Alumni

Silverswords in CA Reconnect at Alumni Meet-ups

March 20, 2025

Silverswords in the Golden State came together earlier this month to reconnect and reminisce about their time at Chaminade, from playing sports to the joys of life in the residence halls.

With the help of alumni, Chaminade organized two gatherings in California—one in Huntington Beach and the second in San Jose. The last alumni get-together in Southern California was in 2017, while alumni in Northern California last met up in 2016.

Attendees said the reconnect was long overdue.

“My Chaminade experience was amazing and gathering with fellow silversword alumni feels like home,” said Ryan Ashton ’02, who majored in Historical and Political Studies and is now vice president of philanthropy at Aquarium of the Pacific.

“It’s also great to learn about everyone’s journey beyond graduation. I’m always inspired by my fellow alumni.”

Ashton said the Southern California get-together gave him an opportunity to share stories—and hear some—all while reminiscing about Chaminade. “I loved the small school aspect and the Catholic tradition,” he said. “It was the best decision I made for my college career and really helped me discover my purpose and the impact I wanted to make.”

He added that his time at Chaminade also helped him develop a passion for the ocean, which guided him in his career and to current role at Southern California’s largest aquarium.

Jodi-Anne Yoshida, MBA ’23, director of Alumni Relations, said the Southern California meet-up was held at Wahoo’s Fish Taco in Huntington Beach. Alumni and guests shared a taco bar and lots of conversation. Tom ’73 and Barbara ’76 Orbe were the group’s hosts.

Meanwhile, Sam Kong Kee, MBA ’10 helped plan the gathering in San Jose at Noelani’s Island Grill, where attendees enjoyed a buffet of island favorites. Yoshida said alumni at the gathering ranged from a psychologist who serves in private practice to a scientist at a biotech company.

That scientist is Chelsea Saito Reis ’12, who majored in Biology at Chaminade.

She was overjoyed to attend the Northern California gathering and share her professional journey with fellow alumni.

“The opportunities I received at CUH through biomedical research internships helped me pursue and obtain my Ph.D. in biomedical science,” she said. “I credit my experience at Chaminade for helping me achieve my goals.”

Reis grew up on O’ahu’s North Shore and chose Chaminade so she could remain in the islands.

“Ultimately, I was drawn to Chaminade for the warm aloha the faculty, staff and students made me feel once you step foot on campus,” Reis said.

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“I would recommend Chaminade to others for the many opportunities each program has to offer to help you gain experience to achieve your career goals. I always felt extremely supported by the faculty and staff with coursework and was amazed by all the academic resources available.”

She added, “I will forever be proud to be part of the alumni community.”

Yoshida said both get-togethers underscored the importance of returning again soon.

“The California alumni gatherings were a beautiful reminder of the deep connections that unite our Chaminade family,” Yoshida said. “Seeing alumni make the time and effort to come together, reconnect, and celebrate their shared experiences was inspiring.”

She added, “As the director of Alumni Relations, I am in awe of the true spirit of Chaminade—the love for our school, the cherished memories, and the lifelong friendships that continue to grow and thrive, no matter where we are in the world.”

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Silversword Sets High Bar for All Her Students

March 14, 2025

Sara Koide ’18, M.Ed. ’19 teaches kindergarten on the campus she also attended—Lihue’s Wilcox Elementary. Several of her former teachers are now colleagues.

And Koide says while many things haven’t changed since she was walking the halls as a student, one thing has: How inclusion classrooms are managed.

She should know. Koide is a co-teacher in her special education inclusion kindergarten class. The model is designed to help lift up all types of learners, building lessons that break up concepts and allow for extra help.

Koide says co-teaching isn’t for everyone, but she loves what she does—even on the toughest days.

Of the 18 students in her class, about half are in special education.

“I’ve worked with a co-teacher for three years now and in the past, the teaching load has been shared,” Koide said.

“But this year, it’s been different based on need. I’ll do primarily the bulk of the teaching and she’s there for that extra support, whether it’s pulling a child on the side or parallel teaching.”

Koide was born and raised on Kauaʻi. After graduating from Kauaʻi High School, she opted for Chaminade University because she didn’t want to get lost in a crowd. She was quickly grateful for the warm environment on campus, the opportunities for academic growth, and for how her professors stressed hands-on learning.

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree and as she got started in the classroom, Koide also decided to advance her skills with a master’s degree in education from Chaminade.

“If I had to do it again, I would go to Chaminade,” she said. “I needed those opportunities.”

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In particular, Koide said, she appreciated the care that went into her student teaching experience. She recalls spending a significant amount of time in an actual elementary school classroom, building her confidence under the guidance of a teacher mentor.

