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.

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.

Jeff Sakuma is a native Seattleite who grew up in the upper Rainier Beach neighborhood. He recently retired from the City of Seattle where he served as Health Integration Strategist in the Human Services Department (HSD). In this role he oversaw and guided the City’s involvement and investment in Public Health, physical health and behavioral health services, as well as representing the City on a number of cross-sector boards and committees. During his time in HSD, Jeff was a member of the Department’s Aging and Disability Services Division and its Leadership Team. Prior to the City of Seattle, Jeff worked at Group Health Cooperative (Kaiser Permanente Washington) as a manager and administrator for 25 years. Jeff began his career as a direct service provider and manager in the HIV/AIDS and youth homelessness fields. Over the years, Jeff has served on numerous community boards of directors including; Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, Bailey-Boushay House, POCAAN, Pride Foundation, YouthCare, and the Group Health Foundation, Jeff received both his undergraduate degree and his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Washington. Jeff and his husband reside in the North Beacon Hill neighborhood.

Linda Miyake Brandeis, ACSW, LICSW is a retired social worker and psychotherapist. She has served on a number of health-related boards both locally and nationally, including national leadership roles with the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care, where she served as President-Elect, President, and Past President. She has been an active clinical faculty member at the University of Washington School of Social Work since 1983 and continues to hold a clinical appointment, contributing to committees and programs over the years.

Linda’s professional background includes leadership and clinical roles within major healthcare institutions, including Harborview Medical Center, Overlake Hospital Medical Center, the Puget Sound Health Care System, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Miles is a big believer in mission-driven organizations. As a third-generation Japanese American, he is proud to be a part of Seattle Keiro. His grandmother resided at Seattle Keiro and his mother is a current resident of Nikkei Manor.

Miles has over 30 years of executive management and finance experience across multiple industries, including healthcare, technology, education, and financial services. Currently, Miles is the founder and Managing Member of The CareGivers Company, an award-winning mission-driven company that provides in-home care assistance to the poor, the elderly, and the developmentally disabled across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Miles started his career on Wall St and has held a variety of senior finance positions, including the role of Chief Financial Officer for nearly 20 years.

Miles holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University and an MBA from the University of Washington. He is also an interviewer for Georgetown’s Alumni Admission Program and has served a judge for the UW Business Plan competition and a Mentor for Diversity in Business for the UW MBA program.