Go For Broke | Our Team

Meet the dedicated team behind Go For Broke National Education Center.

Mitchell T. Maki, Ph.D.

President and CEO

Dr. Mitchell Maki is nationally recognized as a leader in the Japanese American community. He is the lead author of the award-winning book, “Achieving the Impossible Dream: How Japanese Americans Obtained Redress,” a detailed case study of the passage of the 1988 Civil Liberties Act. Dr. Maki has spoken nationally and internationally to groups interested in the redress movement and is recognized as one of the leading scholars on the historic campaign.

He has been an active member of the Japanese American community and has served on the board of governors and scholarly advisory councils of the Japanese American National Museum and Go For Broke National Education Center. He is a sought-after presenter on issues ranging from the Japanese American redress movement to contemporary community issues.

Janis M. Tanji Wong

Vice President of Development and Strategic Initiatives

Prior to coming to GFBNEC, Janis was the Principal of JMTW Consulting, specializing in helping nonprofit organizations effectively lead their strategic growth, establish capacity building activities, increase revenues and maximize impact. With over 28+ years of cross-functional leadership and management experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Janis applies her unique background in strategic planning, marketing, communications and development to ensure that organizations effectively and efficiently fulfill their mission and deepen their impact. Her clients included City Scholars® Foundation, the Japanese American National Museum, Inspire Charter Schools and WECO Aquatics. Janis also served as the Director of Membership Development for Town Hall Los Angeles, and organized major events such as the DWP & Griffith Park Light Festival, LA Technology Venture Forum, and the Southern California Fast 50, and she currently serves on the Board of Directors for Hillsides, City Scholars Foundation and the San Marino-Pasadena Philharmonic Committee.

Kurt Ikeda

Director of Programs and Engagement

Kurt Ikeda is the Director of Programs and Engagement at Go For Broke National Education Center in Little Tokyo. Hawaii-born and raised in the South Bay of Los Angeles, Kurt Ikeda (B.A. UCLA ’13, M. Ed. Loyola Marymount ’15) is a second generation Japanese American educator by profession and poet by passion. He draws inspiration from the courage and compassion of his Nikkei ancestors who were incarcerated at Santa Anita, Poston, and Crystal City. He previously served as the Chief of Interpretation for the National Park Service at Minidoka National Historic Site in Idaho and Education Manager at Japanese American Museum of Oregon. He now resides in Pasadena with his beloved wife, April, and baby daughter, May.