Staff
Professional Staff
Support Staff
Interns & Student Staff
Professional Staff
Principal Investigator
Dr. David McClain, acting president, and vice president for
academic
affairs of the University of Hawaii System, became the Center’s
principal investigator as of January 1, 2004. Dr. McClain was
named
acting president by the Board of Regents on June 15, 2004.
The
president is chief executive officer of the UH System, providing
leadership and vision for a higher education institution of
career and
technical through postdoctoral learning.
He previously served as dean of the College of Business at
UH Manoa and the First Hawaiian Bank Distinguished Professor
of Leadership and Management, positions he held since 2000.
He first joined the Manoa campus in 1991 as the Henry A. Walker,
Jr. Distinguished Professor of Business Enterprise and Professor
of Financial Economics and Institutions. A director of ML Resources
and First Insurance, he chairs the board of Hawai‘i Literacy
and serves on a number of other nonprofit boards in Hawai‘i.
He is a member of the National Business and Economic Issues
Council and a past member of the Business Accreditation Committee
for AACSB International, the professional accrediting organization
for business schools worldwide.
After receiving a BA in economics and mathematics from the
University of Kansas, McClain joined the U.S. Army, completing
his service as a first lieutenant in Vietnam. He earned a PhD
in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and taught at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and at
Universidad Gabriela Mistral in Santiago, Chile. He has been
a visiting scholar at Keio and Meiji Universities, and is on
the board of advisors for Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
in Japan. He was a tenured faculty member and department chair
at Boston University and founding director of the Management
Development Program – Japan. He also served as senior
staff economist, Council of Economic Advisors to President
Jimmy Carter and head of global economic information services
for Data Resources, Inc.
McClain has headed the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Business
Management Network and is a former director of the National
Association for Business Economics and of Babson-United, a
privately held financial services firm. He is the author of
Apocalypse on Wall Street, published by Dow-Jones/Irwin; numerous
scholarly articles and several hundred columns on economic
issues. He is married to Wendie McClain; they have three children
and two granddaughters [ top ].
Director
Papali`i Dr. Failautusi Avegalio, Jr.
was appointed director of the Pacific Business Center Program
in November 2000. Dr.
Avegalio, previously adjunct professor of management and industrial
relations in the College of Business Administration at the
University of Hawaii, has over 25 years experience in teaching,
managing and consulting in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.
Dr. Avegalio taught in the CBA’s management department
from 1989 to 1992, before resigning to serve as president of
American Samoa Community College from 1993 to 1997. He then
was a research fellow at the East West Center in 1998, before
returning to CBA to teach in 1999. Dr. Avegalio has taught
courses in cross-cultural management, total quality management,
and American management principles for the University of Portland,
Hawaii Pacific University, and the Japan-America Institute
for Management Sciences. He has served as executive director
for the Consortium of Pacific Education to prepare a network
of sub-regional institutions of higher learning for distance
education and other information technology applications. He
also previously was a teacher and administrator in American
Samoa public education system. Dr. Avegalio has a BS in Education
and a BA in social sciences from Emporia State University in
Kansas, an MA from Truman State University in Missouri, and
a doctorate in educational administration from Brigham Young
University in Provo, Utah. He is a Polynesian alii and holds
the traditional title of “Papali'i” from Savaii,
Samoa [ top ].
Senior Business Development Manager
David M. Gillespie, hired in December
2000, is responsible for directly providng PBCP services to
its clients. As a senior
business development manager, Mr. Gillespie travels regularly
to the Territory of Guam, the Republic of Palau, and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands. One of his primary responsibilities
is to facilitate and create opportunities for business development,
by linking University of Hawaii resources and technical expertise
with government agencies and with individuals starting up or
expanding businesses. Mr. Gillespie also oversees the center’s
fiscal operations and the fiscal management of the center’s
client projects. He has an MBA from the University of Hawaii,
has taught many business courses at colleges in Hawaii, and
has held senior fiscal management positions in Hawaii’s
leading utility companies. Prior to working at PBCP, he was
a business consultant and entrepreneur for over ten years [
top ].
