Sakura Takano is the Chief Executive Officer of Rotary Charities of Traverse City. Under her leadership, the organization has deepened its commitment to equity, investing in learning and adapting its strategies to better meet the needs of under-represented and under-resourced groups across the region.
Sakura’s leadership blends financial acumen with a deep belief in collaboration and community wisdom.
She brings experience from both the private and nonprofit sectors: previously serving as Rotary Charities’ Director of Community Assets & Impact Investing, leading housing and workforce development at Goodwill Northern Michigan, and beginning her career in investment banking at JPMorgan.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from Boston College and an MBA in Social Enterprise from Columbia Business School. Sakura serves on the boards of IFF, a regional CDFI; Venture North, a local small business lender; and Munson Healthcare, northern Michigan’s healthcare system.
Sakura believes in a holistic, open-listening approach to creating positive community change and brings non-conventional minds together to implement data-driven solutions.