Commission Staff

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PJ brings to the Commission twenty-eight years of education experience as a classroom teacher, school administrator and consultant. He began his career as an elementary teacher and then moved on to secondary for a short period. He taught in California public schools and in Saipan as well. As an administrator, PJ served pre-K, elementary and secondary schools as both principal and assistant principal. Most of his career was spent in California public schools where he developed his skills in working with Title I schools and under-served populations. Recently PJ has been consulting, delivering professional development and coaching to schools in the areas of effective communication, 21st Century teaching, and leadership skills. He brings a passion for public education and in particular, supporting practices that ensure all children have a great school experience.

Danny is a graduate of Iolani School with a B.A. in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He worked with the State Office of the Auditor for 6 years and has also worked with the Hawaii State Legislature. He previously served as the Commission's Organizational Performance Specialist.

Jannelle is a public school graduate from Castle High School with her B.S. in Human Service Counseling from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Sheryl is a graduate of Waiʻanae High School and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where she earned a B.A. in Journalism with a minor in Political Science. Sheryl was a career journalist working at KHON2 News for 25 years. Sheryl was the Assignment Manager and also worked as a general assignment reporter, covering the police beat, courts, Action Line, elections, education, and politics.

Sora is a graduate of California State University Northridge where she received a B.A. in Finance. She received her associates degree in Business Administration at El Camino College. Sora worked at a Public Accounting firm for five years.

Mary Jane is a public school graduate from Waipahu High School with her B.A. in Accounting from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She also has a Certificate in Human Resources Management from Hawaiʻi Pacific University and has been with the CSAO and SPCSC since 2005.

Gina is a graduate of Farrington High School and Hawaiʻi Business College. She previously worked with Royal State Insurance for 18 years and with HGEA for 10 years.

Pua Kaʻai is an Innovation, Impact, and Improvement Advisor on the Federal Programs Team. Our team is staffed by advisors who work collaboratively with our educational specialists and fiscal management to meet the needs of our charter schools. We provide school improvement and technical assistance to identified schools. Federal funds are used to support Title 1, Comprehensive Support Improvement (CSI), and Targeted Support Improvement (TSI) plans for charter schools. Contact Pua Kaʻai for CSI/TSI assistance.

A range of support by our team provides improvement strategies and guidance as schools design and implement their plans. Professional development is offered to support the dynamic needs of the schools through workshops, coaching, individual designed and collaborative programs. Specific support is provided in the areas of fiscal design and implementation, and in alignment of plans to school mission and vision. The goal is for schools to attain confidence and the autonomy to carry out their work well for their respective communities, framed in compliance with applicable Federal spending guidelines.

Michael Clark has a Masters of Education degree from Western Governors University and from Utah State University. He started his career teaching chemistry at an early college charter high school in Cedar City, Utah. Michael has vast experience leading charter schools in various capacities as an assistant director, director and executive director. Michael led the performance oversight team for Utahʻs charter schools, and developed Utahʻs charter school accountability framework.

Nina was born and raised in Kuliʻouʻou on the island of Oʻahu and graduated from Kamehameha Kapālama. She received her undergraduate degree from Lewis and Clark College before getting her Juris Doctorate from the University of Hawaiʻi Richardson School of Law, and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Hawaiʻi Shidler College of Business. Previously, Nina served as the law clerk to the Honorable Judge Faʻauuga L. Toʻotoʻo and Public Policy Advocate at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. In her free time, Nina enjoys dancing hula for her Kumu, Keawe and Tracie Lopes, and is currently preparing to welcome her first keiki due in April. Nina is excited to support Hawaiʻi's Charter Schools and continue to serve the keiki of Hawaiʻi as a part of the Commission.

Darlene, has over a decade of experience in managing daily operations, finances, and human resources. She excels in generating substantial cost savings and productivity improvements through process streamlining. Darlene has held significant roles, including Chief Financial and Operations Officer at DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach Public Charter School, and Management Analyst at Child and Family Service. Her expertise spans project management, strategic planning, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration. Darlene holds a Master of Science in Accountancy and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, along with a Certificate in Organizational Leadership from Harvard Business School Online.

