This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from the Office of Communications.

A Hawaiian Monk seal and her pup play in the shallow water. These photos were taken at a distance, and UH News wants to remind everyone to respect our wildlife by giving them the space to thrive.

Previous Images
Chainsaw ice
Dundee under a Kīlauea sun
Championship trophy tour
Time flies
Shakas up!
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

Manakuke

—Mongoose.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Ua holo ka Manakuke ma luna o ke alanui (The Manakuke ran across the road).”

—Noel Mendoza, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Two University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo baseball student-athletes have been named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, recognizing their combined success in academics and athletics.

Junior communication majors Noah Darnell of Phoenix, Arizona, and Hunter Gatti of Riverton, Utah, earned the honor for the 2026 season.

The CSC Academic All-District program recognizes student-athletes who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher while making significant contributions to their team’s success during the season.

Academic All-District honorees advance to the national CSC Academic All-America ballot, where student-athletes are considered for additional recognition based on their academic and athletic achievements.

For more information, visit the UH Hilo Athletics website.

Students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo agriculture college have started a medicinal garden on campus as an integral part of several sustainable gardens used as hands-on labs. The goal is to explore the medicinal plants of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region through the involvement of agriculture students, the university community and several community groups.

Led by Norman Arancon, professor of horticulture and the college’s director, the Medicinal Garden builds on years of hands-on learning in which students in his sustainable agriculture course have managed campus garden plots using sustainable growing practices.

“Our students [are] learning how to propagate and identify if some of our plants have some medical constituent compositions,” said Arancon. “It’s exciting. The students are not just learning from us. We also get some planting materials from the community and insights on what we can grow that they think will be to them.”

Lavender, thyme and learning

Arancon’s sustainable agriculture class (AG 230) developed three plots in the garden with medicinal plants such as thyme, ginger, tobacco, turmeric and lavender. Students in a weed science course (HORT 481) were challenged to identify plants commonly considered weeds and research their potential medicinal value.

As a culminating project, students transformed common weeds into medicinal products, including a tea made from invasive honohono grass traditionally used to support respiratory health.

Community and collaboration

The medicinal garden is a collaborative effort involving the agriculture college, Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy and Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.

Pharmacy students examine the plants’ medicinal compounds, while the Hawaiian language college brings in community healers to share traditional knowledge of local and native plants.

“We hope healers from the community can also provide seminars on how to use the plants properly and prepare them for use at home,” Arancon said. “I’d love for more classes to be involved with the project in the future, such as introductory courses on horticulture or animal science, to learn about health benefits for farm animals or pets.”

—by Samantha Dane

For more go to UH Hilo Stories.

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from Kauaʻi CC marketing staff member Caitlin Fowlkes.

Fowlkes shared: “Kauaʻi Community College culinary students learn how to carve ice sculptures.”

Previous Images
Dundee under a Kīlauea sun
Championship trophy tour
Time flies
Shakas up!
Got rice?
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

Koholā

—Humpback whale, forcing up the water like waves hitting a reef, reef flats.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“E ola i ke kai ma ka leo o nā koholā (The sea is alive with the voices of the humpback whales).”

—Hunter Landt, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Gov. Josh Green appointed University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa undergraduate student Eric Pōmaikaʻi Gee to the UH Board of Regents (BOR), subject to confirmation by the Hawaiʻi State Senate. Gee replaces Regent and William S. Richardson School of Law JD candidate Joshua Faumuina, whose term ends in June 2026. If confirmed, Gee will serve a two-year term beginning on July 1, 2026.

“I’m honored to serve University of Hawaiʻi students from all islands and campuses, and I look forward to ensuring their voices are heard while working alongside the Board of Regents,” Gee said. “I’ve always been passionate about youth empowerment, and I hope to further that work through my role as the new student member of the Board of Regents.”

An Honors student at UH Mānoa, Gee is pursuing an international business and finance double major from the Shidler College of Business, with a minor in political science from the College of Social Sciences. Born and raised in South Kohala on Hawaiʻi Island, he graduated as valedictorian from Kealakehe High School in 2024.

