JELA Staff

Hiroyuki Nakagawa

Nakagawa has been an active member of the JELC Ichigaya Lutheran Church for the past 50 years. He began serving as JELA Board Chairperson in 2006, and is currently assisting with program and organizational development, as well as numerous PR activities. As Chairperson, Mr. Nakagawa is also active in maintaining close relations with all mission partners in Japan and abroad.

Hiromi Morikawa

Hiromi joined JELA in 1999, after working first in the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and later as a teach of Japanese language and a teacher trainer. As Director, he is involved in all areas of JELA administration, including government relations, personnel issue and financial management. He also coordinates the JELA Refugee Program.

Paul Hoshizaki

Paul began working for JELA in 2002. In addition to the everyday operations of the JELA office, he is involved in joint projects with the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church, including youth ministry, mission support and volunteer programs in Thailand and Cambodia. Paul is a third-generation Japanese American, born and raised in Japan.

Akira Narumi

Akira has worked for JELA since 2005 and is mainly responsible for financial and accounting matters and administration of JELA scholarships. He grew up in Tokyo, but was born on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Akira met his wife Kelly when she was serving at his church as a short-term missionary. They have a pre-school son – Philip.

Ai Nakashima

Ai Nakashima joined JELA in 2007. One of her responsibilities is overseeing JELA’s Harp Ministry program, which reaches out in prayer and music to people suffering from illness. Ai is from Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. Her first name in Japanese means, “Love.”

Ayumi Matsuoka

Joining JELA in 2010, Ayumi has literally grown with the JELA Foundation, having participated as a volunteer in JELA's Work Camp Programs in India, Cambodia and the U.S. during her formative years. Born and raised in Tokyo, Ayumi is primarily responsible for assisting in financial and accounting matters.

Back to top