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Our Staff

Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board Staff

LICENSING SPECIALIST TRACEY IDICA, NBCT

Tracey Idica is a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) with over three decades of classroom experience in California and Hawaiʻi schools. An alumna of the University of Southern California, she began her education career as an English teacher at Carson High School in 1982. As one of the HTSB Licensing Specialists at HTSB, she is grateful for the opportunity to continue to impact the teaching profession and serve Hawaiʻi's teachers. Tracey is the network coordinator of Hawaiʻi NBCTs, a local affiliate of the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards (NBPTS). She is proud to be a teacher and believes in the power and responsibility of educators to lead. Tracey still has a coffee cup given to her by a student over three decades ago that has a simple message: “Those who can teach. Those who can’t, go into some less significant line of work.” Her goal is to continue the work that recognizes teaching as a true profession with accomplished teachers in every classroom.

LICENSING SPECIALIST JENNIFER PADUA, Ph.D.

Jennifer Padua is a Licensing Specialist for the Hawaiʻi Teachers Standards Board. She has over two decades of educational experience in the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning, and in the College of Education at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Portland, and a master’s and doctoral degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Jennifer looks forward to supporting her colleagues with ensuring every keiki receives a quality education by qualified educators.

LICENSING SPECIALIST MITZIE HIGA, Ed.D.

Mitzie Higa is a Licensing Specialist for the Hawaiʻi Teachers Standards Board. She has her Associate of Arts Degree from Honolulu Community College, her Bachelor’s in Education Degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, her Master of Arts in Teaching with a Specialization in National Board Certification Teacher Leadership from National University, and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership in Urban Education K-12 through Higher Ed from the University of Southern California (USC). She has been a teacher within the Hawaiʻi Department of Education since 2000 as a teacher of Kindergarten, 3rd grade, 5th grade, a Technology Coordinator, a Curriculum Coordinator, and an ELL Coordinator. While teaching 5th grade, she was also a lecturer for the University of Hawaiʻi at West Oahu for their Elementary Education program. She was a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) from 2007-2017, before switching to a staff position at the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, as a Government Relations Specialist working to ensure laws were passed that would support our public school teachers, including our public charter school teachers, and advocating on their behalf to move our profession forward. She believes with all her heart that if there is a will, there is a way, and she places herself in positions that will support others to fulfill their dreams of becoming a qualified licensed teacher, as she believes it is one of the most important careers in the world. She knows teachers shape the future.

LICENSING SPECIALIST STEVEN HARADA

Steven Harada is a Hawaiʻi public school graduate and former employee of the Department of Education (DOE) – Office of Talent Management (OTM). He brings over nine years of Human Resources experience to the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board (HTSB). During his tenure at OTM, he worked closely with HTSB in achieving 100% compliance during the DOE’s biannual teacher licensing audits pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes §302A-805. Steven believes in providing customer service excellence to all, but more importantly, strives to achieve HTSB’s mission to set high teacher licensing and credentialing standards to provide future generations with qualified teachers.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT OFFICER TAMMY NOCHI

Tammy Nochi, HTSB’s Business Management Officer, holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration from UH Mānoa. She brings 23 years of experience to HTSB having first served as a Contracts Specialist for the DOE’s School Based Behaviorial Health program where she gained experience in procuring, budgeting, and managing mental health services contracts. She then gained a wealth of school level knowledge in assisting schools with their Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and facilities matters, in addition to assisting Principals with weighted student formula budgets, financial plans, and procuring goods, services, and construction as an Administrative Services Assistant for both the Radford and Kalani complexes. As a Work Program Specialist in the Planning Office of the Office of Facilities and Operations, she gained State level experience in planning and managing the DOE CIP biennium budget along with providing financial oversight of schools’ CIP appropriations. She is excited to help further the vision and mission of HTSB through her skills, knowledge, and experiences.

ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY DARCIE-ANN CHUNG

Darcie-Ann Chung is the Secretary and brings over 20 years of clerical experience to the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board. She started her career as an elementary school clerk typist and later became an account clerk with the Windward District Office. She was then offered the opportunity to work as a Private Secretary at the Hawaiʻi Department of Education’s Office of Information Technology Services, where she gained invaluable knowledge of the duties and responsibilities as a secretary. She was also a secretary at the Office of Superintendent’s Communication Branch and the Office of Facilities and Operations’ Student Transportation Branch, as well as the SASA at Benjamin Parker Elementary School. She is excited to support and be part of a team whose goal is ensuring that all keiki have the quality education they need to be successful adults. She believes the keiki of Hawaiʻi shape our future, and they all deserve the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

TEACHER LICENSING CLERK NATALIE AQUINO

Natalie Aquino is a Licensing Clerk at the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board (HTSB) with over 15 years of field experience at Hawaiʻi public schools. With her eagerness to take on a new challenge in her career, Natalie hopes to broaden her knowledge and be able to assist the HTSB team in every possible way. Just as she believes that her family is the most important part of her life, Natalie also believes that HTSB plays an important role in making sure that Hawaiʻi’s keiki are receiving a quality education.

TEACHER LICENSING CLERK KELLIANNE PANG

Born and raised in Honolulu, Kellianne Pang received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Pacific University in Oregon. She taught English as a foreign language for six years in South Korea at Seoul and Daegu public elementary schools. She is excited to work with the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board team and help them ensure that Hawaiʻi’s keiki are provided with the quality education that they deserve.

TEACHER LICENSING CLERK JIMI COLOMA

Born and raised on the island of Oʻahu, Jimi Coloma received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As a new licensing clerk here at the Hawaiʻi Teachers Standards Board, she is excited to kōkua in any way possible to ensure our keiki here in Hawaiʻi continuously receive quality education.

TEACHER LICENSING CLERK KANDACE CAMPBELL

Kandace has had the privilege of living and working in diverse communities and cultures that have shaped her educational philosophy and leadership approach. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Middle Grades Education from the historic College of Coastal Georgia and her Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership, with a focus on Urban Public School Leadership, from Teachers College at Columbia University. Kandace has served in a variety of roles dedicated to supporting students and educators for over a decade. She is passionate about developing effective educators who implement meaningful teaching practices and believes every person deserves equitable access to high-quality educational opportunities. She looks forward to continuing to support educators and advancing opportunities for all keiki in Hawaiʻi.