Career Trajectory

Before EDEF I was Associate Dean for Student Services at the William S. Richardson School of Law. I am a graduate of Richardson, practiced Family Law and worked at the Judiciary developing programs such as Kids First.
I retired from the University of Hawaii in 2012 to be Executive Director of EPIC Ohana. At EPIC we have been a backbone organization for projects to improve outcomes for children and Native Hawaiian children in Hawaii. Most recently I am the chair of the Malama Ohana Working Group. The experience of classes and research at EDEF was extremely helpful in my work especially looking at policy and race equity issues for children and families.
Most recently I was appointed to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. This year I serve as First Vice Chair, and as Chair of the Student Success Committee. My EDEF education and background has been immeasurably helpful in this role, allowing me to bring that expertise to the board.

Location

• Original: Waipahu, Hawaii
• Current: Honolulu, Hawaii

Program & Year

PhD in Policy Studies, 2015

Awards / Recognitions

Casey Excellence for Children Award 2021, Casey Family Programs

COE Affiliation

Educational Foundations