Introducing TORCH's New Advisory Board

Apr 11, 2024 by Gina Watanabe

We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in the journey of Technology Outreach Hawaii (TORCH) - the formation of our distinguished advisory board. Comprising leaders with diverse expertise in technology, education, and community development, our advisory board will play a pivotal role in shaping TORCH’s strategic direction and advancing our mission of promoting technology education and access across the Hawaiian Islands.

The addition of these esteemed advisors to our team marks an exciting chapter in TORCH’s journey. Their collective wisdom, experience, and passion for technology education will guide us as we expand and enhance our presence in the community.

Meet Our Advisors:

Ed Barnabas works as Vice President and Chief Technologist at Booz Allen’s regional headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, serving U.S. government clients in defense and civil agencies across the region. With over 20 years of experience leading complex technology solutions, Ed focuses on guiding, scaling, and overseeing the regional innovation agenda across key areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, cyber, infrastructure/cloud, augmented reality/virtual reality, and digital transformation. Outside of work, Ed actively engages in STEM advocacy efforts and serves on multiple boards and committees, including the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC), TRUE, Cyber Hawaii, Hawaii Chamber of Commerce Technology Sector Partnership, and ClimbHI.

Scott Robertson, a distinguished academic, currently serves as Professor and Chair of the Information and Computer Sciences Department at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. With a Ph.D. in Psychology/Cognitive Science from Yale University and over four decades of experience, Robertson’s expertise lies in human-computer interaction (HCI) and related fields. Prior to his current role, he held various academic and corporate positions, contributing significantly to research and innovation in HCI. As the founder and Director of the Hawaii Computer-Human Interaction Lab (HICHI), Robertson continues to advance knowledge in HCI and digital government.

Stacey Aldrich has more than 30 years of library experience, and is currently the State Librarian of Hawaii. Prior to Hawaii, she served as the Deputy Secretary for the Office of Commonwealth Libraries in Pennsylvania and State Librarian of California. Stacey has also worked in public and academic libraries. In between, she took a detour to work as a Senior Associate at the futuring think tank of Coates & Jarratt, Inc., where she began to sharpen her futurist thinking skills. Stacey has worked on broadband and digital literacy since the early-mid 1990s when the Maryland Sailor Network was created, and in 2012 she was awarded the LINK AMERICAS Foundation Knowledge Award for leadership in the area of digital literacy.

Brett Tanaka - Educational Specialist – Computer Science Program Manager - Hawaii State Department of Education. Brett is the Educational Specialist for Computer Science and provides statewide K-12 computer science education-related support. Brett has also worked in a variety of technology related positions including desktop publishing, Apple/Epson repair technician, network/systems administrator, software applications trainer and technical support. Brett has served as Past-President for the Hawai’i Society for Technology in Education (HSTE) ISTE-affiliate chapter and is the current President and founding member for the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Hawaii CSTA-affiliate chapter. He has a Master’s of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) from Hawaii Pacific University.