2025 HEA EDUCATION SUMMIT
Building the Future of Education in Hawaii:
Cultivating Tomorrow’s Teachers and Empowering Today’s Educators
Meeting of the Minds: The HEA Summit provided opportunities for educators to share their challenges and solutions to developing homegrown teachers.
The 2025 Education Summit hosted by the Hawaii Education Association brought together esteemed leaders from the Hawaii’s education community to explore solutions to cultivating the next generation of homegrown educators. The half-day summit was held at YWCA Elizabeth Fuller Hall in downtown Honolulu on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
President Joan Kamila Lewis welcomed a sold-out audience of educators from across the state, including teacher participants from Project Equal Access, along with representatives from state agencies and key stakeholder organizations. The event began with an expert panel titled, “Cultivating Hawaii’s Future Educators:Inspiring High School Students to Become “Home-Grown” Teachers.
Moderated by HEA board member June Motokawa, this session featured leaders dedicated to recruiting and training future educators, including:
- Jonathon Medeiros, Kauai High School, TAAC Club Sponsor
- Tammy Yoon, Pearl City High School, CTE Pathway Teacher
- Felicia Villalobos, Executive Director, Hawaii Teacher Standards Board
- Stephen Schatz, Executive Director, Hawaii P-20
- Dean Nathan Murata, College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Dr. Makalapua Alencastre, Chairperson, Hawaii Charter School Commission
- Osa Tui, Jr., President, Hawaii State Teachers Association
- Dr. Philip Bossert, Executive Director, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools
- Dr. Mary Heller, Chair, School of Education, University of Hawaii–West Oahu
- Dr. Christina Keaulana, Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Leeward Community College
- Dr. Dale Fryxell, Dean, School of Education, Chaminade University of Hawaii
- Dr. Ammon Wilcken, Director, School of Education, Brigham Young University–Hawaii
The second expert panel, titled, “Empowering Educators:How Quality Professional Development Fosters Retention and the Growth of Master Teachers,” was moderated by HEA Vice President Jonathon Medeiros.
This session highlighted the importance of sustained professional growth and retention efforts for educators. The panelists were:
- Joan Lewis, Instructional Coach, Kapolei High School
- Dr. Amber Strong Makaiau: Director of Professional Development, Hanahau‘oli School
- Abey Qureshi, Branch Director of Curriculum and Innovation, Hawaii DOE
- Raymond Rodriguez, Specialist, Office of Talent Management, Hawaii DOE
- Tracey Idica, Specialist, National Board Certification, Hawaii Teacher Standards Board
- Diane Gibson, Specialist for Professional Development, Hawaii State Teachers Association
After a networking lunch that allowed attendees to exchange ideas and discuss strategies for supporting aspiring educators, President Lewis introduced keynote speaker Dr. Carla Warren, Senior Partner at the National Center for Grow Your Own (NCGYO).
Dr. Warren’s extensive experience includes her work with the West Virginia Department of Education, where she developed the Teacher Leader Framework and implemented the WV Grow Your Own Teacher Pathway. Her leadership in creating teacher apprenticeship programs has been instrumental in shaping youth-focused education initiatives across the nation.
The summit concluded with President Lewis delivering a compelling call to action, urging attendees to collaboratively support the development of Hawaii’s “homegrown” educators—beginning with the students in Hawaii’s own high school classrooms.
