Meet The Associates

CLIFFORD CHENG | DONALD KOELPER | JIM SHON | JOHN AETO | NATASHA RADOJCIC

Clifford Cheng

Clifford Cheng is the founder and creative director of VOICE, a design firm that develops award winning communications programs including: identity, strategic communication, environments, consumer and business-to-business collateral and fund-raising campaigns. The firms national and international clients are a diverse mix of corporations, emerging companies and non-profit organizations including: Azabu USA, Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate, General Growth Management, Obayashi Group, Hyatt Hotels, Young Brothers, Verizon, JTB, The Honolulu Zoo, The American Cancer Society, Kuakini Hospital, Blue Planet Foundation and Hawaii Preparatory Academy. Clifford is also co-owner and designer for the internationally acclaimed Hawaii Skin Diver Magazine.

Cheng¹s work has been published in numerous design and advertising annuals, periodicals and books. He consistently receives local, national and international awards from leading design organizations including: the Honolulu Advertising Federation PELE Awards, the American Advertising federation ADDY Awards, the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and the Society of Publication Designers (SPD). In 2007, his work for the Hawaii Tourism Authority garnered several Gold Pinnacle Awards from the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA). His work for AIGA Honolulu won both Best In Show design and print at the Hawaii¹s 5-0 Design Competition. More recently, he was awarded four Pele Awards and a 2008 National Addy Award.

Donald Koelper

Donald Koelper is a senior consultant with Myerberg Shain & Associates, specializing in grant writing, proposal development and strategic communications for annual and capital campaigns. He offers a diverse array of personal knowledge and practical experience directly applicable to the needs of the not-for-profit community.

Both Donald’s mother and his grandmother served as executive directors for local chapters of very prominent national not-for-profit organizations, which gave him a lifelong appreciation of the true worth of such organizations to the overall well-being of the greater community. He credits his own "official status" as his mother’s and grandmother’s most reliable "volunteer" with instilling in him at a young age a strong sense of personal obligation to support and promote the public welfare.

Donald attended the University of Washington and the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, where he graduated with honors and a B.A. in History. He twice earned national recognition as an undergraduate from the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society, for his research, analysis and writing on the history of the American West.

His interest in environmental concerns led him to an eventual involvement in public affairs as a grassroots advocate and organizer for such issues. His effectiveness was such that he soon caught the attention of several Hawai‘i state legislators, and shortly thereafter began a long-time stint as a staff member at the State Capitol.

At the legislature, Donald found his intimate knowledge of the not-for-profit community – borne of family background and personal experience – put to good use as chief clerk of the State Senate’s Health and Human Services committee. Later, as a senior legislative analyst for House leadership, his political acumen was such that he was soon known as a very quick study on almost any issue placed before him for advice and disposition, and his well-considered analysis of such matters was often highly regarded by elected officials, staff and citizen advocates alike.

Jim Shon, Ph.D.

Jim Shon is a Senior Consultant with Myerberg Shain & Associates specializing in financial resource development, strategic planning and governance for charter schools throughout the country.

Jim comes from a family of educators. With a BA in Music Education from Syracuse University, Jim entered the Peace Corps and taught English on Cheju Island, Korea, for 3 ½ years. He continued his graduate education in history at the University of Hawaii and joined the University of Hawaii’s Curriculum Research and Development Group where he worked on projects involving Hawaii history, ocean education, and civics education. He authored a Marine and Aquatic Education Plan while working at the Hawaii Marine Affairs Coordinator’s Office.

In 1984 Jim was elected to the Hawaii State Legislature where he served on both lower and higher education committees for 12 years as well as chairing the House Committees on Health, and Energy and Environmental Protection. Following his service as an elected official, Jim worked with nonprofits to assist underprivileged youth enter health professions. In 2001, Jim earned his doctorate from the University of Hawaii focusing on aging-in-place support networks. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in public health, nursing and social work. He also has served as a labor arbitrator.

In 2002, Jim joined the University of Hawaii’s Hawaii Educational Policy Center where he authored a number of policy studies, including one of the first on Hawaii’s charter schools. As a result of his work at the Center as well as his legislative experience, Jim was selected in 2004 to head the Hawaii Charter School Administrative Office, overseeing all of Hawaii’s charter schools. During his time as Executive Director, Jim led a task force to revise and re-codify Hawaii’s charter school laws and created a comprehensive support system for the growing charter school community in Hawaii.

In 2006, Jim went to work for the Hawaii Charter School Network, creating a comprehensive Tool Kit to assist Hawaii charters in areas of academic, administrative, financial, and governance skills and capacity building. Currently, Jim is assisting the Hawaii Charter School S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Consortium, and serves on the governance board for a University of Hawaii affiliated charter school. He also has served as an official grant reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education.

Jim is the author of two books, A Charter School Story: Hawaii’s Experience in Creating a Charter School System, and Inside Hawaii’s Capitol: Lessons in Legislative Democracy, as well as co-editor of The Unfinished Health Agenda.

John Aeto

John Aeto is a Senior Consultant with Myerberg Shain & Associates specializing in financial resource development and strategic planning for Native Hawaiian not-for-profit organizations.

Previously, John was the President of Hiki No CC, a Hawai‘i based Communications and Consulting Company specializing in Government, Community and Media Affairs. Prior to Hiki No CC, John was the General Manager of VRE Hawaii, a locally owned Hawai‘i Broadcast Company. John has been in the Media and Broadcast industry for over 23 years and has held several key management positions at both Cox Radio Hawai‘i and VRE Radio Group.

John graduated from the Kamehameha Schools in 1985 and attended San Mateo College in San Francisco and Hawai‘i Pacific University. He is married (Charmaine), has two children, Jarrison (son) and Janae (daughter), and currently resides in Kapālama Heights.

John’s board service in Hawai’i include the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl, March of Dimes Hawai’i, Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, Hale Kipa and the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts.

Natasha Radojcic

Natasha Radojcic is an Associate Consultant with Myerberg Shain & Associates specializing in annual and foundation giving. With extensive experience in the non-profit sector, Natasha has worked with a number of different organizations including those specializing in environmental, educational, and social service reform.

Immediately prior to joining Myerberg, Shain & Associates, Natasha served on the fundraising staff for the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles (the third largest non-profit in the Los Angeles area) where she successfully implemented an annual giving program that raised substantial funds for the YMCA’s social service programs. She has also worked in a similar capacity with the YMCA of Honolulu and the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii.

Natasha earned a Masters in Sociology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and graduated with a B.A. from Boston University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Sociology from the University of California at Riverside.