Theme: Island communities present unique perspectives & when reviewed closely, unify people across oceans

There is much to be gained and shared from the islands across the Pacific, and Guam holds nothing back. Sharing unique perspectives from Guam & across Micronesia on various topics ranging from weight loss, education, island culture, leadership, community, identifying emerging talents, growing up in a post World War II era, the threat of human sex trafficking to all of our communities, growth, family and so much more.

UOG SBPA Room 131 - NOT A LIVE AUDIENCE
University of Guam
Mangilao, Guam, 93913
Guam

Anita Borja Enriquez, DBA

Senior Vice President and Provost Accreditation Liaison Officer, Academic and Student Affairs, University of Guam

Anita Borja Enriquez is a Pacific Islander of CHamoru descent from Guam. She is Senior Vice President and Provost, former Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration, current Co-Chair of the Island Wisdom Group, and founder of the Inadahi yan Inagofli’e’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council at University of Guam (UOG). A former corporate planning and development manager and management consultant, she is a staunch advocate for developing local economies and advancing cultural values in leadership. Among other leadership roles, she was founding Vice President of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce Board, founding member of the Guam Museum Foundation Board, and is currently President of Guampedia Foundation Board and Governor-appointed Chair of the Guam Land Use Commission. She holds a D.B.A. degree in International Business (Marketing) from Alliant International University, M.B.A. degree from UOG, and B.S. degree in Management from University of Maryland, Global Campus.

Annette Taijeron Santos, PhD

Dean / Associate Professor of Management, School of Business & Public Administration, University of Guam

Dr. Annette Taijeron Santos is the Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Guam. She oversees undergraduate & graduate academic programs in business administration, accounting, criminal justice, and public administration including minor and certificate programs in cybersecurity management, health services administration, and pre-law. As dean, she hosts the following centers: Pacific Islands Small Business Development Center Network, Guam Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Regional Center for Public Policy. Dr. Santos holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Alliant International University and a Master of Business Administration degree and bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Guam. She serves in many leadership capacities at the UOG and in the local community. She is a strong advocate for innovation, island wisdom, and authentic leadership.

Ansito Walter, PhD

Associate Professor of Public Administration, School of Business and Public Administration, University of Guam

Dr. Ansito Walter is a Professor of Public Administration for the School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Guam. He studied at Florida Atlanta University and United States International University in San Diego, CA. Dr. Walter served as the Governor of Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia from 1997 to 2005. He has also served on various Boards throughout his career such as the Board of Regents for the College of Micronesia from 1996 to 1990; Board of Directors for the Bank of the Federated States of Micronesia from 1987 to 1990; Board of Governors for the Pacific Islands Development Bank from 1998 to 2005.

Francis Hezel

Jesuit Priest

Francis X. Hezel, S.J., is a Jesuit priest who has lived and worked in Micronesia for forty-five years. He founded and directed the Micronesian Seminar, a church-sponsored research institute that engaged in a broad public education program for the islands. He is the author of several books on the region’s history and culture, including The First Taint of Civilization, Strangers in Their Own Land, and The New Shape of Old Island Cultures. His articles and videos and other products of the Micronesian Seminar can be viewed on-line at the Micronesian Seminar website: www.micsem.org.

Frankie Ishizaki, M.S.

Instructor of Legal Studies, Expert in Residence School of Business and Public Administration

Frank Ishizaki is a retired FBI special agent and has also served as chief of police, director of corrections, homeland security advisor, senator in the 29th Guam Legislature, and a security consultant. He has also written opinion columns for the Pacific Daily News and has hosted talk shows for KUAM and K-57 radio. Frank teaches criminal justice and public administration courses for the University of Guam. He is a UOG Distinguished Alumnus and is UOG’s first Chemistry graduate. Frank holds a M.S. in Forensic Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. He started the Guam Police Department’s crime laboratory in the 70s and became the first FBI agent recruited from Guam.

