Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) is pleased to announce Noelle Ito as its new deputy executive director.
As a key member of the Executive Team, she will provide strategic leadership for LTSC’s development, communications, and external relations functions, driving fundraising strategy, donor and partner engagement, and brand presence. She will work closely with the co-executive directors, Board of Directors, and senior leadership to position LTSC for long-term growth.
Ito is a seasoned nonprofit leader with more than25 years of experience in philanthropy, community engagement, and organizational leadership. A fourth-generation Japanese American Angeleno, she brings both deep professional expertise and a strong commitment to community, shaped by her multigenerational family experience.
Most recently, she served as senior board services lead at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, where she built and operationalized board services, supported the national search for the school’s dean, organized milestone events including the inaugural White Coat Ceremony and Commencement, and was a founding member of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Staff and Faculty Group.
Earlier in her career, Ito worked in corporate social responsibility at Avery Dennison and worked closely with foundations and a national network of giving circles at Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP). She also brings fundraising and donor relations experience from BronxWorks, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and LTSC.
She is thrilled to return to LTSC, where she began her career with Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (a former LTSC program), led the Vision Fund for Terasaki Budokan, later served as LTSC’s director of development, and most recently sat on LTSC’s Board of Directors. Her return reflects her enduring commitment to the Little Tokyo and the broader community LTSC serves.
Ito holds an MBA in Nonprofit Management from American Jewish University and a BA in Human Services from The George Washington University. She was named a “Champion of Change” by the White House during the Obama Administration.