Jillette Leon-Guerrero, M.A., B.A.
Project Director
Jillette holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Guam and an M.A. in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. She also holds a certificate in Genealogical Research from the University of Boston. She is an avid history buff and genealogist and consults for various organizations. Most recently she has provided consulting services for the War in the Pacific National Historical Park and is an ongoing contributor to Guampedia.com. She is the former Executive Director of the Consortium for Pacific Arts and Cultures in Honolulu and the Guam Humanities Council in Guam. She is also the writer and co-producer of the first locally produced television special about Guam, “Guam Paradise Island.” (1985) Jillette is the President of Guamology Inc., a publishing company in Guam that has published 7 local books to date.
Yolanda Paris Sugimoto
Descendant of John Paris
Yolanda is the great granddaughter of John Paris. Her interest into the family history began in 1976. She says, "I had gone on holiday to the beautiful island of Kauai (The Garden Isle), where my father George Paris grew up. My roots are in the soils of this island that is rich with plantation history and of its hard working people. Walking the streets where my father and grandparents worked, lived and breathed ... thinking what life must of been like during their time and; putting flowers on my Kapuna's graves, the Busch and Paris Ohana, was a peaceful and spiritual experience. I experienced an appreciation and gratitude for my life and who I have become.
I visited the Kekaha Sugar Plantation Mill and was able to view my father's and grandfather's employee folder. I was able to make a copy of the photo of Tom Paris that you see on the website. From that day on, there has been no turning back. I feel compelled to find out more about my family's journey to the islands from Germany and Guam. The urge, love and the many prayers, asking my loved ones for their guidance and with the utmost respect for them, I search to find FAMILY. It's a calling, my Kupuna's saying, don't forget about us. With the dedication to seek for my ancestors, 36 years later from the time I started my research, I found Jillette through DNA and together we are reaching 'Across the Water in Time'."
I visited the Kekaha Sugar Plantation Mill and was able to view my father's and grandfather's employee folder. I was able to make a copy of the photo of Tom Paris that you see on the website. From that day on, there has been no turning back. I feel compelled to find out more about my family's journey to the islands from Germany and Guam. The urge, love and the many prayers, asking my loved ones for their guidance and with the utmost respect for them, I search to find FAMILY. It's a calling, my Kupuna's saying, don't forget about us. With the dedication to seek for my ancestors, 36 years later from the time I started my research, I found Jillette through DNA and together we are reaching 'Across the Water in Time'."
Omaira Brunal-Perry, J.D., M.L.S.
Project Scholar/Researcher
Omaira is Associate Professor of Spanish and Legal Historiography and Curator of the Spanish Documents Collection, RFT Micronesian Area Research Center, University of Guam. She holds a Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from the Universidad Libre, Bogota, Colombia (July 1982), a Master of Library Science (M.L.S.) from Syracuse University, New York, (December 2001) and a certificate from the Modern Archives Institute, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington DC (June 2005). Omaira has extensive experience and knowledge about Spanish-era Guam and has published numerous books and articles on the subject.
Carlos Madrid Alvarez-Piñer, Ph.D., M.A.
Project Scholar/Researcher
Carlos is a Researcher & Assistant Professor with the RFT Micronesian Area Research Center, University of Guam. He holds a Masters Degree in History from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (2001); a Master's Degree, Diploma de Estudio Avanzados, and a Ph.D. in Contemporary History from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Carlos is very familiar with Guam’s Spanish history. He is an expert on Spanish colonial records as they pertain to the Marianas, not only held in Guam, but in the NMI, Philippines and Spain. He is the author of a scholarly book about Guam entitled, “Beyond Distances: Governance, Politics and Deportation in the Mariana Islands from 1870 to 1877.” He is professionally very interested in the question of emigration from Guam.
David Atienza, Ph.D., M.A.
Project Scholar/Researcher
David received a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the Complutense University of Madrid in 2006. He has taught history, philosophy, anthropology and applied linguistics at different institutions and universities in Spain. Dr. Atienza's research interests are focused on Cultural Identity Processes, Speech Analysis, and Linguistic Anthropology. He had authored several publications, among there are his book, "Viaje e Identidad: La Genesis de la Elite Quichwa-Otavalena en Madrid", that was a product of fieldwork conducted in Otavalo, Ecuador and Spain and his latest article together with Alexander Coello in The Journal of Pacific History: "Death Rituals and Identity in Contemporary Guam (Mariana Islands)". Currently he is assistant professor of Anthropology at the University of Guam.
Evelyn Flores, Ph.D.
