Current and recent HIVM Board members

Michael Doolittle, Chair – USA VN combat vet and successful entrepreneur, VFW member, Chairman of the Mayor’s Veterans’ Advisory committee, philanthropic donor.

Denise Nakanishi, Vice Chair – Major USAR, retired, Attorney and Realtor/Broker with Hawaii Life Realty; owns and manages two other small businesses in Hilo

Jeremy (Jay) Kelley, Secretary – USN vet and retired 30 year Alaska Bush Pilot with airline transport pilot license  website creator;  tech support; text editor.

 Jim Wyban, PhD,  – Consultant and retired founder of Hawaii’s shrimp broodstock industry; creator of the highly successful “HIplan” business plan competition; Advisor to the UHH Business and Economics Department.

Reeve (Bob) Williams, Chairman Emeritus – USMC vet; retired USA Lt Col and VN combat-wounded vet; VFW and MOPH life member; retired Hi state DOE HS Counselor; community activist and environmental advocate

Andrew Iwashita – Attorney at Law; Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaii, member and past President; Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association, instructor; father served as interpreter in post-war Japan, and son  serves as weather officer in Air Force Reserve after active duty as USAF weather officer.
 
David Minor Fireman and fulltime College student
 
Joe Kamelamela Attorney at Law and Previous Corporation Council for Hawaii County
 
Leonard Woods : Masters degree in Experimental Social Psychology; University of Utah (16 years) – Administrative Faculty, Director, Educational Equity Programs; University of Nevada Reno (16 years) – Financial Aid Officer, TRiO Programs Director; University of Hawaii Hilo (14 years) – TRiO Programs Director; Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel CFO (4years); WESTOP President-Elect (1 year), WESTOP President (1 year), WESTOP Past-President (1 year); Pacific Island TRIO Chapter President (2 years); Grant Writer (30 years); Grant Writing Trainer and program reviewer (16 years).

George Sheridan – retired HI ARNG Col and VN combat vet; former G3 of the Hawaii Army Guard; USA War College graduate member;
VFW life member; Active member of VFW Post 3038; member, Hawaii Army National Guard Retirees’Association; serious biker

Mike Singer – Founder/CEO Heartwood Pacific LLC, general contracting commercial and residential; board member for Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1182; board secretary for the General Aviation Council of Hawaii; various industry groups; aircraft owner and active instrument-rated pilot

Mabel Waltjen De Silva – widow of a USA combat vet; retired from COH; Member, Hawaii Civic Club; administers and manages the Hilo Elks Club; active in ball room dancing; Officer in Malama Oiwi Hawaii Health Care non-profit corporation; original founding member of HIVM and held various leadership positions

Sonia Juvik, PhD – worked in COH Planning while also earning multiple graduate degrees here and in Australia before becoming a tenured Professor of Geography at UHH; expert in land use planning who has been instrumental in guiding HIVM successfully thru pre-development and gaining all land use entitlements; active member of Zonta Club of Hilo and AAUW

Tom Fraternardo, Extensive experience in the Marine Corps and COH police operational planning, investigating, and logistics with diverse community involvement; skilled in communicating and dealing with conflict resolution with every socio-economic group in our Island community; Environmentally committed to sustaining our natural resources.

Steven Bader  ex officio – earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Washington. Worked as a College Counselor and Dean at Evergreen College and also worked for the state Governor as a Special Projects Assistant before moving back to Hilo. Opened and operated the non-profit East Hawaii Homeless Coalition Shelter as their Executive Director before working for the UHH Vice Chancellor as her Executive Assistant. Successfully ran Gov Ige’s first Campaign on Island before working for him as a Special Assistant. Respected versatile jazz drummer well known in Seattle and statewide in Hawaii who’s been producing HIVM’s Jazz & Blues fundraisers for the past 10 years