Originally from Tokyo, she is an expert in disaster/crisis response and a resource for students from Japan who are worried about their families and homes. She can also provide insight for reporters writing about the psychological impact of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan and the aftermath of those disasters. Kishimoto has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and a doctorate in psychology from the University of Houston. She has trained with the National Organization for Victim Assistance to provide community-level crisis intervention. She works as a counselor in the academic support and counseling center at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.