OUR ʻOHANA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS
MELE SONGSONG
FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN
• Co-owner of Pacific Pure Technologies, LLC, a transporting company originated in 2008.
• Principal of Pacific Legal Support, LLC, a legal and administrative support company originated in 2018.
• Freelance Paralegal with experience in assisting attorneys and individual clients in preparing for trials, hearings and closings, legal research and presentations, client interviews, drafting legal documents, law office administration, legal billing, bookkeeping, business start-ups, IT assistance, etc.
• Consultant for non-profit organizations with experience in operations, programs oversight, start-up budget, budget requests, accounting, reporting, strategic planning, human resources, program initiation, managing staff, event planning, fundraising, recruitment, etc.
TESSIE ENGLISH RYUSAKI, FOUNDER/VICE CHAIRMAN
• Co-owner and President of Guava Express, Inc.
• Co-owner of Hawaii Truck Parts, Sales and Service, LLC
• Principal HTPSS Leasing, LLC.
• Negotiated exclusive dealership contracts with top industry leaders.
• Ranked 25 in Hawaii's Fastest 50 by Pacific Business News in 2012.
• Ranked 24 in Hawaii's Fastest 50 by Pacific Business News in 2015.
• Awarded multiple state and city Contracts.
CURT KEKUNA, VICE CHAIRMAN
For 50 years, Mr. Kekuna focused on offering biblical counsel and advice for all individuals, couples, churches and businesses upon request no matter their religious background.
Currently, he is a consultant to businesses who desire infusing biblical values in their workplace. He serves on numerous boards, including the Board of Hawaii Firemen Foundation, The Huntington Foundation, Young Life Hawaii Regional Board.
He is also Pastor Emeritus of Kawaiahaʻo Church, a member of the Pastor’s Round Table, and member of the Kawaiahaʻo Church Bi-centennial Steering Committee. He specializes in marriage counseling, crisis relationship counseling, family counseling, blessings, weddings, funerals, baptisms and christenings.
AMY SHIROMA, SECRETARY
• Instructor for professional development in the areas of hotel and timeshare operations and management, Kapi'olani Community College.
• Director of Operations for Marriott Ko'olina Beach Club, responsible for resort operations including all rooms & related departments, ancillary businesses, customer and owner relations.
• Director of Operations for Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club
• Director of Guest Services for JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa
• Guest Services Manager, Hawaii Prince Hotel
• Front Desk Manager, Ka'anapali Beach Hotel
• Data Director, responsible for instructing members on data application tools, managing the membership database and data analysis for 16,000+ members for a political organization
• MBA: Business Administration, University of Hawai'i At Manoa
STEVEN ROBELLO, TREASURER
Co-managing Partner for Pacific Rim College Planning offering time tested strategies to parents on how to minimize their college costs and providing students with coaching, mentoring, and counseling.
Steve is also the owner of Imua Results Marketing, specializing in online social media strategies and offline marketing and integrate social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Blogs for SEO.
Steve graduated from Kamehameha Schools Kapālama and the University of Hawaii, Shidler Business College with a BBA in Accounting.
LILLIAN KOLLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Served as State Director of South Carolina Department of Social Services in 2011-2014, the Second largest State agency with a $2.6 billion budget and 3,600 employees.
She was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley. She also served as State Director of the Hawai'i Department of Human Services, the second largest State Agency from 2003-2010 under Gov. Linda Lingle and managed a $2 billion budget and 2700 employees.
She was the founder of the Drug Court Program in Hawai'i and appointed by Chief Judge Shakcley F. Raffetto of the Second Circuit Court of Hawaii as Court Program Coordinator.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
PATRICIA SAIKI
Former U.S. Representative and
Administrator of the Small Business Administration, appointed by President George H. W. Bush. Prior to serving in the U.S. Congress, Ms. Saiki served in the Hawaii House of Representatives for six years. In 1974, Ms. Saiki won the election to the State Senate, where she served until 1982.
BETTY LIU
Harvard University Graduate, Juris Doctorate from New York State University, Member New York State Bar, former Clerk to Magistrate Frank J. Scardilli of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
PHIL LEES
Phil Lees is dedicated to empowering youth with the knowledge and skills to protect their futures by avoiding high-risk activities such as non-marital sex.
After 29 years in education (teacher, curriculum consultant, university instructor, and Ministry of Education policy writer) he founded PEACE Education Services. This charity is dedicated to countering the negative effects of our hyper-sexualized culture by equipping parents and church leadership to develop positive sexual health character within their children and youth. Phil is certified as a Building Family Connections instructor, Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education instructor, and Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist.
MIRIAM HELLREICH
Miriam earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Alabama. She began her career as a Speech and Language Pathologist and established the first speech and language therapy program for an American School in Taiwan. She also worked for the Elks Major Project providing home Speech and Language Therapy and parental training for children with communication disorders serving the Waianae Coast to Laie to Kaimuki and to Kalihi. She was President of the Hawaii Speech-Language & Hearing Association, the Hawaii Medical Auxiliary, and served on the East West Center Board of Governors. Currently she is serving a 6 year term appointed by President Trump on the Board of Governors of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting.