Gee has held leadership roles at both the county and state levels, serving as inaugural chairperson of the County of Hawaiʻi Youth Commission and as a treasurer of the Hawaiʻi State Youth Commission, where he helped develop youth policy and advised government leaders. His experience also includes work on sustainability and education initiatives with Hawaiʻi Green Growth and cultural programming through Traditions Hawaiʻi.

As a Villars Institute Fellow, Gee participated in a 2025 expedition to Antarctica as the only American selected for the international mission led by polar explorer Robert Swan. During the expedition, he joined scientists, educators and young leaders in research activities and live educational broadcasts with classrooms around the world, promoting climate stewardship and raising awareness about the importance of protecting Antarctica. He also was selected for the World Affairs Councils of America Student Scholars Program and appeared in the PBS documentary series “Rethinking Higher Ed.”

• Related UH News story: Antarctica to Mānoa: UH student joins global effort to protect a fragile continent, December 16, 2025

The BOR is responsible for overseeing the 10-campus UH system, including policy direction, financial oversight and long-term strategic planning. The BOR is the governing body of UH and consists of 11 non-compensated volunteer members. Representation includes five from the City and County of Honolulu; two from Hawaiʻi County; two from Maui County; one from Kauaʻi County and one UH student.

Five University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo softball student-athletes have been named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, recognizing their combined academic and athletic success.

The honorees are sophomore accounting major Mariah Antoque, senior business administration-management major Madi Lee, junior accounting major Keʻalohi Markham, sophomore-redshirt communication major Janessa Santos and senior business administration-finance major Lexie Tilton.

The CSC Academic All-District program honors student-athletes who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher while making significant contributions to their teams during the season.

For more information, visit the UH Hilo athletics website.

The University of Hawaiʻi is set to play a pivotal role in a new national effort to strengthen America’s seafood supply and expand sustainable aquaculture. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the creation of the Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM).

Funded by an initial $13.5 million investment for its first year, this five-year cooperative institute aims to harness partnerships with researchers to unlock the potential of U.S. marine aquaculture. The University of New Hampshire will serve as the host institution, with UH participating as one of five core consortium members in this competitive national program.

The UH research team is being led by Associate Professor Chatham Callan out of the UH Hilo Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC). Callan is joined by co-investigators Professor Maria Haws of PACRC, Associate Research Professor Erik Franklin of the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at UH Mānoa, and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Associate Director for Extension Darren Okimoto and several other UH Faculty partners.

“Being selected as a core member of CIFARM is a testament to the decades of world-class aquaculture research happening right here in Hawaiʻi,” said Callan. “Through our partnerships with Native Hawaiian communities, we draw on a tradition of ocean stewardship and fishpond engineering that stretches back centuries. Our UH team is excited to bring that unique Pacific perspective and expertise to the national stage. By focusing on cutting-edge tech, environmental forecasting, and real-world marine demonstration projects, we are actively building the blueprint for a more resilient, self-sufficient seafood industry.”

$24B in imported seafood annually

CIFARM‘s core mission is to solve real-world challenges affecting seafood producers and consumers while reducing the nation’s reliance on imported seafood. Currently, Americans consume more than $24 billion in imported seafood annually, with approximately half estimated to be farmed overseas. By advancing domestic aquaculture, CIFARM aims to bolster national food security, create jobs and uplift coastal economies in complement to wild-capture fisheries.

The UH team will contribute to a broad range of research priorities. CIFARM researchers will investigate scientific solutions that can be leveraged for industry advancement. Key focus areas include engineering and technology development, artificial intelligence for aquaculture, environmental observations and forecasting, and marine aquaculture demonstration projects. The consortium will also conduct critical risk management, vulnerability analyses and seafood market research. The Hawaii team will also partner with USAPI researchers, including University of Guam Sea Grant and the Marine & Environmental Research Institute in FSM to extend CIFARM’s reach throughout the Pacific.

“This partnership underscores the University of Hawaiʻi’s vital role in advancing sustainable aquaculture systems that directly impact our global food supply,” said Norman Arancon, director of the UH Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management. “We have always championed practical, impactful science. Through CIFARM, our researchers and students will be at the forefront of a $13.5 million national effort, utilizing Hawaiʻi’s unique seascape to drive economic growth, bolster food security, and train the next generation of leaders in sustainable marine aquaculture.”

