Keynote Speaker

Donna Fujimoto Cole

Founder, Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc.

Donna Fujimoto Cole is a longtime advocate for business, the chemical and energy industry and women and minorities in business. In 1980, Ms. Cole, at the age of 27 with $5,000, founded Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc., a distributor of chemicals and finished goods to the automotive, aerospace, chemical, energy, refining and personal care industries.  As former Vice President of Sales and 26% owner of Del Ray Chemical and 3% owner of Gold King Chemicals, she was encouraged to start her own business by her customers at Exxon, Dupont, Monsanto and Shell. Ms. Cole still has those initial clients and many more thanks to a commitment to competitive prices and round-the-clock personal service. Throughout her career, Ms. Cole has served in both leadership and advisory capacities for numerous industry, academic and nonprofit organizations, including on President George H.W. Bush’s Export Council and the Houston Business Council where she helped start the Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance. Ms. Cole used her extensive chemical industry contacts to locate and purchase a 10-ton railway car in Germany that was used during the Holocaust. The railway car is now on display at the Houston Holocaust Museum.

Ms. Cole has received numerous awards and recognition. In 2021, Ms. Cole received the Japanese Imperial Decoration of the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays for her contribution to promoting regional exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States. This year, on October 9th, Ms. Cole will be honored as the 2024 recipient of the Roy M. Huffington Award for Contributions to International Understanding. The award is the highest honor bestowed by Asia Society Texas and distinguishes leaders who have made significant contributions to advancing cultural, social and economic understanding.

The daughter of a Japanese American World War II veteran who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Ms. Cole worked to have the United States Congress recognize the heroic efforts of the Nisei Veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. She subsequently advised Filipino and Chinese veteran groups how to obtain their own respective congressional recognition.

Ms. Cole is a producer of movies, plays and musicals that depict strong women and supportive men to inspire women to take care of themselves and their families and uplift their communities. Guided by her belief in advocating for civil rights, community organizing and the power of mentoring, she shares her insights on overcoming hardship, coming to terms with identity and finding moral courage during difficult times. Ms. Cole is a life-long learner and enjoys connecting people to people for positive change

Emcee

Yurina Yoshikawa

Director of Education at the Porch

Writer, educator and Director of Education at The Porch, Yurina Yoshikawa holds an M.F.A. from Columbia University. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, NPR, Lit Hub, The Japan Times, and elsewhere.

Yurina was the winner of the 2020 Tennessee True Stories Contest, 2021 recipient of the Tennessee Arts Commission and 2024 Tennessee State Fellow for the South Arts Prize in Literature. She lives in Nashville with her husband and two sons.

Panel Moderator

                

Masami Tyson

Jast Board Chair; Partner,  Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP                            

As a Partner in the Corporate & Securities Group at the law firm of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, Masami Tyson leads the firm’s Japan Practice. She provides Japanese and global businesses with a wide range of corporate and economic development legal support, including helping clients with understanding the process of setting up operations in the U.S., negotiating complex contracts, and providing advice on a broad range of corporate matters, all in either Japanese or English depending on the clients’ needs. Companies rely on Masami, who has a deep understanding of both the U.S. and Japanese business cultures and extensive experience in both the U.S. and Japanese business communities, as a trusted legal and business advisor.

Formerly the Global Director of Foreign Direct Investment and Trade for the State of Tennessee, in that role Masami liaised with international, diplomatic, and economic offices on behalf of Tennessee. She also maintained strategic oversight for all overseas teams tasked with recruiting companies interested in doing business in Tennessee, provided support to companies located in Tennessee, and advised state leadership on matters relating to foreign affairs. Prior to her time with the State of Tennessee, Masami served in several in-house counsel roles, including Senior Counsel for Nissan North America and Legal Director for Mentor Graphics Japan.

 A native of Yokohama, Japan, Masami received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was a member of the Honor Council, Legal Clinic, Legal Aid Society, and an Executive Editor of the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law. She received her M.A. and B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, where she received the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts. An active member of the community, Masami is Commissioner of Nashville International Airport, Board Member of the U.S.-Japan Council and Board Chair of the Japan-America Society of Tennessee. She is also on the Board of Hands On Nashville. Masami is married to Dr. Rich Tyson, a physician, and they have three children.

Panel

Laine Arnold

BHA Strategy, Co-Founder & SVP 

Laine Arnold is co-founder and senior vice president of BHA Strategy, a Nashville public affairs firm, where she leads the firm’s communications practice. In her role, she specializes in crisis communications and building a tailored offense for principals, corporations and causes.

