Sara Chittenden

Sara Chittenden is the Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Japanese Studies (CJS). She works on CJS public programming, K-14 outreach, and external coordination and reporting. This work includes the CJS Noon Lecture Series, Film Series, and Ann Arbor Japan Week.

Sara holds an M.A. in International and Regional Studies (MIRS): Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and a B.S. in Women and Gender Studies from Grand Valley State University. Her master's thesis centered on self-published magazines (minikomi) written by LGBTQ women in Japan, combining her interests in Japanese studies, gender studies, and media studies. During her M.A. program, she served as the Graduate Student Representative on the Center for Japanese Studies' Postdoctoral Fellowship Search Committee, completed the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC) intensive summer program, received several fellowships, and won the Malm Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Writing. 

Sara's professional history includes teaching English, professional editing, and event organization. She has been organizing the longest-running zine fest in Michigan for over ten years and is passionate about self-publishing. Having lived in Yokohama, Japan for four years, Sara is also dedicated to fostering intercultural exchange.