(Colleen Hanabusa)
By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– The St. Andrew’s Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Colleen Hanabusa, Bettina Mehnert, and Mary Sellers to its Board of Trustees. The 21-member board is responsible for governance of The Schools: The Priory, The Prep, and Queen Emma Preschool.
Colleen Hanabusa is a graduate of St. Andrew’s Priory School for Girls. She is a known Hawaii leader, having served as a legislator from 1998 to 2011, where she rose through the ranks to become Senate Majority Leader and then the first elected female Senate President. Ms. Hanabusa went on to serve as U.S. Representative for Hawaii’s 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2015. In addition to her political career, Ms. Hanabusa has maintained her law practice for nearly 30 years.
Bettina Mehnert
Bettina Mehnert is the President and COO of Architects Hawaii Limited, a firm she has been with since 1988. Ms. Mehnert is a licensed architect in Germany, Guam, and Hawaii. She is a proponent of giving back to the community and she has participated in a number of pro bono nonprofit projects. Ms. Mehnert is a parent of a Priory student.
Mary Sellers is the vice chairman and chief risk officer for Bank of Hawaii, where she oversees the management of risk across the corporation. Ms. Sellers joined Bank of Hawaii in 1987 and over time has held several posts including private financial services, credit management and approval, credit services, and Pacific Century Leasing. She is also the parent of a graduate of St. Andrew’s Priory School for Girls.
Mary Sellers
The St. Andrew’s Schools is located in Downtown Honolulu, adjacent to the St. Andrew’s Cathedral, the Governor’s Mansion, and the Legislature. The School was established in 1867 and is Oahu’s first all-girls school. As children’s educational needs have evolved over time, so too has The School’s focus.
Queen Emma Preschool was acquired nearly 30 years ago to provide for children between two and five years of age. And most recently, in 2014, St. Andrew’s Preparatory School for Boys opened for grades K-5.
Research confirms that girls and boys develop and learn at different rates. The St. Andrew’s Schools’ progressive educational programs are designed specifically with these differences in mind. The result of a single-gender setting at St. Andrew’s includes the development of confident, competent learners, with the skills needed to succeed. One hundred percent of The St. Andrew’s Schools students go on to college. And over $27 million in college scholarships has been earned in the last nine years. In addition to a rigorous curriculum, enhanced by arts, music, theatre and athletics, The St. Andrew’s Schools promotes hands-on, project-based and experiential learning, leadership, and community service.