Joanna Philippoff is an Associate Specialist in the Curriculum Research & Development Group (CRDG) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She designs, implements, evaluates, and researches science education projects. Much of her work in is marine science where she focuses on bridging the disciplines and disciplinarians of science and education by engaging novices of all ages in intertidal research. She holds a BA in biology, a MS in zoology, and a PhD in educational psychology.

Keʻalapualoke (Keʻala) Fukuda is an Institutional Analyst with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) – Data Governance & Assessments (DGA) Branch. Keʻala is the lead for Research Projects and coordinates data sharing opportunities for those interested in information from the Hawaiʻi Department of Education. She is interested in finding ways to collaborate on scalable projects that can improve student outcomes, support educators, and build thriving communities across the state. Keʻala also serves as a member of the UH Human Subjects IRB. Prior to working for the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, Keʻala was a Research Analyst with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and worked at the University of Hawaiʻi in the Office of Research Services. She is an alumnus of the Kamehameha Schools, and holds degrees from Pacific University and the University of Hawaiʻi.

Gale Mejia represents The Learning Coalition, which is a privately funded non-profit foundation dedicated to improving learner outcomes in Hawaii’s public schools by increasing student engagement through sustainable partnerships between local communities and the Hawaii Department of Education. TLC has resourced fellowships since 2015 to promote community engagement within and among the College, The Hawaii Department of Education and their respective community partners. In partnership with The College, HIDOE and Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, TLC launched the Hawaii Education Research Network in May 2018.

I am excited to have been on the HERN steering committee for the past year. I believe in the power of research to help drive and improve practice. I think providing forums for researchers and practitioners to work together in our island home is incredibly exciting and important.

Under Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, Jean Osumi has led the management of the Hawaiʻi Data eXchange Partnership (DXP). The DXP is a collaboration of five state agencies: the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, University of Hawaiʻi, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaiʻi State Department of Health, and Department of Human Services. The DXP’s mission is to expand the accessibility and usability of cross-sector data to drive informed policy- and decision-making. Dr. Osumi has participated on the HERN Steering Committee since 2019 and continues to promote the use of data that provides evidence to improve Hawaiʻi’s education and workforce outcomes.

Dr. Jamie Simpson Steele is Associate Professor at the College of Education, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa where she prepares teacher candidates to integrate the arts throughout the curriculum. As a teaching artist, she continues to explore the development of new curriculum and contribute to professional development opportunities for teaching artists and in-service teachers. Her research interests address issues of social justice, performances of culture, arts integration, and performance as research methodology. Dr. Simpson Steele collaborates with leading arts organizations such as Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Hawai‘i Arts Alliance, and Maui Arts and Culture Center to better understand and sustain…

Katherine T. Ratliffe, a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Hawai‘i, is also a pediatric physical therapist. Her research interests include disability; family, school and community partnerships in education; and the education of immigrant children, especially those from Pacific Islands.

Holly Manaseri, PhD, is an Associate faculty member at the University of Hawaii’s Center on Disability Studies and serves as the interim director for the Center on Disability Studies. Dr. Manaseri teaches in the graduate Disability Studies program. She has over 30 years of experience working in k12 schools and higher education focused on teacher and school leader preparation for inclusive, accessible and caring school communities.