The UCLA Asian American Studies Center is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Keith Terasaki, a dedicated community leader, health advocate, and generous humanitarian. Keith passed away peacefully on December 22, 2024. Taking after his father, the extraordinary Paul Terasaki, Keith's path towards health innovation and advocacy began at UCLA as a double Bruin, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1977 and his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine in 1983. Keith then pursued a career in radiology, earning several distinguished awards for his exceptional patient care, research contributions, and volunteer work. In 2023, he was honored with the UCLA Edward A. Dickson Alumnus of the Year Award for his remarkable leadership and merit in the medical sciences.
Keith was equally committed to community-building initiatives, holding board positions with various educational and cultural institutions, including the Little Tokyo Service Center, the UCLA Life Sciences Dean's Advisory Board, John Wesley Health Clinic, UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies, TreePeople, Colburn School of Music, and the Tersaki Institute.
His philanthropic generosity and spirit extended to the UCLA Asian American Studies Center where he established the Dr. Paul and Hisako Terasaki Research Fellowship for graduate students exploring Japanese American studies. He also facilitated a donation from the Terasaki Family Foundation to support the Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook Project, Foundations and Futures.
We honor Keith's contributions and legacy that will endure through the countless lives he touched, inspiring future generations to lead with kindness and integrity. Our sincerest condolences to the Terasaki family and his many friends.