavors.
Yumiko Horie
Director, Fundraising & Finance Team
Yumiko Horie
Director (Fundraising & Finance Team)
Yumiko Horie is a solopreneur and the Founder of Posse Nippon K.K., which assists English-speaking business people with technical support and guidance to navigate Japanese government grant applications and startup loans. An English news site, ‘Small Business Japan’, is also in the works to provide business information and insights, particularly for micro and small businesses in the country, most of which are often provided only in Japanese. The goal of the business is that everyone, regardless of nationality or gender, should be given the opportunity to demonstrate their talents in Japan. The company's name reflects her intention to be a place where people can help others through their skills and talents.
Yumiko started her career as a journalist at a Japanese paper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, and covered various news topics in Japan for 12 years, which underpins her current projects. She switched her career in her mid-30s to working at international institutions such as the UN. After returning to Japan, she established the company in 2017.
When asked why she started a business, Yumiko often replies, ‘Because no one would hire me in this country!’ After accumulating a career in journalism and international institutions, few Japanese employers found her fit for their culture. This experience encourages and thus motivates her to do business with the abovementioned goal. Posse Nippon also provides entrepreneurs and scientists with professional Japanese writing and editing services.
Blessing Thomas
Director, Membership Engagement Team
Blessing Thomas
Director (Membership Engagement Team)
Blessing Thomas was born in Thailand and grew up in the bustling city of Bangkok. Originally Nigerian, she graduated from an American high school and moved to Japan in 2014 as a 100% scholarship recipient at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, where she majored in Social Sciences and Asia Pacific Studies, coupled with 4 years of Japanese language classes. She is trilingual in English, Japanese and Thai.
Upon graduation, she moved to Tokyo to embark on her career, and is currently a seasoned recruitment consultant at a Global Recruitment firm, specializing in Commercial Excellence and Business Intelligence positions. Her passion for "education for all" has led her to be involved in a variety of organizations and startups, such as TedXAPU, KUMON Institute of Education and Taktopia Inc. Upon joining FEW Japan Board of Directors, she has been a member of FEW since 2022, and was impressed by the collective of empowering women across the organization. Determined to further establish roots in Japan and give back to the community and society at large, Blessing is constantly involved in several local gatherings, networking events, and societal causes to bring awareness and involve FEW members to thrive in Japan.
Laura Staub
Director, Membership Engagement Team
Laura Staub
Director (Membership Engagement Team)
Laura Staub was born and raised in France. With a Master degree in Business, she has 15 years of experience in operations strategy, change management and business excellence, working across 19 countries and various sectors including gaming, manufacturing, defense, FMCG, fashion and hospitality.
As a Program Manager at Asmodee Group, the global board game leader with $1.4 billion revenue a year, she designs and manages complex transformation and integration programs for the executive committee.
She relocated to Tokyo and became a certified Transformation Coach and Mentor, helping leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs achieve their personal and professional goals. As part of Hoko, she offers onsite and remote coaching and training services, using data visualization, problem solving, and operational excellence tools. She speaks four languages: French, English, Spanish all fluently, and has basic Japanese proficiency.
Laura is excited to serve on the FEW Board of Directors, as she is passionate about empowering people and organizations to reach their full potential.
Maud Niemi
Director, Membership Engagement Team
Maud Niemi
Director (Membership Engagement Team)
Maud Niemi is an undergraduate student in Economics at Keio University. Born and raised in Paris, France, she began her degree in the Asian studies campus of Sciences Po and is finishing it in Japan!
Back in France, Maud has been involved with many grassroots feminist associations tackling gender-based sexual violence and worked with immigrant women to promote their integration in French society. Maud believes in dedicating herself to her community of womxn to promote a society where sorority leads to individual and collective empowerment. She’s also volunteered in tutoring associations to promote access to knowledge for disadvantaged communities during the pandemic. Giving back to her community, wherever said community happened to be, has always felt not only like a duty, but a privilege.
Bilingual in French and English, trying to survive in Japanese, Maud wants to contribute to her community in Japan and be an active member of society, especially as a young student surrounded by many driven and brilliant womxn, in a country where feeling isolated as a woman is a reality for many of us.
Along her college education, Maud has focused on developmental economics, sociology of gender, and intersectional tools of analysis, leading her to want to actively work, wherever she is, to empower other womxn and herself, believing in sorority as the cornerstone of feminism.
