_LEADERSHIP ___ INTELLECT ___ SPIRIT ___ IN THE SERVICE OF PEACE
::PBA Version 2.0
 
Pacific Buddhist Academy Faculty/Staff/Trustees

 


Head of School


       


Pieper Toyama (2002-)

University of Massachusetts, Amherst          BA, English (Summa Cum Laude; Phi Beta Kappa)

Northeastern University, Boston                     MEd, Reading Instruction

  • Kendo Instructor, Godan (5th degree black belt)
  • 41 years in teaching and educational administration at high school and university levels

 Mr. Toyama is the former headmaster of Parker School, a college-preparatory private school in Kamuela on the islandof Hawaiʻi, grades 7-12. His 40 years in education also include teaching at Honokaʻa High School and Hilo High School, as well as instructor and administrative posts at Hawai'i Community College and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

Email him at HeadofSchool@pbahi.org

 
       

Full-Time Teachers


Flynn Corson   
 
(2006-)   






    

Dean of Students                                                                               Director of Recruitment & Admissions                                               Faculty: Language Arts 10 & 11, Adventure Learning               Assistant coach, Pac 5 Wrestling

Ursinus College, Pennsylvania                BA, English

Middlebury College, Vermont                 Currently enrolled

  • Member:  Sigma Tau Delta, international English honors society
  • Certified Coach, Positive Coaching Alliance
  • Bronze Level Certified Coach, USA Wrestling
  • Certified Adventure Educator, Project Adventure
Email:  font style="color: black;" size="2">@pbahi.org



Kena Heffernan Jr.   
(2010-)    

Faculty:  Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus

Yale University, New Haven                         BA, Biology

  • 1995 Chester J. Laroche Award recipient, “to the one senior, who by his character and academic talents, has given the most to Yale”
  • Integrates hi-tech to increase classroom productivity and creativity, i.e.  Notebook, SMART ideas5
  • Holds 7 National Sumo Championships and the North American Grand Champion title
Email:  Kena.Heffernan@pbahi.org



Carol Helekunihi    (2006-)   

Faculty:  Social Studies 9,  10, & 11                                                 Pacific Asian Affairs Council (PAAC) Advisor

Brigham YoungUniversity, Hawaiʻi            BA, History

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa                       MEd, Teaching

  • Teaches evening classes at BYU, all five terms:  History 201 & 202 and Contemporary Western Art History 306
  • Volunteer Director of the Hawaii Concert Society on Hawaiʻi Island for 10 years
  • Volunteer teen and adult religious education teacher for the Mormon Church for 30 years
Email:  Carol.Helekunihi@pbahi.org


Josh Hernandez Morse    (2003-)   

Assistant Head of School                                                                   Director, PeaceBridge Project                                                           Athletic Director                                                                                    Cross Country Coach, JV Boys Basketball Assistant Coach               Bus Driver, PBA Bus

University of Oregon, Eugene                       BA, Anthropology                                                                              MFA, Creating Writing

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa                       MEd, Ed Foundations

  • William J. Fulbright Scholar to Nicaragua
  • Vice President of ILH Board of Athletic Directors
  • Coordinated WASC/HAIS Accreditation Visit that resulted in a six-year term with a mid-term visit
  • Registered Yoga Teacher Certification (200 RYT)
Email:  Josh.HernandezMorse@pbahi.org



Loren Otake (2007-)  

 









Van Velasco (2007-)  



















Liane Viloria (2006-) 


 

Faculty:  Japanese Language

Pacific University, Oregon                            BA, Japanese Language

Nagoya Gakuin Daigaku                                Certificate

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa                       MA, Japanese Linguistics

  • 1996 HHSAA State Champion, Wrestling
  • 2000 Pacific University Japanese Department Certificate of Excellence
  • Lived and taught in Japan for three years
  • Certified surf instructor who can be found teaching on weekends at Pop in Waikīkī
  • Purple Belt Karate, Keishinkan Karate
Email:  Loren.Otake@pbahi.org


Faculty:  Physics, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Urban Gardening

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa                      BA, Zoology

  • In 2004 and 2005 awarded MARC U STAR fellowship, an undergraduate NIH research grant given to minority students in good academic standing with interest in research careers.
  • Worked at the Hawaii Center for AIDS designing, performing, and analyzing experiments testing the selectivity of polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors, on HIV infected cells
  • Favorite places to be:  in his garden, Mānoa Stream, the ocean
  • Salvages bikes from the side of the road to fix and give away
Email:  Van.Velasco@pbahi.org


Co-curricular and Student Activities Coordinator                     Faculty:  Language Arts 9

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa                      BA, Secondary Ed

University of Phoenix, Honolulu                MA, Secondary Ed

  • Taught in the Hawaii D.O.E. for eight years. 
  • Led Kapolei Human Services Academy, a school of 90 students within a school of 2,000.
  • Was showcased in the Hawaii State Teacher's Association Commercial as a "Highly Qualified Educator" in their 2005-06 marketing campaign.
  • Created an internship program to place interns at various organizations within the community
Email:  Liane.Viloria@pbahi.org


   
Part-Time Faculty

Jake Chang (2010-)  






Kathleen Egami (2009-)  

Faculty:  Buddhist Living 9

University of Oregon, Eugene                     BA, Japanese

Email:  youth@honpahi.com


Faculty:  Chado (The Way of Tea)

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa                      BA, Mathematics

Omotesenke Fushinan, Kyoto Japan          Teaching Certificate




   Alan Kubota (2003-)  





  Rev. Y. Motoyoshi  (2009-) 





Wayne Takazono (2006-)





Jay Toyofuku
(2003-)






Anne Toyofuku
(2010-)

Faculty:  Buddhist Living 10 & 11, Beginning Kendo, Videography, Yearbook (6th year)

Indiana University, Bloomington               BA, Biological Sciences

Email:  Alan.Kubota@pbahi.org


School Chaplain

UH Hilo                                                             BA, Liberal Arts

University of Wisconsin, Madison             MA, Buddhist Studies


Faculty:  Visual Arts

University of Hawaii, Mānoa                       BFA

Email:  Wayne.Takazono@pbahi.org


Faculty:  Beginning & Performance Taiko, Financial Management

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa                      BA, Business Management    

Email:  Jay.Toyofuku@pbahi.org


Faculty:  Human Sexuality, Substance Awareness, Hatha Yoga

University of Hawaii, Manoa                       MSW, Social Work

Email:  Anne.Toyofuku@honpahi.com



Marion Yasui  
(2009-)  

Faculty:  Chado (The Way of Tea)

Mankato State College                                        BS, Education

State of Hawaiʻi                                                    PT Certificate

Omotesenke Fushinan, Kyoto Japan               Teaching Certificate




   
PBA Staff

Michelle Ching (2008-) 

   


Daniel Feldhaus (2005-) 

 


Cara Mazzei (2010-) 

 


Kathi Takakuwa (2004-) 







Blanche Yarnell (2010-) 

Business Manager

 Email:  Michelle.Ching@pbahi.org

 


College Counselor

Email:  Dan.Feldhaus@pbahi.org

 

 

Director of Community Relations and Development

Email:  Cara.Mazzei@pbahi.org

 

 

Communications Coordinator

Email:  Kathi.Takakuwa@pbahi.org

 

 

Office Assistant

Email:  PBA.Assistant@pbahi.org