The Foundation is led by volunteer trustees who are committed to supporting public school teachers and students statewide.
The Foundation is led by volunteer trustees who are committed to supporting public school teachers and students statewide.
Senior Vice President (retired), First Hawaiian Bank
Your favorite school lunch?
Spaghetti
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Miss Morita was my favorite teacher. Her motto was “do not believe everything you read, know the source!”
Director of Sales, Community & Public Relations-Hawaii,
Alaska Airlines
Director, Hawaii Pacific Health
Your favorite school lunch?
Spaghetti
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Mrs. Carrie Mizoguchi and Mrs. Leinaala Freitas made a lasting impression on me as teachers and class advisors in student government at Roosevelt High School. They provided constant guidance, challenged me, and were my first mentors in leadership responsibility.
Executive Advisor to the President, HEI
Your favorite school lunch?
Anytime they had “Grandmother’s cookie” as dessert.
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Ms. Bobbi Kakuda – She truly inspired me and really made learning interesting and fun. How many teachers can do that with AP European History?
Secretary/Treasurer (retired), ILWU Local 142
Government and Community Relations Director,
Alexander & Baldwin
Your favorite school lunch?
Stuffed potato skins, I remember thinking it was so fancy!
Why do you support the mission of the Foundation?
I want to do my part to change the narrative of public schools as a default option for families and highlight the profound pride felt by public school grads. PSHF focuses on the best of public schools and enthusiastically funds programs to support teachers.
Director of Government Affairs, Hawaii REALTORS
Your favorite school lunch?
Baked spaghetti with the top layer of cheese slightly burnt.
Your favorite teacher growing up?
My Roosevelt High School social studies teacher, Ms. Joy Denman. She made me believe in myself and gave me the confidence to dream big.
Executive Vice President & Chief Credit Officer,
Central Pacific Bank
Your favorite school lunch?
Spaghetti
Your favorite teacher growing up? Why?
Mrs. Emma Ling, my second-grade teacher who inspired me to work on my penmanship. She had a beautiful writing style and she often told me that I had it too.
Chief Financial Officer, Island Holdings, Inc.
Your favorite school lunch?
Teri burger
Why do you support the mission of the Foundation?
I truly believe that education when done in an innovative and sincere way can have everlasting results and is the foundation for Hawaii’s greatness.
Director of Corporate Development, Oceanit
Your favorite school lunch?
Sloppy Joe
Your favorite teacher growing up?
My intermediate school band teacher, Mr. Jaderstrom. He was so passionate, patient, and kind to our out-of-control band. We were so bad to him, and he was so good to us.
Senior Electrical Engineer, Ronald N. S. Ho & Associates
Your favorite school lunch?
Sloppy Joe but I could never resist the freshly-baked butter cookies.
Why do you support the mission of the Foundation?
I definitely support the mission of PSHF to initiate, fund, develop, and train our educators to provide the social-economic environment through education and mentorship to our Keiki O Ka ‘Aina. The future is endless!
Director of Government and Community Affairs (retired),
Hawaiian Telcom
Your favorite school lunch?
Whatever my mom packed in my lunchbox.
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Miss Puanani Howell, my McKinley High School music teacher. She instilled a love of music and performance, taught me how to play the ukulele and guitar, and provided a welcoming environment for students to come together to learn and play music.
Chief Lending Officer and Vice Chairman,
First Hawaiian Bank
Your favorite school lunch?
Pizza definitely ranks first on my list!
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Ms. Mae Tsugawa who was my Social Studies teacher. She helped me open my mind to other ways of thinking, and to respect other people's opinion. Ms. Tsugawa also exposed me to issues on a global scale that enabled me to think more broadly. I cannot thank her enough for what she's done for me.
Vice President of Strategy & Innovation, Kamehameha Schools
Your favorite school lunch?
Tacos
Why do you support the mission of the Foundation?
