Lily Shinohara

Lily is a lifelong educator and global innovator dedicated to reimagining how students learn and thrive. Raised in Taiwan by two teachers, Lily grew up with a deep appreciation for education’s power to change lives. She began her career teaching English to K–12 students in Japan and Taiwan, where she discovered her passion for helping young people find their voice and confidence.
Her journey then took her into higher education, where she played a pivotal role in building world-class executive programs. At Harvard Business School, Lily helped expand the school’s portfolio in China, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she worked to extend MIT’s global presence from Dubai to Singapore.
Today, as founder and leader of Smiley Bridge, Lily blends her classroom roots with her international perspective to design transformative programs for students. Her work focuses on innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship—preparing the next generation not just for academic success, but to live with purpose and make a positive impact in the world.