Hawaiʻi is uniquely positioned for this work. The state is already home to Blue Ocean Mariculture in Kona, currently the only offshore fish farm in the U.S., providing a vital real-world connection to the consortium’s demonstration and commercialization goals.

In addition to University of New Hampshire and UH, the network includes Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, New Hampshire Sea Grant, the University of Miami, Florida Sea Grant, the University of Southern Mississippi, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute and California Sea Grant.

A data scientist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo has launched a year-long project to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can help scientists, students, emergency managers, and the public better understand natural hazards such as volcanic activity, wildfires, tsunamis, and other disasters. The main idea of the project, named VULCAN-AI, is to use AI as a support tool for hazard intelligence and public communication.

“During a disaster, there is often a huge amount of information coming in at once: live camera feeds, satellite images, sensor readings, weather data, maps and scientific reports,” said Sukhwa Hong, UH Hilo associate professor of data science and business administration who specializes in AI for business analytics. “VULCAN-AI is designed to help organize that information and turn it into clear, plain-language summaries that people can understand.”

With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot throughout the next year, Hong plans to build and test the AI-agent system using live Hawaiʻi Island volcano feeds, environmental data, and example volcanic and wildfire scenarios.

He emphasizes that the goal of the project is not to replace scientists or official emergency alerts. Instead, the goal is to show how AI can responsibly support human experts by helping detect changes, organize information, and explain what is happening more clearly to the public.

“What excites me most is that this project shows a positive use of AI,” said Hong. “AI is often discussed as a threat, but when used carefully and responsibly, it can help communities, support science, improve emergency communication, respect local knowledge, and give students hands-on experience with technology that serves the public good.”

He plans to hire UH Hilo students through NSF’s Change Hawaiʻi undergraduate research program to work with him on AI testing, live-feed monitoring, data preparation, visualization and public communication.

For more go to UH Hilo Stories.

—By Susan Enright, UH Hilo Stories

Research that began with a University of Hawaiʻi telescope is now leading to a historic milestone in space exploration. This July, China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft is expected to begin its encounter with Kamoʻoalewa, a small near-Earth asteroid discovered by astronomers at the UH Institute for Astronomy (IfA) on Haleakalā and the first Hawaiian-named object ever visited by a spacecraft.

The mission connects years of IfA-led research with an international effort to better understand the object, which scientists believe may be a fragment of the Moon. Kamoʻoalewa was first detected in 2016 by the IfA-operated Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System telescope atop Haleakalā.

“This is a remarkable moment for planetary science,” said Doug Simons, director of IfA. “A target first identified through observations from Hawaiʻi is now being visited by a spacecraft, opening the door to discoveries that simply cannot be made from Earth alone. The mission has the potential to reveal how Kamoʻoalewa formed and whether it truly originated from the Moon.”

In 2021, a team led by UH researchers published findings suggesting Kamoʻoalewa may have come from the Moon. Tianwen-2 is expected to arrive at the asteroid in summer 2026. The spacecraft will study the object up close as part of a mission that aims to collect samples and return them to Earth.

Inspired by Kumulipo

In 2019, the asteroid received its Hawaiian name through A Hua He Inoa, a program based at the UH Hilo ʻImiloa Astronomy Center where Hawaiian speaking students and educators work with Hawaiʻi-based astronomers to create names in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) for objects discovered by Hawaiʻi-based observatories. The initiative is a collaboration among ʻImiloa, UH Hilo’s Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, IfA and community members.

In ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, Kamoʻoalewa alludes to a celestial object that is oscillating, like its path in the sky as viewed from the Earth. It is a name found in the Hawaiian chant Kumulipo.

“To see a spacecraft travel to an object carrying a Hawaiian name is a reminder that careful observation of the natural world and the pursuit of knowledge have always been central to ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge),” said Kaʻiu Kimura, executive director of ʻImiloa Astronomy Center. “The students who proposed the name Kamoʻoalewa thoughtfully considered the possibility that this object was a moʻo—an offspring traveling in orbit within our solar system. It is remarkable to see emerging scientific theory lend support to the insight embodied in their naming. This moment highlights the enduring relevance of Hawaiian ways of knowing as we continue to explore and deepen our understanding of the universe.”

