About Us
VAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Darla DeVille is President & Chief Professional Officer for the Hawai'i Island United Way. She holds a dual Masters Degree in Education Administration and Curriculum & Development from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Her undergraduate degree is in the field of education, and she has taught middle school social studies, art, and music. In the early 1990’s Darla served as principal of Star of the Sea School on O'ahu, the first year-round school in the state. Through the success of the program she became a national and international consultant in the field. She has spent most of her career as a positive change agent, opening two innovative schools and promoting alternative work calendars and programs. Darla has written progressive curriculum, taught in the teacher education programs at University at Hawai'i at Manoa and Sierra Nevada College, and launched two non-profit organizations. She was elected to the board in 2006. She serves on the Development Committee.

Lisa Duwall attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and then worked in Graphic design and advertising before returning to school to study physical and cultural geography and landscape architecture at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Illinois. She lived and worked in Tucson, Arizona before moving to Hawai'i in 2000, where she is a landscape architect for Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Her job balances accommodating visitors in well-functioning facilities, resource protection, and future planning. Lisa was elected to VAC's board in 2004, previously served as Vice President, and currently serves on the Building Committee, the Community Relations Committee, and the Development Committee.

Cynee Gillette-Wenner was born and raised on O'ahu. She lived on Maui for over 7 years, in Guam for 8 years, and in Volcano since July 1989. Cynee had an extensive career in retailing and merchandising, importing and selling traditional Japanese clothing while in Guam. Her studies of arts and crafts began in her early school years and, through involvement with museums, galleries, and craft guilds, she has assembled an extensive arts and crafts collection of her own. Cynee has been a long time supporter of Volcano Art Center and previously served on the Board for many years. She was re-elected in 2008.

Don Hasenyager and his wife, an artist, have lived in Hawai'i for 43 years and have been part-time residents of Volcano since 1984. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Redlands. He is retired from the Federal Civil Service in the Department of Defense, where he supervised compensation and foreign labor-management programs. Prior to coming to Hawai'i, Don worked in Albuquerque, Washington DC, Germany, and France. He served on the Volcano Art Center Board of Directors from 1991-2000, with an emphasis on administration, fiscal, and personnel matters. He was re-elected to the Board in 2002 and served as Treasurer from 2002-2006, and currently serves on VAC's Finance and Building Committees.

Harriet Klark moved to Volcano in 2005 after being a part-time resident since 2000. She taught middle school for 5 years at an inner city school and a juvenile hall detention facility in Colorado before moving to Honolulu, where she was involved in real estate development, commercial leasing, sales, and management. She has also been involved in real estate developments on Moloka'i and Kaua'i. For the last 15 years, before her recent retirement, she operated as sole proprietor of Klark Properties. Harriet has traveled extensively, served on the Bishop Museum Council, and worked as a political campaign volunteer. She was elected to the VAC board in 2005 and serves on the Development Committee, the Gallery Committee, and the Gallery Support Committee.

Lorna Larsen-Jeyte was born on Maui and raised on the Big Island in Hilo, Volcano, and Hakalau. She attended Punahou School, and holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.A. in education from University of Hawai'i at Manoa. She taught in O'ahu public schools for over 20 years. She married Albert Jeyte in 1986, and they bought their Volcano property on their honeymoon. They created Kilauea Lodge in 1987 and officially opened in March of 1988, with Albert as owner-chef and Lorna as owner-manager. Lorna was first elected to the VAC board in 1993, and served in many capacities, including Board President, until 2002. She was reappointed to the board in 2004, and was the Board President in 2004-2006. She serves on the Development Committee, the Building Committee, and the Community Relations Committee.

Juliet Moncrief was born and raised on O'ahu. In June 2008, she moved to the Big Island with her partner, Kuma Davis, and has made her home in Volcano. She comes from an established family on Kaua'i who arrived as missionaries in the 1800s. Juliet attended Punahou School and the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. She has worked as a tour guide at Kipu Ranch on Kaua'i, and for 6 years was associated with numerous art galleries on Kaua'i. Juliet is a team member of Urban Search and Rescue with Civil Defense as a canine handler. She is also one of the founding members of Big Island Search and Rescue, a new non-profit (in the works). Her passion is working with dogs and people. She was elected to the board in 2008.

Michael Mortara is a glass artist and has been a resident of Volcano for the past seven years. Born and raised on O'ahu, he graduated from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa’s school of Architecture with a minor in Fine Art. Involved in the construction trades on O'ahu, he and his wife Misato moved to Volcano to pursue their art careers full time in 1999. Just this year they completed their new studio and gallery, 2400˚ Fahrenheit, on Volcano Highway. Michael was elected to the board in 2006 and serves on the Building Committee and the Public Relations Committee.

Stephanie Nagata has made Volcano her home since mid-2000. She has a B.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and an M.S. in wildlife biology from Colorado State University. She has worked as a forest bird researcher for the U.S. Forest Service based in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park; a hotel and tourism feasibility analyst; and a coordinator for Made in Hawai'i product programs, including the Arts Hawai'i Festivals while at the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. She is currently the Associate Director for University of Hawai'i at Hilo's Office of Mauna Kea Management, which oversees the management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, particularly the protection and preservation of the summit’s cultural and natural resources. Stephanie is on the Board of Directors for the UH Alumni Association, and is a member of the advisory committee for the Performing Arts Center at UH-Hilo. For the past 14 years, she has been studying traditional Japanese embroidery and coordinates classes on the subject in Honolulu. She was elected to the VAC board in 2005 and serves on VAC’s Development Committee.