Emily Larcombe
Director, Communications Team
Emily Larcombe
Director (Communications Team)
Emily Larcombe is a British-Japanese marketing professional currently working in the education sector. Growing up in the south of England, she read French and Spanish philology at university, before later moving to Paris and Tokyo to complete a dual masters degree in Public Policy.
Passionate about education and the art of storytelling, she directed a film project investigating the generational shifts observed in the use of the indigenous languages across the Ryukyu islands. During her time at the University of Tokyo, she also led the events and planning as co-director of Womenpowered International, an organization connecting and empowering women within the university and wider community. She is now looking forward to joining FEW Japan as Director of Communications, sharing her experiences to contribute to FEW’s mission of nurturing a supportive and vibrant community of women.
In her spare time, she enjoys trying out new recipes, gardening, reading and practicing yoga. Since moving to Japan, her favorite season is now Autumn, and she loves making the most of the sunny blue skied days to go hiking in the mountains or exploring different neighborhoods in Tokyo.
Tomo Uchida
Director, Communications Team
Tomo Uchida
Director (Communications Team)
Tomo Uchida is a Visual Designer based in Tokyo. Born and raised in Hong Kong, but with roots stemming from Japan and the Philippines, she grew up surrounded by diverse cultures and perspectives - which often inspires her creative endeavors.
While studying for her bachelor's in Graphic Design at Falmouth University, she found that she was able to use graphic design as a vessel to voice her beliefs. Tomo is actively engaged in women’s empowerment initiatives and believes in the power of creativity to drive social change.
Tomo relocated to Japan in 2023 in the hopes of reconnecting to her roots, her goal is to continue to evolve as a freelance designer while making meaningful contributions to both the creative industry and the communities she cares about.
Bree Fabig
Director, Corporate Membership Team
Bree Fabig
Director (Corporate Membership Team)
Bree Fabig brings leadership and cross-cultural expertise to her role as Co-Director of Corporate Memberships at FEW Japan. With a career spanning Japan, the US, and the UK, Bree has a talent for building strong relationships across diverse stakeholders. Colleagues praise her ability to forge relationships across departments, balance priorities, and drive forward a unified vision.
Her background spans startups, product leadership, marketing, and cross-cultural communication, with industry expertise in edtech, the creator economy, media, publishing, agriculture, and small business. Most recently, she led product at an edtech startup where she designed and brought to market a complete product portfolio.
Bree's connection to Japan began in 2013 after a homestay experience in Tokyo. She has since lived in Kobe, traveled the country, spent time on organic farms, and is now based in Shizuoka.
She is driven by a commitment to the design of tech-enabled inclusive, sustainable futures. She is pursuing an MBA at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, and is also undertaking design studies research with The New Centre on the use of cultural data in technology.
Recognized for her ability to simplify complex ideas and communicate effectively at all levels, Bree excels in deeply understanding user needs and market dynamics. Her blend of technical expertise, creative thinking, and international experience positions her to drive and foster meaningful connections. At FEW Japan, Bree leverages these skills to strengthen corporate partnerships and create valuable opportunities for the community.
Diana Beketova
Director, Corporate Membership Team
Diana Beketova
Director (Corporate Membership Team)
Diana Beketova is a Ukrainian-German credit risk professional currently working in the financial services sector. Originally from southern Ukraine, she pursued her studies in business across Germany and China, and later moved to the Netherlands, where she completed her master’s degree in financial economics.
Diana began her professional career in Germany before relocating to Singapore for three years. She is now settled in Japan, where she is actively building her professional network and seeking meaningful volunteering opportunities to contribute to the local community. Passionate about supporting female diversity in professional spaces, Diana is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where women from diverse backgrounds can thrive, share knowledge, and empower each other.
In her free time, Diana enjoys traveling, hiking the Japanese Alps, swimming, and practicing Pilates. Since moving to Japan, she has become a proud dog owner of Maxx, a Japanese Spitz, who accompanies her in exploring the famous 百名山 (100 Famous Mountains of Japan) during the pleasant spring and autumn weather.
Diana is excited to join FEW as Corporate Memberships Co-Director and looks forward to sharing her corporate experience while actively engaging with FEW’s corporate members through various events and opportunities, with a focus on promoting female diversity and leadership development.