About

Leadership

Punahou’s leadership builds on the School’s legacy by driving innovation while holding fast to important traditions, celebrating and expanding the tremendous diversity of the School, and honoring the distinctive culture created by the two founding gifts of the School.

The gifts, one of land from Hawaiian ali‘i, the other of Protestant missionary’s educational vision, underpin Punahou’s unique cultural fusion of Hawaiian and Western heritage and call Punahou to a different type of leadership.

The academic, cultural and administrative leaders of the School and the Punahou community inspire and provide sound management as the School looks to integrate its legacy with the needs of today’s students in a rapidly changing, global environment. Punahou’s administrators are thought leaders in education who are energized by the opportunity to delve into questions about the changing nature of learning and chart an ambitious path forward. They are visionaries who lead with confidence during these dynamic times and who lead with sound judgment, making data-driven decisions with a steady hand and humble spirit. Punahou’s leadership conveys to the youngest learners and the most senior alumni the broad ambitions for the School and its commitment to helping every child find their path.

Board of Trustees

Punahou’s Trustees provide philosophical leadership and have overall fiduciary responsibility for the School. They work closely with the School’s leadership on matters related to planning, strategy, and resources.

List of 16 items.

  • Constance Hee ’70 Lau

    Chair of the Board
  • Wendy B. Crabb

    First Vice Chair
  • W. David P. Carey III

    Second Vice Chair - Finance
  • Kathleen Sullivan ’75 Wo

    Secretary
  • Margaret M. Cole

    Assistant Secretary
  • Ethan D.B. Abbott ’72

  • Deborah Berger ’82

  • Greg Dickhens ’87

  • Mark H. Fukunaga ’74

  • Peter Ho ’83

  • Duane Kurisu

  • Douglas Kwock, M.D. ’83

  • John Morgan ’74

  • Emily Reber ’92 Porter

  • William S. Price III ’74

  • Ann Teranishi ’92

Administrative Leadership

Punahou’s administrative leadership is responsible for the school’s management, operations, and policy. They work closely with the Board ofTrustees on matters related to planning, strategy, and resources.

The kindergarten through grade 12 learning community is led by two principals, heading the Junior School and the Academy.

List of 16 items.

  • Michael E. Latham ’86

    President
    Read More
  • Gustavo Carrera

    Academy Principal
    Read More
  • Todd Chow-Hoy

    Junior School Principal
    Read More
  • Sunny Donenfeld

    Vice President and Treasurer, Finance and Operations
  • Noelehua Lyons ’91 Archambault

    Vice President for Institutional Advancement
  • Robert Gelber ’92

    Director of Communications
  • James Kakos

    Associate Principal for K – 12 Student Life
  • Virginia Loo ’92

    Director of Analytics and Planning
  • Maile Uohara

    Director of Enrollment Management and Admissions
  • Debbie Millikan

    Director of Sustainability
  • Kelly Hicks ’89

    Chief Human Resources Officer
  • Candace Kodani ’92 Cheever

    Director of Teaching and Learning
  • Denise Hoke

    Assistant Treasurer and Controller
  • Shige Minami

    Chief Information Officer
  • Kurt Mencel

    Director of Campus Safety and Security
  • Audrey Seki

    Executive Assistant to the President

Junior School

Principal Dr. Todd Chow-Hoy, Assistant Principals Dr. Chase Mitsuda ’98 and Rebecca Wagner, and six Administrative Deans oversee approximately 2,000 students in the Junior School, which includes students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
 
Administrative Deans have oversight of a grade level and work with families as they transition through the School. Each class of students has one Administrative Dean for the two years of K – grade 1, one Administrative Dean who follows the class from grades 2 – 5, and one Administrative Dean through the middle school years of grades 6 – 8.

Principal and Assistant Principals

List of 3 items.

  • Todd Chow-Hoy

    Junior School Principal
  • Chase Mitsuda ’98

    Junior School Assistant Principal
  • Rebecca Wagner

    Junior School Assistant Principal

Administrative Deans

List of 6 items.

  • Elila Stone ’91 Levinson

    K – 1 Administrative Dean
    Classes of 2035 and 2034
  • Julie Crane-Cory

    Grades 2 and 4 Administrative Dean
    Classes of 2033 and 2031
  • John Nagel ’90

    Grades 3 and 5 Administrative Dean
    Classes of 2032 and 2030
  • Andrew O’Riordan

    Grade 6 Administrative Dean
    Class of 2029
  • Rianne Graves-Grantham ’93

    Grade 7 Administrative Dean
    Class of 2028
  • Kip Kuhn

    Grade 8 Administrative Dean
    Class of 2027

Academy

The Academy, composed of grades 9 – 12, is administered by Principal Gustavo Carrera, Assistant Principal Trisha Kawamoto ’98 Caley, and two Deans at each grade level.
 
Deans are the primary source of counseling support for Academy students. Two Deans are assigned to each incoming freshman class and continue with the class through graduation. They are available for both personal and academic counseling, and support each student in achieving academic and personal success during their high school experience and often beyond.
 
Deans support students in understanding school policies and expectations, advocate in resolving conflicts and assist in times of crisis. They work closely as a team and collaborate with colleagues in the Support + Wellness department, the College Counseling office and with members of the Academy faculty. Deans also teach, serve as college counselors and manage administrative duties.

Principal and Assistant Principals

List of 2 items.

  • Gustavo Carrera

    Academy Principal
    Read More
  • Trisha Kawamoto ’98 Caley

    Academy Assistant Principal

Academy Deans

List of 4 items.

  • Jonah Ka‘akua ’97 and Wendi Kamiya

    Grade 9 Deans
    Class of 2026
  • Lori Komori ’91 and Kellen Fletcher ’05 Garcia

    Grade 10 Deans
    Class of 2025
  • Marguerite Ashford ’71 and Jonathan Koshiba ’94

    Grade 11 Deans
    Class of 2024
  • Erin Wilkerson ’89 Maretzki and Deane Salter ’98

    Grade 12 Deans
    Class of 2023
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