Your Conflict Communication Toolbox

Tips for making conflictual interactions more productive and less destructive

Dr. Amy Hubbard

Presenter

Dr. Amy Hubbard is the interim Assistant Vice Provost for Student Academic Success. Prior to that, she had 29 years of service as a professor in the Communicology Program in the School of Communication and Information at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Her research, teaching, and community service focus on understanding and improving our communication with others, largely by working to expand people’s communication repertoire and dispelling myths about what is supposedly good and bad communication.

Mental Health Trends in University Students & Practical Support Tools and Strategies

Participants will recognize mental health trends, have easy access to support tools and resources on campus, and connect students to UH Mānoa efficiently and effectively, as needed.

Alexander Khaddouma

Presenter

Alexander Khaddouma, PhD, ABPP is a specialist faculty member at the Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and a board-certified specialist in couple and family psychology. He currently serves as the Coordinator of Clinical Services at the CSDC, where he primarily provides mental health services to university students, supervision to pre-licensure mental healthcare trainees, and administrative and consultative services to university programs and departments.

Itʻs a Kākou Thing: Implementing Comprehensive Strategies to Address Substance Use Among Students Through Collective Action

By the end of this presentation, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the key factors contributing to substance use among students and its far-reaching impacts on academic performance, mental health, and community well-being. They will be informed of the evidence-based, multi-tiered strategies for prevention, intervention, and support that is effectively utilized on campus to address substance use in educational settings. Additionally, participants will learn to identify opportunities to advocate for policy changes, particularly through mechanisms like the AOD Biennial Review, to strengthen substance use prevention and intervention programs. This holistic approach ensures that attendees are prepared to take meaningful action for our students.

Kuʻuleialohaonālani (Kuʻulei) Salzer

Presenter

Kuʻuleialohaonālani (Kuʻulei) Salzer is a first-generation college student who has earned a Bachelor of Arts in History (2011), a Master of Social Work (2016), and a Master of Public Administration (2018) from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM.) Kuʻulei is currently a Faculty Specialist and oversees the Alcohol and other Drug Education Program (ADEP) at UHM. ADEP offers alcohol and/or other drug intervention, vaping cessation, and educational opportunities for students. Kuʻulei is the current Co-Chair of the Hawaiʻi Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Control Substances (HACDACS), a state commission tasked with advising on policies, programs, and strategies to reduce drug abuse and illicit substance use across Hawaiʻi. Kuʻulei is also a member of Kūaliʻi Council, a Native Hawaiian Advisory Board to the Provost. Kuʻulei supports and applies indigenous perspectives of healing to her practice to perpetuate mental health and wellness for all students. Kuʻuleiʻs recent publication discusses a personal lens of healing trauma through aloha ʻāina. Kuʻulei's approach to self-care includes hiking with her dog Malu, paddling in the ocean, and cheering on her son, Ikua, at his numerous sporting events.

Guiding Lights: Excellence in Academic Advising

Acquire effective academic advising techniques to enhance student success.

Dr. Andrea Hazzard

Presenter

Dr. Andrea S.D. Hazzard serves as UH Mānoa’s inaugural Director of Mānoa Academic Advising. She has over 30 years of experience as an educator and has worked in the Marshall Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and the Continental U.S. Dr. Hazzard earned her lifetime appreciative advising certification in 2023. Her professional interests include examining factors which promote student success, and she believes that student success requires a holistic approach to education, informed by dynamic meaningful relationships.

Your Academic Success Toolbox

Become familiar with the range of academic support services available and how to effectively utilize them.

Dr. Amy Hubbard

Presenter

Dr. Amy Hubbard is the interim Assistant Vice Provost for Student Academic Success. Prior to that, she had 29 years of service as a professor in the Communicology Program in the School of Communication and Information at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Her research, teaching, and community service focus on understanding and improving our communication with others, largely by working to expand people’s communication repertoire and dispelling myths about what is supposedly good and bad communication.

Overcoming Cultural Barriers

Effective strategies for supporting Pacific Islander student success.

