BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS as of June 2010.
Margaret “Peggy” Sanches, President. Term: January 2003 to January 2012.
University of South Carolina, 1965. Teaching degree. Career in education K-12 with expanded credentials in counseling and supervision. A Senior Mentor 2002 to present and a regular volunteer, Peggy also handles the organization’s testing and evaluations, writes letters in support for County and other funding and is a school liaison. Winner of the 2008 Governors Volunteer Recognition Award for Seniors 60+ category.
Jan Shishido, Vice-President. Term: January 2003 to January 2012.
Ms. Shishido has been an educator for the past 28 years, teaching at five different local schools. She has used Brain Gym every day in the classroom since she was trained by Karen Peterson in 1998. She continues to use Brain Gym to focus students and help them be better listeners. A government liaison, Jan is effective with Housing and Human Concerns and the Maui County Council. In 2004 she was appointed by Linda Lingle to a regional educational committee on curricula.
Lee Wood, Secretary. Term: March 2004 to March 2013.
Ms. Wood has been a Waldorf School educator for fifteen years. She has lectured to early childhood educators at various community colleges on the importance a building a healthy, well-integrated body for every child through movement as a foundation for all abstract learning. She continues to study Brain Gym and integrates the movements into her classroom activities with story and song. Lee also assists Karen with training and organized the teacher training at the Waldorf School.
Jeanne Riley, Treasurer. Term: January 2003 to January 2012.
Pacific Oaks College 1971. Teaching credential. Ms. Riley has been an early childhood educator and consultant and lecturer for 32 years in private practice. She is currently the Maui County Early Childhood Resource Coordinator. Jeanne has served as Family Involvement Teacher Coordinator, Teen Pregnancy Center, Lihikai School wide Reading/Title One Coordinator, and worked with DOE to set up programs such as Families for REAL. She was instrumental in accepting and bringing the first Brain Gym Intergenerational Mentoring Program to the Lihikai School, and served as the School Liaison for the program.
Wilma Sailor, Board Member. Term: July 2003 to July 2012.
Wilma has been a fundraiser for 39 years. She is currently President of Zonta Club of Maui, an international organization of executive women in business. A senior mentor with Giving Back’s program, Wilma is a Giving Back site coordinator at one of the schools and opens her home for board meetings.
Melanie van der Tuin, Board Member. Term: November 2003 to November 2012.
Western Michigan University in 1994 and an M.A., in English, Wayne State University. She has taught college-level writing and has worked with children and adults of all ages as Poet-in-Residence through various non-profit agencies. Locally she has taught secondary and college level writing courses and is an independent writer for various publications. Melanie coordinated the Maui Service Learning Program and has written some of Giving Back’s past grants. She is currently a tenure-track professor at Leeward Community College on Oahu.
Loretta Gresham, Board Member. Term: November 2007 to November 2010
Loretta retired from a long career in Research & Development. Prior to joining Brain Gym she spent time working with public and private schools special education groups focusing on Dyslexia and ADHD learning differences and special education needs. She is familiar with Lindamood Bell and other alternative teaching methods. She worked with the Public School Department in San Mateo, CA., improving student performance. She currently volunteers as a mentor for the Seniors Helping Seniors program at Hale Makua and Kahului Union Church sites and previously mentored at Hale Mahaolu.
Judy Waters, Board Member. Term: April 2010 to April 2013
University of Southern Maine, 1978. M.S. in Education. Judy, who is a recently retired as an educator and parental caregiver, has recently embraced mentoring in the Giving Back program. Judy has years of teaching experience and has developed curriculum in child development including her involvement with the Healthy Start Programs. Long aware of Karen’s brain gym programs and their value, Judy is glad to have reached a point where she is now able to participate actively as a mentor and board member.
Iris Nola, Board Member. Term: April 2010 to April 2013
University of California, Long Beach - M.A., Design - June,1989
As a retired professor of Architectural Technology and Interior Design, Iris taught for 14 years in the California Community College system. Iris has also spent years serving disabled individuals in assisting their ability to access activities outside normal daily life and most recently has been a volunteer for two years with Giving Back: first at a local elementary school on Maui and the second year working with the Kupuna.
Sally Yanagawa, Board Member. Term: April 2010 to April 2013
Sally has been an educator since 1975, working in classrooms in Alaska, Oregon and Hawai’i, for both private institutions as well as public school districts. She has a long and illustrious career in education including significant contributions in handicapped programs. Sally received her initial training for the Giving Back program in January of 2010 and currently serves as a Mentor.