Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

LeMahieu’s wife
declines job at
senators’ retreat

Marina Piscolish, a professional
facilitator, fears her presence
might have adverse effects

---

By Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin

The wife of state schools Superintendent Paul LeMahieu said she will not be a consultant to state Senate Democrats trying to come up with a package of legislation -- which could include educational initiatives.

Marina Piscolish was to be a facilitator at a retreat being organized by the Senate majority. But she decided not to participate because she does not want her involvement to have any adverse impact on the Senate, herself and, especially, the public school system.

"I don't want to risk anything unproductive coming from this," Piscolish said.

Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa) said late yesterday that the two-day retreat, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow, will go on as scheduled.

"We hope to come up with a majority package (of legislation) with something positive," Bunda said.

Piscolish is president and principal partner of MAPping Change LLC, which assists organizations with strategic visioning, consensus building, collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution, according to her resume.

Her clients have included the Kamehameha Schools, the state Health Department, Mid-Pacific Institute, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., the Hawaii Business Roundtable, Hawaii State Student Government and the Moiliili Community Center.

Bunda said that Piscolish was hired under contract, but he refused to say how much the contract is worth.

"She has been a person who can facilitate meetings, and she's been a consultant on many different things," Bunda said. "She comes highly recommended."

Bunda sent out a memo on Monday to all Democratic senators asking them for their thoughts on Piscolish's selection, given her relationship with LeMahieu. A copy of the memo was sent to the Star-Bulletin.

"The Senate leadership team has interviewed Dr. Piscolish and is confident about her ability to separate her personal relationships from her professional responsibilities," Bunda wrote. "Nevertheless, and at her request, I am asking each of you to inform me of any reservations you may have about her ability to do so."

Because of her husband's position, Piscolish said she lets all potential clients know of the relationship whenever the subject of education could remotely enter the discussion.

"Given Paul's position, it's given a more important part of my opening routine," Piscolish said.

She said a professional facilitator's role is to guide the conversation -- not to participate in it -- as well as to help those in attendance feel as comfortable as possible with taking part in the process. "The most important thing in the role of a facilitator is that you have no involvement in the substance of the discussion."

She said she asked for the inquiry among senators because she wanted to know if any of them would feel uncomfortable with her being there.

"I wouldn't want my presence to inhibit them," she said.

Piscolish said she is not sure of the motives of someone circulating the memo to the media, but her decision to stay out of the process should not suggest that there was anything inappropriate about her participation in the retreat.

"My role in any discussion of education ought not be a concern," she said.