NHEC StaffPaul Richards, Executive Director Before joining the Native Hawaiian Education Council, Paul served as Program Director of the TRiO Mānoa Educational Talent Search (METS) program at the University of Hawai'i for four years serving a total of 600 students from Wai'anae High and Nānākuli Intermediate and High Schools in a program encouraging grade to grade promotion, graduation from high school and post-secondary education opportunities. Paul worked in the financial industry for 17 years, leaving the Bank of America as Assistant Vice President, Senior Operations Manager and Corporate Trainer for its Hawai'i Customer Call Center. In 1997, he started an espresso cafe partnership business, and later worked as a Project Manager for the Hawaiian Homestead Technology, Inc. (HHT) Waimānalo Site production center teaching Auto CAD, then HHT Operations Manager opening the Papakōlea Site as a document digitization conversion process. He continues to volunteer in the Native Hawaiian community, elected and appointed to positions ranging from President of the Waimānalo Hawaiian Homes Association; Board Vice President, Kapolei Community Development Corporation (KCDC); Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act (NHHCIA) – Chairman, Ke Ola Mamo; Director, Papa Ola Lokahi; and former Chairman, Government Relations Committee of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. A graduate of Kamehameha Schools, he earned his Associate of Arts from Windward Community College in its first graduating class, attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, earned a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Hawai'i Pacific University.
Erika Rosa, Operations Manager Erika joined the NHEC team in April 2005 as a fiscal officer and is now responsible for managing all office operations. Erika earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Ethnic Studies, from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. She grew up in the little town of Kekaha, Kaua'i on Hawaiian Homelands. Erika started dancing hula at the age of three by tagging along with her older sister, and has remained passionate about the art ever since. She hopes to develop her skills in advocacy and pursue a career in public interest law and fight for social and environmental justice on behalf of Native Hawaiians. Erika’s interests in conservation and ethnobotany were sparked by her experience as a research assistant in the UH Haumana Biomedical Research Program this past year, where she conducted behavioral studies on native birds and helped eradicate invasive plants in the Hakalau Wildlife Refuge on the Big Island.
Mahina Tuteur, Communications Specialist Mahina joined NHEC in 2010 as a Communications Specialist. She graduated from the University of San Diego in 2007 with a degree in Communication Arts, a minor in Ethnic Studies and a certificate in Non-Profit Management. She loves being in the water, traveling and learning about different cultures. Mahina worked with indigenous Maya women on small business and community health initiatives in Guatemala throughout 2009. She is interested in Native Hawaiian and environmental law and wants to serve Native Hawaiians through her professional work. |