Myron K. Thompson, Governing Board Chair

Community at Large

Local businessman and eldest son of Myron B. Thompson, Myron K. Thompson has continued to provide insight into relevant Hawaiian cultural and environmental issues that will impact our future generation of students. He founded Smart Energy Hawai’i in order to form a company that delivers superior renewable energy and green building products and consultation services to its clients. He received his Bachelors in Business Administration in 1975 from Denver University and Management Consulting Certification from the Hubbard College of Administration in 2000. Myron’s interest in renewable energy stems from his careers in both the computer industry and solar industry during their early formative years. As President of Smart Energy Hawai’i, Myron is dedicated to ensuring that their products always work toward the greater good. Smart Energy Hawai’i is one facet of his many avocations and involvement in socially responsible business and community development.

Email: myron@coolxenergy.com

Maili Simmons

Community at Large

Mrs. Simmons is an executive secretary in the Honolulu Fire Department has served as the chairperson of the Governing Board’s financial and human resource committees. Her love for the school and its students is evident in the time she has spent frequenting the activities and doing committee oversight at the school.

Email: wattie_simmons@yahoo.com

Dr. Mona Chang

Community at Large

A veteran school, district and state administrator, Dr. Chang has been instrumental in moving major initiatives in the Hawaii Department of Educator where she last served as an educational specialist. Dr. Vierra received her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, published a Cantonese cookbook , ran a gift shop — ‘N’ Everything Nice — on King Street for eight years and is currently the co-owner of the Grand Café Restaurant.

Email:

Matthew Liao-Troth, PhD

Community at Large

Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth is vice president for academic affairs at St. Petersburg College. He was formerly the senior vice president and provost at Hawai‘i Pacific University (HPU). During his time at HPU the institution was nationally ranked for multiple years, was reaccredited by WASC Senior (WSCUC), added multiple academic programs and its first doctoral program, and built out the Aloha Tower facilities.

Prior to his time at HPU Dr. Liao-Troth served at Georgia College & State University and Western Washington University in academic administrative roles, and on the faculty of Western Washington University, Washington University in St. Louis and DePaul University in Chicago. Dr. Liao-Troth earned his PhD from the University of Arizona and is an emeritus professor of Management at Western Washington University.

Email: mliaotroth@gmail.com

James Shigeo Dixon

Community at Large

Jim Dixon concentrates his practice in the areas of insurance and health law, in which he has advised clients and advocated on their behalf on financial services and healthcare reform issues before federal and state agencies, and real estate and insurance licensees before state agencies. Outside of the practice of law Mr. Dixon is committed to promoting justice and strengthening the rule of law. Previously he has served on the Boards of the Honolulu Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, the Friends of the Judiciary History Center, The Hawaii State Bar Association-Young Lawyers Division, and the Building Industry Association Hawaii, where he also served as chair of the BIAʻs Government Affairs Committee. Mr. Dixon currently also serves on the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Council for Economics Education.

Email: jshigeodixon@hotmail.com

Jesse Smith

Community at Large

Jesse Smith’s practice focuses primarily on complex commercial litigation matters. Born and raised in the snowy Northeast, Mr. Smith obtained his B.A. with honors from Hamilton College, where he mastered in East Asian Studies and wrote an award winning paper on the Bakumatsu period of Japanese history. Prior to moving to Hawaii, Mr. Smith lived and worked in Japan for four years, and was a participant on the Japan Exchange Teaching Programme, earning certificates in both Japanese language interpretation and translation.

Mr. Smith obtained his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Smith served as an Editor-in-Chief of the Asian-Pacific Law and Policy Journal, co-authored a published translation of a leading Japanese constitutional law article, and was an award-winning member of the Native American Moot Court me. Prior to joining McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP in 2011, Mr. Smith clerked for the Honorable Lisa M. Ginoza of the Intermediate Court of Appeals, State of Hawaii. Mr. Smith is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is admitted to practice before all Hawaii courts as well as the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.

Email: jsmithipa@gmail.com

Jeannie Yukitomo

Community at Large

Jeannie Yukitomo graduated from Leeward Community College & University of Hawaii Manoa .
She has been with the credit union movement in the financial industry since 1991, With her role as Branch Manager of United Airlines Employees Credit Union.
In 2006 she was promoted and moved to HawaiiUSA FCU as the largest local credit union in the Hawaiian Islands as her role as the Main Branch Manger II Headquarters. Jeannie was promoted to Senior Business Development Officer as to formerly engage with our Hawaii Business owners. *She was very proud to work during covid* in tandem with the City & County of Honolulu Small Business Grants division to provide & fund grants to deserving business members. As well as offer business grants to SBA owners on Kauai & Hawaii Island -Holomua Grants. Currently Jeannie serves on the following boards; Department Of Justice-Federal Prison, HawaiiUSA FCU Foundation Vice President, Hawaii Air Cargo Association Vice President, Kroc Center Advisory Board.

Email: jyukitomo@hawaiiusafcu.com

Aimee Takaki

Faculty Representative

Ms. Takaki is the faculty representative on the Governing Board.

Email: mstakaki@ethompson.org