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Teaching Staff

The teaching staff for the Center's non-credit Japanese language courses is directed by Ms. Yoshi Yamagata Aoyagi (adult classes) and Ms. Natsuko Suwa (youth classes).

Teaching Coordinators

Yoshi Yamagata Aoyagi
Adult Classes

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Ms. Aoyagi received her Master’s Degree in Foreign Language Education from West Virginia University. Ms. Aoyagi has been teaching English, Japanese, and other subjects for over 30 years. She moved to the United States in 1985. She has made frequent paper presentations and has published several papers on Japanese Language topics. As a founder and director of Animazement, a non-profit Japanese culture-oriented festival, Ms. Aoyagi continues to work toward improving American knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture. Ms. Aoyagi specializes in Translation and Education.

Natsuko Suwa
Youth Classes

Ms. Suwa received her Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Language Education from Kyorin University in Tokyo in 1998. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Ms. Suwa relocated to the United States in 1999. She designs and teaches Japanese courses for American middle and high school students, as well as supplementary courses for Japanese students at the Japanese Language School of Raleigh. Ms. Suwa presented a paper in America on Japanese Language topics. She has been teaching Japanese for over 10 years. Ms. Suwa specializes in Japanese Language and Culture Education.　

Teachers

Shizuka Tamaki
Adult Classes

Mari Mantooth
Adult Classes

Alison Perkins
Teaching Assistant