Board of Directors

Dave has more than 15 years of Human Resources Management experience and is a longtime supporter of Keiro Northwest. He has served as an HR Director and Senior HR Business Partner across multiple industries including financial services, digital marketing, video gaming, media, and the utilities, and has supported organizations spanning in size from start-up to global in scale. He holds a Bachelor’s in Economics from Portland State University and an MBA in HR from Louisiana State University at Shreveport, along with a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. He is a graduate of Seattle’s Leadership Tomorrow program in community leadership, where he has also served as a coach and mentor.

Dave is Shin-Nisei and grew up in the Kent/Auburn area as part of the local Japanese American community. It is one of the reasons why Keiro NW’s legacy and mission strongly resonates with him.

Following college, Dave worked in Japan for more than a decade and has lived in Tokyo, Saitama, Okayama and Ehime Prefectures. It is where he met his wife, and their two children were born. He is also connected with the organization through his wife, Saori, who was a nurse with Keiro NW for 10 years, including 5 years at Nikkei Manor.

Lee Field has served Keiro Northwest as an advisor and non-voting member of the Board of Directors since September 2020.

As founder of Senior Services of America, Lee Field’s experience with senior housing encompasses over 30 years in marketing and operations, acquisition, development and finance of senior housing and care service alternatives for the elderly.

Prior to the formation of Senior Services of America in 1999, Lee served as an executive officer of Alterra Healthcare Corporation and held a succession of executive positions including Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Crossings Corporation until the Crossings Corporation merger with Alterra. As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Lee was instrumental in the company’s growth and recognition as an early leader in the assisted living industry. Lee held the position of Vice President of Operations, held managerial positions in Marketing and Market Feasibility upon joining the company. Crossings Corporation was a developer, owner and operator of senior housings and assisted living projects with 1,500 units located throughout the Western United States.

A recognized advocate for the senior housing and elderly care service industries, Lee has been an industry speaker and has successfully lobbied for state legislation in support of the industry. He currently serves on the Board of the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), as well as the Board of Washington Health Care Association (WHCA). He also serves as Chair of the Washington Center for Assisted Living Reimbursement Committee. Lee has previously served as the President of the Northwest Assisted Living Facilities Association (NorALFA), served on the Board of the American Senior Housing Association (ASHA) and held the position of Co-Chairman for the organization. Lee served as a member of the National Advisory Committee for (CARF) the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission and as a member of the assisted living task force for the American Health Care Association (AHCA).

Lee has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University and has continued studies in Geriatric Mental Health through the University of Washington.

John is originally from Hawaii but moved to Seattle in 1993. He and his wife (also from Hawaii) now consider Seattle home. John has had some connection to the JA community and is familiar with the ID as he served as Treasurer on the board of ACRS. He is very civic minded as he has volunteered at the UW Food Bank and gives back to his community by working as a bus driver for Seattle Public Schools. This demonstrates a long-standing commitment to community service.

In addition, due to his father’s affiliation with the 442nd, John has a connection to several Seattle Japanese American families who have lived at Nikkei Manor and therefore has an appreciation for the mission of Keiro NW. At the January 28 off-site Board retreat, John was asked why he chose to serve on the Board. His reply was simply, “I feel a sense of duty to be here.”

With a background in accounting and experience as an auditor, John will be an asset to the Keiro NW board. He served as a treasurer at ACRS and was part of the team that hired the new Executive Director, Diane Narasaki, at the organization. 20 years later, he is now part of Diane’s legacy as transforming ACRS into the largest non-profit organization in the Pacific Northwest serving the Asian Pacific Islander community. His role as a treasurer at a transitional time at the organization translates to the level of experience that he is bringing, in addition to his technical skills.

Beyond John’s finance and accounting experience, the Board found him to be a thoughtful, mission driven leader who has Nikkei cultural knowledge and personal connections with Keiro NW through former residents at Nikkei Manor.

Rio Dessero comes to KNW highly recommended by Keiro Northwest’s Board Chair, Dave Cullen, as a Human Resources professional currently employed at NEC. Holding a master’s degree in human resources management from Colorado State University Global, Rio brings a solid educational foundation to her roles.