Deanne has been involved in the early childhood community for almost 30 years, serving most recently in the Office of the Governor Executive Office on Early Learning, promoting and implementing high quality preschool programs. Her early childhood education background also includes work in both the private sector and Head Start program as early childhood educator and program manager. She received her Baccalaureate of Science degree in Human Development with an emphasis on early childhood development and education from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Monica Chapman previously worked for a Hawaiʻi Congressman in the United States House of Representatives and for the State of Hawaii in the Office of the Governor. She is a graduate of Waimea High School on the island of Kauaʻi and attended Seattle Central Community College and graduated from Napa Valley Cooking school in Culinary Arts.

Aloha mai kakou! 'O Puhala Kamalamalama ko'u inoa. No Hilo mai au. I have been blessed to work in the ECE field for the past 15 years for the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture also known as INPEACE as an Aide, Site Coordinator, Island Coordinator and Mentor Coach. Received my Associates in ECE from Hawaii Community College, BA in Social Sciences in ECE from UH West Oahu, and Masters of Education, Curriculum and Instruction in ECE from Liberty University. Born and raised on a 20 acre farm, my parents Howard and Charlene Pe'a blessed me with strong work ethics and values which have helped me thrive both personally and professionally. As the Early Learning Instructional Coach, I look forward to building pilina with kumu and keiki. Mahalo nui.

Caitlin has 10+ years in early childhood education and care in Hawaiʻi, and was most recently a preschool teacher at a public charter school in Puna, Hawaiʻi. She is also a lecturer for the Early Childhood Education Department at Hawaiʻi Community College in Hilo. She graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and received a Masterʻs in Education, specializing in Early Childhood Education from Northcentral University. She lives on Hawaiʻi Island in ʻŌlaʻa (Puna) with her husband and two daughters.

Miya has been in the field of early childhood education(ECE) for about 10 years. The majority of her experience has been with Parents and Children Together, as a Head Start teacher and most recently, an ECE Coach. She graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education. She values equity and social justice, and is committed to providing access to high quality ECE experiences to all young children and their families.

Mai ka ʻāina o kuʻu iwi, nā kānaka Kū i ka mana, kahi o ke kai uli a Kanaloa, ka wai ola a Kāne, ka ʻāina māhuahua o Lono. Welina mai me ke aloha iā kākou a pau. Kamahaʻo Kaai originally from Nānākuli, Oʻahu, now residing in Kapolei with her family joins the Early Learning Team as an Early Learning Instructional Coach with the State Public Charter School Commission after serving as a Teachers Aide and later the Site Coordinator at Pūnana Leo o Waiʻanae for 2 1/2 years. She is passionate about sharing her love for ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language) and sharing her knowledge from an Indigenous perspective. As a Charter School graduate herself, Kamahaʻo is grateful to be able to give back to the keiki and kumu of Hawaiʻi in this role and capacity and looks forward to the impact sheʻll make in the lives of others.

Kaleo Iwasaki is a fiscal manager on the Federal Programs Team. Our team is staffed by a fiscal manager who works collaboratively with our school improvement specialists and educational specialists to meet the needs of our charter schools. We provide school improvement and technical assistance to identified schools. Federal funds are used to support Title 1, Comprehensive Support Improvement (CSI), and Targeted Support Improvement (TSI) plans for charter schools. Contact Kaleo Iawasaki for Fiscal Management

A range of support provides improvement strategies and guidance as schools design and implement their plans. Professional development is offered to support the dynamic needs of the schools through workshops, coaching, individual designed and collaborative programs. Specific support is provided in the areas of fiscal design and implementation, and in alignment of plans to school mission and vision. The goal is for schools to attain confidence and the autonomy to carry out their work well for their respective communities, framed in compliance with applicable Federal spending guidelines. The team is staffed by school improvement specialists, educational specialists, and a fiscal manager who work collaboratively to meet the needs of our charter schools.

Tess Tavita joins the Federal Programs Team as the new Coordination Specialist working collaboratively with Complex Area Initiatives (CAI).

Natalia Piperi acts as the Federal Education Improvement Specialist on the Federal Programs Team. With over ten years of experience in education, ranging from electives, EL, math, science, and English teacher to Team Lead, EL Department Chair, and Curriculum Coordinator. Her work with both public and charter schools, including Hakipu‘u Academy in Kane‘ohe and KIPP, the largest charter school network in the nation, gives her a vast and unique insight to school improvement and Title programs. She is elated to share the knowledge gained through those experiences to promote innovative educational practices and ensure high-quality charter schools.