Executive Director

Executive Director
Japanese American Citizens League

Bonsai Leadership Group is honored to support Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) in identifying its next Executive Director. This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead a historic civil rights organization at a pivotal moment for democracy, belonging, and coalition building. Download the full position announcement here
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Founded in 1929, JACL is the nation’s oldest and largest Asian American and Pacific Islander civil rights organization. JACL helped lead the Japanese American redress movement, which culminated in the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Today, the organization advances civil and human rights through policy advocacy, community education, and chapter-driven engagement.

The national office is located in San Francisco, CA, with a strong policy presence in Washington, DC, supported by a vibrant network of chapters and members nationwide.

Learn more about JACL at jacl.org and pacificcitizen.org
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Japanese American Citizens League is a national organization whose ongoing mission is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote cultural, educational, and social values and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American community.

JACL seeks an Executive Director who brings the steadiness of an experienced operational leader and the courage of a thoughtful change maker. This moment calls for a leader who honors JACL’s powerful legacy, champions strategic focus, strengthens internal systems, and guides the organization into its next chapter of growth. The role requires discipline in execution, clarity in strategy, and a deep commitment to building a values-driven culture rooted in collaboration, belonging, respect, and accountability.

The Executive Director will shape how JACL engages with its members, chapters, and the broader Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and ally communities, which count on its advocacy and voice. The Executive Director will serve as a visible partner to chapters, an ambassador for JACL’s civil rights agenda, and a relationship builder who elevates JACL’s presence with policymakers, coalitions, funders, and media.

At this stage of JACL’s evolution, the organization needs a leader who deeply values situational awareness, decisive action, and purposeful communication, and who is equally committed to cultivating dialogue, shared ownership, and collective progress. The right leader will see these qualities not as tradeoffs, but as essential to sustaining trust, momentum, and impact across a national, member-driven organization.

This is a powerful opportunity to lead a historic civil rights institution into its next era of relevance, resilience, and impact.

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Focus

Define and monitor a focused strategic direction that charts a clear long-term vision for the organization, aligns with JACL’s values, and reflects both the historical significance and future aspirations of the membership.

Establish an organization-wide annual planning framework that connects long-term strategic priorities to goals, work plans, budgets, and performance expectations across teams and departments.

Communicate strategic priorities, progress, and adjustments with consistency and transparency to the national board, staff, chapters, and partners, ensuring clarity on how decisions support the organization’s mission, impact, and sustainability.

Manage an annual planning cycle that sets measurable goals, guides resource allocation, and reinforces discipline in execution, including regular monitoring and reporting against established metrics.

Ensure cross-departmental alignment by coordinating organizational priorities, managing interdependencies, and addressing obstacles that hinder progress towards strategic outcomes.

Maintain a steady focus on impact by reviewing organizational performance data, evaluating progress to goals, addressing gaps, and leading needed course…