Governing School Board

Troy W. Ballard is a lifelong public educator, a champion of educational equity and excellence, and an attorney. Troy resonates closely with the mission and vision of Wai’alae School and views his role on the board as working to ensure these concepts and values are embodied within our community decision making processes. Troy attended the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa graduating with undergraduate degrees in both American Studies and Political Science. Afterwards, he attended the University of Pennsylvania graduating with a Master’s of Science in Urban Education. He additionally attended the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa’s William S. Richardson School of Law, graduating with a Certificate in Native Hawaiian Law and a research focus on educational equity and school desegregation. Troy currently practices law on Oʻahu supporting matters involving contracts, compliance, and miscellaneous education matters. He additionally serves as the Administrative Officer for Mālama Maui Nui and serves as a lecturer-in-law at Richardson and Mānoa's Department of Educational Administration.

Email: board@waialae.edu

Kristen Brummel has 20 years of education experience in Hawai’i’s Department of Education as an Elementary Teacher, Mentor, Instructional Coach, Presenter, Complex Area Induction and Mentoring Program Coordinator, and Education Specialist in Teacher Leadership. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, a 2014-2016 Hawaii Hope Street Group Fellow and was the 2011 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year. Kristen has served on committees such as Hawaii’s Teacher Leader Workgroup, the Great Teachers Great Leaders Task Force, the Teacher Education Committee for Elementary and Early Childhood, and the University of Hawaii College of Education Alumni Association Board of Directors with the goals of learning from others and bringing teacher voice to the conversation. Kristen loves growing with her two children, Daniel (11) and Grace (8), and is excited and honored to serve the Wai’alae school community, whose mission and vision she wholeheartedly believes in.

Email: board@waialae.edu

Leon Geschwind is the father of two young daughters and a proud Wai’alae parent. He is the NOAA Education and Outreach Specialist at the Inouye Regional Center. He is a believer in Wai’alae’s whole-child approach and is passionate about engaging communities around climate change science and solutions. Prior to NOAA, Leon taught middle and high school Earth, Physical, and Environmental Science, served as adjunct faculty at Hawaii Pacific University, and led the Bishop Museum science education department. He has a Bachelors in Global Environmental Science, a Masters in Educational Technology, and is pursuing a PhD in Learning Design and Technology from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.

Email: board@waialae.edu

Scott Nishimoto is the former Executive Director and current Associate Director at Ceeds of Peace. Scott is also an Obama Leader in the inaugural Obama Foundation Leaders USA cohort, as well as a board member for Waiʻalae Public Charter School and Pacific Buddhist Academy. He was raised here on the island of O’ahu by two incredible storytellers, mentors, and community catalysts – Michiko and Warren, both retired oral historians. The stories they’d bring home to his dinner table about violence, injustice, and inequality inspired him to attend law school to study social justice. There, he became actively involved in community organizing and peace initiatives.  After finishing law school, he followed his passion into the non-profit world where he worked with adults with disabilities for nearly 7 years at a local non-profit called Abilities Unlimited. Even more than his qualifications, though, Scott believes it’s his identity as a father that shapes his plans and actions for the work he does in our community. As the father to his two kids, Elle and Rui, he has a deep personal urgency pushing him to bring his community and the world closer to this goal of peace, as distant as it may sometimes seem.

Email: board@waialae.edu

Keʻōpū Reelitz believes every child in Hawai‘i deserves quality care and education from birth. She has spent the last several years dedicated to increasing access to and investments in early childhood care and education. Wai‘alae School Board enables her to bridge the gap from early childhood to elementary-age education and child care. Keʻōpū is currently the Director of Early Learning and Health Policy for the Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network (HCAN). Previously, she worked for the State Executive Office on Early Learning as the communications lead, as the public information officer at the State Department of Human Services, at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on self-governance initiatives and as an award-winning editor of Mana Magazine. Keʻōpū is a graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law, Loyola University Chicago and Kamehameha Schools Kapālama. When she’s not working or volunteering with Wai‘alae, she’s likely running around literally and figuratively. She’s a mom to three young children, a wife and an avid walker, jogger and cyclist.

Email: board@waialae.edu

Koalani Lagareta has 20 years of experience in public education, 15 of which have been at Wai'alae Public Charter School. She is the parent of a Wai'alae School graduate and has experienced the benefits of a whole-child approach to education with her own two adult children. Koalani has worn many hats at Wai'alae throughout the years as parent, classroom teacher, cadre design team chair, grade level chair, resource teacher, curriculum coach, and now as the faculty representative on the Governing School Board. Koalani earned her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from The Evergreen State College and her Master's of Science in Education from Chaminade University. She holds multiple teaching licenses and is Montessori trained and certified. Koalani is a staunch advocate for progressive public education, particularly Hawai'i charter schools, and believes every child deserves free high-quality education that is engaging, relevant, culturally responsive, and joyful!

Email: board@waialae.edu

Jordana Ferreira, currently serving as the City and County of Honolulu’s Early Childhood Resource Coordinator, is dedicated to enhancing access to quality learning environments for Oʻahu’s youngest children. She has extensive experience leading early learning sustainability and expansion efforts, supporting and advocating for increased access to early learning opportunities for young keiki and their ‘ohana across the State. A Pacific University graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Communications from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Jordana is deeply committed to advancing equity for young children and creating nurturing environments where all keiki can thrive. Her career began by supporting children with disabilities and their families, revealing systemic challenges that inspired her to champion systemic changes for keiki and their ʻohana. She understands the barriers facing communities firsthand and firmly believes investing in our children’s future is paramount for community prosperity.

Email: board@waialae.edu

Star Ventura has a passion for community building, social justice and family empowerment. She is a Registered Nurse Clinical Coordinator at Queens Emergency Department working to support best practice, performance improvement and nursing education. Star obtained a degree in Social Work from the University of Hawaiʻi, then went on to study nursing at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. She has been a member of the teaching team at Chaminade University School of Nursing as clinical adjunct faculty, as well as participating in hospital nursing ethics committees and nursing regulatory reviews. At Waiʻalae, Star has been a member of the Governance Committee and COVID Task Force. She is also a proud mom of two Waiʻalae keiki.

Email: board@waialae.edu