Fred Kamperman, Instructor

Aloha! I love languages and experiencing different cultures. Besides English, I speak, French, German, Dutch and intermediate Japanese. I have taught English in New York City, Vancouver, Osaka and Barcelona. I did both my certificate and diploma of teaching English to speakers of other languages (CELTA and DELTA) with Cambridge University, as well as my Master’s in TESOL at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. I love teaching and learning. I learn a lot from my students while teaching English language and culture.

Lehua Akano, Instructor

Lehua spent her formative years in Okinawa, Japan, where her Hawaiian father was stationed as an Air Force serviceman. Her deep-rooted aspiration to connect with her ancestral heritage materialized when she relocated from California to Hawaiʻi Island in 2013. At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, she pursued a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese Studies and Linguistics, while also earning a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification. Beyond her academic pursuits, Lehua finds joy in singing and dancing, but her true calling lies in educating international students through the Intensive English Program (IEP).

Eri Hall, Assistant Coordinator

Eri is from Kamakura City, Japan. She went abroad and joined a host family program when she was 14 years old and from there she made a goal to be able to speak English fluently. She graduated from an American college in Japan with a Liberal Arts degree and transferred to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. While she was studying there, she took advantage of the National Exchange Program and studied at Oregon State University for a year. She interned and volunteered at the International Student office during her college life. She earned a BA in Anthropology and worked in New York for a year with an OPT (Optional Practical Program). In her spare time, she enjoys reading, painting nails, Hawaiian quilting, watching movies, and playing with her 2 cats. Eri oversees the IEP Volunteer program, Tutoring for IEP students, and the IEP Computer Lab.