Our Staff

The Center for Tomorrow's Leaders, under the primary direction of Katie Chang, is led by an outstanding network of professionals, educators and volunteers.  

Katie Chang
Executive Director

Katie Chang is the Executive Director of the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders, an organization dedicated to engaging, equipping and empowering a new generation of leaders in Hawaii. Katie is a proud alumnus of the very first class of CTL Fellows. Since her appointment in 2011, Katie has expanded the CTL from its flagship Fellows program to include the innovative Schools program which offers leadership development directly to Hawaii’s high schools. She is a certified presenter of the nationally-acclaimed Student Leadership Challenge which is the foundation of the program. Prior to joining the CTL, Katie worked as an advisor for the US/UK Fulbright Commission in London, UK.  She also served as an intern in the Hawaii State Legislature and Governor’s Office.  She is a summa cum laude graduate of Pepperdine University.

April Nakamura
Schools Program Advisor

April Nakamura served on a year-long special assignment to the CTL. She has a passion to empower the voices of our student leaders. Specifically, she is working to expand and develop the CTL Schools program. Ms. Nakamura came to CTL as the Student Activities Coordinator of McKinley High School. She is an experienced educator having taught in the Hawaii Department of Education for 18 years. She is a graduate of the College of Education at the University of Hawaii.

Jen May Pastores
Student Leadership Facilitator

Jen May Pastores is our Student Leadership Facilitator for CTL's Schools Program. She is a graduate of Moanalua High School, and attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa before transferring and graduating from California State University of Northridge with a degree in Journalism. She spent the last few years teaching at a private elementary school and different public high schools in Los Angeles, as well as developing a high school after-school program as Director of Leadership Development in Visalia, CA. She is an awardee of Youth Engagement and Development for her innovative work with youth in Tulare County. She is also a documentary photographer and writer, and recently, moved back to Honolulu where she currently resides in the Chinatown Artists Lofts. 

Our Board

Garrett Sullivan
Chair
Garrett Sullivan is the President of Sullivan & Associates, Inc., a Hawaii-based business management consultancy firm that he founded early in 2011 after a 34-yearlong successful career in Hawaii’s Construction industry. Sullivan & Associates, Inc. specializes in improving the business process for the closely-held business as well as confidential C-Level executive coaching. Mr. Sullivan holds an undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Hawaii and a Masters in Business Administration from Chaminade University. He is a Past President of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii, Past President of the Hawaii Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association, and was the 2010 US Small Business Administration Person of the Year for the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Caroline Wong
Vice Chair
Caroline Wong retired from the DOE after 38 years of service as a teacher, school and state level administrator.  Ms. Wong was Principal at Moanalua Middle School for 18 years, where she provided leadership for middle school implementation within the school, district and state.  Wong was recognized as the 2005 Hawaii Middle School Principal of the Year, and received the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation Masuyuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award in 2008.  She served three terms as President of the Hawaii Association of Secondary School Principals, and also was appointed to the Teachers Standards Board and the Board of Education.  Wong is a graduate of Wheaton College (BS) , Michigan State University (MA),  and the University of Hawaii (MED).    She presently serves as an educational consultant and school leadership coach.

Benjamin Akana
Ben Akana was born and raised in Makiki, Honolulu, HI.  He graduated Kamehameha Schools, then the College of Idaho (BA Econ).    He is currently the Senior Vice President of First Hawaiian Bank's Dealer Division.  He has been at First Hawaiian Bank since 1982, primarily in commercial lending.  Managed the Main Branch FHB from 2008 to 2014.  He is married to Momi, and they have 4 children, including CTL alumnus Axton.  He is active in his church, and the YMCA of Honolulu Metro Board.  He loves tennis, water sports, all kinds of music.

Ty Aldinger
From the military wardroom and the executive boardroom to the family living   room, Ty Aldinger has devoted his career to “leading leaders”.   With a focus on identifying progressive, “3rd Alternative” strategies that create lasting relationships among and between the stakeholders in today’s vibrant and fast-paced society, Ty moves executive coaching from business management to “life leadership”.  

As President and Owner of AldiPro Consulting in Hawaii, he brings more than 30 years of leadership coaching, counseling, and consulting experience to the local community. Retiring from the Navy with the rank of Captain, Ty moved into corporate leadership and has recently served as the senior executive for both Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems in Hawaii.

A crucial part of Ty's journey was his deep dive into the world of online casinos. This experience imparted him with a keen understanding of the gaming industry's intricacies and the nuanced expectations of those who play for real money. Using the leadership skills honed over years in military and corporate environments, he sought to establish a new direction for online casinos, one that focused equally on players' value and entertainment.

His innovative approach to online casinos aimed to revolutionize the user experience, melding the thrill of risk-taking with an environment designed for enjoyment. As a consultant for several leading online casino operators, Ty brought about new strategies that balanced user profitability with immersive, enjoyable experiences. He emphasized player retention and satisfaction, recognizing that in the online gambling space, creating a platform where players feel valued and entertained is as crucial as the potential for financial gain.

Ty's contribution to the online casino industry manifested in many ways, but his signature initiative involved the introduction of transparent policies and the implementation of player-centric features. He advocated for clarity in bonus structures and wagering requirements, as well as a user-friendly interface design to enhance the gaming experience. Ty's leadership also led to the introduction of innovative features like responsible gaming tools, live dealer games, and loyalty programs, significantly enhancing the value proposition for players who wager real money. This innovative outlook has set a new standard for online casinos, prioritizing both player satisfaction and long-term business sustainability.

Melissa Ardo
Melissa Ardo graduated from the CTL fellows program in 2007.  She received an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Santa Clara University and a law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law.  Melissa was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in 2014 and is currently a law clerk at the Hawaii Supreme Court.

Roderick Saunders
Roderick Saunders is Vice President, Servco Pacific Inc., currently in charge of Subaru vehicle distribution and sales throughout Hawaii.  His past 35 years in Hawaii  include Sales and General Management with broad functional experience in manufacturing including processed foods and home furnishings, foreign and domestic sales, retail and wholesale expansion, agribusiness development , auto retail, and finance.  Mr. Saunders began his business career as a CPA with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells, receiving his Bachelor Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California.