
ʻIke Insider
40th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity
By Us and For Us: Legacy and Future of Our Movement
Tuesday, April 15 – Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Hawaiʻi Convention Center (in-person with virtual options)

Thank You for Joining Us at the 40th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference
Dear Pacific Rim Conference Attendees,
On behalf of the University of Hawaiʻi, College of Education – Center on Disability Studies and the entire organizing team, thank you for being part of the 40th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability. Whether you traveled from afar or joined us from nearby, your presence helped make this year’s gathering a powerful celebration of community, advocacy, and collective progress.
With the theme “By Us and For Us: Legacy and Future of Our Movement,” this year’s conference honored the incredible history of disability leadership while also looking forward to a future shaped by our voices, our stories, and our continued efforts.
We were deeply honored to welcome Jennifer Kumiyama, Corbett O’Toole, and Villaney Remengesau as our keynote speakers. Each brought inspiring messages rooted in lived experience, fierce advocacy, and deep cultural knowledge—reminding us of the power of our shared movement across generations and geographies.
As we reflect on our time together, we’d love to hear from you. Please take a few moments to complete our conference survey, which helps us grow and improve each year. You can access the survey by visiting https://go.hawaii.edu/6F8.
Finally, we warmly invite you to join us again at next year’s Pacific Rim International Conference, where we will continue building momentum, connection, and impact—by us, for us.
With deep gratitude,
– The Pac Rim Conference Team

Keynote Presenters

#PacRim2025 Keynote Presenters:
- Corbett O’Toole – Disability Community elder author; Fading Scars: My Queer Disability History >> Read More
- Villaney Remengesau – Disability Inclusion Consultant, Palau Ministry of Health & Human Services >> Read More
- Jennifer Kumiyama – Film, TV & Stage Actor & Activist, Citywide Accessibility Coordinator for the City of Long Beach >> Read More
Last Reminders
- Conference Proceeding – Did you present and are interested in being published in the Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal? >> Read More
- Whova Conference App – The Conference App is open and available for anyone with access to the Whova. >> Read More
- Survey due Friday, May 2, 2025 – Make sure you click the link after submitting your survey responses to participate in our drawing for FREE conference registration at Pac Rim 2026. >> Read More
Thank you very much!!



Interim Director of CDS
Dr. Kiriko Takahashi
kiriko@hawaii.edu
Conference Chair
Jared Galeai
galeaij@hawaii.edu
Conference Coordinator
Max Malmud
prinfo@hawaii.edu



Registration Coordinator
Lori Lum
prreg@hawaii.edu
Exhibitor Inquiries
Dr. Manca Sustarsic
msustars@hawaii.edu
Volunteer Inquiries
Dr. Nicole Schlaack
schlaack@hawaii.edu



Technology & Website Coordinator
Davin Takahashi
davint@hawaii.edu
Technology & Website Coordinator
Dr. Frank Jumawan
fjumawan@hawaii.edu
Proceedings & Marketing Inquires
Dr. Raphael Raphael
rraphael@hawaii.edu



Poster Presentation Inquiries
Dr. Naomi Rombaoa Tanaka
nrombaoa@hawaii.edu
Presenter Proposal Inquiries
Genesis Leong
prcall@hawaii.edu
Administrative Coordinator
Lisa Eng
lctam@hawaii.edu