Pacific Resources for Education and Learning

Building Capacity Through Education

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Cabinet

PREL is managed by the President and Chief Executive Officer. Reporting to him are the Chief Financial Officer; the Chief Information Officer; the Chief Operations Officer; the Chief Program Officer; the Director of Business Development; the Director of Planning; the Director of Special Initiatives/Human Resources; the Executive Director of the Center for Accountability, Research, and Evaluation; and the Executive Director of the Center for Information, Communications, and Technology. Meeting twice a month, the PREL Cabinet's function is to examine organizational issues and lead the organization.

• Thomas W. Barlow, EdD
• President & Chief Executive Officer
• Dr. Barlow has over 30 years of experience in education and received his EdD in Administration, Curriculum, and Instruction from the University of Nebraska. He started at PREL in 1996 as Chief Operating Officer and was selected to lead the organization in 2003. Dr. Barlow was formerly Director of Curriculum and Instruction Field Services at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning and began his education career as a classroom teacher in public schools.

• Gwen Okamoto, CPA
• Chief Financial Officer
• Ms. Okamoto is responsible for the development, administration, and implementation of financial and budgetary policy for PREL. She joined PREL in 1992 and previously served in the position of Controller of PREL for 15 years. Prior to joining PREL, Ms. Okamoto was an auditor in public accounting and served as controller of a bank. She holds a degree in accounting from the University of Hawai'i and is a Certified Public Accountant.

• Arthur J Garbiso Jr, PMP
• Chief Information Officer
• Mr. Garbiso has over 12 years' experience in information technology as an educator, project manager, technical lead, and administrator. He has been recognized by the mayor of Honolulu and the governor of Hawai'i, through the Pacific Technology Foundation, as one of the top 50 high-tech leaders in Hawai'i. Mr. Garbiso holds a bachelor's degree in Human Development from the University of California San Diego and a graduate certificate in Telecommunications and Information Resource Management from the University of Hawai'i.

• Roger Chesswas, PhD
• Chief Operations Officer
• Dr. Chesswas is responsible for the design and development of multiple complex research programs at PREL. He has worked in the field of educational evaluation for almost 30 years, including 15 years with the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) system. Dr. Chesswas has published numerous educational evaluation reports and studies and presents regularly at the American Evaluation Association and American Educational Research Association annual meetings. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Durham, England, and a PhD in Comparative Education from the University of Chicago.

• Paul Dumas, MEd
• Chief Program Officer
• Mr. Dumas oversees the CLT, which offers high-quality programs and services designed to assist education professionals and communities create conditions in which all learners can succeed and develop the knowledge and skills necessary to lead productive, healthy lives. He holds an MEd in Curriculum and Instruction and has worked in the Pacific for over 30 years. Mr. Dumas has held a variety of positions during his 13 years at PREL, including Director of the Pacific Mathematics and Science Regional Consortium and Director of the Pacific Comprehensive Assistance Center.

• Robert W. Allen, PhD
• Director of Business Development
• Dr. Allen is responsible for identifying sources of support and developing new institutional partnerships. He oversees the preparation and submission of grant proposals to government agencies, foundations, and the private sector. Dr. Allen has been a member of the PREL staff since 1994 and received his PhD in History from Cambridge University. Prior to joining PREL, Dr. Allen directed the World Tourism Training and Development Center, and he has managed a variety of vocational education programs.

• Ormond Hammond, PhD
• Director of Planning
• Dr. Hammond facilitates the development and evaluation of PREL's Strategic Plan. He has over 20 years of experience in planning, designing, and delivering research and program evaluation services with extensive background in the educational needs of Native Hawaiians. Dr. Hammond received his BA in Social Relations from Harvard University and his MA and PhD in Psychology from the University of Hawaii.

• Kim T. Gould, SPHR
• Director of Special Initiatives/Human Resources
• Ms. Gould supports PREL's work through business development and management of several key initiatives in the Executive Office. Ms. Gould holds an MBA and did postgraduate work at the Cornell School of Industrial Relations. She is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has more than 20 years of experience in HR and business operations, with 13 of those in the international arena.

• Scott Keir, PhD
• Executive Director, Center for Accountability, Research, and Evaluation (CARE)
• As Executive Director of CARE, Dr. Keir is responsible for overseeing the progress of five program centers under CARE, including the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL), Pacific Assessment Systems and Services (PASS), JUMP into Reading for Meaning, Evaluation Training, and External Evaluations. Dr. Keir has 20 years of experience in planning, designing, and delivering research and program evaluation services, including the areas of education, health, mental health, and criminal justice. Dr. Keir received his BA and MA in Sociology from the University of South Carolina at Columbia and his PhD in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin.

• Jackie Burniske, MA
• Executive Director, Center for Information, Communications, and Technology (CICT)
• Ms. Burniske oversees the CICT, which focuses on website development and design, distance and online learning, multimedia production, writing and editing, print production, library and information science, and educational outreach. Ms. Burniske joined PREL in 2002 as Professional Development Team Leader for the Regional Educational Laboratory. She has over 25 years of experience in domestic and international education and technical assistance. Ms. Burniske received her BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her MA in Curriculum and Teaching from Michigan State University.

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