About Us | HADK

Our History

Gladys Leisner, an elementary school principal in San Francisco, was invited to join Alpha Delta Kappa. She declined since she was moving to Hawai'i. After settling in Honolulu, she wrote to Alpha Delta Kappa headquarters in Kansas City for information about the Hawai`i chapter. No chapter was in existence in Hawai`i.

Agnes Shipman Robertson, one of the founders of the International sorority, felt this was a good opportunity for expansion. She contacted Mr. W. Gordon and Mr. P. Saborne of the Department of Public Instruction (now called the Department of Education) for names of possible candidates. Agnes came to Honolulu to interview candidates and on March 26, 1959, Alpha chapter was chartered with the initiation of eight teachers. These founding members were: Gladys Leisner, Hazel Guider (member-at-large), Puamana Brickner, Beryl Seeley, Tracy Lavin, Beverly Hansen, Mary Murakami, and Kay Nagaishi. In order to fulfill the requirement of having thirteen members to receive a charter, five more members were added: Kay Dillinger, Irene Okawaki, Ethel Hasegawa, Helen Matsui, and Bettie Nakagawa. It was not until April, 1968 that Hawai'i received a state charter with the three chapters in existence: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.

First Officers of Hawai`i Alpha Delta Kappa, 1968

Seated: Mary Murakami, Virginia Koch, Ethel Hasegawa, Kay Nagaishi;

Standing: Dorothy Vaio (SWR), Irene Okawaki, Betty Wong, Dorothy Lum, Jessie Cordua (SWR), Doris Homme (International), Toshie Shishido, Kiyono Ebisu, Florence Ikeda, Mayme Chinn (SWR)

Hawai'i Alpha Delta Kappa Past State Presidents

Ethel Hasegawa (1968) - Omega 2020 Thelma Nip (1988) Jean Kiyabu (2008)

Eleanor Ko (1970) Irene Nakamoto (1990) Gayle Lum (2010)

Jane Komeji (1972) Shirley Ann Kimizuka (1992) Phyllis Takeuchi Horita (2012)

Masue Ando (1974) Janice Tashiro (1994) Naomi Yap (2014)

Mary Hendrikson (1976) Alyce Ikeoka (1996) Amy Katsumoto (2016)

Jean Matsuda (1978) Myrna Nishihara (1998) Meredith Ching (2018)

Carlene Toda (1980) Kay Yogi (2000) Jeanne Chang (2020)

Carol Jean Ching (1982) Cherylyn Inouye (2002) Susan Okano (2022)

Su Chon Kim (1984) Ethel Murakami (2004)

Connie Ko (1986) Janet Shimada (2006)

Click here to view the written history of each HA∆K State President

Honorary Members

Mary Bitterman (1978) Lyla Berg (2006) Dr. Pualani Kanaka`ole Kanahele (2018)

Patsy T. Mink (1992) - Omega 2002 Leslie Wilcox (2008). Carolee Nishi (2022)

Winona K. Desha Beamer (1996) - Omega 2008 Linda Coble (2010). Deidre Tegarden (2022)

Rubellite K. Johnson (1998) Loretta Yajima (2012)

Lynne Waihee (2002) Donna Saiki (2014) - Omega 2017