AUSL 2007 Staff Biography

Bina Zaitsu : AUSL Program Director

Welcome to the 2007 AUSL Program. I was born and raised in San Francisco and have seen and experienced many urban like issues growing up. I am really excited to work with all of you on many of the issues that we all deal with around the world.

I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Japanese and spent two years teaching English in Japan. I also spent two years working at the Japanese Embassy for the JET program and sent many teachers to teach English in Japan. So, I am a strong believer in international experiences and learning from cross cultural exchanges.

When I am not working on VIA programs, I love to dance. In fact, I practice a urban dance form called bboying or bgirling. Many people know this as break dancing.

Please be prepared for a program full of new experiences and life long freindships. I look forward to meeting all of you.

Momo Waguri : Faculty Advisor

Hello Everyone! My name is Momo Waguri and I just started my new job at the Hirayama Ikuo Volunteer Center at Waseda University (WAVOC) in Tokyo, developing & coordinating various service-learning projects and related seminars, projects, etc. Prior to coming to WAVOC, I spent 4 years and a half at the Faculty of Policy Studies, Chuo University, developing experiential learning programs in Sri Lanka, Australia and the US, and coordinating overseas internships. I'm very happy and honored to serve my 3rd year as Faculty Advisor to AUSL and to have witnessed how the program/past participants have grown.

My belief in and passion for experiential learning derives from my own experience in Bangladesh back in 1992, when I was a high school student. That experience of living, learning, thinking, feeling, struggling outside of my comfort zone, sharing joy & laughter & labor & food, and facing difficulties (cultural, social, economic differences)--has had a tremendous impact on my life for the past 15 years.

In my free time, I love to go on a hike, watch samurai dramas (esp. those from the 1970s), grow veggies in my container garden, and play with my parakeet Pi. I'm very much looking forward to learning with you all this summer. See you soon!

Haruka Shiramizu : Asia Coordinator for Urban Issues

Hi everyone!  I'm a senior at Waseda University in Japan, majoring environmental economics.  This is my third time to join AUSL, which I think would show how wonderful the program is.  I'm interested in environmental issues or sustainability in general, and with the past experiences of AUSL, I've got to develop many other interests ranging from social issues to American culture.  In my free time, I like exploring new places, food, music, and meeting people.

Adriana Miu : Stanford Coordinator for Health and Disabilities

Ni hao/ Konichiwa/ Annyong ha shimnikka!

I’m Adriana Miu. I'm a freshman from San Francisco and Hong Kong. I’m fascinated by psychology, but I’m also a pre-med student taking a bunch of organic chemistry classes. When I have free time, I like to play badminton, basketball, or ping pong with my friends. I also enjoy telling them about different interesting psychological experiments that I learn from class, and have them try the experiments. I am a project leader for the Community Day Committee for Organ Donor Education. Besides telling people more about organ donation, I also volunteer at the Stanford Hospital ER, where I talk to families about free social and legal resources available to them. I'm looking forward to meeting you all and learning about your culture!

Thu Nguyen : Stanford Coordinator for Health and Disabilities

Hello, my name is Thu Nguyen and I am currently a Freshman at Stanford University. I grew up in San Diego, California – which the best city in the world. I am really interested in Human Biology and Psychology and am on the difficult Pre-med track here at Stanford. Before college, I volunteered at a hospital near my high school and thus developed a passion for medicine and learning about health related issues. Besides academics I also enjoy traveling to different countries especially in Asia (I have been to Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam).  I am also a big fan of dancing--growing up I did a little bit here and there at my best friend’s mom’s dance studio. Anyway, I am really excited about working as a Stanford Coordinator for VIA’s Health and Disabilities group this summer and looking forward to meeting you all.

Yusuke Kataoka : Asia Coordinator for Health and Disabilities

Hello!! My name is Yusuke Kataoka. I am a senior student at Doshisha University. I belong to the English Department and mainly study Intercultural Communication.  I have been living in Osaka for 23 years, so I am really “Osaka Person.”  Anyway, I studied in the United States, Los Angeles, in 2005-2006.

I am really excited to be working with you, all.  I was one of the participants in Health and Disabilities group in this program last year.

You should know that this program is really hard and tiring, but this will be really meaningful and important for you.  You will have wonderful days in San Francisco.  I will support you as a coordinator.  If you have questions or concerns, talk to me anytime.  I am looking forward to seeing you all and be part of this program.

Christina Ho : Stanford Coordinator for Urban Issues

Hi everyone, my name is Christina Ho, and I’m going to be one of the coordinators for the Education group. I was born and raised in Southern California (Orange County, to be exact), and am now a Freshman at Stanford. I’m not sure what I’m going to be majoring in yet, but I’m thinking about English. My greatest passions are God, social justice, music, and writing. I also love getting to know people from all around the world, hearing their stories, and sharing my own with them. I’m very excited to meet you all, and I know we’ll have a great summer learning, bonding, and serving!

Sarah Ikemoto : Stanford Coordinator for Education

Hi! My name is Sarah Ikemoto and I am currently a Sophomore at Stanford. I'm not really sure what I want to major in, but I know that I'm minoring in Modern Languages with an emphasis on Italian and Japanese. For my major, I'm interested in Psychology and Sociology but haven't quite decided which one I want to pursue. I went to high school in Los Angeles where my mother is currently Assistant Principal, so both education and urban issues are dear to my heart. I love to learn, meet new people, and try new things, so I'm especially excited for this program!

Webster Hung : Asia Coordinator for Education

Hi, my name is Webster Hung, I'm currently a senior student majoring in Industrial Engineering and Management in Yuan Ze University, Taiwan. I will study abroad in the United States for my graduate studies after graduating from here. I'm an alumnus of AUSL2006.  It was a wonderful and meaningful program, which gave me a strong desire to participate again as a coordinator. I'm looking forward to having a great time with all of you guys.

In my spare time, I like to play instruments such as drums, piano and guitar. I used to be a drummer in the band composed by me and my friends. My other interest is watching baseball games, I'm a super baseball fan in MLB (Major League Baseball), CPBL (Chinese Professional Baseball League) and even NPB(Nippon Professional Baseball), so please feel free to chat with me about my favorites when you're free. Have fun during the program, and enjoy yourself in such a beautiful campus.

Song Won Wook : Asia Coordinator for Urban Issues

Hello every one.
My name is Song Won Wook, and please call me Song. I was a participant 2007 AUSL. It was great experience in my life. I met a lot of people, and I was really appriciate I could comunicate with them. I learned how to share my opinion with another people, and during the discussing I learned a lot from them. It was so cool experience. But, I'm still not perfectly understand, also my experice is not enough for that. Plus, I was in education group last year, but I changed that. It will be a good challenge to me. That's why I want to join in AUSL again, and I'm sure it is also great summer in my life.

Hello Everyone. My name is Takashi Togawa and I'm the Administrative Director of WAVOC (The Hirayama Ikuo Volunteer Center at Waseda University). We are very pleased and honored to be AUSL's partner organization this year. Established in 2002, WAVOC has been very much inspired by the Haas Center at Stanford, and I am thrilled by this opportunity to come visit Stanford and learn through AUSL.

As a university student some 20 years ago, I was very much involved with community-based forestry management in the Tohoku area of Japan, which led me to choose my OJT (on-the-job training) sites such as the American Forst Council to conduct research on "Project Learning Tree", as well as University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to study their
environmental programs, which then led me to pursue a Master's degree
in environmental education.

I will be coming with my wife Yumi, who is also interested in service learning and community building in urban areas. We both are very much looking forward to this summer to share experiences with you all.