President's Council

The BYU–Hawaii President’s Council is charged with determining the strategic direction of the university on all levels: educational, fiscal, spiritual, and physical. Their primary focus is the success of each individual student and the leadership development of the entire BYU–Hawaii ‘ohana. As the President’s Council works to accomplish the mission of the university, they make decisions to align resources with key priorities. While the President’s Council has specific responsibility for the university, its students, employees, and resources, they are also concerned with how the decisions of BYU–Hawaii affect Laie and the surrounding community.

President John S.K. Kauwe III

John S.K. Kauwe III is the eleventh president of Brigham Young University–Hawaii. He assumed the presidency in July 2020. Kauwe was sustained as an Area Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 2024.

He is a professor of biology at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo where he served previously as the chair of the Biology Department and as dean of Graduate Studies.   

President Kauwe earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology (1999) and a master’s degree in population genetics (2003) at BYU. From 1999-2001, he served as a full-time missionary in the Japan Fukuoka Mission. He received a Ph.D. in evolution, ecology, and population biology in 2007 from Washington University in St. Louis where he also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Alzheimer’s disease genetics at the Washington University School of Medicine in 2008.  

President Kauwe’s professional focus has been primarily on solving the genetic basis of risk for Alzheimer’s disease. His work, which includes more than 100 peer-reviewed published papers in the past decade, has contributed in unique ways to our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease risk and resilience. He also conducts research on the genetic basis of other human traits and is engaged in ongoing work on genomics and population genetics in Indo-Pacific fish species.  

President Kauwe is of Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese, Maori, and Northern European ancestry. He was raised in Orem, Utah and various parts of Hawaii and is a graduate of Molokai High and Intermediate School (’96). He is the fourth great-grandson of Kaleohano, one of the first converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hawaii.  

Isaiah Walker

Academic Vice President

Isaiah Walker was appointed as academic vice president on July 1, 2021. The academic vice president oversees faculty, curriculum, accreditation, and faculty hiring, ensuring high standards in teaching, scholarship, and community engagement.

Born and raised in Hilo, Hawai‘i, Isaiah Walker joined BYU–Hawaii as a full-time faculty member in 2006. Prior to becoming the academic vice president, Walker was a history professor in the Faculty of Language, Culture & Performing Arts, served as the chair of the Faculty Advisory Council, and was previously chair of the History Program. Prior to his tenure at BYU–Hawaii, Walker was a visiting professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and a lecturer at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Walker completed a doctorate in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he studied American and Hawaiian history. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from BYU–Hawaii and a master’s degree from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.

In addition to authoring "Waves of Resistance: Surfing and History in 20th Century Hawai‘i," Walker has published several academic articles and book chapters. He has also consulted as the historian on multiple media publications and productions as a leading expert in his field. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1990 at age 16. He served a mission in San Diego, California. He is married to Rebekah Matagi and they have five children.

Jonathan Kalaonalani Kau

Student Life Vice President

Jonathan Kalaonalani Kau was appointed as student life vice president on September 7, 2020. In this role, Kau is focused on the living and learning environment outside of the classroom. This encompasses a wide range of programs, services, and experiences that promote and enhance student development, engagement, and well-being.

Prior to his appointment, Kau served as director of Student Wellness and of Facility Services at BYU in Provo, where his vision has been to “empower students in the active pursuit of their best self.” In addition to teaching student development classes, Kau also chaired the Honor Code Advisory Council and Campus Life Assessment and Evaluation Committee. Before serving as the director of student wellness in 2017, Kau served as the associate dean of students, director of the Center for Service and Learning, and various other roles in Student Leadership and the division of Student Life.

Kau earned a master’s degree in student development administration from Seattle University and bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and Asian studies at BYU. Kau served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hong Kong. He and his wife, Jazzeth, are the parents of a blended family of eight children and seven grandchildren.

Michael P. Tejada

Administrative Vice President

Micheal P. Tejada was appointed as the administrative vice president on May 1, 2024. As administrative president, Tejada leads the university’s administrative and financial efforts and oversees Human Resources, the Office of Compliance & Ethics, the Budget Office, and Financial Services.

Michael Tejada is an alumnus of BYU–Hawaii, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting. He later earned a Master's of Accountancy from the University of Utah. Before coming to BYU–Hawaii in 2012, he previously worked as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche and a branch manager for the Bank of Hawaii. Prior to his appointment as administrative vice president, Michael served as the as BYU–Hawaii’s budget director and oversaw the Financial Aid & Scholarships department, including the university’s work-study programs. In his current role, he leads the university’s administrative and financial efforts and oversees human resources, compliance, budgets, financial services, and customer experience.