As Tianwen-2 approaches its destination, the mission also shines a light on Hawaiʻi’s continued role in planetary exploration. Hawaiʻi observatories help discover, track and study asteroids, comets and other objects moving through the solar system.

This message was shared with the students, faculty and staff of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi system on June 5, 2026.

Aloha University of Hawaiʻi ʻohana,

I am pleased to share that the University of Hawaiʻi has officially welcomed three outstanding individuals to our senior leadership team following recent Board of Regents action and appointments. Each brings deep experience, a strong commitment to our mission and an exciting vision for helping move our 10-campus system forward.

Please join me in welcoming:

Vassilis Syrmos

Vassilis Syrmos, who was unanimously approved by the Board of Regents as the next chancellor of UH Mānoa. A dedicated member of the UH community for 35 years, Vassilis brings deep institutional knowledge and strong leadership experience as he leads our flagship campus into its next chapter.

Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua

Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua, who was appointed interim director of the System Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao and UH Mānoa Native Hawaiian Place of Learning Advancement Office. Noe brings extensive experience in education, governance and community engagement and will help continue advancing our work as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning.

Brad Christ

Brad Christ, who officially assumed the role of vice president for information technology and chief information officer. Brad has played a key role in strengthening technology, cybersecurity and digital transformation efforts across UH and will help guide the university’s continued modernization efforts. Read more.

I am thrilled to welcome Vassilis, Noe and Brad to our leadership team. I know each will help take our university to the next level in their respective areas and strengthen the important work happening across all 10 campuses.

Please join me in congratulating and warmly welcoming them to these important roles.

With aloha,
Wendy Hensel
UH President

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo men’s golf team earned six All-Pacific West Conference selections following another championship season, with seniors Dylan Bercan and Ben Crinella also receiving Golf Coaches Association of America PING West All-Region honors.

The Vulcans captured their fourth consecutive PacWest Conference Championship in April in Las Vegas. Bercan successfully defended his individual title at 8-under par, becoming the first two-time conference champion in program history. He was also named PacWest Player of the Year.

Head coach Earl Tamiya earned PacWest Coach of the Year honors for the fourth straight season.

All-PacWest selections are based on year-end rankings. Joining Bercan on the conference teams were Crinella (First Team), Jacob Torres (Second Team), Dysen Park (Second Team), Katsuhiro Yamashita (Third Team) and Jordan Sato (Third Team).

Bercan and Crinella also earned PING West All-Region recognition after finishing among the top 20 individuals at the NCAA South Central/West Regional in Stockton, California.

For more information, visit the UH Hilo Athletics website.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo has named Elliott Cribby as the next head coach of the Vulcan baseball program, Director of Athletics Patrick Guillen announced on June 3.

Cribby brings more than a decade of NCAA Division I coaching experience, having served in coaching and recruiting roles at Abilene Christian, Seattle, Purdue, Washington, Pacific and Central Washington. Most recently, he coached at Eastlake High School in Washington and led the DubSea Fish Sticks summer collegiate team.

“We are ecstatic to be adding someone of Elliott’s caliber to our program.” Guillen said. “He has played and coached at the highest levels of collegiate athletics and has a proven track record of player recruitment and development.”

Cribby said he is honored to join the UH Hilo ʻohana and looks forward to building on the program’s tradition of success.

Throughout his coaching career, Cribby has helped recruit and develop 58 Major League Baseball draft picks, including Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, Miami Marlins pitcher Janson Junk and Hawaiʻi native Aiva Arquette.

Cribby becomes the fourth head coach in program history and succeeds interim head coach Garett Yukumoto.

For more information, visit the UH Hilo Athletics website.

The University of Hawaiʻi has officially posted the job description for a highly anticipated, newly created position: the associate vice president (AVP) for workforce development. Serving as the primary architect for a cohesive workforce strategy across all 10 UH campuses, this leader will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between academia and industry to meet the pressing labor needs of the State of Hawaiʻi.

