Advisors and Staff
The Better Tomorrow Speaker Series is a project of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, the Learning Coalition, and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, administered by the College of Arts, Languages and Letters and in cooperation with the UH Foundation.
Community Advisors
Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua
Trustee, Kamehameha Schools; UH professor
Terry George
CEO & President, Hawai'i Community Foundation
Michelle Kaʻuhane
Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President, Hawai'i Community Foundation
Bill Reeves
Co-Founder of Unbound Philanthropy and the Learning Coalition
UH Advisors
Peter Arnade
Dean, College of Arts, Language & Letters
Vassilis L. Syrmos
Interim Provost, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
C.H. (Chip) Fletcher
Dean, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
Noelle Kahanu
Associate Specialist, Department of American Studies, College of Arts and Humanities
Colin Moore
Director, Matsunaga Institute or Peace; Associate Professor, University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization
Maya Soetoro
Consultant, Obama Foundation
Karla Zarate-Ramirez
Associate Vice President, Major Gifts
Hema Kealohanuikaiama Watson
President, Associated Students of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Maile Au
Associate Vice President of Alumni & Community Engagement, University of Hawaii
Staff Liaisons
Chips DeMate
Strategic Communications Director, Hawai'i Community Foundation
Lori Furoyama
Educational Specialist, OVPAE
Kaiwipunikauikawēkiu Lipe
Director UHM's Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Center
Dan Meisenzahl
Director, Office of Communications
Chad Walton
Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation, University of Hawai‘i System
Jennel Sesoko
Director of Branding & Marketing, Office of the Provost
Eriza Bareng
Senior Director of Development, University of Hawaiʻi Foundation
Better Tomorrow Staff
Robert Perkinson
Director, BTSS; Associate Professor of American Studies
Kelly Norn
Operations Coordinator, BTSS
Sarah Al-Hashemi
AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow, BTSS
Ziyun Li
Fiscal Student Assistant, BTSS
Carlos Osuna
Media & Events Student Assistant, BTSS
Alexa Dilly
Videography Student Assistant, BTSS