PIDP Staff

Karena Lyons

EWC Vice President; Director of Research; Director (designate) of the Pacific Islands Development Program

Jake Hamstra

Editor-in-Chief

Jake Hamstra oversees PIDP’s digital and print publications, and is PIDP’s focal point for the relaunch of PIDP’s Pacific Islands Report, a long-trusted source of economic and political analysis for Pacific Leaders.  In his role as Special Advisor, he also provides analysis and counsel to the Director of PIDP and the President of the East-West Center.

Jim Potenza

Administrative Officer

Jim Potenza serves as administrative officer to the Director of PIDP, managing the Program staff, assisting with PIDP-EWC coordination, and overseeing program administration.

Diliaur Tellei

Digital Communications Developer

Diliaur Tellei manages design and development for PIDP’s digital platform and Pacific media outreach, as well as coordinating with the East-West Center’s communications program.

Robin Miller

Assistant to the Director

Robin Miller serves as executive assistant to the Director, coordinating PIDP business and correspondence with member nations.

Gretchen Alther

Gretchen Alther directs the North Pacific Women’s Action Program, and co-directs the Asia Pacific Leadership Program, courses that cultivate emerging Pacific leaders, and especially Pacific women leaders, and integrate them into cooperative regional professional networks.

Dr. Nick Barker

Dr. Nicholas Barker is the director of the Pacific Islands Leadership Program, and founding director of the Asia Pacific Leadership Program.  His work in PILP focuses on intensive leadership development for Pacific government and community leaders, and the forging of deep professional networks for Pacific governance.

Katie Bartels

Katie Bartels coordinates the State Department sponsored project on Countering Disinformation in Southeast Asia and Oceania, engaging young leaders, journalists and policy influencers.

Dr. Keith Bettinger

Dr. Keith Bettinger specializes in climate change adaptation policy, advising on development and resilience in the Pacific on projects with The United Nations Development Programme and the United States Agency for International Development. 

Dr. Laura Brewington

Dr. Laura Brewington designs and conducts collaborative, policy-oriented research using spatial analytics in support of climate change adaptation in the Pacific Islands.  She is lead investigator in the Pacific Islands Climate, Health and Migration project, and an investigator on the Pacific Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program in collaboration with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

Carolyn Eguchi

Carolyn Eguchi is a senior program officer, serving as PIDP’s focal point for organizing and executing conferences, seminars, and the Pacific Islands Council of Leaders.

Dr. Dan Ervin

Dr. Dan Ervin conducts research and outreach focusing on climate, health, and migration in the Pacific Islands, and is a project specialist in the Pacific Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program.

Derek Ferrar

Derek Ferrar authors articles, coordinates online content, and handles news releases for the East-West Center, and contributes relevant Pacific Islands content to PIDP information products.

Dr. Abby Frazier

Dr. Abby Frazier performs research focused on drought and its impacts on the management of water resources and ecosystems in the Pacific Islands.

Devon Grandy

Devon Grandy assists in the development of digital publications and the web platform.

Zena Grecni

Zena Grecni coordinates regional contributions to the U.S. National Climate Assessment and synthesizes climate information to support Pacific Island adaptation initiatives as a part of the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment.

Jill Hamasaki

Jill Hamasaki serves as liaison and advisor, on behalf of the East-West Center President, in planning and coordination for PIDP activities and events.

Richard Hornik

Richard Hornik provides economic and political analysis on Pacific issues for PIDP publications and advises on the Pacific Islands Report.

Ann Hartman

Ann Hartman directs the educational program for Pacific Islands graduate scholarship recipients, in a cooperative relationship with the University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa, and the East-West Center.

Shayne Hasegawa

Shayne Hasegawa assists in the development of digital communications and the web platform.

Dr. Mary Hattori

Dr. Mary Hattori manages the United States-South Pacific Scholarship Program for students at the University of Hawaiʻi, and advises on PIDP cultural events and community outreach.

Dr. Victoria Keener

Dr. Victoria Keener serves as principal investigator for the Pacific Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program.  She leads an interdisciplinary team of social and physical scientists with the goal of gathering climate change research and translating it into policy-relevant knowledge for Pacific Island communities at the local, state, and regional levels.

Dr. Ryan Longman

Dr. Ryan Longman’s research on Pacific Islands issues focuses on climate mapping and water resources, as well as the development of policy-oriented training courses on climate change adaptation. 

Oscar Kightley

Oscar Kightley contributes to PIDP cultural events and discussions, and serves as Artist-in-Residence through the Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency.

Scott Kroeker

Scott Kroeker leads professional development programs for Pacific Islands journalists and tourism professionals, and organizes the Pacific Island Countries-United States Security Dialogue. He is also the former Acting Director of PIDP, and former managing editor of the Pacific Islands Report.

Justina Leach

Justina Leach serves as program assistant, assisting on administration and events in support of the Director and the administrative officer.

Mark McMahon

Mark McMahon manages the maintenance and technical advice for the PIDP website.

Dr. Wendy Miles

Dr. Wendy Miles leads the evaluation research of the Pacific Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program, and supports activities that build adaptive capacity to climate variability and change in Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands.

Sidney Westley

Sidney Westley writes and edits publications for the media and general audiences based on East-West Center research. She provides material for the Pacific Islands Development Program and East-West Center websites.