Taylor Tashiro

Background

About Taylor Tashiro

I was born and raised in Pearl City, Hawai'i where community is everything to us. This has influenced me to volunteer regularly for my community through garden and beach cleanups as well as showing "Aloha" to our kupuna and youth through care programs and occasional visits. Currently, I influence future leaders of Hawai'i, aka I'm a professor/lecturer at Leeward Community College. I primarily teach microbiology, biochemistry, and anatomy & physiology classes to all backgrounds including healthcare workers, freshmen to senior status, and underrepresented communities. I've loved educating since I can remember - my first ever job was working at Kumon! Being a professor allows me to combine my passion for life sciences with my lifetime love for education. I firmly believe in advocating for public health in our community and expressing care for our youth, the future leaders of Hawai'i, by providing them the education they need. I’m also a proud flight attendant for Alaska Airlines where safety is our highest priority. It’s been a long-time dream, and I’m finally living it! As a hobby, on the weekends I love to go snorkeling to dive for seashells and cleanup trash caught in coral in the ocean. I also enjoy artistic makeup and doing makeup for special occasions such as proms, balls, and weddings. If you'd like to follow my makeup portfolio, you can see it @taytashi on instagram! Through my professional and personal experiences, I have been able to create some highlights of my life: 1. Represented the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce as a 69th Cherry Blossom Festival Princess. During this time, I grew through attending many professional and cultural development classes as well participated in many community service activities. Accomplished my master's in science degree program and started my first professor job during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Became a main caretaker for my late grandfather while attending school full-time, working full-time, and completing research part-time. Completed >4 years of biomedical research that involved creating a Ebola virus vaccine, assessing plant-parasitic nematodes in Kauai, and identifying gut microbes in chicken influenced by different diets. Sent on an all-expense paid trip to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to present my research and represent the state of Hawaii at a national conference. I'm always looking for ways to better myself and find new experiences to add to this list! Give me the opportunity, and I will show you what the spirit of Aloha and community is.