Jan has grown PIDF from casual talk on the lānai to a small organization of one program on one island, to today’s 10 programs on five islands serving thousands of people each year. His goal was to build an organization to empower people to overcome challenges and in turn help others.

Our first program, Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool, was created to help meet the developmental needs of young children and to support grandparents and caregivers in this task. The success of Tūtū and Me enabled us to extend our reach and add over a dozen programs over the years to service our communities.

Today PIDF operates at a budget of just under $20 million with 92% of all funding going directly to support our programs (8% going to overhead costs). We remain committed to fiscal and programmatic transparency, and extend our gratitude to the many partners, donors, and individuals who have supported us over the years.

Shawn comes to PIDF after spending almost 20 years in various capacities at Kamehameha Schools, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge in Native Hawaiian and place-based education, and demonstrable leadership and innovation fostering collaborative partnerships with key organizations for a better Hawaiʻi.

“I’m so grateful for the diverse experiences, relationships, and mentors who have supported me over many years in service to Pauahi’s legacy,” said Shawn. “Leading PIDF is a chance to learn and expand, and it’s also a chance to give back. It’s about kuleana that comes with all that I have been blessed to receive from Pauahi over the years. I mua!”

Shawn’s experience and passion for mobilizing positive educational outcomes for Native Hawaiian children will be invaluable to PIDF and its mission providing free education, social service, environmental, and Hawaiian language programs to at-risk communities across the state.

She earned her MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Shawn works closely with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, having been the lead coordinator for the Promise to Children educational initiative and a volunteer crew member on the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage.

“PIDF is an amazing asset in our community, especially as a support for Hawaiʻi’s families and youth,” she said. “The opportunity to join PIDF is related to a question I often ask myself: Where can I contribute and make a positive impact in the world, in Hawaiʻi, and in our communities? I am drawn to PIDF because of its commitment to serving where the needs are greatest.”

Jan is retiring from PIDF after founding and leading the nonprofit with his “half a brain, whole heart” philosophy for 23 years. He plans not to fully retire but to shift his efforts serving Hawaiʻi communities through the Mālama ʻĀina Foundation, continuing as its president and vice chairman of the board.

The transition will be effective April 1st, 2020.

It includes interviews from our Chairman of the Board and former Kamehameha Schools president, Dr. Michael Chun, PIDF VP of Operations Alison Masutani, and others. 

It also briefly mentions our current search for a new president to take over from Jan this February when he is set to retire from PIDF. 

To read the article in its entirety, visit Pacific Business News’s website and log in.

“It’s very humbling to see Partners in Development Foundation grow into what it is today because I strongly believe in the work that we’re able to accomplish, which directly benefits our keiki, kūpuna, and families as a whole,” Dill said. “I’ve been honored to work with an amazing team of people as we’ve striven for our mission of inspiring and equipping families and communities for success and service, using timeless Native Hawaiian values and traditions.”

As a Native Hawaiian, Dill has dedicated his life to the betterment of not just Hawaiians, but also to Hawaiʻi and all of its people. He’s amassed significant experience in community development work within the Hawaiian community and has proven to be both innovative and highly successful in securing grants and resources. This has been vital for our ability to support and grow our programs.

One of the very first programs Dill and his team offered was the Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool. Adopted from Kamehameha Schools, the traveling preschool was created to help meet the developmental needs of infants to five-year-olds and to offer support to their caregivers — oftentimes their grandparents. Teaching teams comprised of early education educators travel to preselected communities where they set up, conduct, and facilitate the program. The curriculum is organized around learning themes and integrates Hawaiian values and culture. Today, Tūtū and Me reaches over 26 communities across the state through funding from the U.S. Department of Education and Kamehameha Schools.

Dill’s commitment to education is apparent not only in his work here at PIDF. He also founded the Mālama ‘Āina Foundation in 1998 to develop programs in environmental education and sustainability for public charter schools in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi and other entities. He also held positions with Hawaiʻi Pacific University’s Oceanic Institute, Tufts University, Punahou School, and was a Fulbright Fellow at the San Carlos National University in Guatemala.

