Alumni & Friends

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• Board of Directors
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Officers

Jennifer Zelko-Schlueter (’00)

President

 

Brooks Bancroft (’99)

Vice President

 

Jim Kelly

Treasurer

 

Michelle Araki (’97)

Secretary

 

Carol VanCamp

Past President

 

Board Members

Adams Agtarap ('95)

Lee Barnette-Dombroski

Jason Hayashi (’96)

Howard Higashi (’74)

Ka’iu Kimura (’00 & ’09)

Kapena Lum (’02)

Tom Raffipiy (’91)

Audrey Takamine ('02)

Dale Tokuuke (’73)

Sandy Tokuuke (’71)

 

Ex-officio

Yu Yok Pearring (’85)

 

Honorary Member

Shinae Hirano

 

Top Row From L-R: Jim Kelly, Kapena Lum, and Brooks Bancroft Bottom Row From L-R: Adams Agtarap, Lee Dombroski, Sandra Tokuuke, Michelle Araki, Jennifer Zelko-Schlueter, Dale Tokuuke, Carol VanCamp,Yu Yok Pearring, and Howard Higashi

 

President, Jennifer Leilani Zelko-Schlueter

Jennifer Leilani Zelko-Schlueter was born and raised in Hilo. She graduated from Hilo High School in 1995 and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in 2000. Jennifer received her law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2003.

Jennifer is currently an associate attorney with the Hilo office of Torkildson, Katz, Moore, Hetherington & Harris, Attorneys at Law, ALC. She was previously an associate attorney with the law firm of Carlsmith Ball, LLP in their Hilo office.

Besides serving as the President for the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Alumni & Friends Board, she also serves as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors, and sits on the Operations Committee for the YWCA of Hawaiʻi Island. Jennifer sits on the Na Leo Hawaiʻi Board, and is a member of Community Based Economic & Development Committee for the State of Hawaiʻi. She volunteers with the Volunteer Legal Services Hawaiʻi, and is a member of the Hawaiʻi State and County of Hawaiʻi Bar Associations.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys photography and spending time with her son Logan, and husband Chris Schlueter.

Vice President, Brooks Bancroft

Brooks Bancroft received his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Political Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in 1999 and his law degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 2003. While at UH Hilo, Brooks was a member of the varsity baseball team.

Brooks is the managing attorney of Bancroft Law LLC, a personal injury law firm in Hilo. He previously served as both a deputy corporation counsel and a deputy prosecuting attorney for the County of Hawaiʻi. He was also an associate attorney with the law firm of Crudele & De Lima.

Brooks was recently named as a fellow in the Leadership Institute of the Hawai`i State Bar Association. He has also served as both president and vice-president of the Hawaiʻi County Bar Association. He additionally participates in the Hawaiʻi State High School Mock Trial Tournament as a judge, volunteers with Volunteer Legal Services Hawaiʻi, and has taught political science classes at UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College.

In his spare time, Brooks enjoys spending time with his fiancee Christine, son Scott, daughters Ava and Naya, as well as his three dogs (adopted from the Hawai`i Island Humane Society) named Chewy, Poncho, and Gracie.

Past President, Carol VanCamp

Carol VanCamp received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

She retired December 31, 2005, as the general manager of Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall in Hilo.

She has returned to active employment, now serving as a broker associate with CB Richard Ellis, Inc. She also does marketing consulting, community service and substitute teaching.

Carol states, “Our community is very fortunate to have a quality four-year college like UH Hilo, and I want to do my part to ensure that the campus is able to grow and prosper to better serve the needs of our local students and other students who find our educational programs and opportunities appealing. This is why I am a committed board member of the Alumni and Friends Association at UH Hilo.”

She lives in Keaʻau. Carol is an avid reader, active community volunteer (Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Hilo Medical Center Foundation, Junior Achievement, Friends of Big Island Drug Court, four boards at UH Hilo), and enjoys spending time with children.

Secretary, Michelle Araki

Michelle Araki is a 1997 graduate of UH Hilo where she received a B.A. in Natural Sciences. She has a Business Administration Certificate and is currently in the UH Hilo Teacher Education Program.

