Koror, Palau. Twenty-eight emerging leaders from across the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands graduated today from the Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP), marking the conclusion of a nine-month journey to strengthen leadership capacity across the insular governments.

With this graduating class, the ELDP alumni network now includes 239 leaders serving in key roles throughout the Pacific. Graduates bring diverse professional backgrounds, strong personal commitment, and a shared dedication to public service.

Over the past nine months, the Class of 2025 completed three intensive on-site sessions in Guam, Majuro (Marshall Islands), and Palau, along with two virtual training sequences. Program themes centered on Leading Self, Leading Others, Leading Change, and Leading into the Future.

In Palau, participants delivered their final team presentations before a distinguished evaluation panel: Hon. Dr. Stevenson Kuartei, MD, Vice President of the Senate; Landisang Kotaro, Chief of Staff to the President of Palau; and Hermana Idip, Chief Financial Officer of Surangel and Sons, Inc.

Voices from the Class

Class speaker Pernes Samuel of Pohnpei represented the ELDP Class of 2025 and, in his remarks, congratulated his peers:

“We’ve faced a lot of challenges these past nine months, and I’m so happy I’m able to be with you to complete this program. I would like to congratulate the ELDP Class of 2025. You made it! We all made it!”

Representing the ELDP faculty, Dr. Mary Okada, Ed.D., ELDP Program Advisor and President of Guam Community College, urged the graduates to “build our communities… build our regional intelligence! Embrace your future with confidence and optimism… Our region is counting on you!”

On behalf of the program coordinators at the Graduate School USA, Jason Aubuchon, Senior Director of Special Programs, thanked the Class of 2025 for the community they worked so hard to build during the program. He encouraged participants to reflect on the leaders who have influenced their own journeys and to create new leadership opportunities for others in their communities.

The graduation ceremony also featured congratulatory remarks from the numerous panelists and guest speakers who contributed to the program.

The Class of 2025 represents a broad cross-section of the Pacific, with graduates serving in leadership roles in education (8), finance and budget (7), audit (4), health (4), environment (3), commerce (2), executive leadership (2), and other sectors.

The ELDP is funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (DOI-OIA) and administered by the Graduate School USA’s Pacific and Virgin Islands Training Initiatives (PITI-VITI). Since 2008, the program has graduated 239 leaders, equipping mid-career professionals with the skills, experience, and networks to guide their agencies and communities into the future.

ELDP Class of 2025 Graduates

Full biographies available at https://eldp.pitiviti.org

American Samoa

• Kacey Iloilo
• Lindsey Laupola

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

• Heather Pangelinan
• Kevin Bautista
• Leila Haveia-Fleming-Staffler
• Miguel Demapan
• Nadine Deleon-Guerrero

Federated States of Micronesia – National Government

• Brandon Rodriguez
• Nena Waguk

Chuuk State, FSM

• Restmena Nonumwar
• Tara Arnold

Kosrae State, FSM

• Betty Sigrah

Pohnpei State, FSM

• Adelman Joseph
• Pernes Samuel

Yap State, FSM

• Ben Chosmal
• Stephenia Gilsowuth

Guam

• Austin Grant
• Carmela Vi
• Cellini Higa
• Fernando Esteves
• Justin Castro
• Rikki Orsini

Republic of the Marshall Islands

• Dolse Shoniber
• Kyle Lemari

Republic of Palau

• Adeeshia Tellei
• Darla Babauta
• Garlyn Ngirchemat
• Ribka Kintaro-Kanai