Project Scholar
Evelyn is a Professor of English with the University of Guam. She specializes in 19th-century American Literature, Pacific Island Literature, and Postcolonial Theory. She has published three indigenous children's books, two of them featuring young girls as main characters. Recently, she completed a photo genealogy of a Chamoru family central to a crucial event in the Americanization of Guam, the break of key spiritual leaders from the Catholic Church in the 19th century precipitated by the coming of American whalers to the island.
Vincent Diego, Ph.D., M.A., B.A.
Project Scientist
Vincent is a staff scientist in statistical genetics at the Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Biological Anthropology from State University of New York with a focus on human statistical
genetics. His Ph.D. training (4 years), and postdoctoral training (5
years) were in statistical genetics all at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. Vincent is originally from Guam where he graduated from the University of Guam with a B.A. in Biology
genetics. His Ph.D. training (4 years), and postdoctoral training (5
years) were in statistical genetics all at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. Vincent is originally from Guam where he graduated from the University of Guam with a B.A. in Biology
Baltazar B. Aguon, M.F.A., B.A.
Producer/Scriptwriter
Bal received a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute’s Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Guam. His film credits include: Gueran Guahan, a documentary about Guam from WWII to present (co-producer); I Tinituhon: Puntan yan Fu’una, a depiction of the Creation of Guam and the indigenous people of the island (co-producer/co-director); Måtto Saina’ta as Hurao, a one-minute experimental film about the return of a powerful, ancient chief to modern day Guam (writer); and Prutehi Hao I, a youth-oriented HIV prevention video (Executive Producer). Aguon teaches Communications at the University of Guam, and is a producer for PBS Guam.
John Z. Arroyo, M.B.A., B.A.
Fiscal Agent
John Z. Arroyo is General Manager of Title Guaranty of Guam. He is also the former CEO of Coast360 Federal Credit Union. In late 2011 John left a long career in the banking industry and bought into a business services company. He is now the President/CEO of ServiceMaster Guam, Inc. an ARAMARK franchise and is enjoying building another company. John is an active member of his community volunteering much of his personal time to a number of civic and governmental boards and committees such as the boards of Guma Mami, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals with mental disabilities find gainful employment and maintain a self sustaining livelihood, Junior Achievement Association of Guam, and the Guam Bankers Association. He currently is a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Guam, the University of Guam Endowment Foundation, Hurao, Inc., and the American Red Cross Guam Chapter. John is a dedicated family man. He is married to JoAnn del Carmen and they have a son, Christian, who is 18 years old.
Edward W. S. Camacho
Project Research Assistant
Edward is currently pursuing a degree in anthropology at the University of Guam. From an early age Edward found himself entranced by the abundance of cultural and historical influences that are a part of everyday life in the Islands and attributes his passion for these subjects to that early exposure. He was born on the island of Guam but was raised on the island of Saipan where he spent much of his youth exploring the jungles of Kagman Homestead in search of WWII artifacts. He eventually moved back to Guam where he graduated from high school at St. Johns School. He attended Santa Clara University in California and has returned to Guam to complete his studies. During a brief hiatus from his studies Edward worked as Secretary and Treasurer of Sizecam Investments Saipan and was treasurer for The Friends of the Saipan Beach Pathway.
Carina Fejerang
Project Production Assistant
Carina is the Marketing Director for Guamology Inc. and provides consulting and business planning services through her company "Motivational Planning." She was the 1st place winner of Shell Livewire's first business planning competition and was a nominee for First Hawaiian Bank's Business Woman of the Year competition. Carina is the current President of the Guam Women's Club (GWC), Treasurer for Breaking the Cycle, Charter President for the Guam Cosmetology and Massage Therapy Association (GCMTA). Carina enjoys learning all she can about Guam's history and how she can contribute to the island. Carina is putting skills learned from a television production course to use in her role of production assistant for the documentary.
Rosanna Perez Barcinas
Project Assistant
Rosanna Perez Barcinas holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban Affairs and Public Development from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio in 1990. Rosanna briefly worked for the planning and engineering firm of Duenas and Swavely in 1991 before moving to the Department of Commerce to be the Construction Planner for the Hagåtña Chamorro Village. From 1994 to 2013 she worked for the Guam Preservation Trust. During her tenure with the Trust she was involved in restoring more than sixteen historic structures around the island from Hagåtña to Malesso’ (Merizo). She also managed other preservation related projects, such as archeological studies, field schools, video documentaries and most notably Guampedia. She has been involved with Guampedia, the Guam online encyclopedia, since its planning phase and managed grants from the Trust that brought Guampedia to its launch, with the development of all entries related to history, language and culture. Rosanna is the locally grown product of Josefina Perez and Joseph Torres Barcinas and is an ardent support of the preservation of Guam’s history.