Major Afua O. Boahema-Lee joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) in July 2022 as a military fellow. Major Boahema-Lee was born in Atlanta, GA, raised in Ghana, West Africa and is fluent in Twi. Major Boahema-Lee enlisted in 2004 in the United States Army Reserve as a 92G Food Specialist and later commissioned in 2009 into the Army Reserve as a Medical Service Corps Officer. Upon commissioning, Major Boahema-Lee was assigned as a recruiter with Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama. Her key assignments include Healthcare Administrator with the 7233rd Medical Support Unit, Tuskegee, [...]

Lieutenant Colonel Jacqueline L. Hearne joined the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) as a Military Professor in July 2022. Lieutenant Colonel Hearne received her commission in 2002 from Furman University. She began her Army career as an Aviation Officer before transitioning to duty as a Foreign Area Officer in 2011. As an Aviation Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Hearne served and deployed as a C-12 pilot-in-command and staff officer in aviation-related Military Intelligence Battalions, including 15th Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) and Task Force ODIN, both in Fort Hood, Texas. Lieutenant Colonel Hearne’s last Aviation assignment was as Delta [...]

Major Tia Ahlf joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) in June  2022 as a Military Fellow after a two-year assignment as the Commander, 92d Logistics  Readiness Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. She is a U.S Air Force  Logistics Officer and has operational experience in the Indo-Pacific region, with extensive  in-country experience in Japan, and Singapore partnered with their respective militaries. As a Logistics Officer Major Ahlf has led at the Flight, Squadron, and MAJCOM level. She  has experience in developing and implementing MAJCOM and COCOM level strategic  initiatives. Major Ahlf has [...]

Dr. Richard R. Vuylsteke joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies as a Professor on the faculty in January 2022 after serving five years in Honolulu as President of the East-West Center. During his career, he has worked in seven different professional sectors: military, academia, think tanks, government, international journalism, editing and publishing, and business organization and not-for-profit NGO leadership. Before returning to Hawaii in 2017, he spent 30 years working in Asia, the last 18 years as President of American Chambers of Commerce, first in Taiwan and then in Hong Kong. He has wide [...]