Japan Society Names Katherine “Kemy” Monahan President and CEO
Distinguished diplomat and experienced global leader to guide Japan Society’s next chapter of cultural, business and policy engagement
Japan Society today announced that Katherine “Kemy” Monahan has been elected by its Board of Directors as the organization’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. She will assume the role in August.
Monahan brings more than three decades of senior diplomatic and institutional leadership experience across the U.S.–Japan relationship and the broader Asia Pacific region. Most recently, she served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Her prior roles include Director for East Asia at the White House National Security Council and Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. She also served as an Adjunct Lecturer, Visiting Scholar and Japan Program Fellow at Stanford University, continuing her longstanding engagement with Japan’s culture and global role.
Her appointment follows a comprehensive search led by the Board of Directors. In selecting Monahan, the Board sought a leader with strategic vision, operational discipline and experience guiding complex organizations, as well as a deep understanding of Japan’s critical importance amid shifting geopolitical and economic dynamics.
