Steven Sigafus

Steven Sigafus is a nonprofit leader and cultural-exchange strategist whose work centers on peacebuilding, international collaboration, and community engagement. As President of SD-WISH, he leads San Diego’s annual International Peace & Humanity Day, strengthening global connections and elevating the stories of hibakusha and communities committed to peace. Under his leadership, the organization has expanded its programs to bring together civic leaders, artists, youth, and cultural partners from around the world. Steven is also President of the San Diego–Yokohama Sister City Society and Vice President of the California–Japan Sister Cities Network, where he helps build enduring relationships between cities, organizations, and people across Japan and the United States. He played a key role in launching the Trees for Peace program, a collaborative effort with Green Legacy Hiroshima, San Diego Unified School District, and the Japanese Friendship Garden, which brings descendant saplings of Hiroshima survivor trees to schools as living symbols of resilience. In addition to his nonprofit leadership, Steven has spent over two decades building bridges across cultures through music, arts programming, international partnerships, and innovative storytelling initiatives - including virtual-reality cultural preservation projects and youth-centered exchange programs. Across all of his work, Steven is driven by a commitment to honoring history, strengthening cross-cultural understanding, and inspiring communities to work together toward a more peaceful and connected future.