Along the way, she also got vital feedback from her professors.

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Koide returned to Kauaʻi and quickly got a job at Wilcox Elementary.

She was a little surprised, though, when she was assigned kindergarten. She had been planning to teach an older grade, but didn’t let the pivot discourage her.

“It’s about understanding that you’re in a different environment, but in the same vein, still pushing. You still want to succeed as best as you can,” she said.

In her second year at Wilcox, Koide got another surprise: She was assigned to teach a SPED inclusion class.

“It felt like another brand new year,” she said.

Alumna ‘Answering a Call’ as Nonprofit’s CEO

March 11, 2025

Tina Andrade ’05, MPT ’14 is the first woman and Native Hawaiian to lead Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi in the organization’s 77-year history.

But as she takes the helm of the nonprofit at a moment of great change for the islands, she isn’t focused on herself. She’s working to lift up her employees and her community.

“A major theme I have is helping our employees understand the ‘why’ of their work. We’re here to create a better path for people in life,” she said. “We’re here to make sure that when people leave our services, they’re better off than when they came to us.”

It’s an ambitious goal, but one Catholic Charities, as one of Hawaiʻi’s largest social service agencies, is living up to—thanks in no small part to Andrade’s leadership. While she officially became president and CEO at Catholic Charities in January, Andrade has been on the nonprofit’s executive team for years and previously served as chief operating officer.

Andrade says her drive to serve has been a lifelong one.

It’s why she chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Chaminade when she decided to return to school. At the time, Andrade was teaching religion part-time at a Catholic school while also tackling obligations at home and remaining active in the community.

“I went to Chaminade because of the values and the education they provide,” Andrade said.

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About the same time, Andrade was invited to assist Catholic Charities with efforts to embrace their mission. She was later named vice president of mission integration at the nonprofit, a role that allowed her to spotlight the nonprofit’s service-focused goals.

Andrade graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from Chaminade in 2005, and returned to campus several years later to pursue a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology. She graduated with her master’s in 2014, and recounts the educational experience helping her embrace her own religious foundation and her role as a community leader.

Today, Andrade said the pursuit of social justice is what keeps her passionate and engaged. “This work has transformed me,” she said. “We are answering a call together.”

She added that her time at Chaminade not only allowed her to build on her academic knowledge, but gave her the chance to meet new people and broaden her perspectives. She also forged strong relationships with her professors and stays in contact with several.

As she looks to the year ahead, Andrade says she is concerned about the economic headwinds the state and nation are facing. At the same time, she is optimistic about everything her agency is poised to bring to island communities—and embracing those “firsts” that her leadership brings.

“The journey of Native Hawaiians has been a challenging one,” she noted.

“From that standpoint, this role really is growth and opportunity for all of us.”

Silversword Turns Hobby into Thriving Business

December 4, 2024

Haelee Tallett ‘18 started making jewelry in high school.

It was something she and her mother could do together for fun and creative inspiration.

Roughly a decade later, the small business owner still can’t believe she was able to turn a hobby she loves into a flourishing career. And she credits Chaminade and its Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program with giving her the mentorship and networking opportunities that set her on a pathway to success.

Tallett owns Ocean Creations, a thriving jewelry business in the islands with locations at both Ala Moana Center and Ka Makana Ali’i and brisk online sales. Her own mentors are floored by how quickly her business has grown—from a pop-up and online store to brick-and-mortar locations and plans for more growth.

And Tallett said she doesn’t think she would be where she is without the help she received at Chaminade.

She chose the university because she didn’t want to get lost in the crowd and was looking for an educational experience that would allow her to build relationships with professors. That’s exactly what she found at Chaminade, she said.

“What stood out most at Chaminade was the community that I gained there,” she said.

“From the teachers to staff, they really would give the shirt off their backs for you. They know you by name.”

Tallett, whose grandfather and aunt are also Silversword graduates, said she jumped at the chance to participate in the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Chaminade, a certificate program that gives students access to lectures, international study trips, and hands-on learning experiences.

“The Hogan program helped me in a lot of ways,” Tallett said.

“One being it taught me how to be professional—really act as a professional or as a business owner from the beginning. And that helped me a lot when making leasing deals (with shopping malls). I knew how to handle myself from the start.”

Tallett added that the Hogan program also gave her the chance to meet and network with top business executives and entrepreneurs—“so many influential people right here in Hawai’i who have really helped me in my business career.” She’s also stayed in contact with several of her fellow Hogan graduates.

Tallett’s business specializes in customized jewelry, with every piece unique.

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She said relationship building with customers was something she learned a lot about in the Hogan Entrepreneurial program. She realized early on that she needed to build a community before she built a business so she worked hard to create a fun, personable and interesting social media presence.

