Kai is originally from Takasaki, Japan. He completed his undergraduate studies at Macalester College, majoring in Biology with a focus in global health. While in college, he founded the Macalester Global Health Organization, a student-led group that works to build awareness, organize speakers, and facilitate action surrounding pertinent development and global health issues. During his studies, he traveled to India to work with Vanchit Vikas, where he developed innovative solutions to facilitate more efficient distribution of HIV/AIDS treatment and to build case studies of sex workers living with HIV in Pune, India. He has also interned at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, investigating the spatial epidemiological distribution of cervical cancer among high-risk women in the United States, as well as with the Minnesota Department of Health’s Vaccine Preventable Disease Unit, supporting the data management and investigation of the 2012 pertussis outbreak. Kai enjoys running marathons, traveling, playing water polo, and challenging anyone, anytime, in his favorite game, chess!