Hawaii nonprofit people in the news

Deputy AG Jones is both a nonprofit president and regulator

Hugh R. Jones, supervising deputy state attorney general in the tax division and recently elected president of the nonprofit Hawaii Bar Association, was recently profiled in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin as “an expert at making things work, whether it's getting elected president of the Hawaii State Bar Association, despite the confines of public service; persevering in the attorney general's office, despite serious budget cuts; or keeping his kids' education on track, despite mandated days off from school.”

"It's not easy. You just have to keep at it, doing your best," Jones told the newspaper.

Jones, who turned 50 on March 22, is the first practicing government lawyer elected president of the Hawaii State Bar Association. He grew up in Madison, Wis., and earned his law degree there before moving to Honolulu in 1988. In 1989 he joined the state Office of Information Practices as staff attorney handling cases that expanded the public's right to know and prepared him for high-profile work in the AG’s tax division, which he joined in 1996. There, he joined a history-making team that prosecuted misconduct by trustees of the U.S.’s largest charitable trust, then known as Bishop Estate.

Elected on his second try, Jones hopes to involve more government lawyers in the bar association, which includes about 7,000 retired or practicing attorneys. Click here to read the entire profile at star-bulletin.com.

> New ED takes over Mission Houses – Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society/Mission Houses Museum has appointed Thomas A. Woods as the organization's executive director. He has 30 years' experience with museums and historic sites on the mainland and in Hawaii, including being a consultant for the Kona Historical Society, Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Greenwell General Store, Kalukalu Homestead Ranch, Lyman House Museum, Society for Kona's Education and Art, Paniolo Preservation Society and Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii.

> Atebara to lead Big Island YWCA – The YWCA Hawaii Island has appointed Jeanine Atebara chief executive officer. Atebara has worked in radio and newspaper advertising and management on the Big Island for most of her career. "With over 25 years of business management experience and three decades of active involvement in our Big Island community, Jeanine is an ideal leader for the YWCA," board President Lorraine Godoy said in a statement. "She embodies the YWCA mission of empowering women and eliminating racism." Atebara was raised in Oregon and has lived in Hilo since 1979.

> Castagnaro exiting education council – Kristine Castagnaro, executive director of the Hawaii Council on Economic Education, is stepping down after eight years with the council to take a position with Hawaii International Child, the agency that helped Castagnaro and her husband when they adopted their youngest daughter. Her last day on the job will be Friday. Melanie Nagasako will serve as interim director until a replacement can be found. The Hawaii Council on Economic Education oversees the Hawaii Stock Market Simulation program, which kicked off its spring campaign last week with 1,800 students grades 3 through 12 testing their investment skills in school-supervised competition.

> Queen's Health Systems has named Hunter Praywell as vice president and chief information officer. He was previously responsible for the planning, delivery and support of information technology at Kamehameha Schools and held leadership positions at Hawaiian Airlines and KPMG LLP.

> Housing Solutions has promoted Gaye Johnston to director of operations from director of finance. She has a decade of experience with the company and is a certified public accountant.

> Matt Hamabata, executive director of The Kohala Center, has been selected by Hawaii Business magazine as one of Hawaii’s next generation of movers and shakers. Hamabata is profiled in the magazine’s March issue, “20 For the Next 20,” as one of 20 up-and-coming leaders.

> Kenneth Zeri has been selected to serve a three-year term on the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization membership board. He is president and chief professional officer of Hospice Hawaii and has 24 years of experience in hospice and palliative care.

> Hawaii Pacific University’s board of trustees at has elected James A. Ajello as the newest board member. He is a senior financial vice president, treasurer and chief financial officer of Hawaiian Electric Industries.

> Cancer Research Center of Hawaii has named the following board members: Priscilla Growney, who helped found North Hawaii Hospice and served as a caregiver for numerous years; Jason Nagai, treasurer of the board and senior manager at Ernst & Young; and Diane Ono, vice president/secretary, who rejoined the board. She is also an attorney at Galiher DeRobertis Ono.

> Hawaii Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America has announced the following officers of its board of directors for 2010: Nathan Kam, president; Moani Wright-Van Alst, president-elect; Thi Lam, secretary; and Kristen Bonilla, treasurer and immediate past president. Other committee chairs: Duke Gonzales, Sara Platte, Donda D. Spiker, Noreen Kam, Amy Hennessey, Nancy Daniels, Lee Britos, Melissa Malahoff-Kamei, Sara Foley, Rebecca Pang, Jocelyn Collado, Tess Staadecker, Eric Matsunaga, Susan Kam and Crystal Yamasaki.

> American Society for Training and Development-Hawaii Chapter has announced the following 2010 board members: Shirley Tsukano, president; Ken Kiyohara, past president; Dina Tsuda, vice president of technology; Therese Dickerson, vice president of finance; Greg Chilson, vice president of marketing; Jodi Ching, vice president of records; Wendilee Adkins and Verna Wong, vice presidents of events/professional development; Sherri Okinaga, vice president of membership; and Lee Ann Del Carpio, board advisor.

> Kakaako Improvement Association has announced the following lineup for its 2010 board of directors: Robert Oda, president; Donna Farrell, vice president; and Ashumi Lee, secretary/treasurer. Board members are: James Frierson, Beverly Harbin, Mark Higa, Jay Jean, Jay Kadowaki, Paul Kimura, Greg Meier, Dexter Okada and Glenn Takeuchi. Sherry Goya is executive director.

> AlohaCare has appointed the following new members to its board of directors for 2010-2011: Sheila Beckham, executive director of Waikiki Health Center; Janet Onopa, medical director at Queen Emma Clinic; Desiree Puhi, executive director of Molokai Ohana Health Care; and Anthony Guerrero Jr., a retired vice chairman and group manager of Retail Banking Group at First Hawaiian Bank.