Our Name, Our Inspiration

We named our school after the Poha berry — a small, golden fruit that grows strong in tough conditions and stays protected in its papery husk until it’s ready. It’s a local treasure, just like the hidden potential in every agent. At Poha School, we want to help you peel back the layers, build confidence, and thrive in Hawai‘i’s unique real estate world. No matter where you’re starting from, we’re here to help you grow strong and stay rooted.

Meet our Experts

Lee Wang | Instructor

Executive Director, Housing Hawaiʻi’s Future

Lee is the Executive Director of Housing Hawaiʻi’s Future, a non-profit that advocates for workforce housing solutions and engages Millennials/Gen Zers in the conversation; he is also a full-time Realtor® specializing in residential and commercial properties on Oahu.

He recieved his real estate license in 2008 and later obtaining his real estate broker license in 2014. Lee has achieved great success – most notably as a top 100 Realtor on Oahu, over 80 million in sales volume, and Volunteer for the Year in 2017.

In addition to real estate, Lee serves as a teacher for the Honolulu Board of Realtors, teaching many courses from contract writing to affordable housing to pricing strategies certifications. He also serves as a business advisor for the School of Entrepreneurship at Manoa for students in the startup world.

Kynan Pang | Instructor

Principal & Owner, Excel Commercial Realty and former CCIM President (2024)

Kynan Pang (B), CCIM, Principal & Owner of Excel Commercial Realty, specializes in the sale of multifamily investment properties and has extensive knowledge and expertise in the field. With more than 10 years in the commercial real estate industry, Kynan has established himself as a trusted advisor and has amassed a thorough knowledge of the nuances of the Hawaii multifamily real estate market.

Kynan has serviced not only institutional clients such as Kamehameha Schools, Red Tail Acquisitions, and Finance Enterprises Ltd., but also, smaller local businesses and investors.

Kynan holds the coveted CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation, which is recognized as the Ph.D. of commercial real estate. Kynan currently serves on the CCIM Hawaii Chapter’s Board of Directors and is a Past President (2024).

Outside of the office, Kynan is an Assistant Varsity Football Coach at Punahou School where his passion for coaching allows him to help student-athletes reach their full potential. He also enjoys spending time at the park with his wife Taylor and son Colby.

Ellen Ng | Instructor

Founder, Inoa LLC

Ellen Ng is a blockchain strategist and economic development specialist with over 15 years of international experience across technology, digital innovation, and market development. She has spent the past five years at the forefront of Web3, crypto, and blockchain initiatives in Hawaiʻi, most notably serving as the program lead for the State’s Digital Currency Innovation Lab, a first-of-its-kind regulatory sandbox enabling crypto companies to operate locally while informing policy and legislation. In her role at the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, she led public-private collaborations, launched statewide education initiatives, and facilitated industry roundtables that shaped emerging digital asset frameworks. As the founder of INOA and organizer of the Pacific Blockchain Summit, she continues to drive thought leadership, advocacy, and ecosystem building, bridging innovation with real-world economic development opportunities.

Laura Merrifield | Instructor

Branch Manager, Guild Mortgage

Laura Merrifield is a Loan Officer and Branch Manager at Guild Mortgage, proudly serving clients from her office in Honolulu’s vibrant Kakaʻako district. With a real estate journey that began in 2001 and a passion for mortgage lending since 2008, Laura combines deep industry knowledge with a warm, hands-on approach to help clients feel confident every step of the way.

She lives in Honolulu with her husband, Devon, their two college-aged daughters, Madison and Taylor, and their lovable (and very opinionated) bulldog, Tyla. When she’s not helping people finance their dream homes, you’ll likely find her on the tennis or pickleball court—or exploring Hawaii’s underwater beauty through SCUBA and snorkeling.

Richard Emery | Instructor

Principal Broker, Hawaiʻi First Realty

Hawaiʻi Real Estate Commissioner

Richard is Principal Broker of Hawaiʻi First Realty LLC and Vice President of Hawaiʻi Affairs for Associa and has more than 32 years’ experience in association management. Richard holds the CAI Reserve Specialist designation and was a participant in CAI’s National Task for Reserve Study Public Policy. Richard often serves as a private consultant or expert witness on litigation matters. Richard regularly teaches Hawaiʻi continuing education core and elective courses to real estate licensees. Richard brings a wealth of industry knowledge. He is a Hawaiʻi Real Estate Commissioner. Richard is an admitted member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.

Julie Bratton | Instructor

Vice President & Regional Sales Executive, Old Republic Exchange Company

With more than 27 years of experience in the real estate industry, Julie Bratton (formerly Tumbaga) has overseen OR Exchange’s Honolulu office since 2001. She manages the office’s staff, marketing initiatives and educational program. Previously, Julie was a sales and marketing consultant at Old Republic Title & Escrow (ORTC) of Hawaiʻi. She received her Bachelors of Arts and Sciences in Architecture/Interior Design from San Diego State University in California. Julie is an affiliate member of the Hawaiʻi Association of Realtors®, the Realtors® Association of Maui, the Kauai Board of Realtors®, the Kona Board of Realtors®, the Hawaiian Island Board of Realtors® and the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA).

Jill Fukumoto | Principal & Owner

Jill Fukumoto was born and raised in Mililani, Hawaiʻi and attended the University of Wisconsin –Madison where she studied Communication Arts and Marketing. Since returning home she has held several positions in Marketing and Operations at HomeStreet Bank and L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Franchise Inc. where she has honed her expertise in project management and program development.

Her passion for nurturing her culture in Hawaiʻi lead her to co-founding the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii’s(CCCH) Young Professional’s and has held positions as a Board of Director of CCCH, a Trustee for the United Chinese Society, and a member of the 3rd cohort of the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Entrepreneurial Exchange Program. Jill is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaiʻi’s Mentor Hawai'ʻi Cohort 11 and is a Pacific Asian Center for Excellence (PACE) Virtual Professional-in-Residence.

As owner and principal of Poha School of Real Estate her goal is to provide relevant, Hawaiʻi-centric education to licensed real estate professionals in Hawaiʻi with an emphasis on our kuleana to serve the community and develop instructors that are current experts in their fields.