5 Finalists Identified in Search for New Maui Chancellor

UHMC Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto. File photo courtesy UHMC.

By Maui Now Staff

Five individuals have been identified as finalists being considered to fill the upcoming vacancy being created by University of Hawai‘i Maui College Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto, who plans to retire at the end of October after 41 years of service.

The list of finalists includes: Lui K. Hokoana; Ricardo Maestas; Jonathon McKee; Michael B. Reiner; and Jeffery Thomas.

A Chancellor Search Advisory Committee announced the finalists on Wednesday afternoon, and has invited them to participate in a final round of interviews.

The committee has also scheduled an open forum in which the public can meet the candidates on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014, at the UH Maui College campus, Kaʻaʻike building, room 105 A and B.

The presentation schedule on Sept. 18, includes discussion with each candidate at the following times: 10 to 11 a.m. – Michael Reiner; 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. – Ricardo Maestas; 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Jeffery Thomas; 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. – Lui Hokoana; and 3 to 4 p.m. – Jonathon McKee.

The open forums will also be broadcast via polycom to the following remote sites: Hāna Education Center, Partition Room; Lahaina Education Center, Room 104; Lānaʻi Education Center, Room 106; and Molokaʻi Education Center, Room 103.

The University of Hawai‘i Maui College provided the following background information on each candidate:

Lui K. Hokoana, UH courtesy file photo.

Lui K. Hokoana: started his higher education career at the University of Hawai‘i in 1991 and currently serves as the vice chancellor for student affairs at UH West O‘ahu since 2013.  He also served as associate vice president for student affairs for the UH System and vice chancellor of student affairs at Windward Community College. Hokoana has secured more than $20 million in county, state, federal, and private funds to support various UH systemwide initiatives that have contributed to unprecedented enrollment growth, financial aid access, service to underrepresented groups, and overall student success. He earned a doctorate of education degree from the University of Southern California and received a master’s degree in communications from the UH Mānoa and bachelor’s degree in political science from the UH Hilo.

Ricardo Maestas: is currently special assistant to the chancellor of the Texas State University System. Previously, he served as president of Sul Ross State University, Texas for four years. He has served as vice president for student and university advancement and dean of students at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Maestas has 35 years of higher education experience as a faculty member and an administrator, and an extensive record of accomplishment in fundraising, including grant, contract, and private resource development.  He also has a number of publications and research presentations to his credit. Maestas earned a doctorate degree from the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and received a master’s degree in teaching and bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Spanish, both from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

John McKee, Ed.D., Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Photo file courtesy of UHMC.

Jonathon McKee: is currently the vice chancellor of academic affairs since 2010 and served as assistant dean of instruction, both at UH Maui College. His accomplishments at UH Maui College include leading the college successfully through re-accreditation and supporting the establishment of a systemwide associate of arts degree program in Hawaiian Studies. Previously, he served as division dean for science and computer technology at Portland Community College, dean of business and technology at Clark College and held leadership positions at other colleges in Oregon, as well as at the Alaska Pacific University. He was co-director of the Washington State University Engineering and Science Institute. McKee founded the successful Alaska Model United Nations program for Alaskan high school and university students. McKee holds a doctorate of education in community college leadership from Oregon State University; and received his master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in social science, both from Alaska Pacific University.

Michael B. Reiner: currently serves as university fellow in the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost at the City University of New York. Previously, he was provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at CUNY’s Queensborough Community College. He has been an administrator at community colleges in Florida at Miami Dade College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Florida Southwestern State College, and Santa Fe Community College. Reiner is described as an innovative leader in higher education with experience in strategic planning, budgeting, outcomes assessment, accreditation, liberal arts education, workforce development, psychology and cognitive science, design of learning spaces and learning commons, international education, prior learning assessment, and promoting educational opportunities for veterans. Reiner holds a doctorate in child psychology from the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota; and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Haverford College, Pennsylvania.

Jeffery Thomas: was formerly dean of academic and student affairs at the Miami Dade College Homestead Campus since 2008 until 2014. He became the chair of social and behavioral sciences at Northland Pioneer College in Holbrook, Ariz. Thomas worked to ensure that the campus programming met community needs. He worked extensively with Hopi, Navajo, and White Mountain Apache tribes to develop culturally appropriate programming, including a heritage preservation program. Thomas served as dean of academic affairs at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls, Minn. He brought a nursing program to the White Earth Indian Reservation and identified a major donor to develop a campus at a rural offsite location. Thomas holds a doctorate in history from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas; and earned a master’s degree in US History from the University of Texas at Austin and bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Eckerd College in St Petersburg, Fla.