Aloha kākou. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and is excited about the Fall 2026 semester. Before I begin, I want to (again) congratulate our Spring 2026 MPA and GCERT graduates: Jennifer Kawata, Casey Metrose, Alexandria Sisson, Alex Sosa, Nellie Thompson, and Edwina Tupou. They completed two Capstone projects. The first was with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and Stupski Foundation, titled “A Study of Capacity and Communication within Direct2UH.” The second was with the KEY Project, titled “Unlocking Care for our Kūpuna.” Alexandria Sisson also earned a GCERT in Public Policy and won the Bikle Award. I’m very proud of our students (now PUBA alumni) and excited to see what they will achieve next!
As for personnel, Dr. David Nixon retired after 20 years of service with PUBA, and Dr. Jennifer Kagan departed in July 2026 after 7 years with PUBA. We wish both our former colleagues the best in their future endeavors.
Also for personnel, we welcome two new faculty members. First, Dr. Steve Mumford (Associate Professor) joined the PUBA team in August 2026 after eight years at the University of New Orleans. His research and teaching specializations are in nonprofit management, program evaluation, disaster response and resilience, social equity, and public service education. Next, Dr. Janet Jock (Assistant Professor) also joined the PUBA team in August 2026 after two years at Auburn University. Her research and teaching specializations are in public policy analysis, nonprofit management, international development, social programs, civil society organizations, health, and education. We welcome both our new colleagues to the PUBA ‘ohana!
Finally, the PUBA main office has a new home. After more than 40 years in Saunders Hall, Room 631, we will be relocating to Room 445 by the end of the month. We will have an Open House once we have settled into our new space.
In closing, I look forward to working with the PUBA faculty, staff, and students to ensure we maintain the highest standards in our MPA and GCERT programs. Mahalo!