TED LIU
Principal & Board Member for Referentia Systems, Inc., eResilience, LiveAction Inc. and Aloha Kona Urgent Care. Managing Director for Jupiter Group Holdings. Principal & CEO for in2lytics, LLC, Kalihi PNL LLC and Founding Member/Advisor for GVS Accelerator, Global Virtual Studio, Honua Studios, and Kama'aina Hale Apartments Inc. Ted also served as a Cabinet Member for Governor Linda Lingle and the Director of the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. He is a graduate of University of Michigan and the New York University School of Law.
TERRY THOMASON
Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1971 and was commissioned as an Infantry Officer. In 1978, Terry graduated from Creighton University School of Law (cum laude) and served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
After 25 years of service, Terry retired from the Army as a Colonel. He entered private practice and worked for another 20 years as a partner at Carlsmith Ball and later at Alston Hunt Floyd and Ing. His practice was as legal counsel to clients competing for and performing government contracts.
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DAVE WILLWEBER
Dave’s passion is to promote whole individuals, committed marriages, loving ohana, blessed generations, and strong nations. Dave has a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, with majors in Theology and Sociology, and a master’s degree in Family Life Ministry. Dave enjoys family, sports, laughter, coffee with lots of cream, the Islands, and connecting with people. He has a heart for the people of aloha, the first people of the islands, and he’d
like to see the kanaka fulfil their destiny. Dave is currently
a pastor, construction worker, a teacher, and networker.
JON TERAIZUMI
Jon is currently a Sr. Vice President in the
Commercial Banking Division at Central Pacific Bank. He has over 20-years of experience in the banking industry starting his career as a part-time teller while attending college. In his current position, Jon is responsible for growing and managing the Bank’s business clients. Jon is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the Pacific Coast Banking School. Jon also currently serves on the Board for the Moili’ili Community Center.
STACY NAIPO
Currently the Librarian/Archivist at the State of Hawaii's Historic Preservation department's branches. Former Archivist Kamehameha Schools and Research Analyst at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Stacy also served as a Tutor at No'eau Center for Writing, Math, and Academic Success. She is currently at the University of Hawaii at Manoa studying for her Ph.D. in Communication and Information Science. She was a memeber of Beta Phi Mu-LIS Honors Society, Student, and holds BA with distinction in History from the University of Hawaii Manoa.
CANDACE LEE
Ms. Lee is currently working on a database project with Bishop Museum and UH Mānoa as an Archivist. She is a celebrated Archivist having graduated from the esteemed Punahou School in Hawaii and from the University of Washington, and University of Hawaii at Mānoa, earning a Master of Education and Master of Library and Information Science.
Ms. Lee was an Assistant Archivist at Kamehameha Schools Museum Archive in charge of digital and print photo inventories and managing numerous projects, staff and faculty members.
TECHNICAL
ADVISORY BOARD
GERALD RYUSAKI
Gerald is a well known businessman and leader in the trucking, maintenance and mechanics industry. He has been in business for over 20 years, starting with his first trucking company, Guava Express, in 1998. Since then, he and his wife, Tessie, has expanded their business into an all-encompassing trucking, multi-point, full-line dealership corporation. Gerald's experience and knowledge in the diesel mechanic industry has earned him a reputation of being one of the best diesel mechanics in Hawaii.
KAMU AHUNA
Kamu comes from a rather well-known family of community leaders and youth advocates. Now retired, he continues to serve the community through several organizations as a youth coach and mentor. His experience in mechanics and maintenance management is reflected in his successful tenures with Oahu Transit Services, and later with Robert's Hawaii as the Statewide Director of Maintenance, charged with overseeing day to day operations of their six maintenance shops statewide and 1,100 vehicle fleet.
DENNIS LEE
Dennis is a local film director, writer and producer. He is the owner and President of Cornerstone Multimedia and serves as Director of Productions at Kawaiaha’o Church. He began his career as a working actor, co-starring in several movies with 20th Century Fox, and more recently in Hawaii Five-O. He has also worked behind the camera as a producer, developing projects for Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures and MGM. Dennis is also a strong advocate for community based programs for Hawai'i's youth.
DANIEL W. IAELA SR.
Daniel has extensive experience as a business owner and trainer for the trucking and heavy equipment industries. Currently, he serves as Vice President of Commercial Training Consultants, Inc. His background includes working with numerous companies as a truck driver. He is also the Principal of D.I. Consultants and an Independent Commercial Vehicle Trainer for large companies like Ameron, HC&D, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaiian Telcom, Grace Pacific Corporation and more. He is well-respected for his contributions in developing and directing the Leeward Community College CDL program.
STAFF ADVISORS
NICK QIU
Recent graduate of Harvard Business School and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Nick has experience as a Venture Capital/Private Equity Intern and Summer Associate at Bain and Company. He also worked for MFS Investments and BENECO. He was a Battalion Chief Operations Officer with the US Army Intelligence Center, Foreign Affairs Officer for the US Army Pacific Headquarters, and Artillery Officer with the US Army Pacific 25th Infantry Division.
MELISSA NEWSHAM
Student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where she is studying political science and economics. She was born and raised in Tokyo and moved to Hawaii at the age of 9. She graduated from Punahou School, where she was the editor of the school newspaper. Her columns have appeared in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Honolulu Civil Beat and The Western Journal. She is currently a research associate at Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.