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Mike Kolton joined the DKI APCSS in 2025. His teaching and research interests include China-Taiwan dynamics, whole-of-society resilience, emerging economic trends, and the defense industrial base of the U.S. and its partners. Prior to joining DKI APCSS, Mike served as an officer in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after a career that spanned across operational, intelligence, diplomatic, and policy roles. He earned an M.A. in Global Affairs from Yale University’s Jackson School, an M.A. in Economics from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, and a B.S. in Economics from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Maj. Patrick Moran joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) in July 2025 as a U.S. Marine Corps fellow. Before being assigned to DKI APCSS, Moran served within the III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan. He was the 3rd Marine Division Southeast Asia planner, followed by assignments at the 9th Engineer Support Battalion as the operations officer and executive officer. Moran’s military education includes the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College (non-resident), Expeditionary Warfare School, Joint Engineer Officer Course, and Marine Corps Engineer Officer Course.

Lt. Cmdr. Kim Shadwick joined DKI APCSS in July 2025. Prior to relocating to Hawaii, Shadwick served in Washington, D.C., as a military assistant to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Her previous assignments include shipboard, sector, and U.S. Coast Guard Academy positions, where she managed counter-drug operations, migrant interdiction, search and rescue, and emergency planning activities.

Major Ray Ridley joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in July 2025, following his two-year assignment as the 17th commandant of the High Technology Regional Training Site-Maintenance in Sacramento. He has spent most of his 14-year military career in signal battalions, with his initial year at Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras. As the battalion S6 for the Army Forces Battalion in Honduras, Ridley traveled extensively throughout the region.

Lieutenant Colonel Rajan Pal is currently serving as a Military Professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii. Previously he was the Director, Air Force Capabilities Development, Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, India. He was responsible for enhancing interoperability and Indian Air Force warfighting capabilities in support of USINDOPACOM objectives, managing a foreign military sales portfolio, and serving as the principal advisor to senior DoD and DoS officials on Indian Air Force security cooperation matters. Lt Col Pal obtained his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from California State University (CSU), Sacramento and subsequently earned his commission through the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School in 2007.  After commissioning, he served in various acquisition and operational roles before transitioning to the Foreign Area Officer career field.

Major Elizabeth Vaughan Moyer, Doctor of Strategic Leadership, focuses on talent management, specifically exploring how Artificial Intelligence-human partnerships enhance leadership and decision-making. She has served at the Pentagon, graduated from squadron command, deployed twice, and worked in the Special Operations community.