Harold Ohata was born and raised in Paia, Maui. He received a B.A. from Illinois Wesleyan University. While attending New York University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was awarded an M.B.A., he worked for Radio Free Europe as staff accountant. He was staff accountant at Baker & Gillette, CPAs (now part of Price Waterhouse Coopers), before founding his own CPA firm of Ohata Chun Yuen, LLP on O'ahu. Harold is an active member of Rotary, previously on the board of the Aloha Council-Boy Scouts of America, and a director emeritus of the YMCA of Honolulu, plus he served on the board of the Waikiki Aquarium before retiring and moving to the Big Island. He was appointed to the VAC board in 2005. As VAC’s Treasurer, he chairs the Finance Committee and also serves on the Nominating Committee.

Linda Pratt has resided in Volcano since 1984 and is a botanist for the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (HVNP). Prior to her current position, she worked for the Research Division of HVNP and as a Research Associate with the Cooperative Parks Studies Unit of the University of Hawai'i Botany Department. She has held positions with The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i, the Hawai'i Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. Her education was at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and the University of Miami. She has served on the board of directors of the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences, as a member and chairperson of the Natural Area Reserves Commission, and as a member of the Hawai'i and Pacific Islands Endangered Plant Species Recovery Coordinating Committee. She appreciates art, enjoys living in a community so rich with talented artists/craftspeople, and enjoys collecting pieces by local artists--favoring landscapes and wildlife art. She was elected to the VAC board in 2007. She currently serves as Vice President.

Tad Sewell, a long-time Hawai'i resident, has served as a trustee for the Kapiolani Medical Center and the Pali Momi Hospital. She is currently a Trustee for the Hawai'i Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Abuse. She serves as a national judge for the Garden Club of America, and teaches flower arranging as it pertains to Living Sculpture, particularly in the Abstract manner. She owned and operated a party, convention, meeting, and wedding business on O‘ahu. Tad designs and creates one-of-a-kind jewelry and other artwork, and is active in the Volcano community. She is immediate Past President of the Noe Noe Golf Club. She was elected to VAC’s board in 2003, served as Vice President for two years, and served as Board President for one year.

William E. Smith is a Per Diem Judge for the District Court of the Third Circuit. He holds a B.Ed degree from the University of Hawai'i and a J.D. from the William S. Richardson School of Law at University of Hawai'i at Manoa. He has also served as Deputy County Clerk (2005-2007) and a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney (1992-2005) for the County of Hawai'i. Other legal experience includes a position with the Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i, Legal Specialist for the Hawai'i State Teacher's Association, as well as several Hawai'i law offices. He has served as Chairperson for the Mayor’s Commission on Aids, Board President for the Hawai'i Council on Legal Education for Youth, Board member of the Life Foundation of Hawai'i, and is a member of the Volcano Community Association. He was elected to the VAC board in 2007.

Julie Williams received a B.S. in Biology from Temple University in Philadelphia, and an M.S. in Botany from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Following a decade of field work in Hawai'i's native forests, she changed careers and became a Program Coordinator and Science Resource Teacher at Keakealani Outdoor Education Center in Volcano Village. There she provides environmental education programs for middle school students statewide. Her board service includes past president of the Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park as well as vice president and presently secretary of the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences. This is her second term on the VAC board. She currently serves on the Development Committee and the Nominating Committee.

Doug Wilson has over 44 years experience in the trust business. He was Senior Vice President of First Hawaiian Bank’s Client Financial Services division until 2004, when he retired and moved to Volcano. Doug currently provides consulting services to individual trustees through his firm, Trustee Consulting, LLC. He teaches Estate Planning at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa’s College of Business Administration and is a frequent guest lecturer at the University’s Law School and Executive M.B.A. program. Doug is the author of Executor & Trustee Survival Guide. He received his M.B.A. from Pepperdine University and B.A. in Economics from UH-Manoa. He attended the Organization and Management – Advanced Management Studies at Yale University and is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School (Trust) at the University of Washington. He is a certified financial planner (CFP) and a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA). Doug currently serves as First Vice Chair of the board of the Pacific Health Research Institute and on the advisory board of the Hawai'i Tax Institute. He also serves on the Honolulu Symphony Society and Hawai'i Island United Way Planned Giving Committees. Doug has served on the boards of Diamond Head Theatre, Hale Kipa, Honolulu Symphony Society, Hanahauoli School, Hawai'i Institute for Orchestra and Ensemble, Planned Parenthood, City and County of Honolulu Pension Board, and Hawai'i Society of the Institute of Certified Financial Planners. He was elected to the VAC board in 2006. He serves on the Finance Committee and the Development Committee.

Jim Wilson is a retired publisher for the Hawai'i Tribune-Herald and has lived in Hawai'i since 1967. He and his wife own a bed and breakfast in Volcano, where they have resided since 1994. Jim served on the VAC Board from 1987 to 1996, including several years as Board President, and rejoined the Board in 2000. Jim is also active with the Big Island Substance Abuse Center, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Rotary Club of South Hilo, and Hospice of Hilo. He served as VAC's Board Secretary until his resignation in December 2007. He was re-elected in 2008 as Board President.