Emiko Minatoya-Shields (they/she)

Emiko works as full-time counseling faculty member at North Seattle College and uses they/she pronouns. Emiko has long been interested in the intersections of identity and connection, education, and mental health—They graduated with a degree in Psychology from UC Berkeley in 2013 before spending several years working with students at the adult basic education, high school, and college level. She returned to school and completed a master's in counseling from Seattle University in 2020. Emiko works from a person-centered, multicultural, anti-oppression framework which includes a strengths-based perspective focused on empowering participants. This approach is responsive to the individual needs of students and encourages a collaborative, informative and solution-focused space for growth in counseling and within Human Development courses offered by the Counseling Center. For life-work balance Emiko enjoys exploring nature in the PNW, engaging in mindful and joyful movement like yoga or dance, traveling, reading, art, and spending time with loved ones and community. Emiko is also a graduate of Seattle Colleges, having earned a degree in Baking and Pastry from South Seattle College, and now enjoys creating in the kitchen in a purely non-professional manner.