Emily Inahara

“Who gets their dream job right out of college? I know that’s crazy, but I did!” said Emily Inahara, Community Services Case Manager for the Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington (AAADSW).

In high school, Emily got a job as a dining aide at a local retirement facility. She said that it was a great job where she was able to work from 4-8 p.m. in the evenings and still manage her school obligations. While in that job, she discovered that she really loved working with the senior residents. As she was getting ready to start college, her dad was diagnosed with brain cancer. Emily postponed college to help care for him until he passed away, an experience which gave her tremendous empathy for family caregivers and their grief.

Once she got to college, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in social work at Concordia University. During her senior year of college, she was placed in a six-month internship at AAADSW, working in Community Services. She loved the work. Shortly after graduation, she was hired by AAADSW as an information specialist in the Aging & Disability Resource Center. In that position, she learned a great deal about all the resources and programs that AAADSW has to offer older adults, people with disabilities and families. She said that now as a Community Services Case Manager, that she often leans on that knowledge to help people navigate the system to find their way.

“This is my dream job because I get to use my knowledge, skills, love and respect for our older generation to make a difference – to help them make change for the better,” Emily added.