Clockwise: Vid Raatior, Ed Noh, Natalie Nimmer, Kaleihoku Kalai, Jerelyn Watanabe
The Micronesia Educational Consultancy Team is comprised of five graduates of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D) program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Education. As part of their doctoral studies, this team completed a feasibility study for a Micronesian culture-based charter school and other educational programs in Hawaii. Sponsored by four Micronesian-serving organizations on Hawaii Island, Oahu, and Maui, the study has been presented at conferences, nonprofit organizations, associations, and other professional development engagements.
MEET THE TEAM
Name: Dr. Jerelyn Watanabe
Position: Educational Specialist
Organization: Myron B. Thompson Academy Public Charter School
Contact: jerelynw@hawaii.edu
Jerelyn Watanabe is a math teacher and administrator at Myron B. Thompson Academy, a Hawaiʻi public charter school. Jerelyn graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with BS degrees in Physics and Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, and earned an MA in Mathematics from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She earned a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Professional Educational Practice from UH Mānoa in Summer 2017. Jerelyn’s practice and research interests focus on providing equitable access to education, especially for underrepresented groups.
Name: Dr. Kaleihōkū Kalaʻi
Position: Hope Poʻokumu
Organization: Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu
Contact: kaleihoku@nawahi.org
Kaleihōkū has been involved in P-20 Hawaiian medium education for over 25 years. She is a teacher and administrator at Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu, a K-12 Hawaiian medium school. She has also worked as an administrator for the ʻAha Pūnana Leo Hawaiian language preschools and as a Hawaiian language lecturer at Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language at UH Hilo. She recently earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Professional Educational Practice from UH Mānoa.
Name: Dr. Natalie Nimmer
Position: Principal Consultant
Organization: Pacific Relevance Consulting
Contact: natalie@pacificrelevance.com
With the spirit of aloha and iakwe, Natalie Nimmer has worked in foundations, nonprofits, and schools. From teaching in the Marshall Islands to consulting with Hawaiian-focused charter schools, Natalie strives to expand educational opportunities for underserved students. She is passionate about convening educators, parents, and students, to address the challenges facing Micronesian students in Hawai`i. Natalie is the founder of Pacific Relevance Consulting and earned an Ed.D from UH-Manoa.
Name: Dr. Ed Noh
Position: School Director
Organization: Kaʻōhao School: A Public Charter, K-6
Contact: enoh@lanikaischool.com
Ed has over 10 years classroom teaching experience before completing his M.Ed. and principal certification at the University of Washington. Ed has been a school and district level administrator for over 14 years in Seattle and Hawaiʻi and currently is the School Director at Kaʻōhao School: A Public Charter, K-6 (formerly Lanikai School). He earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Professional Educational Practice from UH Mānoa.
Name: Dr. Vidalino S. Raatior
Position: Consultant
Organization: Raatior Consulting
Contact: vid@raatior.com
Vid is a Chuukese Micronesian educator who currently serves as Director of the Science Education & Mentorship in Latino Lives in Academia (SEMILLA) project at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). Previously, he served as Director of the Pacific Islander Student Center at University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Associate Director at the Center for Multicultural Learning and Assistant Director of International Programs at Santa Clara University, and served as a teacher and administrator at Xavier High School, Micronesia. Vid earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Professional Educational Practice from UH Mānoa in July 2017.
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Children, Youth and Families
- Education, Parental Involvement
LANGUAGE
- English