Debra Nakatomi

President and CEO

Debra Nakatomi is President of Nakatomi & Associates, a firm specializing in public education and social marketing initiatives addressing education, health and social and environmental issues. Debra is skilled in delivering targeted outreach to diverse populations, articulating critical issues to the media and an expert in reaching the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) populations.

She overseas management of the firms' programs and business development and specializes in utilizing communications as a tool for effective community engagement and social advocacy. Debra has led successful communications initiatives in education, community engagement on women's and children's issues for The California Wellness Foundation, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, California Department of Health Services, Southern California Edison and the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs. She served as Acting Communications Director for The California Endowment, a foundation dedicated to expanding access to affordable and quality healthcare to underserved individuals and communities.

Debra's prior experience includes corporate communications at CBS Television and the Walt Disney Company and policy positions in the California Legislature and the office of the California Secretary of State.

Debra serves on the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of the USA, was appointed International Commissioner, the American Social Marketing Association and Little Tokyo Service Center. She is chair of the board of trustees for the Asian Pacific Women's Leadership Alliance. She is former Chair of the Los Angeles Women's Foundation and received the Changing the Face of Philanthropy Award from the Women's Funding Network.

Debra is a graduate of the Management Development Program for Entrepreneurs (MDE) at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, Gallup Leadership Institute and received her Bachelor of Arts, from California State University, Sacramento. Debra is Fellow with the Asian Pacific American Women's Leadership Institute.

The Nakatomi Team

Debra Nakatomi, President
Joni Byun, Senior Vice President
Danielle Fairlee, Media Director
Jackie Lee, Account Coordinator
Mark Quon, Creative Director
Joey Furutani, Account Coordinator