National Council
Introducing your 2021-2022 AJET National Council! Please visit the AJET Blocks and Prefectural Directory for a list of currently elected block representatives.
Interested in getting involved? We are currently looking for people to fill these positions:
➔ Treasurer
➔ Director of Volunteering
➔ Head of Visual Media
➔ Director of Advertising
➔ Director of Affiliate and Community Relations
➔ Director of Volunteering
You can read the descriptions for each of these positions here. If you’re interested in any of these positions, please email . If you don’t see an open position that exactly fits you, but have skills that you’d like to contribute to National AJET, please reach out anyway!
LAURA HUFF & STEVEN COYNE
Co-Chairs
The National AJET Chair is the face of AJET and acts as the chief representative voice of AJET to the media and other organizations. The chair sets AJET’s agenda for the year and works with the council to make sure AJET’s goals are being accomplished and that everything AJET does is in line with this agenda and the goals outlines in the AJET Constitution.
You may contact the Chair at .
SPENCER VIERNES
Vice Chair
The Vice-Chair works with the Chair and Treasurer to ensure an efficient Executive body. Duties include organizing the AJET workshops at Tokyo Orientation, supervising the elections for the National Council, chairing meetings where the Chair is not present, preparing agendas and organising the minutes for meetings, and running the AJET conferences and orientations.
You may contact the Vice Chair at .
PRIMA SHARIFF
Director of Social Media
The Director of Social Media maintains and updates AJET’s social media presence. The Director of Social Media ensures that JETs are kept up-to-date on JET and AJET activities within their communities and throughout Japan through prompt social media updates.
You may contact the Director of Social Media at .
JULIA SANUA
Director of Digital Resources, Webmaster
The Director of Digital Resources maintains and updates the current database of resources, and creates new resources. The Director of Digital Resources strives to improve the daily lives and adventures of current and future JET Programme participants.
JESSICA CRAVEN
Project Manager
The Project Manager helps the AJET National Council achieve its goals and successfully complete its projects for the year. The Project Manager ensures that opinion exchanges with CLAIR and the three ministries are as useful to both sides and relevant to current JETs as possible.
You may contact the Project Managers at .
JOE KOSCIUSKO TRITSCHLER
Project Manager
The Project Manager helps the AJET National Council achieve its goals and successfully complete its projects for the year. The Project Manager ensures that opinion exchanges with CLAIR and the three ministries are as useful to both sides and relevant to current JETs as possible.
You may contact the Project Managers at .
KEVIN LAVIGNE
Director of Professional and Educational Development
The Director of Professional and Education Development (DPED) actively seeks out new opportunities, partnerships, and materials that will assist JETs in becoming more skilled and accomplished educators and professionals, and aiming to provide JETs with timely, innovative, and high quality resources that will enrich and enhance their personal and professional development. This includes the curation of up-to-date tools that will enable JETs to broaden their skill-sets and prepare them for transition into a variety of careers after their JET tenure has ended.
You may contact the Director of Professional and Educational Development at .
TOMO MORIMOTO & ANNA AYVAZYAN
Director of Alumni Relations
The Director of Alumni Relations (DOAR) links past JETs (alumni) and current JETs. The DOAR works to strengthen the relationship between AJET and the JET Alumni Association (JETAA) by providing current JETs and alumni chances to interact and share their knowledge. The DOAR is also responsible for promoting AJET to the JET alumni community and shares information and job opportunities for JETs in return.
You may contact the Director of Alumni Relations at .
ANNA AYVAZYAN
Director of Alumni Resources
Director of Alumni Resources manages the networking resources for current JETs and JET alumni. The Director of Alumni Resources builds solid ties between JETs and JET alumni by bridging opportunities between the communities, and relaying information and employment prospects between the two in coordination with the Director of Alumni Relations.
You may contact the Director of Alumni Resources at .
JORDAN ROCKE
Prefectural Advisor (PA) Representative
The Prefectural Advisor (PA) Representative serves as a liaison between National AJET and PAs across Japan. They maintain a directory of all PAs and contribute to information-sharing efforts, as well as represent the interests of prefectural advisors in meetings with CLAIR.
You may contact the Prefectural Advisor (PA) Representative at .
LLOYD CRUICKSHANK
Head of Visual Media: Connect
The Head of Visual Media ensures that all AJET content is visually consistent and clear in print and on the web. The Head of Visual Media establishes and maintains the image of AJET throughout its publications, including Connect magazine, AJET.net, reports, and other related materials.
You may contact the Head of Visual Media: Connect at
PAUL TAKAHASHI
Translation & Interpreting Coordinator
The Translation & Interpreting Coordinator makes AJET materials and reports available in Japanese and facilitates communication between AJET, CLAIR, and the three ministries (MIC, MOFA, and MEXT). The Translation and Interpreting Coordinator organizes translations of AJET reports, and provides interpretation at opinion exchanges.
You may contact the Director of Translation and Interpreting at .
RACHEL FAGUNDES
Director of Online Publications
The Director of Online Publications oversees publication of AJET Connect Magazine and other AJET publications online. The Director of Online Publications works to not only ensure consistent timing and quality for these publications, but to improve and expand upon them by reaching new audiences and establishing new features.
You may contact the Director of Online Publications at .
NAOMI TAWIAH
Webmaster
The Webmaster ensures that each AJET website works at peak productivity and provides the day-to-day maintenance of the website. Also, the Webmaster provides IT and website support to the AJET National Council and AJET-affiliated websites, as well as manages the AJET emails and databases.