Board of Directors
Hualalai Academy's Board of Directors consists of parents, educators, business professionals, and community leaders. They are a committed, reflective, and passionate group of leaders with a clear understanding of their roles, commitments, and responsibilities. As a governing body, the Board effectively carries out its responsibilities in setting policy, fiscal oversight, fund raising, assistance and support of the school Head, and Board development.
Brian Joseph Baker, President
Profile
Joe Baker has been the president
of two foundations and is on the Board of Governors for Iowa State
University. He is also on the board of Friends of Hawaii Charities,
Ahahui Koa Anuenue (UH), and a start-up company, CombiSep, Inc. Joe
serves on the advisory boards of the Institute for Energy Law and the
Institute for International and Comparative Law. He is a member of
the Philanthropy Roundtable, the Churchill Club, and the Manhattan
Institute. Joe also has experience in real estate management. He earned
a BA at Seaver College, Pepperdine University, and an MS from Georgetown
University. Joe joined the Board in August 2004 and was elected president
in June 2006. He served as vice president from 2005 to 2006.
Stephen E. Heiman, Vice-President
Profile
Stephen E. Heiman is co-founder of Miller Heiman, Inc., an international sales consulting firm with predominantly Fortune 200 Clients. He has co-authored six successful business books, including The New Strategic Selling and The New Conceptual Selling. His background in sales and senior management featured stints at IBM and North American Van Lines. Steve earned a BS degree in Marketing and Theater at Prescott College. He joined the Board in November 2005.
Kathleen Kiss Damon, Vice-President
Profile
Kathleen Kiss Damon has forty years of experience in education; formerly she recently retired as the Director of the University of Hawaii Center, West Hawaii where she served since l998. In the University of Hawaii system, she spent seventeen years as a Dean of Student Services, first at Leeward Community College and then Honolulu Community College. Previous to that she was a tenured professor in English at Windward Community College. Other educational positions held were at public and private high schools in Hawaii and on the mainland as well as Heidelberg College and the University of Iowa. She has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master's degree in American Literature from the University of Iowa, and a Doctorate from University of Southern California. She is a past board member and officer
of both the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce and Na Leo O' Hawaii, public access television. She currently serves on the advisory committee for the UH Sea Grant project and is a member of the Kona Branch of AAUW. She joined the board for Hualalai Academy in spring 2007.
Cheryl Holdcroft , Secretary
Profile
Cheryl Holdcroft is a consultant with over 17 years experience
assisting nonprofits in all areas from small fundraisers to grant
writing, to large capital campaigns.
A graduate of the University of Washington with a BA in English, she also attended Whitman College and the Kesennuma Women’s School in Miyagi, Japan.
In a professional capacity in the nonprofit sector, she has worked with The League of Women Voters of Seattle, Kona Hospital Foundation, American Cancer Society High Plains Division, American Culinary Federation Kona Kohala Chef’s Association, Loving Service Foundation and West Hawaii Community Health Center.
As a volunteer, she has worked with The League of Women Voters of Kitsap, Our Redeemer Christian School, and Friends of Miller Bay in the Seattle area. In Hawaii, organizations served include Hualalai Academy, Hospice Of Kona, Aloha Performing Arts Company, Hawaii Island Aids Foundation, American Cancer Society of West Hawaii, Hawaii Island Humane Society, Central Kona Union Church, Kona Association for Hebrew Education, Donkey Mill Art Center, Rotary of Kona, Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce, and the Big Island Dressage Association.
Holdcroft has received specialized training in the nonprofit field from the Institute for Charitable Giving, and is currently training for CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Professional) designation.
Peter Bresciani, Esq., Director
Profile
Peter Bresciani is the supervising attorney for the Kona Public Defender's Office. He was in a private practice in San Francisco emphasizing criminal defense from 1975 until he moved to the Big Island in 1992. He is past president and former member of the board of Kona Pacific Waldorf School, and he also served on the planning team for the Big Island Drug Court. In addition to his legal career, Peter is an organic coffee farmer. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin and received his law degree from Hastings College of the Law. Peter joined the Board in June 2006.