Tina Tauasosi-Posiulai

Presenter

Dr. Tina Tauasosi-Posiulai joined the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2008 as a Community Partnership & Research Specialist, dedicating her career to advocating for educational equity and increasing college representation for Pacific Islander (PI) students and other underserved groups. Over the course of ten years, she successfully managed the annual Samoa Ala Mai college outreach program, which inspired the creation of the Pacific Youth Education Summit at UH-Hilo and a college outreach event for Micronesians on Oʻahu.

Spread the Word: Mastering Marketing & Communications

Tips on how to best work with our teams (events/opportunities email, know their point of contact, photography and/or branding/creative request, etc.).

Presenters:

Jennel Sesoko

Presenter

Jennel Sesoko began her career at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2015 to help support the enrollment marketing efforts in recruiting undergraduate students. Her current role as Director of Branding & Marketing stems from 10+ years in designing and managing corporate communications, advertising, and marketing. She has a passion for branding and credits her years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts for fostering and cultivating that passion. Originally from Hilo, Jennel lives in Kāneʻohe with her husband, three children, and dogs.

Dan Meisenzahl

Presenter

Dan Meisenzahl has served as the Director of the UH Office of Communications since 2014, overseeing internal and external communications for UH Mānoa and the 10-campus system. His work includes media relations, proactive and crisis communications, website management, social media, and marketing. A Kalani High School and UH Mānoa graduate, Meisenzahl joined UH in 2012 after a 13-year career in local television news and as the spokesperson for the Hawaiʻi State Department of Transportation.

UH Mānoa Student-Athletes: What to Know and How to Support

Learn about the UH Mānoa student-athlete population and their experiences.
Understand the services available to UH Mānoa student-athletes and how to best support them.

Presenters:

Garrett Clanin

Presenter

Garrett Clanin is currently the Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services (SAAS) at UH Mānoa. He initially joined SAAS as a Graduate Assistant in 2008 and then as an Academic Advisor in 2011. He earned his BA in Sociology from UC San Diego and his MEd in Educational Administration from UH Mānoa.

Scott Sinnett

Presenter

Dr. Scott Sinnett joined UH Mānoa in 2008 as a Professor in the Department of Psychology. He is the Director of the Perception and Attention Research Laboratory, part of the Cognition, Neuroscience, and Social program concentration, and also the Chair of Undergraduate Studies for the Department. In addition, Dr. Sinnett became the Faculty Athletic Representative in the Fall of 2019.

Social Media 101: Tips and Tricks to Survive on Social Media

Encourage the use of social media to promote stories, activities, awards and more of a department or entity.
Explore the best practices of social media and the online realm; Managing and creating content to capture, keep and grow the audience and social media presence of a department or entity.

Presenters:

Janica Marie Pascua

Presenter

Janica Marie Pascua is a content producer with University of Hawaiʻi Office of Communications. She specializes in social media content, creating original videos and series, such as "Mānoa Minute," as well as transforming trends to promote deadlines, events, and more for UH. When she is not assisting Jon Burdios (UH Communications Social Media Manager) in managing UH social media accounts or teaching her coworkers Gen Z slang, she proudly shares she is a UH Mānoa and Honolulu CC alumna with others, listens to her favorite KPOP groups, and tries to beat her powerlifting PRs.

Jose Magno

Presenter

Jose is the multimedia and content creation manager with the Marketing and Branding department on campus. He earned his degree in marketing and management and is a proud UH Mānoa graduate. As one of the photographers of the Mānoa campus, he enjoys being able to share the story of our campus through images and photography.

Addressing Student Basic Needs: Creating a Foundation for Success at UH

Identify the core basic needs that impact student success, including food security, housing, and financial stability.
Understand the system-wide and campus-specific resources available to support students in need across the UH System, focusing on UH Mānoa.
Develop action steps to advocate for and contribute to enhanced basic needs support at UH Mānoa.

Presenters:

Wiliama Sanchez

Presenter

Wiliama R. Sanchez is the Student Success Operations Manager at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. With extensive experience in student services and a commitment to addressing basic needs, he works to ensure students have the resources and support necessary to succeed. When he's not binge-watching the latest Disney+ show, you can find him in the College of Education pursuing his PhD in Education.