The establishment of this position is a major priority for UH President Wendy Hensel. During her inaugural systemwide address, Hensel stressed the need to move at the “speed of business” and create one centralized place for industry partners to engage with UH.

“We must build an integrated ecosystem with employers that brings them into our curriculum and into the classroom,” Hensel said. “This new associate vice president for workforce development will really own this initiative, ensuring we answer the call of Hawaiʻi‘s business and industry, and move our strategic agenda forward in a targeted, coordinated way.”

Unified programs, enhanced pathways

Reporting to the vice president for academic strategy, the new AVP will lead the development of a systemwide “Workforce Master Plan” that aligns directly with Hawaiʻi‘s economic priorities.

By unifying credit and non-credit programs, the AVP will enhance career pathways, allowing learners to move fluidly from short-term training to advanced degrees. Furthermore, they will expand opportunities for work-based learning, apprenticeships and applied research by formalizing agreements with private sector partners and large state employers.

Candidates must possess a minimum of eight years of progressive leadership experience in workforce development, economic development or higher education administration. The search is now underway, with the continuous application review process set to begin on June 15, 2026.

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo women’s golfer Kiersten Saludares earned All-Pacific West Conference Third Team honors following a standout senior season.

Saludares was the lone Vulcan selected to the 2026 All-PacWest Teams, which are determined by final rankings based on full-season performance metrics.

The recognition comes after the Vulcans captured the 2026 PacWest Conference Championship in Las Vegas last month.

Saludares finished the season with a 78.1 adjusted scoring average and recorded five top-20 finishes. She opened the year with an individual title at the Grisham Memorial Shootout in Washington.

For more information, visit the UH Hilo Athletics website.

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from UH Hilo’s Camryn Hilder, an undergraduate majoring in animal health and management in the College of Agriculture Forestry and Natural Resource Management.

Hilder shared: “Episode 43 of Kīlauea’s eruption showered Hilo in a light dusting of Pele’s hair. Despite the elements, life continues on the farm…This photo shows one of the horses, Dundee, standing beneath an eerie red sun, its color caused by the plume of volcanic ash.”

Previous Images
Championship trophy tour
Time flies
Shakas up!
Got rice?
Everybody chill
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

As federal funding cuts put pressure on a beloved early childhood education program, students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo stepped in to help.

This spring, students in three introductory English classes used their writing, research and analytical skills to organize a book drive for Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool, a nonprofit that provides free literacy-focused education and caregiver support to families with keiki across Hawaiʻi. The effort was led by longtime English Instructor Lauri Sagle.

“By doing a book donation drive we could also accomplish some useful outcomes,” Sagle said. “Students would read, assess, and choose children’s books to donate to a fabulous local organization, Tūtū and Me, and they would get a specific kind of writing experience, along with genuinely helpful participation in a community project.”

Working with a modest budget, students evaluated children’s books, wrote proposals advocating for their selections and explored literacy resources at UH Hilo’s Mookini Library, including books in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language). The project connected classroom learning with a real community need.

Postcards to Mayor Alameda

As students learned more about the financial challenges facing Tūtū and Me, their efforts expanded beyond book donations. They wrote postcards to Hawaiʻi Island Mayor Kimo Alameda urging support for the program. Four students in the classes shared that they had once attended Tūtū and Me themselves, adding a personal connection to the project.

Tūtū and Me Project Director Amanda Ishigo later visited campus to share the nonprofit’s mission and the importance of literacy in early childhood education.

“Literacy is more than just reading. It’s speech, it’s listening skills, it’s reading and writing,” Ishigo told students. “Our whole focus is how do we set up for success? How do we make something long-lasting?”

60 books delivered

By the end of the semester, students had donated 60 books, each accompanied by a handwritten note of encouragement. They also collected dozens of postcards advocating for the future of the program. The project demonstrated how skills developed in the humanities can create meaningful impact far beyond the classroom.

For more, go to UH Hilo Stories.

The University of Hawaiʻi System has announced the appointment of Brad Christ as vice president for information technology and chief information officer (CIO), effective May 23. The appointment was officially approved by the Board of Regents (BOR) at its May 21 meeting.

