REL Pacific Governing Board appoints new members

Honolulu—The governing board for the Regional Education Laboratory for the Pacific (REL Pacific), a program administered by McREL’s Pacific Center for Changing the Odds (PCCO) in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, has appointed two new members.

James T. Arenovski, currently the principal of the staff training organization Island Training Solutions in Guam, is an expert in business management and development. He is also the founder of the Bridge Project, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides entry-level job readiness training and helps workers develop the skills required for writing résumés and participating in job interviews. Mr. Arenovski has been a member of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce since 2000, where he supported investing in the local workforce.

Maridel Perez has been a teacher at Maria A. Ulloa Elementary School in Dededo, Guam, since 1998, and is currently a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) teacher. In addition to her teaching duties, Ms. Perez also directs extracurricular activities, conducts school-wide assessments, coordinates events, and advises clubs and organizations.

“The REL Pacific Governing Board is privileged to have Mr. Arenovski and Ms. Perez join its ranks,” noted Dr. Rita Sablan, board chair and commissioner of education for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. “Their understanding of Guam’s business and education communities will offer the additional insight necessary to the development of REL Pacific research and technical assistance projects. The members of the board look forward to their involvement in our collective efforts to make a difference in the lives of our children in the Pacific.”