Community building was also front and center when she opened her brick-and-mortar shops, she said.

Tallett said she wanted to curate spaces that served as an oasis from people’s busy lives.

“We love to create an environment that’s really homey and safe. And we kind of use different forms of aesthetics or furniture to create that look,” she said. “And then, we want you to just be able to express yourself and create pieces that you love and are special to you. So we try our best to give pieces on the floor that inspire that.”

As she celebrates her success, Tallett is also looking to the future.

She’s interested in continuing to expand Ocean Creations, including by offering other accessories and considering entries into bigger markets.

At the same time, she is giving back, including as a mentor herself to the next generation of Hogan entrepreneurs. Tallett has returned to Chaminade several times to speak to students about her own journey—and inspire them to pursue their own dreams.

Her advice to students: Stay focused and “remember your strong why.”

“There’s going to be moments all the time, at every stage of this, where you are going to want to give up and you really need to one have a strong why and to have a community of people around you who have experienced that before and can walk you through that, or can talk about it with you, or have empathy with you,” she said.

MBA Alumni Gather for Pau Hana

October 29, 2024

The gathering was a celebration of growth and connection

The MBA Alumni Pau Hana last week was more than a gathering, says Vice President of Advancement Jill Higashi. It was a celebration of growth, connection and the lasting impact of a Chaminade education.

“Events like this allow us to acknowledge the significant contributions that our alumni have made in their communities,” Higashi added.

The 39 MBA alumni who attended the gathering on October 24 graduated between 1980 and 2023.

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In addition to hearing from Chaminade President Lynn Babington, attendees also got the latest developments on the MBA and MBA Professional programs from MBA Director Eddie Merc, Ph.D.

Alumni mingled and networked at the Oahu Country Club event, enjoying wines donated by Chaminade Regent Rodney Harano MBA ’84 and gourmet pupu. One of the evening’s highlights was hearing about the journeys alumni had undertaken since graduation.

At the event, Chaminade Director of Alumni Relations Jodi-Anne Yoshida MBA ’23 encouraged alumni to continue to engage with their alma mater—and keep connected with fellow Silverswords.

She also invited alumni to join her as a member of the Chaminade Fund Society, which aims to help shape the future of Chaminade and the lives of its students.

Chaminade Hosts Seattle Reunion

October 10, 2024

The event drew a diversity of attendees, from recent grads to professionals

Nikki Carrido MBA ’09 says attending Chaminade’s first reunion held in the Pacific Northwest was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. She’d never met any of the other alumni in attendance, but immediately felt a special bond with her fellow Silverswords, she said.

“My biggest takeaway was the realization that Chaminade has such a strong and supportive alumni network,” Carrido said. “It was inspiring to see how successful and engaged our fellow graduates are, and how much we all value the education and experiences we received at Chaminade.”

The reunion in Seattle was held Sept. 26, and Chaminade President Lynn Babington was in attendance.

Alumni who came out ranged from recent graduates to experienced professionals.

Barbara Jeanne “BJ” Whitman ’74, MBA ’79 was initially afraid she would feel out of place at the event, held at Ivar’s Salmon House on Lake Union. “I thought they were going to be all these young alumni,” she said, with a chuckle. “But there was actually someone else who was a year older.”

Months in the planning, the Seattle reunion was organized by Chaminade Director of Alumni Relations Jodi-Anne Yoshida MBA ’23 and Director of Development Heidi Bow. They had modest expectations for the event, saying they hadn’t anticipated the appetite for a Silversword reunion in the Pacific Northwest.

The purpose of the gathering was to foster relationships, share university updates, and offer a networking opportunity, said Bow, adding that the event exceeded their expectations.

During the course of the evening, attendees introduced themselves and shared their favorite Chaminade memories. Meanwhile, Babington updated alumni on new initiatives at the University.

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She described the event as a success, noting the impressive diversity of the group—with class years from 1973 to 2009 in attendance.

Carrido thought the reunion was a “fantastic networking opportunity.” She even met a potential sponsorship connection for her nonprofit, all from a simple conversation.

“It truly showed me the power of the Chaminade community,” Carrido said.

Whitman and Carrido hope that another reunion will be organized in the future, a sentiment echoed by Rev. Kizzie Elizabeth Jones ’90. She said the event sparked an important memory for her from her time at Chaminade, when she learned in her classes about the impacts of inequality in society.

“It was a huge ‘aha’ moment for me as I realized it was my education at Chaminade that fueled my commitment to work for change,” Jones said. “I was in awe as I listened to each alumni as he or she shared where and how they were now serving in society.”