Michael Tejada has deep connections to the Laie and Kahuku communities. His grandfather, Roscoe Sorenson, was the grounds foreman at the Church College of Hawaii for many years and was also one of the first bishops called in the Laie area. Tejada attended Laie Elementary, Kahuku Elementary, and Kamehameha Schools. He and his wife, Maria, are the parents of five children.

Kevin Schlag

Operations Vice President

Kevin Schlag was appointed as operations vice president on November 1, 2021. In this role, Schlag oversees all operation aspects of the university and provides strategic direction for Planning, Design, and Construction, Facilities Management, Office of Information Technology, Campus Security, Housing Operations, and Auxiliary Services.

Kevin Schlag has been a part of the BYU–Hawaii 'ohana since 1996 and has served in various roles, including campus news center advisor, technology projects manager, director of Enterprise Information Systems, and chief information officer. He coached the BYU–Hawaii cross country team from 2010 to 2016 and was appointed as the university COVID-19 project manager in 2020.

Kevin Schlag was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France. He attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in communications in 1995. He then received a master's degree in learning and technology from Western Governors University in 2003.

Schlag's leadership role expands beyond his career on campus and into the surrounding area. He has lived in Laie for 25 years and has served as both the president of the Laie Community Association and the stake president of the Laie Hawaii North Stake. Schlag and his wife, Nan, have four children, Ayanna, Truman, Jonah, and Coral. Schlag enjoys running in the mountains and spending time with family.

Laura Tevaga

Advancement Vice President

Laura Tevaga was appointed advancement vice president on January 12, 2022. Specific areas of oversight include Marketing and Communications, University Scheduling, Campus News, University Events, Alumni Relations, and Philanthropies.

Laura Tevaga has spent the last 25 years in media and direct marketing and has worked for the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, BYUtv, KBYU-TV & FM, and BYU Broadcasting. Before coming to BYU–Hawaii, Laura was director of development and station management at BYU Broadcasting where she served as a key member of the executive management team, providing direction and oversight for several television and radio stations and their 450+ employees. Laura also has extensive fundraising experience and has raised over $25 million for various non-profit organizations across Utah. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from BYU and an Executive MBA from BYU’s Marriott School of Management. Laura was born and raised in Chicago but now calls Hawaii home. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, socializing, and offering unsolicited advice to her husband Nofoa and their two children.

Scott Stiles

Chief of Staff

Scott Stiles was appointed as the president’s chief of staff on August 1, 2024. In this role, Stiles provides strategic counsel to the president and President’s Council and leads complicated strategic initiatives, especially those focused on improving the customer experience for students.

Stiles has a Bachelor of Science in business management from BYU–Hawaii. As a student, he wrote a business plan to disrupt the exploitative migrant recruitment industry across Asia. After graduation, he and his family moved to Hong Kong, where he launched Fair Employment Agency. The agency has now placed 10,000+ people in safe jobs and set new ethical standards, some of which have been adopted regionally. Based on this success, Fair Employment Agency expanded their work to Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Stiles has received several awards, including Forbes 30 Under 30, and Hong Kong’s first Ashoka Fellowship. Following his time at Fair, Stiles was the head of fair hiring at SEEK, a leading employment marketplace across Asia Pacific. He and his wife, Kelsey Stiles, are proud parents of two children.

Arlene Sewell

Chief Information Officer

Arlene Sewell was appointed as chief information officer on September 1, 2022. As CIO, she leads the university’s Office of Information Technology which provides technical support and resources to campus.

Arlene Sewell is an alum of BYU–Hawaii, where she earned her bachelor's degree in information systems. She later earned a Master of Information Systems Security from Colorado Technical University. Before coming to BYU–Hawaii in 2022, she previously worked as a project manager in the Office of Information Technology department at Brigham Young University in Provo and worked as director of IT Projects & Technology Services at Dixie State University. She has over 20 years of IT management experience including positions at American Samoa Community College, Blue Sky Communications, and Children's Hospital-San Diego.

Originally from the village of Utulei in American Samoa, her parents are Elama Pele and Loretta Tupua. Sewell came to BYU–Hawaii as a convert in 1997 and it is here that she built a foundation and love for the gospel while pursuing her education which she believes changed the trajectory for her family. She is grateful to have entered to learn, gone forth to serve, and have returned to continue to help fulfill the mission of BYUH.

Originally from the village of Utulei in American Samoa, her parents are Elama Pele and Loretta Tupua. Sewell came to BYU–Hawaii as a convert in 1997, and it is at BYU–Hawaii that she built a foundation and love for the gospel while pursuing her education, which she believes changed the trajectory of her family. She and her husband, Gabriel Sewell, are the parents of five adult children and eight beautiful grandchildren and growing. She is grateful to have entered to learn, gone forth to serve, and returned to continue to help fulfill the mission of BYUH.