Jodie Chiemi Ching serves as Editor and Writer for San Times, where she brings decades of experience telling stories that celebrate Hawaiʻi’s Japanese American community.
Previously a staff writer for The Hawaiʻi Herald: A Japanese American Journal, Jodie earned a bachelor’s degree in Japanese and a Graduate Certificate in Accounting. She is also the recipient of the 1998 Okinawa Prefectural Government Scholarship for Okinawan Descendants.
After spending 15 years working in retail and accounting while writing as a volunteer, Jodie made the life-changing decision to pursue writing full-time following a diagnosis of discoid lupus at age 43.
Beyond journalism, Jodie is deeply involved in Hawaiʻi’s Japanese and Okinawan communities. She serves as an advisor on the board of the Sjögren’s and Lupus Foundation of Hawaiʻi, is treasurer for Tamagusuku Ryu Senju Kai Frances Nakachi Ryubu Dojo and Ryukyu Ongaku Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai Hawaii Shibu, and twice each month teaches Japanese language classes to residents at 15 Craigside retirement community in Honolulu.