Nov 9

JETwit Career Update 11.09.11

Career Update Comments Off on JETwit Career Update 11.09.11

JETwit Career Update is a new feature where JETwit will list any JET alums who have recently (loosely interpreted) found a new job, gotten a promotion, started a new business, been elected to an office, started a new grad program or have any other career developments to share.  You probably see lots of job listings, so I thought it would also be interested to know who’s finding work and what kind of work people are finding.

Let us know about yourself or fellow JET alums by sending an e-mail to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.  (Make sure to include prefecture and years on JET.  And of course mention if you found your job via JETwit or JETAA listings or connections.)

• Rob Cornilles won the Republican primary for the Congressional seat vacated by David Wu (D-Oregon), who resigned due to allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior.  If Rob, who lost to Wu in the last election, wins this election, he would be the first ever JET alum to hold a seat in the U.S. Congress.
• Kiesha Speech (Nagasaki-ken, 2000-02) was elected to the Oak Park School Board last night in Oakland County, Michigan.  (http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=POLITICS01) (https://www.facebook.com/#!/kieshaspeech)
• Olivia Nilsson (Tokushima-ken 2006-08) reports she has left her position at the New York Bureau of the Yomiuri Shimbun after three years covering business and economic news. She’s now working as a researcher at Blue Heron Research Partners in NYC.
• Elizabeth Gordon of JETAA Chicago reports: “I am the new Director of Private Events at the Adler Planetarium – totally different from what I was doing, but very exciting!”
• Daniel Sturgeon, a Political Analyst and Speechwriter at the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta who also previously worked as a Chunichi/Tokyo Shimbun staff reporter in D.C. says: “My last three jobs have been Japan related and were found either at JETwit or the JETAA network.” Daniel also mentioned that he is now a Rotarian, so if anyone is interested in applying for their scholarship, he’s a point of contact.
• Shane Taber (Monbusho English Fellow, Nara-ken, 1979-81) says:  “After a nearly 30 year “break”, 4 kids (now all grown), plus years of public school teaching innorthern California, I am happily back in Kansai teaching full time at Kobe College High School for the next several years. While I became aware of this job opening through other sources, this teaching position was also listed in JETwit’s job section in 2010. Of course, having been an MEF was a big plus in landing this position, I’m sure! I’d love to hear from other former MEFs from the late ’70s/early ’80s who are also in Japan now.”  (JETwit note:  There’s a LinkedIn group for MEFs.  Please join if you haven’t yet!)
• And Kay Munroe-Johnson in Atlanta says: “This is great to see! I rejoice with all of you in achieving such great job success! Maybe I will have a report to share soon as I am looking for a job in (near Atlanta). Thanks JetWit for your dedication and support of all of us JET Alums!”
• And Greg Beck (CIR Hiroshima-ken, 2006-11)  (listed in the previous JETwit Career Update) says:  “It is great not just to be employed, but to work in the field I love, not just for a paycheck. That’s a tragically rare thing right now, and a huge concern I had as my JET career wound down. Basically, JETwit ROCKS!”