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Vol. 3, No. 5 September 2007

FOUNDATION FACES

Dennis Ichikawa Senior Director of Field Offices and State Strategies Casey Family Programs

Vital Stats: Dennis Ichikawa is 51, and was born in Seattle, WA. He is single with no children.

First/Most Interesting Jobs: I have loved every job that I have had and so I will highlight why I find my current one so great. I have the privilege of working for an organization that completely aligns with my personal values. I work with incredibly gifted and generous people who have a passion for their work. I love the constituents that we serve and their appreciation and successes mean the world to me.

Hobbies/Favorite Pastime: Sports, sports, sports. I never met a sport that I did not like. Skiing (snow and water), tennis, squash, golf, cycling, and running are the sports that I stay active in today.

Path to Philanthropy: I practiced law for 14 years, then received a Kellogg Fellowship that took me to the University of Michigan as a Visiting Scholar. Upon returning from Michigan I continued teaching in law school as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Washington and left law practice to become an Ombudsman for Governor Locke. While sitting on a board at the University of Washington Law School, a fellow board member who also sits on the Casey Family Programs Board of Trustees told me that Casey Family Programs was seeking a Senior Policy Analyst. She said that she thought it would be a good fit for me. A couple of years into my work with Casey I was asked to cover the Director position in Phoenix for 3 months while a permanent Director was hired. I fell in love with the people and the work, and that was 5 1/2 years ago!

Current Position: Senior Director of Field Offices and State Strategies, Casey Family Programs

Favorite Quote: “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." Booker T. Washington