Pacific School of Religion is pleased to welcome two new members of our community: Joanne Cole, Finance & Grants Program Manager, and Kona Lisa Mahu, PSRC Learner Success Manager. Bringing extensive experience across nonprofit leadership, education, finance, program development, and learner support, Joanne and Kona each bring valuable expertise and a deep commitment to supporting mission-driven work. We are delighted to welcome them to their new roles at PSR.
Joanne Cole Joins PSR as Finance & Grants Program Manager
Joanne Cole has joined Pacific School of Religion as our new Finance & Grants Program Manager.
Joanne brings experience in nonprofit finance, grants administration, higher education, government service, and business operations. In her previous nonprofit role, she worked closely with organizational leaders to develop policies and procedures, monitor funder requirements, and support mission-driven programs across multiple concurrent grants through strong financial and administrative systems.
Before relocating to the Bay Area, Joanne owned and managed two restaurants and a brewery in Northern Arizona while also fostering educational theater as Adjunct Faculty and Costume Shop Supervisor at Yavapai College in Prescott. She also served as a U.S. Probation Officer, where she developed expertise in evidence-based practices, motivational interviewing, and stakeholder collaboration.
In her role at PSR, Joanne will manage the school’s grants portfolio and support the administrative functions of the business office, strengthening the work of the finance team and the broader PSR community.
Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Joanne enjoys choral music, playing the mandolin, medieval recreation, and spending time with goofy dogs.
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Kona Lisa Mahu Joins the PSRC/Kwaray Team as Learner Success Manager
Kona Lisa Mahu has joined the PSRC/Kwaray team as our new PSRC Learner Success Manager. While many members of the PSR community may already know Kona through her doctoral work at PSR or her previous work supporting Kwaray as a student worker, we are excited to officially welcome her as a member of the team.
Kona Lisa Mahu, EMBA, MDiv, and DMin Candidate, brings more than thirty years of experience in education, nonprofit leadership, program development, and organizational consulting to her work supporting learners. A former educator and school founder, she has designed curriculum and learning programs for diverse learners, with formal study in special education informing her accommodation-aware approach to learner success.
Her doctoral work at PSR focuses on leadership formation, design consciousness, and applied theological praxis, complementing her new role supporting learners from onboarding through course completion and partnering with faculty to strengthen the Kwaray learning experience.
At PSR, Kona has served as both a Teaching Assistant and Kwaray Program Assistant, supporting faculty, learners, course implementation, and PSR’s online learning environment. As PSRC Learner Success Manager, she will support the learner experience from enrollment and onboarding through course completion, providing direct learner support, monitoring engagement, performing quality assurance, supporting faculty in using Kwaray effectively, and developing training and onboarding resources.
Kona resides in Syracuse, New York, with her second son and two grandsons. Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, biking, running, and spending quality time with her family.
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Welcome to PSR, Joanne and Kona!
