Stories of Leadership & Lived Experiences in Saratoga

Reiko Iwanaga has been a Saratoga Rotarian for over 30 years and lived in Saratoga for over 40 years. She was named the Saratoga Citizen of the Year in 1991. Some recognitions have included from the County Supervisors, the Japanese Consulate, the Saratoga Historical Foundation and the Japanese American Citizens League. She is in the San Francisco Japanese Cultural Hall of Fame and was honored as one of 7 National Endowment for the Arts Fellows in 2025 at the Library of Congress. For decades, she has been the head dance instructor for the San Jose Obon Festival, the largest in the U.S.