Executive Leadership

Dean Nakanishi, MBA
Chief Executive Officer

Dean Nakanishi was named Chief Executive Officer of the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP) in 2021, previously serving as Administrative Director at AADAP for over 20 years under Mike Watanabe, former AADAP President and CEO. AADAP is one of the largest, longest serving substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs in the Second District in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles, having provided services during the crack epidemic, the Northridge earthquake, and the Civil Unrest following the Rodney King injustice. Dean is passionate about addressing the economic, social, and emotional well-being of vulnerable populations who suffer from substance use disorder, especially in light of the gentrification he has observed in neighborhoods and how it affects the economic, social, and emotional well-being of its residents. He has overseen all aspects of AADAP’s business planning, fundraising, and operational design, and is proud to have been involved in expanding the organization’s services, including employment services, HIV/AIDS outreach, and sober living homes. Dean has a Bachelor’s in Business Management and an MBA from Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business. He has been happily married since 1998 and is an avid fisherman who enjoys traveling and spending time in his home garden.

Michael Yoshiba
Richards, Watson, & Gershon
Chairman

Michael Yoshiba has been on the AADAP board for over 12 years.   He is an avid Dodgers fan and a whiskey connoisseur.

He currently is a lawyer at Richards, Watson, & Gershon. Prior to joining Richards, Watson & Gershon in 2001, Michael represented the State of California, Department of Transportation, in its Legal Division for over six years as a Deputy State Attorney and before that, as a right-of-way agent for over ten years.