Our public schools are our most critical asset in our system of government entities. The Foundation rewards and shines sunlight on the amazing brilliance and dedication of those teachers and students who fight all odds for the sake of excellence.
Judge, Tenth Division (retired),
Circuit Court of the First Judicial Circuit
Your favorite school lunch?
Baked spaghetti
Your favorite teacher growing up?
My first-grade teacher Mrs. Hayashi. She was humorous, down-to-earth, kind, generous in her praise, and made every student feel special. Little did I know her husband was Associate Justice Hayashi at the Hawaii Supreme Court.
Chief Financial Officer, Healthcare Association of Hawaii
Your favorite school lunch?
I loved the rolls that the cafeteria would serve! But, as far as lunches – spaghetti!
Your favorite teacher growing up?
I had three teachers from second grade Mrs. Santoki, Mrs. Shibuya, and Mrs. Uda. It was a long time ago but I remember enjoying going to school – they were encouraging and challenging!
Senior Vice President, Bank of Hawaii
Your favorite school lunch?
I don’t recall a favorite school lunch, but what was memorable for me was hot chocolate!
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Mrs. Kano, my first-grade teacher at Noelani Elementary, was a favorite because she was nurturing and always made me feel special. She continued to look out for us as we grew up and moved on to the older grades.
Consulting Managing Director, Accuity LLP
Your favorite school lunch?
Cheese pizza
Why do you support the mission of the Foundation?
Teaching is a great responsibility. Every positive teacher, classroom, and experience in the school can help a student to expand their abilities, promote self-esteem, and become a better human being.
Senior Vice President & Manager, American Savings Bank
Your favorite school lunch?
Pizza
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Mrs. Mew (fifth grade at Benjamin Parker Elementary). She provided tough love with which I learned how to treat classmates with respect and dignity.
Owner, Kaimana Hila
Your favorite school lunch?
Spaghetti
Why do you support the mission of the Foundation?
The best and brightest have come through Hawaii’s public schools and gone on to serve in leadership posts in all of Hawaii’s sectors. The Foundation spotlights and amplifies these successes, and encourages teachers and students to be their best.
President and Chief Operating Officer,
KTA Super Stores
Your favorite school lunch?
Tacos
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Deborah Miyao and Paula DeMorales, who I truly respect for their commitment to educating and mentoring their students!
Principal, Briant 808, LLC
Your favorite school lunch?
Sloppy Joe
Your favorite teacher growing up?
Mr. Choy who taught Geometry and was a very disciplined but fair teacher.
(President Emeritus)
Chairman, Island Insurance Companies
Your favorite school lunch?
Sloppy Joe
Why do you support the mission of the Foundation?
It is important to allow teachers to find different ways to engage with and inspire students' desire to learn. PSHF provides teachers the opportunity to explore different ways to do so and create magic in the classroom.
Vice President of Community Development (retired),
Queen’s Health Systems
Favorite school lunch?
Spaghetti
Why you support the mission of the Foundation?
All students deserve a quality education, and I am honored to support the Foundation in its efforts to strengthen quality public education for Hawaii’s keiki.
Business Development, NORESCO
Your favorite school lunch?
I can't even remember what we ate for lunch.
Your favorite teacher growing up?
My memory of my teacher Auntie Hattie Eldredge Phillips is strong because she truly was 'ohana. Her aloha made the classroom an absolute haven for learning, and her soul was infused into campus traditions that made her a cornerstone of my core childhood memories.
We Know Success Starts with a Good Idea and a Great Teacher
Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation
P.O. Box 4148
Honolulu, HI 96812
Email: pshf88@gmail.com
The Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation is a community-based non-profit organization founded in 1986 that is dedicated to strengthening the quality of public education in Hawaii by advancing innovation from within. Our programs and initiatives are designed to encourage those in public education to continually challenge themselves in pursuit of educational excellence. In addition, we help to equip students with the skills necessary to take on the challenges of an uncertain future.
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