Victoria Merritt Hasty, Director
Profile
Vicki Hasty is a vice president with First Hawaiian Bank. Vicki has over fifteen years' experience in personal and business banking working with various financial institutions. She graduated cum laude from Wellesley College, received her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law, and is admitted to the bar in Washington. Vicki is past vice president of the Hualalai Academy Parents' Association, and joined the Board in June 2001. Previously she was secretary and vice president, and she has served as treasurer since July 2005.
Shane Kitchens, Director
Profile
Shane Kitchens is concurrently completing his architect residency for both Hawaii and California, and is owner and principal at Premier Pacific Design Group here in West Hawaii. He is the retained architectural reviewer for Bayview Estates HOA, and a past vice-president on their Board of Directors. Shane has also served as a member on the Keahou Outreach Committee for the last three years. He actively volunteers his time to local schools to assist teachers in the classroom with students who are below grade level in math and reading. He was formerly the founder and coordinator of the Quick Response Team (QRT) for natural disasters at a large California property insurer, and had been appointed a design team coordinator for their statewide initiatives (think tank) for three years. Shane graduated from university in California and currently lives in Keahou with his wife and daughter.
Alisha Maynard, Director
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Alisha Maynard was born in Huntington, West Virginia but grew up in Ohio. She attended Morehead State University and Marshall University to obtain her B.A. in Adult Fitness. After graduating, she moved to Charlotte, NC to work in an out-patient cardiac rehab center and attend nursing school. After graduation, she moved back to Huntington, WV to finish her Bachelor’s in Nursing while working in the ICU. After living in Virginia and South Carolina, she and her family moved to Hawaii in 2006. Alisha has three children at Hualalai Academy. She works per diem in the ICU and ER at Kona Community Hospital as a nurse. She also serves on the West Coast Hawaii Little League Board of Directors.
Tanya Power, Director
Profile
Tanya Power was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and moved to the Island of Hawai`i in 1989 after earning a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University. In 1993 she launched a successful career in real estate and became member of Hawaii Island Board of Realtors (HIBR) and earned the following distinctions: Certified Residential Specialist, Graduate Realtors Institute, ePro, and Accredited Buyers Representative - she is currently working on her EcoBroker designation. Tanya is involved in the Kona Board of Realtors Caravan Committee, as well as being a member of the HIBR Gov't Affairs Committee and a trustee to the Realtor Political Action Committee. She is married to Lowrey Power, a full service mortgage broker and life-long resident of Hawai`i. Her daughter, Jessica and stepdaughter, Nia are alumni of Hualalai Academy. Along with work and volunteer activities the couple keep busy with their fabulous Bichon Frise, Misha. Tanya joined the board in April 2008.
Karen Au, Director
Profile
Karen Au was born in Nebraska but has spent most of her adult life in Kona. Married to a “local boy” from Lanai, she and her family have made their home in Captain Cook for 35 years. In 1993 a desire for a career change brought her to the University of Hawaii Center, West Hawaii where she began attending classes. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii, Hilo she accepted a position at the UHC-West Hawaii where she works in the library and learning center. She is a passionate supporter of the American Association of University Women’s annual GEMS (girls exploring math and science) program and assists in the preparation and the execution of this event. Karen previously served on the Board of Directors of the West Hawaii Unit of the American Cancer Society. Her granddaughter attends Hualalai Academy.
Jason Bangild, Director
Profile
Profile coming soon.
Hazel Beck, Director
Profile
Profile coming soon.
Georgie Kennedy, Director
Profile
Profile coming soon.
Kate Mulligan, Director, Ex-Officio
Profile
Kate has her B.A. in English from Dartmouth College and her EdM. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has been an independent school teacher and administrator for over 20 years in Hawaii, California, Alaska and Nevada, including three years at HPA from 1986-1989. Her most recent posts before coming to Hualalai Academy have been as the Head of Middle School at the Alexander Dawson School in Las Vegas, and Head of School at Pacific Northern Academy in Anchorage, Alaska.