Michelle and her husband, Michael, have one son and one daughter.

Treasurer, Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly is currently Professor Emeritus at UH Hilo. He retired from UH Hilo in 2001 after 27 years as a Professor of Geography. During that time he received the Francis Davis Memorial Award for Innovative Teaching and the Board of Regents Excellence in Teaching Award. He got started with the Alumni Association when he initiated and edited the UH Hilo Alumni Newsletters. After editing several alumni newsletters, Jim was asked to join the Alumni Board, where he has served ever since, including two years as President. Jim lives in Hilo and has two children who are both out of college and living in Honolulu and Maui. Jim’s hobby for the past several years has been photography. He has won several awards in art shows and photography shows in Hilo. A few years ago, one of his works was selected for the opening exhibit of the Hawaii State Art Museum in Honolulu.

Board Member, Kapena Lum

After graduating from UH Hilo’s College of Business and Economics (CoBE) in 2002, Kapena, taking all the knowledge he gained at the university, entered the world of financial investments. He is currently a financial consultant at Pacific Wealth Management, LLC maintaining a busy schedule servicing his Big Island and neighbor island clients.

A former Vulcan Basketball star, Kapena continues to fuel his interest in basketball by coaching the girls basketball team at Kamehameha High School - Keaʻau campus. He is happily married to an alumnae of UH Hilo’s CoBE program, Abby Lum who is also a former star athlete.

Board Member, Shinae Hirano

Shinae Hirano feels deeply that, “It is an honor to serve on the UH Hilo Alumni and Friends Association Board. UH Hilo is a great University with excellent faculty and staff.”

Hirano, a Japanese Studies graduate has a daughter, a son and several grandchildren. Shinae who loves to garden, read and travel is also married to her retired husband, Wataru.

Board Member, Dale Tokuuke

Dale Tokuuke graduated from Hilo High School, then attended Hawaiʻi Technical School (now Hawaiʻi Community College) before enrolling at UHHC (University of Hawaiʻi - Hilo Campus). He was there from 1970 through 1973, when he left to join the family business, which was awaiting him. Dale is now vice-president and part owner of Paul's Enterprises, Ltd., a floor and window covering business here in Hilo. As a board member of the UH Hilo Alumni Friends Association, he gets pleasure out of being a part of what he feels is a true economic engine of the Big Island and the state. Dale is married to fellow board member, Sandra Tokuuke, has one grown daughter, and enjoys his “attempts” at the game of golf in his spare time.

Board Member, Sandy Tokuuke

After attending the Hilo Campus of the University of Hawaii for two years, Sandra (Nakamura) Tokuuke transferred to UH Manoa, and earned her degree in elementary education in 1973. Having graduated at a time when teaching positions were scarce, Sandy instead, entered the world of business and finance. She is currently an Assistant Vice-President and Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, where her background in education is constantly utilized as she learns about and helps clients achieve their financial goals. Being a past-president and director of the UH Hilo Alumni and Friends Association is an honor to Sandy as she feels it is her way of “giving back” to the institution that helped her grow into the person she is today. She considers her position to be a small link in the chain that connects UH Hilo to the Hilo Community. Sandy, her husband Dale, and daughter Erin live in Hilo. She very much enjoys cruising, or when not able to actually do so, likes to dream or read about it.

Board Member, Yu Yok Pearring

Yu Yok (Low) Pearring graduated from UH Hilo with a degree from the College of Business and Economics in the fall of 1985.

An Ambassadorial Scholarship from the Rotary Club of Hilo enabled her to pursue post-graduate studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she received her MBA degree in 1988. The many positive experiences in Hilo drew her back to the Big Island, where she worked in private industry before joining UH Hilo as the Marketing and Alumni Director.

“It was the excellent education and dedicated faculty and staff at UH Hilo that paved the way for me to apply and receive the valuable scholarship from Rotary, and equipped me with the knowledge to compete well with many other outstanding students at McGill. I take great pride to be working at my Alma Mater and am thankful for the opportunity to work with a group of dedicated and enthusiastic alumni board members, who give so much of their time and resources to help our university grow and succeed,” said Pearring, who lives in Hilo with her husband, Mike and 2 sons. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, dealing with her growing sons, and visiting her family in Singapore.

