Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Excellence

Dr. Mapuana C. K. Antonio is from Wahiawā, O‘ahu and serves as an Associate Professor and head of the Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health Program in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She is also the inaugural Queen Liliʻuokalani Endowed Professor in Native Hawaiian Culture. Dr. Antonio’s teaching and scholarly research centers on advancing the health and wellbeing of Native Hawaiians and Indigenous peoples, with an emphasis on holistic health, healing, and resilience through deep connections between people and ‘Āina. Dr. Antonio’s work incorporates qualitative and quantitative methodologies to explore cultural, environmental, and structural determinants of health in relation to health outcomes, specifically for Native Hawaiian and Indigenous communities. She teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels on topics related to Native Hawaiian and Indigenous health, public health, and community-based research approaches.

Isis Bataluna is the Director of Faculty and Scholar Immigration Services, whose office advises and supports colleges/schools and international employees on immigration matters, in addition to overseeing the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program.

Kimber Deans is an Investigator and Institutional Analyst at the University of Hawaiʻi System Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Title IX (EEO/TIX). A proud graduate of UH Mānoa, Kimber began her career as an undergraduate office assistant in the EEO Office serving Mānoa and System employees. She now leads investigations into discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; translates institutional data into actionable compliance initiatives; and crafts University policy language in alignment with federal and State civil rights requirements. Kimber specializes in federal contract compliance, employee accommodations, and developing systemwide training that promotes a safe, inclusive learning and working environment. She collaborates closely with Human Resources and ADA Coordinators to evaluate accommodation requests, promote best practices in workplace accessibility, and support the University’s commitment to equity and nondiscrimination.

Dr. Megan Donahue is the Director of Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, where she has a sixteen year history of research and community engagement.  With her leadership, the Institute has built on its record of excellence, expanding its faculty, developing a strategic plan for HIMB and a stewardship plan for Moku o Lo’e, implementing new communication strategies, and improving pay equity. Dr. Donahue has also spearheaded a cross-campus effort to develop a new graduate program in fisheries, focused on the needs of Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands.  She previously served seven years as Co-Director for the Marine Biology Graduate Program, where she led the development of a new curriculum, including a course that introduces all new graduate students to place-based marine research in the context of Hawai’i’s communities.  Her lab has trained a diverse cadre of students and postdocs who have gone on to work in research, teaching, and conservation at academic institutions and government agencies, including Princeton, Scripps, WHOI, NOAA, and University of Hawai’i.

Christian Fern, received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Hawai‘i-Mānoa. He also completed the Advanced Labor Studies Program at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Fern has served as an associate executive director with UHPA since July 2015.

Prior to serving as an associate executive director for UHPA, Fern worked for the state’s two largest health plans, HMSA and Kaiser Permanente. He worked at HMSA for 16 years in progressively responsible roles that led to his position as manager of the Employer-Union Trust Fund and federal plan. At Kaiser Permanente, he was manager of large accounts for state and federal plans.

Fern worked as a legislative intern for the Senate Judiciary Committee while he was a University of Hawai‘i-Mānoa political science student, and returned to the Senate Judiciary Committee as a committee clerk after he graduated.

Sandra is the Executive Director of PACE, the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship, at the UH Mānoa Shidler College of Business, where she oversees entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives, collaborates across disciplines and campuses within the UH System, and strengthens ties with community stakeholders. PACE’s portfolio of programs offer mentorship, training and resources to students, faculty and staff, and are designed to encourage entrepreneurial thinking across disciplines and to empower individuals to bring their ideas to life. In furtherance of this mission, PACE recently expanded its footprint to its 10,000 sq. ft. innovation facility at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, a resource open to all UH students. 

Presenting On:

Cultivating Innovation and Excellence: Shaping the Future of Education at UH – August 6, 2025 at 2:30 pm

Lori Furoyama has been an Educational Specialist in the Office of the Vice Provost for
Academic Excellence (OVPAE) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa since 2013. Her
responsibilities include the coordination of commencement, support for course actions, program
reviews, professional accreditation, and collaborative efforts with Academic Personnel on new
faculty socialization and overall faculty work-life cycle matters. Lori’s experience in education
spans all levels, from early childhood to elementary classrooms to adult learning programs. She
completed her PhD and BEd at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and her MS in curriculum
and instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hazel Gedikli serves as the Faculty Specialist at the Office of Faculty Development and Academic Support (OFDAS) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. In this role, she develops and facilitates professional development programs and services for faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants. Hazel is currently the Interim Director of OFDAS, where she oversees the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Faculty Mentoring Program—two core units that support faculty success and development at UH Mānoa. Hazel loves her work because it allows her to connect with faculty on an individual level and collaborate with colleagues across the university.

