Mailer sees Kamehameha's potential

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

The woman about to take the helm at Kamehameha Schools wants to charge ahead with expanding the reach of the multibillion-dollar trust, a gift left by Hawaiian princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, to the broader community.

DeeJay Beatty, now DeeJay Mailer from the 1970 Kamehaheha Schools yearbook

Dee Jay Mailer Age: 51 Education: Kamehameha Schools (1970); University of Hawai'i at Manoa, B.S. in professional nursing (1975), M.B.A. (1985) Professional start: Labor and delivery nurse, Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children. Family: Married to Don Mailer; daughters Renee Mailer McDonald and Brandy Mailer Philosophy: "Your whole world is about possibility ... my life has always been about walking through doors. I get totally thrilled by new experiences."

Above all, the schools' new chief executive officer believes in partnering with other public and private schools and businesses — everything from early childhood programs and enrichment classes at public schools to collaborations with other institutions on shared social problems. This will help Kamehameha gain a reputation as an agent for growth and shift away from defensive posturing in one crisis after another, she said.

"The best protection is proaction," Mailer said in a telephone interview from her home in Geneva. "By Kamehameha advancing Pauahi's legacy quickly, it tells the community we know exactly what our business is.

"There's nothing that bolsters any organization's strengths better than results," she said. "I have a way of controlling and building on results ... then the notion of preference for Hawaiians can live on, but benefits for the larger community are there. Confidence will build in the schools' capability of accomplishing a huge goal for Hawai'i in general."

It's a daunting challenge that the 51-year-old faces once she finishes up at her present post, chief operating officer of The Global Fund, a United Nations-backed medical aid trust that supports the war on AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

The schools have endured months of turmoil since the sudden departure of her predecessor, Hamilton McCubbin, in May. There have been scandals, most recently surrounding the allegations of sexual improprieties among students on campus; a heated campaign for community support in Kamehameha's defense against legal challenges of its policy to prefer Hawaiians in admission; and a decision to settle one of those challenges.

Mailer was offered the job and, though she won't disclose the starting salary, she said her compensation is linked to evaluations of her performance, adding that there is no comforting escape hatch should she fail.

On Jan. 19, Mailer will arrive at Kawaiaha'o Plaza, the schools' executive offices where she had undergone 11 hours of interviews with Kamehameha's trustees, in the midst of its courtroom drama.

The surviving lawsuit, which argues that the school's policy violates civil-rights law, is poised to be sent to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

But Mailer, a former nurse who rose through the ranks to head Kaiser Permanente in Hawai'i, is sticking to her prescription: Move on, already.

"I'm not naive, but I think the legal challenge will take its course," she said. "We've got to refocus on the mission."

The 1970 Kamehameha graduate has been married to Don Mailer for 26 years; they have two grown daughters, who also graduated from the school.

Dee Jay Mailer is the daughter of the late Patty Woolaway and James Beatty. Her father splits his time between O'ahu and the Big Island. Being close to family, she said, is a big part of why the Mailers wanted the opportunity to come home.

Mailer proudly cites her Hawaiian heritage from her mother; who descended from the kama'aina Holt clan. Both grandparents on her mother's side are part Hawaiian.

Her Caucasian features, however, are most evident in photos, especially the Kamehameha yearbook pictures that depict a teen wearing a vintage silky, surfer-girl hairstyle. Mailer laughingly admitted that she pursued surfer chic with such determination that she would wear those toe-loop Indian sandals so popular in those days; the oiled leather would produce irritation bumps on her instep like the ones surfers would get from contact with the board.

Don Mailer, however, was a bona fide surfer whom she met at the surf break called Tonggs; they dated for a while, split up and then reconnected for good. His other passion is golfing. Mailer was foreman and superintendent of courses here and in California before the couple left for Switzerland 18 months ago.

His first order of business upon returning: helping his wife with the task at hand.

"It's a deep challenge, and we're totally thrilled," he said. "Back in the summer we were entertaining a family from Kailua, and they told us about the opening. I for the longest time have felt she would make a great contribution to the school.

"I'm her No. 1 fan," he said. "Can you tell?"

The former Dee Jay Beatty attended Punahou School through eighth grade — financed, she said, by a family friend who vowed to foot the bills as long as she did well. And she was thriving there, academically.

But a cousin, Donna Burns, went to Kamehameha, and as an only child, Mailer bonded with her and her siblings. She felt comfortable with Kamehameha kids; the campus on Kapalama Heights started to look good, and she told her mother, then divorced and remarried to Art Woolaway, that she wanted to switch. Her mother was taken aback.

"She made me write a letter, an agreement, showing that I understood that I would be walking away from a terrific opportunity, and she made me sign," Mailer recalled.

Once on the hill, Mailer continued to do well, ending each of her four years at Kamehameha with high honors. She was involved in the drama club, drawn by teacher Jim Bertino's charisma and energy.

"But let me be honest," she confessed. "I stunk. He stuck me in the back."

Mailer believes Kamehameha is endowed with staff and community support dedicated to the children, and that she was hired because the trustees believed that her business acumen and leadership ability could unleash that potential. She gently dismisses any notion that the schools, reeling from the negative media attention, wanted the public-relations boost of hiring a woman.

Mailer's supporters praise her for having a supportive, inspirational personality that puts people at ease. Gladys Ching, who gave Mailer her first administrative post at Kaiser, said that she has exemplary people skills.

"Even when she'd have bad news to give someone, they'd come out of there still feeling all right," Ching said.

Mailer acknowledged that she wasn't on hand to deal with the unpleasantries stemming from the allegations of sexual misconduct, so all she had to offer on that subject was a pledge: Mere rumor-mongering can be endured, but actual misconduct will not be tolerated and will be handled promptly.

Such blemishes on Kamehameha's complexion are exceptions to the rule, she said.

"There are incredibly wonderful things happening at Kamehameha," she said, "so we should take care of the exceptions and spend most of our time dwelling on the wonderful."

Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.