Kimiko was born and raised in Huchiun/Oakland, and has always been captivated by the pull of the ocean. She left the Bay Area to attend UCSB, where she studied Environmental Science and Education, fell in love with teaching, learned to surf and spent as much time as possible playing in the sea. Following graduation she briefly lived in Barbados, working as a Divemaster and studying marine biology. For the past few years she has had the joy of living and working on Pimugna/Santa Catalina Island as an outdoor educator. Kimiko is now beginning her graduate studies focusing on equity and justice in environmental & outdoor education and is thrilled to have journeyed back to her beloved hometown as a member of the Brown Girl Surf family. She finds joy in sunrises, big bowls of noodles, being in water, dancing and getting crafty.