Dr. C.L. Cheshire has been with
the Center since 1996, five as a business development specialist
and since February 2001,
as a senior business development manager. Dr. Cheshire serves
clients in the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Kosrae,
Pohnpei and Yap). He travels regularly to these islands to
create opportunities for business development by linking University
of Hawaii resources and technical expertise with government
agencies and with individuals starting up or expanding their
businesses. After spending over a year soliciting support from
Pacific Island governments for a regional sportfishing market
development initiative, Dr. Cheshire successfully applied for
a $55,000 Office of Insular Affairs grant and is currently
managing the implementation of the grant. Dr. Cheshire has
a doctorate in English and is currently completing an MBA through
the University of Hawaii. He previously managed the University
of Alaska’s Economic Development Center in southeast
Alaska [ top ].
Institutional Resource Manager/Business Development Specialist
Michelle Clark was appointed the Center’s institutional
resource manager/business development specialist in March 2001.
Ms. Clark assists the Center director Dr. Tusi Avegalio with
clients in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, American Samoa
and Hawaii. She also manages the pool of graduate students
and volunteers working for the center, who are assigned to
different projects and clients, depending on their expertise
and interests. She also assists in recruiting and coordinating
faculty and staff resources in the UH system and at other universities
and colleges in the Pacific islands.
Ms. Clark has worked at PBCP since February 1999 as a graduate research assistant
and as a business development support specialist. She previously worked for
the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Japan Travel Bureau in Vancouver, Canada and
Hawaii. She has also taught English in Fukuoka, Japan as part of Japanese government’s
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. She has a BBA in travel industry management
and an MBA from the University of Hawaii [ top ].
Research & Administrative Specialist
Dorothy Chen was appointed the Center’s
research & administrative
specialist in May 2001. In addition to providing primary administrative/fiscal
support to the PBCP, Ms. Chen is responsible for the day-to-day
management of PBCP’s research and administration. She
also oversees PBCP’s PR and Media function and works
closely with the IRS/BDS in representing the Center to other
Hawaii-based organizations to collaborate in delivering economic
development services. Ms. Chen has worked previously as a manager
at Apple Computer, Inc. in California and is co-owner of a
home-based Macintosh computer consulting business in Honolulu.
She has a BA in psychology from the University of California
at Santa Cruz and an MBA from San Jose State University [ top ].
Business Development Specialist
In September 2002, after the successful completion of her
Masters in Business Administration from the University of Hawaii, Sharon
Osengko Sakuma was promoted from graduate research
assistant to business development support specialist. Sharon
now works at the Center full time on projects in all of Center’s
service areas.
Sharon has been instrumental in the completion of numerous
projects at the Center, including the Rongelap Atoll Resettlement
Plan and the Rongelap Atoll Tourism Development Plan, as well
as a number of business plans for small businesses in Hawaii.
Sharon, who is from Palau, started at the Center in February
2001 as a graduate research assistant. She previously worked
at the Palau Visitors Authority as a marketing assistant, researcher,
and on special projects. In addition to her MBA from the University
of Hawaii, she also holds a BBA in management and international
business from the University of Guam [ top ].
Support Staff
Business Development Support Specialists
In May 2003, Monisha Basnet, a then
East West Center grantee studying for her MBA, began her
volunteer service at the Center
to satisfy the EWC’s community service requirement.
As a recipient of a full two-year scholarship, Monisha focused
a majority of her course work on international business.
In
August 2003, Monisha graduated with her MBA and in September
accepted a position as a part-time business analyst at the
Center, and in February 2004 moved into a business development
support specialist position.
Monisha participated in the East West Center’s Asia
Pacific Leadership Program that concluded in January 2004.
