Things I Do and Organizations I Belong To

Photo: License plate
w/ ham radio call sign Amateur radio operator, holder of station license NH6PY since 1988.

Member of the Emergency Amateur Radio Club. Frequent volunteer providing communications support at events like parades and athletic events like charity walks and the Honolulu Marathon. These activities once put me on the front page of the newspaper, and got me on television several times.

Civil Defense ID card Member of Oʻahu RACES, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service; ARES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service; and a registered Skywarn weather observer. These groups support agencies and organizations with communications services during emergencies. We participate in disaster exercises to practice and refine our procedures and techniques, and to test our equipment. We also provide logistical support during large-scale, multi-agency disaster drills.

Volunteer with the City & County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management (formerly the Oʻahu Civil Defense Agency) since 1985, and currently the Communications Officer for DEM District 7 (southeast Oʻahu, from Makiki to Makapuʻu). As a DEM volunteer, I attend regular training in disaster preparedness and response; respond to situations like severe weather conditions, tsunamis, and major power outages; participate in drills; assist in efforts to educate the public about disaster preparedness; and serve at DEM-supported community events. During an activation, I may monitor a situation and report observations; direct traffic, control access to hazardous areas, or assist with evacuation and sheltering; facilitate communications between district volunteers, RACES operators, and emergency managers; or provide other forms of assistance as needed. These groups I belong to complement and cooperate with each other. I've been interested in emergency preparedness for a long time. Over the years, I've come up with a few disaster volunteer preparation tips that may not be obvious.

I'm a life member of the Sierra Club. I became involved at the age of 14 through the Hawaiʻi chapter's High School Hikers program, which fostered environmental awareness and stewardship through hiking clubs in high schools and middle schools. I started volunteering with HSH after I graduated and continued until the program ended in 2025 due to declining participation. I was also a hike leader for a while, and participated in the chapter's Hawaiʻi Service Trip Program, which allowed me to go camping on trail building projects.

I'm on my condominium association's board. In 2025 I became president of the board.

Member of several professional organizations.

I am also a member (i.e. a paying supporter) of Hawaiʻi Public Radio and a fan of programming from National Public Radio and other content producers. I got hooked by A Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk, loved and still miss Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz and HPR's Jazz with Don Gordon, and love listening to Fresh Air, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, and Radiolab among many.

I love jazz. Not only do good jazz musicians have mastery of their instruments, but they also know music so well that they can improvise all around a tune, and still make it sound good. And it can be a real treat to watch a live performance of a group of musicians playing off of each other.

I love motorcycling. I took the Basic Rider Course just for the experience of doing it. Got my license just for the challenge of it. Rented bikes a couple of times to get experience. Ended up buying a Suzuki Boulevard M50 — a mid-weight cruiser that's just big enough to ride comfortably on the freeway.