Sadly, we lost a beloved member of the Claris Community. Shin Ninagawa, a founder and CEO of Splash, Inc. and a long-time Claris Partner, passed away on December 28, 2020.
With a smile that lit up a room, an infectious laugh, and an appreciation for harmless pranks, Shin left her mark on many of us. Satsuki Yoza, senior engineer with Splash reflects on some favorite memories and the important role Shin played as mentor, boss, and friend.
Claris FileMaker training from the pro herself.
Satsuki met Shin when participating in her first Claris FileMaker workshop, and soon thereafter, Satsuki joined the Splash team.
“There are many impressive women within the Claris Community, with Shin being one of those women. She gave me personalized FileMaker training, outside of our regular work hours, to get me up to speed on programming. At the time, I didn’t realize just how lucky I was,” says Satsuki.
Encouraging those around her.
Years later, Shin encouraged Satsuki speak at an upcoming Claris conference, recognizing Satsuki’s potential and adjusting her work schedule to allow for proper preparation.
“Shin was an excellent CEO. She was so willing to provide the instruction, tools, and guidance to help me succeed. I have no idea how she got enough sleep as she was involved in so many Splash projects – always helping and inspiring those around her,” continues Satsuki.
A petite woman with big interests.
Shin is described as a petite woman who broke big stereotypes as well as a lover of sports, including skiing, golf, and bouldering. Quick witted, she loved to make people laugh and was actively involved in cat rescue, a regular donor to rescue organizations, and she adopted numerous cats throughout the years.
“She was a person of intense curiosity, often seen jotting down information on paper with her favorite fountain pen or capturing digital notes on her phone,” adds Satsuki.
The bridge between Japan and the rest of the world.
Satsuki describes Shin fondly as “The FileMaker Fairy,” a Tinkerbell character of sorts who wrote scripts with great speed and charmed those around her with a command of English and Japanese along with her innocent pranks to get a laugh.
“Whether at a Claris conference or interacting with the community, people naturally gathered around her. Shin wanted to get the word out about how fun and easy Claris FileMaker is to use — helping to bridge Japan and the rest of the world,” continues Satsuki.
Honoring Shin in two beautiful ways.
To pay memory to Shin, her colleagues at Splash held on online memorial event using Claris FileMaker, enabling people from around the world to share messages and memories. An altar was created in Splash’s Tokyo office, with candles and incense lit each time someone added a new message and broadcasted it in real time.
In addition, the nonprofit organization, Women Innovating Together – FileMaker (WITfm), where Shin was actively involved, established a memorial scholarship fund in her name. This scholarship will help women in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region attend future Claris Engage conferences, honoring Shin’s legacy as an ambassador of women in technology.
To learn more about Shin’s Memorial Scholarship, click here.