Steven Toshio Yamaguchi

Steve has devoted his career to nurturing and emboldening young leaders to explore new ways that traditions and institutions often struggle to imagine. He has served developing leaders as a pastor, an executive presbyter, a seminary dean of students, and a professor of pastoral theology. His pastorates include a Japanese American church on Compton Boulevard during the 1980s and 90s, a Spanish- and English-speaking church in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, and most recently Tokyo Union Church in Japan, from which he retired.

Steve loves the inner city and its congregations working to thrive in demanding contexts. He is particularly passionate about supporting young leaders who serve in organizations where they are a minority. He serves Princeton Theological Seminary on the trustee board, chairing the academic affairs committee. Steve and his wife have two adult children and live in Long Beach, California, with their new border collie puppy, Toshi, which Steve is training for agility competition.