Dr. Amy Hubbard serves as the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s interim Assistant Vice Provost for Student Academic Success, a key leadership role in the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success. She oversees academic advising, tutoring and related support services, civic and community engagement, and first-year programs.

Dr. Hubbard has over 30 years of service to the university and is also a full professor in the Communicology Program in the School of Communication and Information in the College of Social Sciences.  She has held various administrative roles in that unit, including as program director, department chair, graduate chair, and undergraduate chair.

Presenting On:

Faculty On-boarding – August 6, 2025 at 2:30 pm

Vanessa Ito is the Director of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa KOKUA Program, Office for Students with Disabilities.  With over twenty years of experience in working with students with disabilities, Vanessa served as a KOKUA Counselor and Associate Director prior to becoming KOKUA’s Director in 2019.   In the spirit of “Aloha” and respect, KOKUA continues to advocate for the shared responsibility of creating equitable participation and access for students with disabilities in all of UH Mānoa’s experiences, programs and services.  In addition to leading KOKUA’s phenomenal and dedicated team, Vanessa is passionate about recognizing students’ individual abilities and expanding dialogues about how the campus can continue to maximize access and create more inclusive communities. 
Vanessa is a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate and holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and Bachelor’s of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology.  She is a licensed Social Worker in the State of Hawaiʻi and is currently the ADA/504 Coordinator for Students. 

Dr. Kaaloa is a Kanaka Maoli educator and researcher with more than 20 years of experience in graduate and Indigenous education, online learning, and the integration of technology to support ‘ike Hawaiʻi. She currently serves as the interim Associate Dean of the Graduate Division at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she is deeply committed to mentoring graduate students and faculty and advancing an innovative and supportive academic environment. Prior to her current role, she served as an Associate Specialist and graduate chair at the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies in the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. With a PhD in Learning Design and Technology and grounded in ancestral knowledge and cultural practice, Dr. Kaaloa brings a unique perspective as an instructional designer to shaping graduate education that uplifts both academic excellence and cultural integrity.

Presenting On:

Advancing GRAD: Updates & Chair Collaboration – August 7, 2025 at 1:30 pm

Sunja Kim serves as the Institutional Research Analyst at the Mānoa Institutional Research Office (MIRO), having joined the team in June 2025. She focuses on data analysis and reporting to support strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, and data-informed decision-making.

Presenting On:

Information to Help Department Planning: Data at Your Fingertips – August 6, 2025 at 12:45 pm

Dr. Kaiwipuni Lipe is the director of the Hawai‘i Papa o ke Ao Native Hawaiian Place of Learning Advancement Office.

Jeffery Long has served as Director of the UH System Office of Human Resources since 2021, and has been with the System office since 2018. He has a PhD in English.

Presenting On:

Cultivating Innovation and Excellence: Shaping the Future of Education at UH – August 6, 2025 at 2:30 pm

Dr. Maeda has worked at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa since 1999. She was a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science (KRS) and served as Department and Graduate Chair for three years. She joined Graduate Division in 2013 when she was hired as the associate dean and is currently serving as the interim dean. Since joining Graduate Division, she has handled personnel and student issues, curricular matters, and has collaboratively worked with faculty to propose new degrees and GCERT programs. Julienne earned a BA degree in Health and Physical Education from the University of Puget Sound, an MS degree in Kinesiology from Indiana University, and a PhD in Education from Ohio State University.

Presenting On:

Advancing GRAD: Updates & Chair Collaboration – August 7, 2025 at 1:30 pm

Paul McKimmy is interim Associate Vice Provost for Academic Excellence at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where he leads the tenure and promotion process, facilitates distance learning programs, coordinates faculty workload and procedure revisions, and other key projects. Dr. McKimmy has over thirty years of experience in higher education, including twenty years with the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Education. As the College’s Director of Technology & Distance Programs, he planned and managed instructional support services, technical services, and distance program development. As a faculty Specialist in the Learning Design & Technology department, he also developed curriculum and taught courses in instructional design, academic technology, and online learning.

Jennifer Matayoshi is the Lead Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Senior Investigator for the Mānoa Office of Title IX. Prior to joining Title IX in 2017, she taught communication and speech courses as instructional faculty in the Department of Communicology at UH Mānoa. Alongside her professional responsibilities, Jennifer has a PhD in Education with a focus on Higher Education Administration. Her research focuses on the intersection of Title IX compliance and faculty disclosure decision-making processes from a communication and information regulation perspective.

