Emily Murase

Emily Murase is an experienced leader and advocate for equity and inclusion, currently serving as the Executive Director of Japantown Task Force, Inc. in San Francisco, California.1 Her career has been dedicated to preserving and promoting San Francisco's Japantown, as well as advancing leadership opportunities for women and people of color.1

Professional Background

Emily has an extensive background in public service and leadership:

• She served as the Department Head/Executive Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women for nearly 16 years, from July 2004 to March 2020.1
• During her tenure as a city department head, she personally mentored over 100 women from diverse backgrounds and worked to eliminate structural inequities.3
• She was selected as a member of the 2013 Japanese American Leadership Delegation, engaging with senior Japanese leaders in various sectors.1

Education and Skills

Emily's educational background is impressive:

• She holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Stanford University, where she completed a dissertation on mobile phone content innovation in Japan.1
• She obtained an MPIA in International Management from UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy.1
• Her undergraduate degree is an AB in Modern Japanese History from Bryn Mawr College.1

Emily is known for her superior writing and research skills, which she has used to craft data-driven policy solutions and promote sustainable growth strategies.1 She is also an experienced facilitator and skilled public speaker, having built a consulting and teaching practice to advance leadership for women and people of color.1

Community Involvement

Emily has been actively involved in various leadership and community programs:

• She is an alumna of Leadership California, Leadership San Francisco, and the CompassPoint Leadership Program for Executive Directors of Color.1
• She has mentored over 50 undergraduate/graduate students and recent graduates through Public Policy Fellowships.1
• Emily has also served on the Parent Advisory Council for the San Francisco Unified School District.1

In her current role as Executive Director of Japantown Task Force, Inc., Emily continues to work towards preserving and promoting San Francisco's Japantown, building on the legacies of her predecessors.2