MUSEUM TRUSTEES NAME INTERIM CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

The Board of Trustees of the Japanese American National Museum announced today the appointment of two interim co-executive directors to oversee and direct Museum matters while the Board seeks a new head of the institution. To handle the day-to-day operations, Nancy Araki, Director of Community Affairs, and Miyoko Oshima, Chief Operating Officer, will share responsibilities for running the institution until a new CEO is found.

"We are fortunate to have both Nancy and Miyoko on staff who can step in and guide the Museum while the executive search takes place," said Gordon Yamate, Chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees. "As a critical senior staff member since the Museum’s founding, Nancy embodies the Museum’s institutional conscience. Miyoko joined the Museum in 2007 from the nonprofit foundation sector, and her program and management expertise have been an invaluable asset to the Museum. Their outstanding working relationship exemplified the very best in teamwork and the Board is confident in their experience and skills to lead our Museum during this transition period."

The Board of Trustees also announced that it has retained Morris & Berger, an executive search firm headquartered in the greater Los Angeles area, to assist the Board’s search committee in securing a new CEO. Morris & Berger specializes in nationwide searches for top-level positions exclusively in the nonprofit sector, serving such clients across the country. Inquiries regarding the Museum’s CEO search should be directed to Jay Berger at jberger@morrisberger.com.

For more information, call the Japanese American National Museum at (213) 625-0414.