Inspired by a mother from Hiroshima, Ray Matsumiya has devoted his
nearly 30 year professional career to unofficial diplomacy, cross-cultural exchange and peacebuilding.
He is currently the Director of Rotary International Initiatives at the Jubitz Family Foundation, where he works to enhance peacebuilding initiatives related to Rotary International. Since 2023, he led the implementation of the Rotary Peace Park, a 2500 sq foot presentation and community space for tens of thousands of peace-oriented Rotarians at Rotary Conventions in Melbourne, Singapore, Calgary and Taipei.
Ray is also the Executive Director of the Oleander Initiative, an organization that he founded in 1997 which brings educators, policymakers, and civil-society leaders to Hiroshima for immersive programs on peace, resilience, and cross-cultural leadership. Its work applies lessons from Hiroshima to contemporary peacebuilding.
Ray’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Boston Globe, PBS, El Pais and NHK World. He has been an invited speaker at TEDx, the Massachusetts State House, the Dayton International Peace Museum, the US embassy of Tunis and universities such as M.I.T, the University of Michigan, and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He is an active Rotarian and the past president of the WE Rotary club of International Peace.
Ray received his Master’s degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and his BA from Wesleyan University.
