New faculty and staff join the school – Spring 2024
By: Corie Fulgencio-Arre
The school is pleased to welcome new faculty and staff who will support the education and growth of our nursing and dental hygiene students. They joined the school in spring 2024.
Jarrod Caluya, Educational Specialist
UH THSSC
Jarrod is an educational specialist of the UH Translational Health Science Simulation Center (THSSC) of NAWSON. His work at THSSC includes serving as a simulation technician, and facilitating the quantitative and qualitative data management for THSSC. Prior to joining NAWSON, he was a case manager at the Institute for Human Services, Inc., and a customer relations professional having worked as Courtesy Clerk for Foodland, and as Guest Services Manager for McDonald’s Haleiwa. Jarrod earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Sociology at the UH Manoa.
Jodi S. Chee, MEd, Executive Assistant
Office of the Dean
Jodi has been serving the UH for more than 16 years. Prior to joining NAWSON as the Executive Assistant to the Dean, she served the College of Education as its Program Manager, as Academic Support Spec for the Outreach College’s Continuing & Professional Programs, Institutional Support Spec of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, among others. Jodi completed both her Master in Education and BA Anthropology from UH Manoa.
Tess S. Lally, Event Coordinator
Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Tess hailed from Kingston, Massachusetts before moving to Hawaii. With a BA degree in Communications and Civic Engagement at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tess’s involvement in event and marketing began with her internship at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment and Amherst Survival Center (both in MA), and Harlaxton Manor in Grantham, UK. Attributing to her remarkable experience as a former national exchange student at UH Manoa, she pursued to be part of NAWSON as its Event Coordinator.
Justin G Y Lau, MEd, Graduate Entry Program in Nursing (GEPN) Coordinator
Office of Student Services
Justin has been with UH for more than twelve (12) years. He brings to NAWSON his expertise in admissions and counseling prior to accepting the NAWSON GEPN position. His professional experience includes serving the UHM John A Burns School of Medicine as its Medical Student Coordinator, as Admissions Counselor with the UHM Office of Admissions, and as Assistant Registrar under the UHM Office of the Registrar, among others. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and master’s degree in Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Lorrieann M. Unruh, Administrative & Fiscal Support Specialist
Office of the Dean, Administrative Services Office
Lorrieann (or Lorrie) completed her degree in BS Travel Industry Management at the UH at Manoa. Before joining NAWSON, she was with RCUH as an administrative and fiscal assistant for the State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture and the UHM Institute for Astronomy. Fittingly, she now works under the Administrative Services Office as the Administrative and Fiscal Support Specialist.
Adrianna N. Bentz, MSN, RN, Instructor
Adrianna recently moved to our Hawaii nei with her husband, now stationed at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Before joining NAWSON, she was a registered nurse at the Winchester Hospital, Labor and Delivery Unit in Winchester, Massachusetts, and a nurse educator at Endicott College in Boston. Adrianna completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Nursing at the Endicott College.
Kevin Ray Matsumoto, MSN, RN, CCRN, Instructor
Kevin is not new to NAWSON. In fact, he has been serving the School as its adjunct faculty/lecturer under the Department of Nursing for more than eleven (11) years, teaching in the GEPN Program and Sim Lab, among others. As a nurse professional at The Queen’s Medical Center (QMC) since 2002, he serves in QMC’s Crisis Nurse/Rapid Response Team. Kevin completed his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Nursing at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Courtnee Nunokawa, DNP, APRN-Rx, AGPCNP-BC, AGPCNP Program Director and Assistant Professor
Dr. Nunokawa initially joined NAWSON as a lecturer under the Department of Nursing in the Fall of 2017. Later, she was appointed as Instructor while assuming the role of Program Director for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP). Now, she holds the position of Assistant Professor and heads the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program of NAWSON. On top of her services to the University, Courtnee continues to serve the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as its Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Adult and Geriatric Nurse Practitioner since 2015.
Courtnee is an alumna of NAWSON where she earned her Master of Science in Nursing degree, and Doctorate in Nursing Practice degree. She finished her baccalaureate degree in Nursing at the University of Portland.
Catherine Pena, EdD, MSN, RN, Instructor
Dr. Catherine Pena (or Cathy) obtained her doctorate degree in Nursing Education from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, and her baccalaureate and master’s degree in Nursing at the University of Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Pena’s clinical practice includes med-surg, recovery, OR, long-term care, and mother-baby, among others. As a nurse educator, she has held instructor positions teaching courses in the associate degree, vocational nursing and RN to BSN program, the most recent of which was with the Texas A&M University, Central Texas, as Assistant Lecturer-Online Instructor.