“I am honored to step into this role,” said Christ. “I look forward to collaborating on and building upon the technology initiatives we have already launched across the system, further modernizing our cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity protections, and ensuring that our students, faculty, and staff have the innovative tools they need for success.”

Prior to this, Christ served as the UH System’s associate vice president and deputy CIO. Over the past year in that role, he made an immediate and significant impact through strategic leadership, generating tangible results for the university. Through his review of major ITS systems and contracts over this past year, he identified $327,000 in direct savings for the current and future fiscal years. Furthermore, Christ has advanced critical digital transformation efforts across all campuses, including leading the impending system-wide launch of a Microsoft 365 environment to provide AI-enabled tools to students, faculty and staff, as well as securing system-wide access to GitHub Enterprise at no cost to the university. He has also accelerated UH‘s cloud strategy and actively supported UH Mānoa’s work to become a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning.

“Christ stepped forward to lead stabilization efforts during a critical period, improving communication, strengthening community engagement, and driving resolution of major system deficiencies,” UH President Wendy Hensel wrote in a letter to the BOR. “His calm, hands-on leadership has been instrumental in restoring confidence and improving service delivery.”

Christ brings 25 years of experience in higher education information technology to his new role. Before joining UH, he served as the CIO for Eastern Washington University for more than seven years, while concurrently acting as the interim associate vice president for facilities and athletic facilities during the final 18 months of his tenure. His career also includes seven years as CIO for Southern Oregon University and 13 years at Augsburg University, where he advanced through multiple roles from technician to director.

A native of Minnesota, Christ earned his master’s degree in planning and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Minnesota. Additionally, he served in the Minnesota Army National Guard for nine years.

Christ is involved with organizations such as EDUCAUSE, Internet2 and the Northwest Academic Computing Consortium, where he serves as a co-manager of the organization’s cybersecurity program. For the last 13 years, he has also served as an accreditation evaluator for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

The University of Hawaiʻi celebrates June 2026 faculty and staff anniversaries.

40 years

Domingo, Eunice M
Administrative Assistant, UH Mānoa

30 years

Hironaka, Tom M
Financial Aid Specialist, UH Mānoa

Richman, Nurney H
IT Specialist, UH Mānoa

20 years

Carbone, Michele
Researcher, UH Mānoa

Dodo-Aguilar, Sherrie
Videographer, UH System

Hino, Candice N
Fiscal Specialist, UH Mānoa

Hottenstein, Crystalyn L
Professor, Kapiʻolani CC

Inouye, Mary E
Administrative and Fiscal Support Specialist, Kapiʻolani CC

Lam, Carolina G
Assistant Specialist, UH Hilo

Nacis, Marissa C
Account Clerk, Hawaiʻi CC

Nariyoshi, Janine Y
Administrative and Fiscal Support Specialist, UH System

Soares, Princess K
Institutional/Policy Analyst, Leeward CC

Velasco, Rouel G
Junior Specialist, UH West Oʻahu

10 years

Burns, Vincent H
Program Manager, UH Mānoa

Carlos, Brandon M
Student Services Specialist, Leeward CC

Christensen, Ma Felicitas M
Human Resources Specialist, UH West Oʻahu

Dang, Chayne K
Media Specialist, UH Mānoa

Isawa, Jenine M
Fiscal Specialist, Leeward CC

Kolish, Dustin W
University Security Officer, UH Hilo

Mandryk, Carole A
Program Manager, UH Mānoa

Osorio, Jamaica H
Associate Professor, UH Mānoa

Pouliquen, Yan F M
University Security Officer, UH Mānoa

Renio, Linda A K
Human Resources Specialist, Kapiʻolani CC

Sakamoto, Sharon S
Administrative and Fiscal Support Specialist, UH Mānoa

Sales, Todd H
Air Conditioning Mechanic, UH Mānoa

Siegman, William D
Instructor, UH Mānoa

Toda, Nelson M
Safety/Security Specialist, Leeward CC

Topping, Miles Q
Director of Energy Management, UH System

Tsukida, Gary M
Environmental and Health Safety Specialist, UH Mānoa

Wang, Xinyan
Administrative Officer, UH Hilo