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Governing School Board
DR. TAMMY JONES
Board Member
Dr. Tammy Jones is a teacher in the Halau Hekili Program at Kailua High School. Formerly a Project Coordinator for PALS/PLACES at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Tammy has supported teachers in developing place-based curriculum. She is also the co-curriculum developer and co-facilitator of Try Think, a program run in the state correctional facilities and sponsored by the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities. Tammy began her career in education as an English teacher and Literacy Coach at James Campbell High School in ʻEwa Beach. Since beginning her graduate studies at UHM in 2003, Tammy has worked closely with the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education to promote the Philosophy for Children Hawaiʻi (p4cHI) approach to thinking and learning. She earned her MEdT in 2005 and her PhD in Curriculum Studies in 2012, both from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
DR. ERIC D. HIEGER
Treasurer
Eric is a business executive and leader with 20+ years of diverse entrepreneurial, nonprofit, and global fortune corporate experience. During his career, he has specialized in the areas of peak performance, leadership, strategy, teamwork, executive development, change leadership and acceleration, communications, human resources, and organizational design and development.
Eric is the CEO and Managing Partner of TransformX Partners, LLC, a Hawaiʻi-based management consulting/advisory practice delivering a full spectrum of People, Culture, and Organizational Development services and solutions.
Eric earned his Doctoral Degree in psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco and a B.A. in psychology from Adelphi University in NY.
DR. KU‘ULEI SERNA
Board Member
Dr. Kuʻulei Serna is a Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM), College of Education, School of Teacher Education. Born on the island of Oʻahu, raised in Halawa Heights, Dr. Serna has lived in ‘Ewa since 2004 where she has raised three daughters who are proud alumni of Holomua Elementary School.
Dr. Serna formerly directed and now teaches in the undergraduate elementary education teacher preparation program in the UHM, College of Education. Since 2003 until 2017, Dr. Serna coordinated and supervised student teachers who completed classroom practicum in several Ewa Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) elementary schools.
In addition to her role as teacher educator, Dr. Serna engages in research that intersects the areas of Native Hawaiian Advancement in education, health, and social well-being, social/cultural contexts for learning, and school health programming. Her scholarship has included collaborative work with the State of Hawaiʻi Departments of Health and Education, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supporting positive health behaviors of school-aged children.
Dr. Serna also serves as an UHM graduate faculty member, mentoring master's degree and doctoral students.
Prior to her work at UHM, Dr. Serna was a math teacher and Peer Education Coordinator at Waipahu Intermediate School. She later became a HIDOE State Resource Teacher that directed a CDC HIV prevention education grant, which led to her work with the State's Healthy Hawaiʻi Initiative to promote healthy behaviors for Hawaiʻi's youth.
SHAYLAN ARNEHO
Chair
Email: sarneho01@gmail.com
Shaylan Arneho is a lifetime resident of ‘Ewa Beach and a young woman who strives to see the youth excel in academics and community contribution. As a graduate of the Hawaiian Studies program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, she feels that recognizing Native identity is important for the future of Hawaiʻi. She firmly lives by the Hawaiian proverb, "E mālama ʻia nā pono o ka ʻāina e nā ʻōpio. The traditions of the land are perpetuated by its youth." In this saying, she is positive that the DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach project will develop skilled leaders who will empower Hawaiʻi and its people.
DR. DALE FRYXELL
Vice Chair
Dr. Fryxell is the Dean of Education and Behavioral Sciences and a Professor of Psychology at Chaminade University where in addition to his administrative work, he teaches both undergraduate and graduate psychology, counseling, and education courses. At Chaminade, Dr. Fryxell is responsible for the psychology, criminal justice, behavioral sciences, and education programs including the PSYD Clinical Psychology program, the Masters level counseling and education programs, and the EDD in Organizational Leadership program. He received his Master of Arts degree in Teaching from St. Thomas University, and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Psychology from the University of Hawaii. He has conducted research on and developed programs related to youth mentoring, suicide prevention, childhood anger and violence, family strengthening, drug abuse prevention, working with children, adolescents, and adults who have severe and challenging behaviors, and mentoring children who have incarcerated parents. He has been a consultant for the Hawaii Department of Education’s Primary School Adjustment Program (PSAP) for over 25 years.
Non-Profit Board
JACOB NOH
Chair
Born and raised in Honolulu, Jacob Noh is a HR Consultant at SimplicityHR by ALTRES. Since 2011, Jacob has been serving small to large businesses throughout the state with his experience and expertise in providing knowledge-based solutions for employer related topics and issues. He has been a trusted resource for over 7 years advising organizations on the complexities in employee benefits, payroll, human resources, risk management, and safety. In 2019, Jacob was named to the “40 Under 40” list by Pacific Business News.
Jacob currently serves as a board of director for Catholic Charities Hawaii; one of the largest social services agencies in Hawaii with over 30 programs statewide assisting over 40,000 children, families, seniors, and immigrants. Also serving as the new Chair for the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Young Professionals Program and board member for the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Jacob is the voice for the next generation of leaders in Hawaii. He looks to push the movement further for the young professional demographic to become more impactful individuals in bettering the success of their future and the sustainability of our business community.
