Team
Anne Golden
Executive Director
Anne is originally from the state of Maine and has lived in Cincinnati since 1997. She joined the JASGC as Executive Director in 2016. Before that, she spent 18 years working at Xavier University. For 12 of those years she was in charge of creating training and development programs for corporate clients from Japan and Latin America. She later spent 6 years as a faculty member in the Department of Classics and Modern Languages. She has an M. Ed in Student Development in Higher Education from the University of Maine (Orono, Maine) and a BA in Sociology from Bates College (Lewiston, Maine). She is also a graduate of the Coaches Training Institute (San Rafael, California). She got her first taste of Japanese culture by spending 3 years in Kumamoto Prefecture as part of the JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme. She considers herself a lifelong learner of Japanese culture and society. While she currently manages a wide variety of tasks for the JASGC, Anne particularly enjoys her role as “Chief Event Planner.”
Teruko Nesbitt
Presenter & Japanese Instructor
Teruko Nesbitt was born and raised in Japan and has been living in Cincinnati since 1997, where she has been engaged in a wide variety of work related to Japanese language, culture and business. She holds a BA in English and American Literature from Kobe Kaisei College, an MBA in International Business from Xavier University, and a Post- Baccalaureate Paralegal Certificate from the University of Cincinnati.
In addition to her degrees, Ms. Nesbitt has also studied at Simul Academy International in Osaka, at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, the Simultaneous Interpreter Short Program in Monterey, CA, at the Inter Osaka Language School Interpreting Course in Japan, and at the School for International Training, Vermont, USA. She has worked for many years as an interpreter and Japanese language instructor.
Ms. Nesbitt holds licenses as a Sogetsu Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arrangement) Certified Instructor, and as a Japanese Calligraphy Kana 3-Dan. In addition, she received a Urasenke Tea Ceremony Beginner Accreditation in 2018 and continues to actively study that art.
In addition, Ms. Nesbitt currently represents the Cincinnati area for Japan Intercultural Consulting, headquartered in Chicago, and helps Japan-related businesses be more successful in their cross-cultural interactions and business dealings.
Nobuko Nakahata
Program Assistant
After retirement, she is enjoying working occasionally using her product research and drawing skills, but also looking for new things to do. She has 3 adult sons, all working in mechanical engineering area.
Anna Thorner
Digital Media
Anna’s affinity for Japan is reflected in her extensive experience living and working there for over four years. She served as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) with Altia Central and the Okazaki Board of Education, where she created innovative lesson plans, participated in school activities, and produced educational phonics videos for elementary schools. Additionally, she held a role at Gifu Media Cosmos Minna no Mori, officiating English learning activities and translating event materials. Her dedication to promoting Japanese culture extends to her participation in Japan Day during International Week at NKU, where she shares her knowledge through activities like designing Japanese rock gardens. Anna’s commitment to mastering the Japanese language is evidenced by her completion of the JLPT N5, N4, and N3 exams, with plans to take the N2 exam in 2026.