TOKYO, June 6, 2016 – The board of directors of TELL, a not-for-profit organization that has provided mental health support and counseling services to Japan’s international community for over 40 years, has elected four new board members: Lise Frederiksen, Steve Weiss, Julia-Sophie Selig Sonderhoff and Nick Tsai.
“Our new directors bring to TELL a wide range of different experiences, perspectives and talents, and are expected to provide invaluable support as we pursue our primary goals of taking the Lifeline 24/7, launching text/chat-based Lifeline services, and getting the organization onto a sounder financial footing,” said TELL board chair Dr. Anne Bille.
“TELL, and especially the Lifeline, relies on the support of the community for its continued operation, and I am excited about the prospect of working with our new board members to not only improve our service offerings, but also extend them nationwide,” said Executive Director Roberto De Vido.
Lise Frederiksen came to Japan in the beginning of September 2015, when her husband started his tenure as the Danish Ambassador to Japan. This is their second time here, following a previous stint in Japan from 2005–2008. Lise is a lawyer, graduated from the University of Copenhagen, who has worked in that capacity in Denmark for around 16 years, as well as having been involved in public diplomacy during postings to different countries over the years.
Steve Weiss has been a director in PwC’s Tokyo office since July 2013, and has 13 years experience at PwC working with companies in the financial services industry. Steve frequently provides educational sessions to Japanese financial services companies on the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
Nick Tsai is an attorney at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and a registered gaikokuho-jimu-bengoshi. His legal practice focuses on complex corporate transactions, including carve-out acquisitions and divestures, cross-border M&A transactions and international joint ventures. Prior to moving to Japan in 2012, he practiced law in Houston where he specialized in energy industry M&A transactions, public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, and securities law reporting and compliance.
Julia-Sophie Selig Sonderhoff is a native of Hamburg, Germany, but grew up in Japan, graduating from St Maur Int’l in Yokohama. She speaks German, Japanese and English, and has worked as a dolphin trainer in Okinawa. Julia holds a Masters Degree in International Tourism Management from the University of Queensland in Australia, and returned to Japan ‘for good’ in 2005.
About TELL
Established in 1973, TELL is a not-for-profit organization providing world-class mental health support and counseling services to Japan’s international community and the community at large. TELL’s services include free phone counseling and information, professional face-to-face counseling, and educational workshops. In 2011 alone, the TELL Lifeline responded to nearly 6,000 calls for help, TELL Counseling provided over 3.200 professional psychotherapy and counseling sessions, and TELL’s workshops and outreach programs provided training and support to hundreds in multiple settings, such as schools, businesses and NGOs. For more information on TELL and its services, please visit https://telljp.wpengine.com/.