Jon Matsuda joined the University of Hawaiʻi in 1996 as a fiscal accounting specialist in General Accounting before moving to a Fiscal Officer position in Outreach College in 1998. In 2004, he left the fiscal office for his current position as a faculty specialist within the Outreach College’s Continuing and Professional Programs where he currently serves as the department chair.

Karen Michael Mikel is the Director for UHM International Student Services, dedicated to providing support and guidance on immigration matters for our F-1 and J-1 international students enrolled at UHM.

Kara Moran is an Associate General Counsel with the University of Hawai`i’s Office of the Vice President for Legal Affairs and University General Counsel. Kara practices in the area of Labor and Employment, with an emphasis on discrimination law. Prior to joining the University in March of 2022, Kara worked in a variety of legal fields, including litigation, transactional, family law, workers’ compensation and employment law. In her role at OGC, she dedicates her time to advising and counseling University clients, representing the University before the EEOC and HCRC, and adding higher education law to her broad array of practice areas. Kara is a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate and enjoys bringing her many years of experience in private practice to the University. She earned her juris doctorate from Stanford Law School.

Sarah Moriarty is the Executive Program Officer for Faculty Excellence in the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Excellence. Sarah is a licensed Hawaii attorney with over 15 years of combined University and private practice experience in labor and employment law/litigation, Human Resources, and related fields. Sarah joined the University of Hawai‘i in 2016, initially serving as an Associate General Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel representing the University in employment law matters. She then served as an Investigator & Compliance Officer with the Community Colleges System Office of Compliance, EEO, and Title IX, where she was responsible for assisting with investigations, policy development, and training needs. Prior to joining the University, Sarah was a Staff Attorney & Senior HR Consultant (SPHR) for ProService Hawaii, the largest HR firm in the State, where she helped clients with HR trainings, investigations, and other HR related matters to ensure their compliance with labor and employment laws. Prior to joining ProService, she practiced law as a labor and employment attorney at Kobayashi, Sugita & Goda, LLP primarily representing management in discrimination lawsuits and administrative matters. Sarah received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Hawai‘i, William S. Richardson School of Law; her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and minors in International Comparative Studies and Sociology from Duke University; and her academic honors diploma from the Kamehameha Schools.

Presenting On:

Advancing GRAD: Updates & Chair Collaboration – August 7, 2025 at 1:30 pm

Leading with Purpose and Resilience – August 7, 2025 at 9:00 am

Accommodation Training: What Should Faculty Allow – August 8, 2025 at 9 am

Nicole Ogawa serves as the Associate Director for the System Office of Human Resources. She previously served as the Interim HR Manager, EEO/AA Coordinator, and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Leeward Community College. She has over 10 years of experience in human resources including work in both the private and public sectors.

Presenting On:

Cultivating Innovation and Excellence: Shaping the Future of Education at UH – August 6, 2025 at 2:30 pm

Katrina-Ann R. Kapāʻanaokalāokeola Oliveira is the interim Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.  She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Hawaiian Language and Hawaiian Studies, a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution, a master’s degree in Geography, a master of Business Administration degree, and a doctorate in Geography from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She has nearly three decades of experience teaching Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she also served as the head of the Hawaiian language program for a decade. Her research interests include Hawaiian language revitalization, Hawaiian immersion literacy, Kanaka methodologies, cultural geography, and place-based experiential learning curriculum development.

Lauren Robel is Val Nolan Professor Emerita, Dean Emerita, and Executive Vice
President and Provost Emerita at Indiana University. She is a teacher and scholar of
constitutional law and the federal courts who has written two books and numerous
articles on topics in those areas. Robel served as Dean of the Maurer School of Law
for ten years, and then as Executive Vice President and Provost at Indiana University’s
flagship Bloomington campus for ten years. She has served as President of the
Association of American Law Schools; a board member and officer of the American Bar
Foundation; Chair of the Big Ten Academic Alliance; and an elected Fellow of the
American Law Institute. She has taught constitutional law and federal courts for the last
several years at the University of Hawai’i Richardson School of Law, and currently
serves as a consultant to the Univerity’s Office of EEO/TIX.

Jennifer Solidum Rose is the Director of the recently-launched Office of Equity Assurance (OEA), which houses the (former) System Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), the System/Mānoa Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action, and the Mānoa Title IX Office. OEA coordinates and oversees UH’s system-wide policies, initiatives, and institutional reporting related to Title IX, Title VII, VAWA, EEO/AA and non-discrimination issues. 

For over 25 years, Jenn has been recognized for her work on civil rights and gender violence. In 2018, she was presented the Outstanding Woman Lawyer of the Year Award by Hawaiʻi Women Lawyers. In 2012, she was recognized by the Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation and the Hawai‘i State Legislature for her Title IX work. 

