Julian K. Ako

Julian Ako currently serves as Interim Head of Educational Support Services at Kamehameha Schools (KS). In this role his responsibilities include oversight of the KS Admissions Department, Instructional Technology Services, KS Press and the Pauahi Leadership Institute. Ako also is charged with leading, managing and coordinating assigned tasks and projects that cut across the entire KS educational system campuses and divisions.

Ako is a 1961 Kamehameha Schools graduate. He joined KS in 1979 as assistant to the director of Extension Education and since then has served in several capacities including high school social studies department head, partime dormitory advisor and Dean of Student Activities at the Kapalama Campus, coordinator of summer enrichment’s Kulia i ka Pono Program and facilitator in the development of KS’ Strategic Plan 2000-2015. Prior to assuming his current responsibilities, he held the position of Senior Education Administrator in the Office of the Vice President for Education for two years.

Ako holds a B.A. in economics from Macalester College, an M.A. in Slavic and Soviet Area Studies and a Master of Philosophy in modern East European history, the last two degrees from Kansas University. He was the recipient of both a Fulbright Hays and an International Research Exchanges Board Fellowship for Ph.D. research in Poland. He was also awarded National Defense Foreign Language Fellowships for graduate study.

Ako’s board memberships include the Hawai'i P-20 Council, Pihana Na Mamo, 'Ahahui 'Olelo Hawai'i and Tutu and Me Traveling Preschools. He speaks Hawaiian and Polish fluently and received Na Hoku Hanohano awards for Haku Mele (Composer of the Year) in 2001 and 2003.

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