Dean of Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work to head Consuelo Foundation

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Jun 9, 2010

Jon Matsuoka
Jon Matsuoka
Dr. Jon K. Matsuoka will be leaving his position as dean of the UH Mānoa Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work in August to become the Consuelo Foundation’s third president and chief executive officer. 
 
Matsuoka joined the school 25 years ago, and has served as dean for the past decade. “The administration at UH Mānoa has been most supportive of my tenure as well as my move to Consuelo, and I am deeply appreciative,” said Matsuoka.
 
UH Mānoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw notes that Dean Matsuoka was pivotal in developing the multicultural approach of the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work toward solving social issues. “That emphasis has resulted in training more effective social workers for Hawai‘i, and has won international recognition for our School,” said Hinshaw.
 
Patti J. Lyons, founding president and CEO of Consuelo, describes Matsuoka as “compassionate, committed and competent.” Said Lyons, “As Chair of the School’s Community Advisory Board for several years, I have seen Jon in action and experienced his style of management. He is visionary, yet practical, with a combination of skills needed by the foundation. He is the right person at the right time.” Added Jeffrey Watanabe, chair of the Consuelo board of directors, “On behalf of the entire board, we welcome Jon to our organization, and look forward to working together with him. He was, by far, the most outstanding candidate among many.”
 
In leaving the UH Mānoa campus, Matsuoka said it was a difficult decision, because he will be leaving behind many “dear friends who are committed to their fields of study, and who work exceptionally hard to enhance the quality of life of local residents.” Yet, he added, “I am ready to take on new challenges and commit myself to carrying out the Foundation’s mission, as Consuelo has a reputation for being a first-rate and highly effective organization with a dedicated board and staff.”
 
In 1988, Consuelo Zobel Alger left her fortune to establish the Consuelo Foundation. Its mission is to operate or support programs in the Philippines and Hawai‘i that prevent and treat the abuse, neglect and exploitation of children, women and families. Its vision is to renew hope for those who have lost it, and to give hope to those who never had it. The foundation—headquartered in Honolulu, with its Philippine operation in Manila—is an operating foundation (direct service) rather than a grant-making organization. In 1991, it initiated one of the first private efforts to develop affordable self-help housing for high-risk families, known as Ke Aka Ho`ona, on the Waianae Coast.
 
For more information on the Consuelo Foundation, contact Lyons at 532-3939 or plyons@hawaii.rr.com.