Leadership team
ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY leadership is composed of senior administrative members who make up the Leadership Team, which is responsible for developing policy, overseeing the day-to-day operations, personnel matters, and relationships with constituents.
ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY's Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance, policies, and resources that ensure the schoolʻs sustainability, within the context of how a financial, programmatic, or physical facility issue relates to the schoolʻs overall mission.
Leadership Team
Gerald Teramae
Steven Caley
Steve Ross
Michelle Bradley
Eileen Novak
Be-Jay Kodama
Greg Terhune
Carolyn Smith
Camille Pinard
Kent Nakata
Director of Facilities
Shannon Vasilash
Board of Trustees
Lance Wilhelm
Lance Wilhelm
Lance Wilhelm is the President and founder of The Wilhelm Group LLC, a multi-
disciplinary development consultancy and construction management company.
Lance launched his firm in early 2017 to meet the needs of a growing and
diverse building industry. With clients in the public and private sectors, The
Wilhelm Group (TWG) works to bring meaningful and impactful improvements to
Hawaii's built environment through program, project and construction
management engagements. Leveraging Lance's unique background in
contracting and development, TWG also works to bring various entities involved
in the construction and real estate industries together through partnering
facilitation and disputes resolution services.
Prior to launching his own firm, Wilhelm was the managing principal for Irongate,
the owner and developer of the Trump International Hotel Waikīkī Beach Walk
and the brand new Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach. Before joining
Irongate, he held the position of senior vice president for Hawaiʻi operations at
Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., where he ran Kiewit’s local contracting business.
In addition to his executive oversight of Kiewit’s construction operations and new
business pursuits, he was directly responsible for Kiewit’s contracts totaling $1.1
billion for the first three contracts for Honolulu’s rail transit system.
Lance serves on various industry and trade organizations and is active in the
construction and real estate development industries, having served as President
of the General Contractors Association of Hawaiʻi, West Oʻahu Economic
Development Association, and the Hawaiʻi Developers’ Council. He is a board
member for several non-profit and industry organizations including the YMCA of
Honolulu, Island Pacific Academy, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, Waikīkī
Improvement Association, Move Oʻahu Forward and previously served on the
boards for the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, Aloha Council-Boy Scouts of
America and the American Heart Association. Lance is also actively engaged in
labor relations, serving as trustee on a number of union trust funds. In 2012,
Lance was appointed as trustee for the Kamehameha School and in 2016 was
re-appointed to serve a second term. He is currently vice chair.
Lance graduated from the Kamehameha Schools in 1983 and attended the
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where he received a bachelor of arts in
communications.
Pat Liu
Patricia N. Liu
Ms. Liu was born and raised in Michigan where she received her BA from the College of Education at Michigan State University and taught in both public and private schools. After moving to Hawaiʻi in 1972, she earned her MEd in Educational Administration from the University of Hawaiʻi and continued her career as a teacher and administrator, primarily in independent schools.
Prior to her retirement from ‘Iolani School, Ms. Liu was the Director of Admission for over 20 years. As the Director, she was responsible for all aspects of the Admission Department. She marketed the school to potential candidates and families, developed and implemented policies and procedures, created application and marketing materials, presented information to the Board, and oversaw the assessment of more than 1,600 candidates each year. In all, Ms. Liu spent 27 years at ‘Iolani, first as a teacher and then as the Associate Director of Admission before becoming the Director.
Ms. Liu also worked in a small private school in Wahiawa where she was a teacher and vice-principal for seven years, and she did contract work for the DOE.
In addition to being on the board at Island Pacific Academy, Ms. Liu is a board member at Pacific Buddhist Academy and Hoʻala Foundation for Education. She was a founding member of the Hoʻala School Board and served on the Central Union Preschool Board. She chaired the Hawaiʻi Association of Independent School Admission Directors’ constituent group, served nationally as a cohort on the Secondary School Admission Test Boards’ Experienced Admission Professionals team, and was a member of the Educational Records Bureau testing committee.
Of all the people who influenced her life, it was Ms. Liu’s father, Dr. Edwin Novak, who “gifted” her with the desire to serve others, especially those whose voices often go unheard. Her passion is education, and her goal is to make a difference, one student at a time.
Gayla Young
Susan Yamada
Susan Yamada
Ms. Yamada has been the Executive Director of PACE since June 2008. Located within the University of Hawaiʻi’s Shidler College of Business, the Entrepreneurship Center hosts a comprehensive set of programs, utilizing both experiential and mentoring approaches to teaching students and faculty to think entrepreneurially.
Prior to assuming her position at PACE, Ms. Yamada spent 17 years working in senior management positions at various entrepreneurial start-up companies in California before returning home to Hawaii in 2001.
While in Silicon Valley, Ms. Yamada served as the founding CEO of TRUSTe, the first globally recognized, online privacy seal program dedicated to protecting users’ personal information on the Internet. At TRUSTe, Ms. Yamada served as part of the founding management team for VEO Systems, a business-to-business software developer, which was sold to Commerce One in 1999 who then went public on NASDAQ the same year.
Prior to founding TRUSTe, she led technology publisher Upside Magazine where she spent five years as the CEO and Publisher. Upside magazine was the first business magazine focusing exclusively on serving the information needs of technology executives.