Board Member, Tom Raffipiy

Tom is a 1991 Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UH Hilo). While at UH Hilo, he served as President of the International Students' Association, Senator for the College of Arts and Sciences in the UH Hilo Student Body Association, and was an active member of numerous clubs and organizations on campus.

He is currently employed as the General Manager for T&T Electric, Inc. a contracting firm based in Hilo. Tom serves in the U.S. Army Reserve and is currently the Command Sergeant Major of the 411th Engineer Battalion based out of Ft. Shafter, Hawaiʻi with an area of responsibility spanning from Ft. Wainwright, Alaska to American Samoa in the south Pacific, and to Guam in the Western Pacific. He deployed for combat and served in Iraq for one year as a First Sergeant. Tom was selected in 2006 as a member of Who's Who in American Executives and Professionals.

A native of Satawal Island and an avid student of Satawalese non-instrumental navigation, Tom studied and sailed with his dad and uncles, including Uncle Mau Piailug who helped to revive the non-instrumental navigation skills in Hawaiʻi. Tom lives in Puna, Hawaiʻi with his wife Marcie. They have three sons, Austin, Daylen, Landon, and their daughter, RyAnne.

Board Member, Lee Barnette-Dombroski

Ms. Dombroski is the Director of the Performing Arts Center at the University of Hawaii, Hilo.  Prior to her return to Hawaii Lee was the Production Manager at the Seattle Children’s Theatre in Seattle, Washington where she also spent three years as the Costume Shop Manager.  Lee was the Associate Director of the Kahilu Theatre in Kamuela, Hawaii for 7 years and a freelance costume designer in Honolulu.  She spent seven years on the Design and Technology faculty at California Institute of the Arts, and 24 years at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival in Boulder, Colorado; Five as the Costume Director and 19 as the Wig Master.  Lee’s wigs have also been seen at the Mark Taper Forum, Seattle Children’s Theatre, CalArts, and South Coast Repertory Theatre and her hair sculptures have been exhibited in galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, and at the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Lee has designed costumes for Manoa Valley Theatre, Kumu Kahua Theatre, Monkey and the Waterfall Dance Theatre, CalArts Theatre and Dance Schools, and Seattle Children’s Theatre.  Ms. Dombroski holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Colorado, Boulder and a MFA in Design from California Institute of the Arts.

Board Member, Audrey N. Takamine

Audrey graduated from UH Hilo College of Business in 2002.  She is the Vice President and Co-founder of Takamine Construction, Inc., Board Member for Junior Achievement Hawaii Island, Member of the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Island Contractor’s Association, Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association, Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii, Hui Okinawa, and PTO Board Member for Waiakea Elementary School.

Building long-term relationships. That philosophy remains the core of Takamine Construction. When the company was founded by Craig and Audrey Takamine in 2003, it was with the vision to create a quality construction business that helped strengthen the Big Island community.

Takamine Construction has 15 employees and has built over 75 homes. Projects also include single-family custom residential homes; home renovations and repairs; single-wall repair and renovation; commercial alterations/ renovations; commercial repair; and maintenance and demolition.

Audrey has two children, Abbie and Noah, and two pug dogs, Corkie and Candie. Her hobbies include spending time with family, cooking, jogging, and relaxing at the beach.

Board Member, Adams C. Agtarap

Adams Agtarap received a double major in Liberal Studies/Administration of Justice and Psychology from the University of Hawai’i at Hilo in 1996. He is currently a Wealth Associate at First Hawaiian Bank, providing solutions in investments, insurance, trusts and retirement.

Adams was voted Big Island’s “Best Bank Teller” by readers of the Hawai’i Tribune Herald in 1998. He has also served as President of the East Hawaii Junior Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a member of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce. During his spare time, Adams volunteers as a BIIF Track & Field official and helps to support the Miss Hawaii-Island Filipina Scholarship Pageant.

On his views of giving back to his alma mater, Adams said, “We all have endured great success from the education and experience here at UH Hilo and it’s just as vital to reciprocate these accomplishments for future generations.”

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