From 2015-2022, Jenn served as the Director of OIE, the first System office to address Title IX and VAWA institutional reporting and prevention.  Prior to her appointment as Director of OIE, Jenn served as the Gender Equity Specialist at UH Mānoa, providing advocacy and case management services and strengthening institutional responses to sex discrimination. She has taught the Family Law Clinic at the William S. Richardson School of Law, a course on domestic violence and civil remedies and was twice awarded Adjunct Professor of the Year. Prior to becoming faculty at Mānoa, Jenn worked for ten years at the Domestic Violence Action Center as a managing attorney and their first director of community engagement, developing programs increasing access to services for immigrant survivors and other underserved populations.

Christopher L. Sabine is the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa interim Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship and a full professor in the Oceanography Department. He has been interim since 2022 and was SOEST Associate Dean for Research and a full professor in Oceanography before that. He received his PhD. in chemical oceanography from UH Mānoa in 1992. Since that time he has published over 175 journal articles and book chapters on carbon cycling, climate change and ocean acidification.

Wiliama R. Sanchez currently serves as the Director of Student Conduct & Concern, where he oversees student conduct and non-clinical case management. With 12 years of experience in cross-cultural psychology, student affairs, and higher education administration, Wiliama focuses on fostering inclusive learning environments, proactive conduct management, and collaborative support for students and faculty. His professional background emphasizes equitable and culturally responsive practices, which enhance student success and ensure academic integrity across campus.  

Monica Stitt-Bergh is the Director of Program Development and Review. Monica oversees academic program development, approval, modification, review, and policy; articulation and educational agreements; institutional research; tuition and fees; and P-20 initiatives.

Miki Sugiakwa joined the UH System Office of Human Resources as an HR Specialist in 2020 and has served as HR Manager since 2022.  She has 37 years of HR experience, 32 of which were in the private sector, with 20 of those years spent in a leadership role.

Presenting On:

Cultivating Innovation and Excellence: Shaping the Future of Education at UH – August 6, 2025 at 2:30 pm

Alice Swift is an instructional designer with the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Online Innovation Center who supports faculty teaching online, hybrid, and web-enhanced courses across the UH system, along with other department initiatives. With a background in food & beverage (F&B) and hospitality, she also teaches as a lecturer for the UH Mānoa School of Travel Industry Management at the Shidler College of Business. Alice holds a B.S. in Hospitality Management from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, a M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology from California State University, Fullerton, and Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Additional research interests include student engagement, educational technology, AI integration into teaching and work contexts, and humanizing online teaching and learning.

Presenting On:

Cultivating Innovation and Excellence: Shaping the Future of Education at UH – August 6, 2025 at 2:30 pm

Tracie Ann Tjapkes (chap’kess) serves Hawai‘i in dual roles: as Resiliency Director at the University of Hawai‘i John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) and as an Executive Coach dedicated to helping individuals live healthier lives and reach their fullest potential. She partners with health care professionals, educators, government, and business leaders to enhance performance and resilience.

Known for her vibrance, deep listening, and strategic collaboration, Tracie Ann creates safe, inclusive spaces where people can gain clarity and confidence. She brings forward tools for “after care”—the everyday habits and environments that support sustainable, healthy choices.

With over 20 years of experience in organizational development and health care, Tracie Ann has worked with Hawai‘i-based organizations and Fortune 500 companies across multiple industries. Outside of work, she finds joy in time with her husband and two sons, walking their doodle, participating in a 17-year book club, running half-marathons, and embracing outdoor workouts.

Presenting On:

“Rooted and Rising: Practicing Self-Compassion in a Disrupted World” – Leading with Hānai and Ho‘omalu, Beginning Within – August 7, 2025 at 10:45 am

Linda received her Master’s in Human Resources from Shidler College of Business and has been with the University of Hawaii since 2012. Currently, she focuses on developing training and program initiatives focusing on the faculty work-life cycle: recruitment to retirement. Linda also provides guidance on matters related to Faculty Personnel in relation to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Prior to joining the University of Hawaii she worked in Washington D.C. as a Legislative Correspondent in the Office of Senator Daniel K. Akaka.

Erin Kahunawaikaʻala Wright is from Kalihi, Oʻahu and serves as the interim Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of Students for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Dr. Wright holds a Ph.D. in Education and M.A. in Higher Education from UCLA, and a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies from UH Mānoa. For 17 years, Dr. Wright worked as a student affairs professional, primarily focused on supporting Native Hawaiian higher educational journeys. Since 2014, she has served as a faculty member in Educational Administration in the College of Education.