Ms. Yamada is currently interested in the diversification of Hawaiʻi’s economy through the creation of high-growth, entrepreneurial companies. She was a founding member of the Hawaiʻi Angels, a network of high net worth individuals who invest in start-up companies and an active mentor and investor in Hawaiʻi-based, start-up companies.
She also heads the Yamada Scott Family Foundation, founded in 2000, whose mission is to inspire and support Hawaiʻi’s students in maximizing their potential via educational grants and scholarships. Ms. Yamada’s community service positions include: current board member and past Treasurer, KCAA Preschools; current board member and past Treasurer, Hawaiʻi Nature Center; past-Chairman of the Board, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi; past Vice Chair, Entrepreneurs Foundation;
Ms. Yamada grew up in Hawaiʻi, graduated from James B. Castle High School, and earned a BBA degree from the University of Hawaiʻi and an MBA degree from San Jose State University. She resides in Honolulu with her two children and enjoys golfing, traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Denise Becherer
Denise Becherer
Denise Becherer is a Senior Sale Representative for Medtronic Neuromodulation for the Hawaiian Islands. She has over 20 years of sales, market development and territory management experience for the global leader in medical technology services and solutions.
Denise started her career at Medtronic in 1998 in Hawaiʻi as a Clinical Specialist and was promoted to Sales Representative in 1999. Her role at Medtronic over the years has been to develop, grow and support physicians, patients and hospital systems in the area of Interventional Pain Management and Spasticity therapies. Prior to Medtronic, her experience as a RN included Case Management for Private Duty Agencies and United Health Care Insurance. Previous roles in Home Health Nursing and OB/GYN hospital based care were her initial ventures in the health care sector.
Denise resides in Makakilo with her husband Rich. She and her husband are Alumni parents and their daughter Liz is a graduate of the class of 2013 of ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY. She has been on the IPA board since 2013, Chair from 2015-2017. Previous board experience with the Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaiʻi, 1998-2004. She received her RN degree from Deaconess College of Nursing and Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from University of Missouri St. Louis, MO.
Martha Camacho
Martha Camacho
Martha Camacho is a senior vice president and area manager for First Hawaiian Bank. She is currently assigned to the Waipahu area with direct management over Waipahu Branch and oversight for Ewa Beach, Kapolei and Waianae branches.
Martha joined First Hawaiian Bank in February 1986 as a loan representative at the Agana Branch, now the Maite Branch on Guam. She became the manager of the largest branch on Guam in 1990 until her move to Hawaii in June 2001. Since then she has held various positions including small business banker, branch manager, deputy manager in the residential department, and area manager.
Martha’s community involvement has included St Anthony Catholic School advisory board (Guam), University of Guam School of Business advisory board member, and St Francis School (Mānoa) board. She received a BBA from the University of Guam and an MBA from the University of Phoenix as well as masters-level extension programs from Bank Administration Institute and Pacific Coast Banking School.
Susan Eichor
Susan K Eichor
Susan is the president and chief operating officer of aio, a diverse family of companies, dedicated to living and promoting the unique values of Hawaiʻi, its culture and its people. aio’s brands include the publications Hawaiʻi Business, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi and Hawaiʻi Home + Remodeling; ESPN 1420 AM and NBC Sports Radio AM 1500; Upspring; Watermark Publishing; Obun Hawaiʻi; B Hayman; Punaluʻu Bake Shop and Pagoda Restaurant. In addition, the aio Foundation is a nonprofit whose goal is to make Hawaiʻi a better place, through programs that help young people become self-sustaining, community-minded individuals.
Prior to aio, Susan was part of the Verizon Hawaiʻi leadership team and has also served as a strategic advisor for telecommunications companies in the Pacific.
Susan’s current board service includes HPM Building Supply, U.S.-Japan Council, Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Bowl Executive Committee, Diamond Head Theatre, and UH - Shidler College of Business Advisory Council.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Susan is a proud alumna of Lunalilo Elementary, Washington Middle and McKinley High Schools. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of Hawaiʻi. Susan and her husband, Rick, reside in Kaimuki with their Jack Russell terriers, Penny and Nickel.
Wendell Lee
Keith Ogata
Kevin O'Keefe
Mike Rompel
Mike Rompel
Mike Rompel is a husband and father of 4 who leads by foundational principles. Mike is a restaurant operator with 27 years of experience, with a history of turning underperforming businesses into profitable businesses, by focussing on the selection and development of people that are looking for an opportunity to experience the more abundant life. Mike is an entry level employer who looks to teach basic work skills that carry with his team members throughout their lives and careers. Mike is joining the board to see our keiki have the best faculty, and facility, that provide the greatest opportunity for our keiki to be beneficial worldwide contributors who reach their goals and dreams!
Eric Seitz
Gerald Teramae
Gerald Teramae
Gerald Teramae has been an elementary school teacher and school administrator in both the public and private schools in the State of Hawaii. Gerald was an elementary school teacher at Maʻili Elementary School, Kalihi Uka Elementary School and Honowai Elementary School. He has been a school administrator at Waipahu Intermediate School, Nanakuli Intermediate and High School, Aliʻiolani Elementary School, Jarrett Middle School and Kalani High School. His independent school experiences have been at Iolani as Dean of Lower School and currently he is the Head of School at Island Pacific Academy since 2014.
909 Haumea StreetKapolei, HI 96707(808) 674-3523