Oral History Staff

Warren S. Nishimoto
Director

Phone: (808) 956-6260
Office: George Hall 309
Email: wnishimo@hawaii.edu
Background: Warren Nishimoto holds degrees in American History and Asian Studies from the University of Illinois and the University of Washington. He earned a Ph.D in Education from the University of Hawai‘i. Since 1983, he has served as principal investigator for COH’s oral history projects documenting Hawai‘i’s history, culture, and people. He teaches credit and non-credit courses and workshops on oral history to on- and off-campus students, serves as consultant to community-based history projects in Hawai‘i and the Pacific, and works with local humanities groups and national organizations. He is co-editor of Hanahana: An Oral History Anthology of Hawai‘i’s Working People.

Michi Kodama-Nishimoto
Research Coordinator

Phone: (808) 956-6165
Office: George Hall 334
Background: Michi Kodama-Nishimoto holds degrees in History and Anthropology from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Associated with COH since 1979, she has been involved in project planning, researching, interviewing, and editing. Familiar with local Japanese dialects and issei/nisei histories, she has worked with U.S. and Japan scholars. She speaks on oral history, immigrant history, and local history and serves as consultant for local and national video-documentaries on Hawaiian history, immigrant history, and Hawai‘i in World War II.

Holly J. Yamada
Research Associate

Phone: (808) 956-6259
Office: George Hall 212
Background: Holly Yamada earned her B.A. degree at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. She has been with COH since 1993. She is responsible for interviewing, researching, and editing.

Cynthia A. Oshiro
Publications Specialist

Phone: (808) 956-0977
Office: George Hall 212
Background: Cynthia Oshiro joined COH in 1979. She holds a B.A. degree in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Hawai‘i and a M.A. degree from the University of Oregon. She edits and designs COH’s newsletter, web page, and other collateral publications.

Resources