With a rich background that includes experiences at Nintendo, Umbra Cuscinetti, and NEC, she has honed her skills in diverse professional settings. Fluent in both English and Japanese, Rio is not only a seasoned HR expert but also a Japanese-American professional with a strong commitment to people-centric leadership.

She looks forward to leveraging her expertise in collaboration with the board, aiming to contribute to a positive and dynamic work environment for Nikkei Manor.

Alicia Taniguchi Eng, a recently retired healthcare executive, dedicated 27 years of her career to Group Health Cooperative/Kaiser Permanente, culminating in roles as Vice President of Clinical Operations and Market Integration for Kaiser Permanente of Washington, as well as Chief Nurse Executive. Her leadership expertise spans healthcare operations across the continuum of care and integrated health systems.

A Seattle native, Alicia earned her BS in Nursing from the University of Washington, followed by an MBA and MHA from the same institution.
Alicia is eager to invest her time in giving back to the community and an organization that played a pivotal role in her upbringing. Three of her grandparents resided at Seattle Keiro, and she previously worked at Nikkei Concerns. Her professional journey with Seattle Keiro began during high school and college, where she worked as a receptionist and activities coordinator, later transitioning into a new graduate registered nurse. It was during this time that she met her husband of 28 years.

Now embracing the empty nest stage of life with two grown children, Alicia continues to embody a legacy of service and dedication to healthcare, shaped by her Seattle heritage and diverse career experiences.

Susan Okamoto Lane served as Dean of Multi-Ethnic and Wellness Programs at Seattle Pacific University, where she supported culturally diverse and first-generation college students in their academic, social, and leadership journeys. A dedicated advocate for equity in education, Susan brings extensive experience in fostering inclusive environments and addressing structural inequalities. She is passionate about mentoring young adults and empowering them to navigate challenges and reach their potential. Others have described Susan’s life mission as “helping people take the next step”.

Susan has deep ties to Keiro Northwest. Her father was one of the seven founders of Issei Concerns, now Keiro NW, and her mother, Toshi Okamoto, was a founding member of the Ayame Kai Guild. Her family’s longstanding contributions to the Japanese American community and Keiro NW inspire Susan’s commitment to honoring and supporting this legacy through her board service.

Susan holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, a Master’s degree from Lewis & Clark College, and a Graduate Diploma in Theology from Regent College.

Louise is a clinical social worker who has enjoyed a 30-year career providing direct patient care and serving in a Social Work leadership role. She has worked in various medical settings with end-stage kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis or kidney transplant. After working at Swedish and Virginia Mason transplant programs, she retired as Director, Patient Quality of Life at Northwest Kidney Centers in July, 2022. In retirement, she continues to support the growth and development of Master’s level social workers by providing clinical supervision through her LLC.

Louise graduated from Franklin High School, Stanford University with a BA in Economics and East Asian Studies, UC Berkeley with a MBA, and University of Washington with a MSW.

Louise is a Seattle native with long-standing ties to Keiro Northwest. Her father was a Seattle Keiro nursing home resident for 12 years, starting with the original nursing home and moving to the “new” one upon its opening. While going to UW for her Social Work degree, she worked in Seattle Keiro Accounting office and volunteered with Kokoro Kai. She is the long time Treasurer for the Kokoro Kai Volunteers Fund.

She is grateful to have the opportunity to help shape the future direction of Keiro Northwest with her Board engagement.

A lifelong Seattle resident, Eric was born, raised, and currently resides in the Southeast Seattle area. Growing up in the Seward Park neighborhood, he attended Franklin High School and later pursued higher education at the University of Washington. He now lives in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. With over 30 years of experience as a residential real estate broker with John L. Scott Real Estate, Eric has assisted numerous clients in buying and selling properties. His career also includes serving as the branch manager of the West Seattle John L. Scott office and being a member of the Windermere Real Estate Mt. Baker office.

In his leisure time, Eric enjoys golfing, traveling, attending various Seattle sporting events, fishing in the San Juan Islands, clam digging at the ocean, and maintaining a daily workout routine at the gym. Eric is married to his wife, Stacy, and has two daughters, Emily and Kaylee.

Active in community service, Eric has been a board member of the Kawabe Memorial House and the Nisei Veterans Foundation and is currently a member of the First Hill Lions. Committed to community involvement, he prioritizes supporting seniors and addressing housing needs.