Tehani Keanini

Presenter

Tehani Keanini is the UH System Student Basic Needs Coordinator. She graduated with her Masterʻs in Social Work from the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health and has a Bachelorʻs in Business Administration from Shidler College of Business. Tehani enjoys spending time with her two children, friends, and family.

Wendy Lum, MSW, MEd.

Presenter

Wendy Lum is an Assistant Specialist and Director of the Social Work Workforce Development Hub in the Department of Social Work, at the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa). Prior to social work workforce development, Wendy served as a Field Education Coordinator for six years. In this role, she taught and mentored social work students and helped establish, coordinate, and sustain community partnerships to support social work field education and practicum placements. As an educator, social worker, and first-generation college graduate, she is intrinsically interested in the wellness and academic success of students through a supportive learning environment.

Breaking the Cycle: Understanding How to Support Students Navigating Interpersonal Violence, Sexual Misconduct, & Domestic Violence

Understand the signs of domestic violence.
Gain insights into the dynamics of interpersonal violence.
Develop strategies for intervention and support.

Jamie Newalu, LSW

Presenter

Jamie Newalu is a licensed social worker who is currently serving as the UH Mānoa Confidential Advocate for Title IX related matters. As a social worker, Jamie has worked as a juvenile probation officer, an advocate for the Family Advocacy Program with the Navy, a high-risk Title III counselor for Leeward Community College, and an inpatient medical social worker for Queen's Medical Center West Oʻahu before coming to UH Mānoa as a confidential advocate. Jamie enjoys being active, chasing her kids around, and hiking on the weekends.

Enrollment Excellence: Strategies for Success

Understand critical strategies and updates from Enrollment Management.
Gain a comprehensive understanding of financial aid services and how to support students in accessing them.
Learn about the Office of the Registrar and how they effectively manage student records and registration.
Identify best practices happening in the Office of Admissions that enhance student recruitment and enrollment.

Nikki Chun

Presenter

Nikki Kāhealani Chun is the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She identifies as a Native Hawaiian and Chinese, cisgender, hetero woman who was the first in her family to attend college. Her research and professional interests are shaped by her identities and includes Native Hawaiians in higher education, Kanaka ʻĀiwi Crit, as well as diversity and inclusion in college admissions policies.

Young Scholars: Ensuring Safety for Minors on Campus

Learn emerging practices for ensuring the safety and well-being of minors at Mānoa.
Review and update their knowledge of policies and procedures related to minors on campus.

Presenters:

Jeff Long

Presenter

Jeffery Long is Director of the UH System Office of Human Resources (OHR), which provides human resources technical, policy and process support to all 10 campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi System. OHR is the designated Background Check Coordinator (BCC) per the Minors on Campus Administrative Procedure.

Jill Honjo

Presenter

Jill Honjo is a Human Resources Specialist in the UH System Office of Human Resources. In addition to providing human resources support to select units through the UH System, Jill is the functional lead for all matters related to the Minors on Campus Administrative procedure.

Mind Matters: Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Ideation

Learn to recognize the signs of suicide ideation.
Identify appropriate campus resources.

Alexander Khaddouma

Presenter

Alexander Khaddouma, PhD, ABPP is a specialist faculty member at the Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and a board-certified specialist in couple and family psychology. He currently serves as the Coordinator of Clinical Services at the CSDC, where he primarily provides mental health services to university students, supervision to pre-licensure mental healthcare trainees, and administrative and consultative services to university programs and departments.

First in the Family: Empowering First-Gen Students

Identify resources and support systems tailored to the unique needs of first-generation students.

Jennifer Barnett

Presenter

Jen Pagala Barnett is a 1.5 Filipino immigrant and a First Generation graduate with over 17 years of higher education professional experience. She currently serves as the Associate Director of the SEED Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Social Work and an MEd in Higher Education, Education Administration. Jen is passionate about integrating diversity, equity and belonging and mentorship in her everyday work in the area of student affairs.