Outreach Coordinator, Center for Japanese Studies
About
Sara Chittenden is the outreach coordinator for the Center for Japanese Studies (CJS). Her responsibilities include coordinating the Noon Lecture Series, the Film Series, Ann Arbor Japan Week, and the annual newsletter. In 2025, Sara received the II Team Award for her work on the East Asia Outreach Team.
Sara holds an M.A. in International and Regional Studies (MIRS): Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan. Her master's thesis centered on self-published magazines (minikomi) written by LGBTQ women in Japan. During her U-M M.A. program, she served on the CJS Postdoctoral Fellowship Search Committee, completed the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies intensive summer program, received several fellowships, and won the Malm Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Writing.
Sara's professional history includes teaching English, editing, and event coordination. She has been organizing Michigan's longest-running zine fest for over 10 years and is passionate about self-publishing. Having lived in Yokohama, Japan for four years, Sara is dedicated to fostering intercultural exchange.
