Mari Watanabe is a third-generation Japanese American raised in the Pacific Northwest. Her parents, Matsue and Samuel Watanabe, endured forced internment during World War II under Executive Order 9066. Watanabe attended Washington State University, where she founded a Kendo club and an Asian students’ council. She also studied abroad in Japan. Watanabe launched a corporate career before transitioning to nonprofit work focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as economic development. She has served on numerous boards, including the Oregon Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, and is a Portland Community College Board Trustee. She also sits on the board of the Portland Japanese Garden. Her professional recognitions include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oregon Commission for Women.