Tūtū and Me’s success opened the door for PIDF to expand its offerings to reach over a dozen other programs like We Are Oceania for Micronesian social services, Hui Ho‘omalu for foster care, and Kupa ‘Āina Natural Farming for sustainability. Another issue of major importance to Dill and PIDF is the state’s ongoing homelessness epidemic, which disproportionately affects Hawaiians. This prompted the creation of the Ka Paʻalana Homeless Family Education program for children and families. It is the only accredited homeless preschool in the country, an honor earned from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

“Over the past 21 years, we’ve been able to set a solid foundation for PIDF’s continued growth with the support and dedication of so many individuals and organizations,” Dill said. “I’m excited to see the next president expand our current initiatives while carving his or her own path for PIDF’s future success.”

Dill also served the community as Vice President and President of the Board of Na Pua a Ke Ali‘i Pauahi, and Founder and Chairman of the Governor’s Mayors’ Annual Hawai‘i Prayer Breakfast. He was Chair of the Board for the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Hawai‘i, member of the Steering Committee for the Polynesian Voyaging Society (Hōkūle‘a Voyage), and Volunteer Corps of the O‘ahu Community Correctional Center.

In April of 2018, Dill was honored for his accomplishments and service to Hawaiʻi’s businesses and communities with the ‘Ō‘ō Award by the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. In 2016 he was selected to receive the Order of Ke Ali‘i Pauahi Award by the Pauahi Foundation and Kamehameha Schools for his personal and professional contributions that have helped communities locally and abroad for nearly 50 years. He was awarded the Angels in Adoption Award by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in 2015.

The organization, with support and direction from the Board of Directors, is working through a planned leadership transition and is expecting to name a new president in mid-2019. To learn more about our work, view our recent news and explore the rest of our website.

The “Kai and Friends” series comprises seven books. Each follows the story of a creature dealing with a struggle common to keiki – such as bullying – and shows the importance of elders.

The characters use inter-generational wisdom to find solutions to their problems. Each of the stories is grounded in contemporary issues, from ocean pollution to the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death fungus impacting Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi.

The creators of the books were at the event: co-authors PIDF president Jan Dill, Judy Dill, and Gail Omoto, and the illustrator, Gary Omoto. Gail gave several lively readings of the books to families visiting the museum, and all four creators signed books for the keiki.

In between readings, Jan shared other stories relating to the books, and Gail had activities to keep the participants active and involved. It was our second book event at Bishop Museum, and was a great success!

Our books make wonderful gifts for keiki 10 and under. They include audio CDs to help with reading and comprehension, narrated by Jack Johnson, Aaron Mahi, and others. The stories are a great way to introduce or reinforce Hawaiian language and cultural traditions.

To purchase any of our books, contact our office at (808) 595-2752. Our online bookstore will be available soon!

This year’s theme was “He Lei Aloha Ke Keiki,” “Children are Our Garland of Love.” This theme is such a prime statement of what we are and who we serve. The hand prints around the trolley are of the keiki participants of Ka Paʻalana, Tūtū and Me Oʻahu, and Nā Pono program.

There were many that came out to help us celebrate this festive event. Families of staff and some programs were able to sit and represent us in the trolley while staff walked the parade handing out gifts to on lookers. Our gifts and aloha was well received by the crowd. They cheered us on as we “danced” to the Tūtū and Me songs.

Mahalo nō to the many many people that had given of their time, talents, and sweat. Ke Kama Pono, thank you for the ono food at the end of the parade and drinks, to the many staff members who took the time to cut down and donate foliage and greenery for the trolley, to all the staff who assisted in getting hand prints, to the Tūtū and Me Oʻahu staff for walking and assisting in the prep of the parade. Thank you to the Communications team and John Delisio for all the pictures.

Mahalo to everyone for making PIDF the great organization that we are and representing us well.