Laine served in Gov. Bill Lee’s first-term cabinet as communications director and senior advisor to the governor. With press secretary and campaign chops, Laine developed a clear offensive strategy for the governor’s office through the prolonged COVID-19 crisis, multiple natural disasters and economic uncertainty. She also served as communications director for Gov. Bill Lee’s re-election campaign.

Optimism and resilience are two of her highest values that she refined during her time as a former college athlete, coach and college prep school administrator. Laine is a writer who resides in Nashville with her husband, daughter and son.

Katherine Knight

SVP, Chief Legal & Administrative Officer, Mitsubishi Motors North America

Katherine Knight is the Senior Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer for Mitsubishi Motors in the U.S.  She is the first person to hold this unique, multi-disciplinary role, and the first woman in approximately 25 years to serve as SVP at Mitsubishi Motors.  She describes her role as simply one of looking for continuous improvement, whether in operations, branding, compliance, governance, culture, or wherever else it may be found.  Aside from CLO and CAO, Katherine holds multiple “C” roles simultaneously, including CHRO, CCO, CRO and Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors.  She leads a cross-functional department comprised of the Legal, Human Resources, Government & Industry Relations, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Facilities & Sustainability, Community Relations & Charitable Giving, Governance and Compliance functions.

Katherine began her unique career as a federal law clerk and trial lawyer, moving into an in-house practice with Dollar General Corporation in 2010 and Nissan North America in 2016.  Prior to joining Mitsubishi Motors, Katherine was VP, General Counsel, CHRO and Corporate Secretary for USA Truck, Inc.  She serves on two industry advisory Boards:  Alliance for Automotive Innovation and Autos Drive America.  Although originally a lawyer by trade, Katherine is a strong advocate for seeking opportunity, taking risks, trying on new hats, and finding your calling and hopes to inspire other women (and everyone) to do the same.  She is currently attempting to learn Japanese, poorly.  She holds a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and a B.A. in Russian Studies and Government from the College of William and Mary.

Ally Matich

Vice President – Land Acquisition, Meritage Homes – Tennessee

Ally Matich is a dynamic leader in land acquisitions and real estate development, currently serving as Vice President of Land Acquisitions at Meritage Homes, Inc., where she leads a team responsible for successfully negotiating, entitling, and acquiring strategic land positions in the Greater Nashville area. Ally oversees the entire acquisition lifecycle, from market analysis and financial underwriting to contract negotiations, and securing capital commitment. Under her leadership, her team secures critical land assets that drive corporate growth, contributing to the company’s broader operational goals.

Some of her career accomplishments include underwriting and securing over $954 million in land investments, driving relationships with local governments across the Greater Nashville area, and exceeding growth targets by contracting over 4,500 lots between 2020 and 2024. Her expertise in strategic planning ensures timely land procurement in alignment with market demands.

Her leadership extends beyond real estate, as she finds joy in serving within the Meritage Women’s Inclusion Network and representing her division in national diversity and inclusion initiatives. She is also committed to fostering the next generation of talent through her leadership in recruiting and internship programs. Ally’s career is a testament to her ability to navigate complex negotiations while empowering others and driving industry change. She is passionate about fostering inclusion in the workplace and empowering future women leaders in business.

In addition to her successful real estate career, Ally Matich dedicates herself to empowering the next generation of young women through her passion for dance. From a young age, Ally traveled nationwide to train with prestigious institutions like the American Ballet Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and industry leaders in Los Angeles. She continued her dance journey at the University of Tennessee, where she contributed to the legacy of the seven-time National Champion Dance Team. During her tenure, she and her team achieved two consecutive D1A Jazz National Titles, marking a high point in her collegiate career.

After college, Ally joined Nashville Dance Center as a teacher and choreographer, where she continues to inspire both young women and men in dance. Over her six years with the Center, Ally has earned multiple regional and national awards for choreography and technique. Yet, her greatest fulfillment comes from mentoring her students and instilling in them essential life skills that help build resilience and confidence as they transition into adulthood.

With many thanks to our generous sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Event Patron

Event Sponsors

The Mitsui U.S.A Foundation

Event Partner

This program is supported by a grant from the 

National Association of Japan-America Societies, Inc. 

with the support of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC.

2023 Women's Leadership Forum & Networking Luncheon

Panel Moderator

Panelists

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