According to the East West Center, “the program’s
graduates will leave the Center with a broad regional perspective,
knowledgeable about the societies and issues of the region,
and trained to exercise leadership and promote cooperation.
It is expected that graduates will seek or return to positions
in business, government, and non-governmental organizations
and universities.”
Monisha, who is from Nepal, received her bachelor’s
degree in electronics and communications engineering in 1995
from St. Louis University in Baguio City, Philippines. During
her student years in the Philippines, Monisha was the recipient
of the Presidential Award as “One of the Three Most Outstanding
International Students in the Philippines for the Year 1994”.
Monisha’s past jobs include working as a computer teacher
at the Modern Indian School in Kathmandu, Nepal, working as
a project manager and information specialist for Nepal Internet
Users Group, and serving as a student assistant with the East
West Center collecting, collating, and analyzing materials
for research projects.
In her free time, Monisha enjoys cooking, swimming, and photography
[ top ].
In April 2003, David Brice joined
the Center as a temporary project analyst, and then moved into
a part-time position as business analyst in September 2003.
David is a Ph.D. candidate in international management strategy
with a minor in cultural dimensions at the University of Hawaii.
He already holds a bachelor’s degree and MBA in international
business, both from the University of Hawaii.
In his academic career, David has completed a number of teaching
and research assistantships at the University of Hawaii’s
College of Business Administration. More recently, he served
as an instructor at the University of Pecs in Hungary. David
has also coauthored a couple of published articles and serves
as an ad hoc journal reviewer for academic journals.
David’s past jobs include serving as a market analyst
for Xerox Corporation and the publication/database manager
of UC Santa Barbara’s Economic Forecast Project. David
currently continues to serve as a management consultant for
GEBCO Hawaii, Inc.
In his free time, David enjoys traveling and scuba diving.
He has traveled extensively in Asia, Eastern and Western Europe,
and the Caribbean [ top ].
Business Analyst
In June 2002, the Center welcomed graduate research assistant
Monique Wedderburn, and in January 2004 upon the successful
completion of her MBA hired Monique as a temporary business
analyst. Monique enrolled in the University of Hawaii MBA program
in August 2001, where she concentrated in international business,
with a focus on international development. “Because of
my father’s work, I grew up living in several developing
countries. I became interested in international development
and in working for an organization like PBCP, which fosters
economic development,” said Monique. In addition to her
MBA studies, Monique was also enrolled in the Non-Profit Management
Certificate Program at Kapiolani Community College, which she
completed in October 2003. Monique also served as president
of the University of Hawaii’s Net Impact Chapter.
Monique calls St. Phillips, Barbados (in the Caribbean), and
Belize City, Belize (Central America) her home. Monique spent
her childhood summers in both countries, but most of her formative
years were spent in developing countries around the world,
where her father was assigned as an agricultural specialist
for the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. This
non-governmental organization, better known as CIMMYT (its
acronym in Spanish), “conducts research on maize (corn)
and wheat to help people overcome hunger and poverty, and to
grow crops without harming the environment,” according
to its website (www.cimmyt.cgiar.org/).
“I grew up in Mexico, Zaire, Islamabad, and Bangkok.
I have also had the opportunity to travel to France, England,
Turkey, Zimbabwe and many other places,” said Monique.
After graduating from the International School of Bangkok,
Bangkok, Thailand, Monique attended Colorado State University
in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she graduated with a degree
in business administration, with a concentration in human resource
management.
Following graduation, Monique worked in Colorado as the office
manager for a startup company that designed athletic apparel
for Reebok, and later for the Colorado National Bank, as administrative
assistant of agricultural loans and other bank reports. She
then moved to Florida, where she worked most recently as a
personnel representative, career development coordinator and
management analyst at the University of Florida, Gainesville,
Florida.
Between studying, working, and caring for her seven-year old
daughter and her two-year old son, Monique enjoys reading,
traveling, scuba diving and fishing [ top ].
