BIOGRAPHY

July 7, 2017

Henry Tanaka

Academic Dean of Art, Design and Humanities at Oakland Community College

Henry Tanaka is a recently retired Academic Dean for the Division of Art, Design and Humanities at  a community college in Southeast Michigan.   Serving for 24 years in various roles including Professor of Art and Department Chair of Humanities.  He has received several accolades for leadership and teaching.

Henry has been a practicing artist for 30 years, exhibiting locally and nationally.  He has served as President of the Michigan Ceramic Art Association from 2003-2007. He has presented workshop and seminars on his personal art work nationally. He received his Bachelors of Fine Arts from Kansas City Art Institute and his Master of Fine Arts from the New York State School of Ceramics at Alfred University.  He currently resides in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Appointed in 2012 as a State Commissioner on the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC). He has served as a board member for the Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Oakland. He is currently Board member of the Japanese -American Citizen’s League (JACL), National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Council for Asian Pacific Americans and Paint Creek Center for the Arts. Henry is a fourth Generation Japanese-American.