Daisen City Board of Education Team
We are a group of English speakers made up of Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET) participants and city employees living in Daisen.
Our roles are to improve English proficiency and accessibility, provide language-based support, and contribute to various city-wide projects. These duties are split between assistant language teacher (ALT) and co-ordinator of international relations (CIR) positions.
The 2024–2025 team in Daisen consists of 11 ALTs and 1 CIR from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Our roles are to improve English proficiency and accessibility, provide language-based support, and contribute to various city-wide projects. These duties are split between assistant language teacher (ALT) and co-ordinator of international relations (CIR) positions.
The 2024–2025 team in Daisen consists of 11 ALTs and 1 CIR from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Current
Gabriel Dodd (ALT)
| Country | Canada |
| Favourite Sport | Ice Hockey |
| Favourite Food | Prime rib & Yorkshire pudding |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Coaching & playing sports, board games & reading |
| Arrival Year | 2024 |
Conor Quigley (ALT)
| Country | Ireland |
| Favourite Sport | Formula 1 |
| Favourite Food | Guiness |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Outdoors, reading & video games |
| Arrival Year | 2024 |
Joshua Hatch (ALT)
| Country | Australia |
| Favourite Sport | Hockey |
| Favourite Food | Lime jelly |
| Favourite Colour | Red |
| Hobbies | Reading, playing guitar & snowboarding |
| Arrival Year | 2024 |
Dulcie Hall (ALT)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Favourite Sport | Football |
| Favourite Food | Fish, chips & mushy peas |
| Favourite Colour | Orange |
| Hobbies | Hiking, cooking & thrifting |
| Arrival Year | 2023 |
Catherine Marendy (ALT)
| Country | Australia |
| Favourite Sport | Netball |
| Favourite Food | Sushi |
| Favourite Colour | Orange |
| Hobbies | Singing, Reading, Movies & Japanese |
| Arrival Year | 2023 |
Adam Tipper (ALT)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Favourite Sport | Swimming |
| Favourite Food | Chili con carne pasta |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Reading, games & history |
| Arrival Year | 2023 |
Alex Quintero (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Surfing & paddle boarding |
| Favourite Food | Churros |
| Favourite Colour | Sunset |
| Hobbies | Kimono dressing |
| Arrival Year | 2022 |
Katie Johnston (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Ice hockey |
| Favourite Food | Spam musubi |
| Favourite Colour | Tiffany Blue |
| Hobbies | Travel, theatre & crafting |
| Arrival Year | 2022 |
Thalia Thomas (ALT)
| Country | Jamaica |
| Favourite Sport | Netball |
| Favourite Food | Pizza |
| Favourite Colour | Purple |
| Hobbies | Listening to music, going to the beach, travel |
| Arrival Year | 2021 |
Natasha Green (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Hiking |
| Favourite Food | Chocolate Chip Cookies |
| Favourite Colour | Yellow |
| Hobbies | Yoga, swimming and journaling |
| Arrival Year | 2021 |
Peter Dixon (ALT)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Favourite Sport | Football |
| Favourite Food | Pizza |
| Favourite Colour | Green |
| Hobbies | Hiking, travel and guitar |
| Arrival Year | 2021 |
Jordan Oxborough (CIR)
| Country | New Zealand |
| Favourite Sport | Tennis |
| Favourite Food | Mexican |
| Favourite Colour | Yellow |
| Hobbies | Hiking, reading and piano |
| Arrival Year | 2012 |
Former
Aidan Simpson (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Basketball |
| Favourite Food | Pizza |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Reading, hiking & gaming |
| Arrival Year | 2023 |
Chris Hallbauer (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Tennis |
| Favourite Food | Bear |
| Favourite Colour | Black and dark blue |
| Hobbies | Cooking, painting and exploring |
| Arrival Year | 2019 |
Ilya Mironov (ALT)
| Country | Canada |
| Favourite Sport | Basketball |
| Favourite Food | Dumplings |
| Favourite Colour | Grey |
| Hobbies | Japanese, reading and running |
| Arrival Year | 2021 |
Ben Hartshorn (ALT)
| Country | New Zealand |
| Favourite Sport | Cricket |
| Favourite Food | Curry |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Photography, baking & programming |
| Arrival Year | 2022–2023 |