In May 2003, Phan Sirivattha joined the Center as a graduate
research assistant, and in January 2004 upon the successful
completion of his MBA was hired as a temporary project analyst.
During his MBA years, Phan was active in Net Impact, a graduate
student organization dedicated to promoting socially responsible
business practices. In addition to working at the Center, Phan
keeps himself busy studying for a Master of Science in Information
Systems at Hawaii Pacific University which he will complete
in the summer of 2004.
Phan, who was raised in Hawaii, graduated from the University
of Hawaii in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in Liberal
Studies in Health Sciences. His past experience in conducting
research and compiling reports for various State of Hawaii
projects, combined with his background in budgeting and finance,
will be instrumental to the Center. In addition, his skills
in website design and development are being utilized to both
update the Center’s website and develop a website for
one of the Center’s projects. Phan’s interest in
combining business concepts and technological skills lends
itself to an interest in consulting that fueled his desire
to work at the Center [ top ].
Interns & Student Staff
Graduate Research Assistant
Aneta Gorczowska joined the Center in September 2003 as a
graduate research assistant. She is currently enrolled in the
Master of Business Administration program at the University
of Hawaii, where she is concentrating in international finance
in general, and investment management, analysis and financial
market development in particular. Upon the enrollment into
the program, Aneta was awarded the Fish Scholarship for Excellence,
CBA’s largest merit scholarship program which recognizes
students for outstanding academic achievement. Aside from the
financial assistance, participation in the activities of the
cohort of Fish Scholars enables her to engage in numerous community
service projects.
Aneta, who is from Poland, graduated with honors from the
University of Economics in Poznan, Poland, in 2001 with a bachelor’s
degree in Finance and major in capital investment and corporate
financial strategies. Her extended interests in financial markets
resulted in a few publications on the applications of various
financial instruments in the developing markets and structural
changes faced by Eastern Europe companies in the process of
adaptation to free market conditions.
In her professional career, Aneta served as a financial analyst
in one of the largest Polish auditing companies, a Junior Auditor
in Ernst & Young Poland, a supervisor in a Finance Department
of Harrah’s Casino & Resort in Lake Tahoe, Nevada,
and a Research Assistant in a Tahoe branch of Morgan Stanley.
Her extensive professional experiences provided her with working
knowledge of many issues regarding investments, finance and
banking, as well as financial and market research methodology.
Aneta plans on pursuing a career in financial analysis and
research pertaining to the developing Eastern European markets.
Work at the Pacific Business Center Program will give her an
opportunity to utilize and broaden her knowledge of economic
development in geographically and culturally distinct regions
of the world.
In her free time, Aneta enjoys origami, lessons of foreign
languages (she speaks English, Russian and German and works
on Spanish and Japanese), biking and hiking. Her passion for
snowboarding and wakeboarding has been replaced by the efforts
to become a decent surfer [ top ]. Student Assistant
Melissa Kramer, who worked as a student aide for the Center
from March 2001 until December 2002, returned to the Center
in August 2003 after taking some time off to care for her son.
A native of Majuro in the Marshall Islands, Melissa attended
high school in Honolulu and a semester at the College of the
Marshall Islands in Majuro, before returning to Hawaii to attend
UH in January 2000, where she is working towards a bachelor’s
degree in business. She previously worked as a sales assistant
and clerk at an export-import firm and at a travel agency in
Majuro [ top ].
In January 2004, Noelle Wenty started working for the Pacific
Business Center Program as a student aide. She attended Palau Mission Academy high school in Palau and
during those four years worked as an Office Assistant at her
father’s law firm in Koror and as a management aide at
her grandparents’ motel in Peleliu in the summers. Noelle
enrolled at UH on August 2003 and is majoring in Pre-Med (general).
In addition to her interest in the field of medicine, she is
also fond of environmental and tourism issues.
In her spare time, she enjoy watching movies, hanging out
with friends, and sleeping [ top ]. |
