The late Dr. Koletty was a Professor at East Los Angeles College in Geography and Environmental Science and taught at the University of Southern California, his alma mater. He also attended school at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He was the President of the Los Angeles Geographical Society. His wife Honey was a Counselor at Carson High School for 20 years.
We appreciate the support of Dr. Koletty and Honey as NPIEN Sponsors for our Scholars Awards and the many students they supported for decades.
In Recognition of John Harrington
National Pacific Islander Education Network
(NPIEN) Staff Member
Teacher, Irvine Unified School District
Supporter of Pacific Islander Students and the Entire Village
We will Strive to Uphold your Legacy of Aloha, Kindness and your love of Moana
NPIEN Board Retreat in San Diego,
Encinitas, January 10, 2026
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Tulu Tofavaha is a 4th year student at UC Riverside, Majoring in Sociology. She works with the Roundtable and Peer Mentor Program as a Student Affairs Student Coordinator. She is from East Palo Alto, CA.
With nearly two decades of experience in education, Dawn has dedicated their career to fostering academic success and equity for all students. Currently serving as an assistant principal, a role they’ve held for the past three years, Dawn draws from extensive classroom experience as a teacher in both the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD).
As Channel Coast Chapter Chair for NPIEN and a proud member of a family with Filipino and Hawaiian heritage, Dawn is deeply committed to advocating for Pacific Islanders and supporting efforts to increase success within their community. They aim to inspire collaboration, inclusivity, and excellence in all aspects of their work.
Dr. Loriann A. Leota is an experienced and highly effective administrator and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Doctor of Education in Educational and Professional Practice; Multicultural and Anti-racist Education. Her dissertation is titled: True Culture at War With Colonizer Culture: The Underrepresentation of Pacific Islander Students in Higher Education.
Dr. Leota has worked as both a teacher and educational leader in several settings, ranging from urban to suburban and has served diverse populations. She truly believes that all children can grow intellectually, emotionally and socially, when they are provided with a caring and engaging educator. Under her leadership, her school was able to transform their SBAC scores by more than 15% in both ELA and Mathematics, decrease the chronic absenteeism rate by almost 2% and decrease the suspension rate by 1%. A strong equity advocate, she firmly believes in meeting the needs of the whole child by building relationships, empowering students to be agents of social change and inspiring leaders.
The number of Pacific Islanders in education is less than 10%, with an even smaller percentage in administration. Further, they earn 0.1% of doctoral degrees. As a Palauan educational leader, Dr. Leota intends to break the glass ceiling for not only herself, but all Island people.