Dr. Amy Bumatai
Secretary
Dr. Amy Bumatai is from Central and Windward O‘ahu and has worked in higher education and student affairs for over 10 years. The foundation of her professional experience is in the area of college access, college admissions, student affairs, and Native Hawaiian student success.
As a current faculty specialist at the University of Hawai‘i-West O‘ahu, Amy helps to strengthen pathways to college for students in Leeward O‘ahu through early college/dual enrollment coursework, college readiness workshops, and Hawaiian culture-based education practices.
Prior to joining the University of Hawai‘i, Amy worked in enrollment management, outreach, and student affairs roles at Chaminade University of Honolulu, Western Illinois University, and Linfield University (formerly Linfield College).
Amy holds a doctoral degree in Professional Educational Practice from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
EDWARD CORDASCO
Treasurer
Edward Cordasco III was born in Yuma, Arizona. Growing up in a Marine Corps family, he has been able to live and learn from cultures all around the world. He is currently an MBA candidate at Chaminade University and is focusing on science and technology innovation that aims to connect his biomedical research background to his future business endeavors. Edward has helped build Practical Biotechnology, an immuno-therapy cancer start-up and has co-founded Altext, an education-tech start-up that plans to reduce the cost of textbooks thus making quality education more accessible. Edward is a Business Development Manager for Makai HR, an HR tech start-up that serves our small business community by aggregating this HR processes. Through these experiences, he plans on giving back to the islands by creating jobs that will stimulate our economy and build home-grown leaders that will want to inspire, innovate, and impact our islands.
DR. ROGER KIYOMURA
Board Member
Dr. Roger Kiyomura is the Director of Education at Hawai‘i Pacific University. He has over 18 years of experience in secondary and higher education. Dr. Kiyomura earned his Doctorate in Education at University of Southern California, specializing in Educational Leadership. Dr. Kiyomura is an instructor of Teacher Education at Hawaii Pacific University in the School of Education. In this program, he equips and empowers future teachers with new technologies and strategies to impact academic excellence in the classrooms. He is also an instructor at the East-West Center in the Leadership Certificate Program, where he teaches global leadership to graduate degree fellows from various Asian countries. Roger previously spent 9 years teaching biology and coaching basketball in Los Angeles Unified School District.
BROOK EMANUEL
Board Member
Brook Emanuel is an experienced executive and entrepreneur who is committed to improving the lives of O’ahu residents, families, and children. A former college athlete at San Diego State University and MBA graduate of Oklahoma State University, Brook holds FINRA licenses (Series 7, 66), serves on multiple local boards, and has numerous companies. He is an active and current co-founder and key member of Hele Fitness, Activiter, and Kai Capital Group, three companies that serve Hawai’i’s fitness, hospitality, and business communities, respectively. Brook brings a deep background in entrepreneurship, consulting, and innovation that will support the growth and impact of DREAMHOUSE, INC. and DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach Public Charter School for years to come.
100% of Governing School Board and Non-Profit Board Members contribute financially.
We are grateful for the time, energy, vision, and heart from past board members:
Meilan Akaka Manfre (2012-2020)
Jane Henzerling (2015-2021)
Jacob Karasik (2014-2017)
Edward Kaukani (2014-2018)
Michelle Mak (2017)
Cynthia Quinn (2017-2020)
Lissette Roman (2014-2016)
Will Yeh (2018-2020)
Dr. Deb Zuercher (2012-2021)
Aimee Curre (2017-22)
ZACHARY DIIONNO, J.D.
Board Member
Zach is a part of the original Founding Team of DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach and a former public school teacher. Zach taught 7th and 8th grade special education inclusion at Ilima Intermediate in ‘Ewa Beach. Inspired buy his teaching experience, Zach began having conversations with Alex Teece and Meilan Akaka in 2012 about starting a charter school in ‘Ewa Beach, which led to creation of the nonprofit DreamHouse, Inc. From 2014 to 2019, Zach served as the founding President of DreamHouse, Inc. through the approval of the school before the Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission in 2017. He is honored to once again serve on the nonprofit’s Board of Directors.
Zach graduated from John Hopkins University with a B.A. in Political Science and led the team as quarterback to four conference championship seasons and the schools first ever NCAA berth. He obtained his Master’s in Education from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa and his juris doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa graduating with a Native Hawaiian Law Certificate and numerous awards in Native American Moot Court.
Currently, Zach is a practicing attorney and business strategist and, alongside his wife Kira co-founded Candela Hawai’i, a one-stop shop for small-to-midsize businesses, startups, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits that offers services ranging from legal work, public relations, business strategy, and event curation and production. Zach represents clients in the food and beverage, nonprofit, agribusiness, retail, startup, and travel & tourism sectors.
An avid surfer and cross-disciplinary athlete, Zach also serves as the Managing Director of the Big Wave Risk Assessment Group, a consortium of he worlds best watermen and waterwomen, big-wave surfers, and ocean athletes that provides surf safety training and knowledge to people all over the globe.
Zach is co-founder and Event Director of Festa Italiana, Hawai’i’s first and only Italian street festival that celebrates Cialoha - where ciao meets aloha - through food, music and art.
Zach brings to the DreamHouse, Inc. Board of Directors his experience as a public educator, his involvement in numerous community initiatives, and his skillset as an attorney and entrepreneur that will serve DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach Public Charter School and its growth.