John J. Rivera, PhD

Director, Regional Center for Public Policy / Program Director, Master of Public Administration / Associate Professor of Public Administration

John J. Rivera, PhD., is an executive coach, consultant, and professor with a diverse professional and academic experience. John’s expertise and forte is in Human Capital Innovation through Agile Leadership Transformation and Organizational Development—specializing in Emotional Intelligence, Personality Type, and Strategic Talent Capacity Building. After 20 years in the non-profit sector, John began his government service career with the University of Guam. Currently, John is a Tenured Associate Professor of Public Administration with the University of Guam’s School of Business and Public Administration, the MPA Program Director, and Co-Founder and Director for the Regional Center for Public Policy. He is also President and Senior Consultant with Allied Business Consultants, Inc.

Mary A.Y. Okada, PhD

President/CEO, Guam Community College

Mary A.Y. Okada, Ed.D. has been the President for the Guam Community College since 2007. Under Dr. Okada’s leadership the Guam Community College has been recognized and commended by both the public and private sectors for its development and support of workforce education. She has overseen the addition of several new programs to the curriculum in response to community workforce needs. Her fiscal expertise has been instrumental in GCC receiving a qualified status as a low-risk auditee with no questionable costs or unresolved prior year audit finds for 20 consecutive years.

Mary Kate Donnell Soliva

Volunteer Ambassador of Shared Hope International, Special Operations Soldier, US Army

Mary Kate Soliva shares a piece of family history and the existence of comfort women during the Japanese occupation in WWII. She reminds us that sex trafficking still exists today and that we can all join the fight against human trafficking. As a soldier in the US Army, she has led & coordinated Trafficking in Persons training for the public, military personnel, & law enforcement. She earned a Bachelor's & Master's Degree in Public Admin from the UOG where she focused on sex trafficking in Guam and the CNMI. She served as a volunteer on Guam’s Human Trafficking Task Force and helped establish a Human Trafficking Task Force in Frederick County, Maryland. She is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Criminal Justice program at Saint Leo University. Mary Kate is a trained volunteer of Shared Hope International, which is dedicated to bringing an end to sex trafficking. She has spent the last 10 yrs bringing awareness that we can ALL be a part of this fight to combat modern day slavery.

Ronald McNinch, PhD

Associate Professor of Public Administration, School of Business & Public Administration, University of Guam

Dr. Ron McNinch is a Distinguished Professor of Guam and has lived on the island since 1996 with his family. An expert in human resources, politics and crime policy, McNinch is an active media personality and weekly news columnist. In 2016, he had vertical gastric sleeve surgery due to serious health problems cause by morbid obesity. Within 12 months of the surgery McNinch went from 310 pounds to 190 pounds. Today he will talk about his weight loss journey.

Telena Cruz Nelson

Majority Leader, Committee on Education and Infrastructure Advancement, Border Protection and Maritime Transportation, Guahan Preservation and Self-Determination, and Federal and Foreign Relations

Sen. Nelson is a 3-term Dem. senator serving as Majority Leader in the 36th Guam Legislature. She is the Chairwoman of the Committee on Education & Infrastructural Advancement, Border Protection & Maritime Transportation, Guåhan Preservation and Self-Determination, Fed. and Foreign Relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the UOG. She enlisted in the US Army as a Combat Medic and became the first female combat veteran elected to the Guam Legislature. She is serving as a Major in the Guam National Guard and held multiple educator positions over several years as a Science & Physical Ed Teacher and has strongly advocated for the health, safety, and wellbeing of the People of Guam, & championed legislation addressing education, public safety, infrastructure, natural resources, unemployment & substance abuse. Her active engagement in her island community aided her efforts to increasing the quality of life and prioritizing transparency and accountability of Guam’s gov't.

Thomas W. Krise, PhD

President, University of Guam

Thomas W. Krise began his service as the 11th President of the University of Guam in August 2018. He came to Guam from Tacoma, Washington, where he served as President of Pacific Lutheran University. The son and grandson of army medical service officers, he was born at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and earned a Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago. He served 22 years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force as a missileer and public affairs officer, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He has also been a professor and administrator at his alma mater, the Air Force Academy, as well as at the Institute for National Strategic Studies in Washington, D.C.; the University of Central Florida in Orlando; and the University of the Pacific in California. He also holds a full professorship with tenure in the Division of English and Applied Linguistics at the University of Guam.