Celine Chan (ALT)
| Country | Singapore |
| Favourite Sport | Cycling |
| Favourite Food | Ice cream |
| Favourite Colour | Baby blue |
| Hobbies | Travel, photography and guitar |
| Arrival Year | 2018–2023 |
Megan Shipton (ALT)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Favourite Sport | Rowing |
| Favourite Food | Indian |
| Favourite Colour | Green |
| Hobbies | Reading, cooking & games |
| Arrival Year | 2022 – 2023 |
Liam Mortimer (ALT)
| Country | Australia |
| Favourite Sport | Rugby |
| Favourite Food | Yakisoba |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Sport, music and games |
| Arrival Year | 2019 – 2023 |
Zane Barker ALT (ALT)
| Country | New Zealand |
| Favourite Sport | Volleyball |
| Favourite Food | Soy Ramen |
| Favourite Colour | Green and blue |
| Hobbies | Japanese, anime and computers |
| Arrival Year | 2018 – 2022 |
Meghan McCarthy (ALT)
| Country | Canada |
| Favourite Sport | Hockey, basketball and volleyball |
| Favourite Food | Italian and Mexican |
| Favourite Colour | Purple |
| Hobbies | Piano, reading and games |
| Arrival Year | 2019 – 2021 |
Heather Warne (ALT)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Favourite Sport | Hiking |
| Favourite Food | Steak and chocolate mousse |
| Favourite Colour | Purple |
| Hobbies | Singing, travel and baking |
| Arrival Year | 2019 – 2021 |
Kira Hahn-Ventrell (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Volleyball |
| Favourite Food | Pizza and ramen |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Reading, exercising and eating |
| Arrival Year | 2019 – 2021 |
Luke Hemming (ALT)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Favourite Sport | Football |
| Favourite Food | Curry |
| Favourite Colour | Black |
| Hobbies | Travel |
| Arrival Year | 2018 – 2020 |
Cass Whittington (ALT)
| Country | Australia |
| Favourite Sport | Badminton |
| Favourite Food | Avocado toast |
| Favourite Colour | Blue–green |
| Hobbies | Games, piano and photography |
| Arrival Year | 2018 – 2020 |
Colin Reineberg (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Dodgeball |
| Favourite Food | Ramen |
| Favourite Colour | Black |
| Hobbies | Guitar, photography and writing |
| Arrival Year | 2018 - 2019 |
Katlin Long-Wright (ALT)
| Country | Canada |
| Favourite Sport | Hockey |
| Favourite Food | Ramen |
| Favourite Colour | Hot pink |
| Hobbies | Comics, surfing and travel |
| Arrival Year | 2018 - 2019 |
Jheanell Ottey (ALT)
| Country | Jamaica |
| Favourite Sport | Football and basketball |
| Favourite Food | Jamaican curry |
| Favourite Colour | Ivory |
| Hobbies | Reading, singing and travelling |
| Arrival Year | 2017 - 2019 |
Misa Yasuda (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Swimming |
| Favourite Food | Fruit |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Cooking and dancing |
| Arrival Year | 2013 - 2019 |
Manjyot Virdie (ALT)
| Country | Canada |
| Favourite Sport | Volleyball |
| Favourite Food | Pizza |
| Favourite Colour | Orange |
| Hobbies | Painting and drawing |
| Arrival Year | 2017 - 2018 |
Lee Kirsopp (ALT)
| Country | New Zealand |
| Favourite Sport | Field hockey |
| Favourite Food | Margarita pizza |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Skiing, snowboarding, reading, board games and video games |
| Arrival Year | 2017 - 2018 |
Justin Pearce (CIR)
| Country | Australia |
| Favourite Sport | Futsal and football |
| Favourite Food | Homemade egg pasta and steak |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Snowboarding and working out |
| Arrival Year | 2017 - 2018 |
Jackson Zeman (ALT)
| Country | United States |
| Favourite Sport | Boxing |
| Favourite Food | Sushi |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Working out |
| Arrival Year | 2016 - 2018 |
Andrew Mowle (ALT)
| Country | Australia |
| Favourite Sport | Rugby |
| Favourite Food | Chocolate shake |
| Favourite Colour | Blue |
| Hobbies | Snowboarding |
| Arrival Year | 2016 - 2018 |
Richard Derksen (ALT)
| Country | Canada |
| Favourite Sport | Ice hockey |
| Favourite Food | Pizza and sukiyaki |
| Favourite Colour | Red and white |
| Hobbies | Sports and Japanese |
| Arrival Year | 2015 - 2018 |
Tara Scott (ALT)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Favourite Sport | Horse riding and aikido |
| Favourite Food | Cake and katsudon |
| Favourite Colour | Pink |
| Hobbies | Photography, sewing and taiko |
| Arrival Year | 2015 - 2018 |