The Maui Police Department announced Monday that it has promoted 12 sergeants to the rank of lieutenant.

The promotions include Jerry Barrera, Matthew Bigoss, Kyle Bishaw-Juario, Christina Bonacorsi, Jeffrey Calibuso, Nathaniel “Chinky” Hubbard, Erik Losvar, Kamuela Mawae, Jan Pontanilla, Gregg Rowe, Aaron Souza and James Terry. All of the promotions will take effect Friday.

Barrera joined MPD in 2010, beginning his law enforcement career as a police officer in the Wailuku Patrol District. In 2013, he completed a one-year tour of duty in the Hana Patrol District before returning to the Wailuku Patrol District. In 2015, he was assigned to the Vice Division’s gambling and morals unit.

In 2020, he was promoted to sergeant and served for one year in the Molokai Patrol District. He later returned to the Wailuku Patrol District, where he continued his supervisory responsibilities prior to his promotion to lieutenant.

Barrera is a member of MPD’s Special Response Team and the Clandestine Laboratory Response Team. He and his wife, Shirley Mae, have three children including a son and two daughters.

Bigoss joined the department in August 2004. Throughout his 21 years with MPD, he has served in the Lahaina Patrol District, the Molokai Patrol District, the Crime Reduction Unit, the Vice Division and the Criminal Investigation Division.

In 2013, he was honored with the Hawaii State Law Enforcement Officials Association’s Officer of the Year Award. In 2016, he was promoted to sergeant. Bigoss’ extensive experience is credited for contributing significantly to the department’s operational effectiveness and community safety efforts.

Bishaw-Juario has been with MPD since 2003, starting with serving as a police officer in the Wailuku Patrol District for three years before being reassigned to his home island of Molokai.

In 2015, Bishaw-Juario was promoted to sergeant and continued to serve the Molokai community. His most recent assignment was as a detective with the Criminal Investigation Division on Molokai, a position he has held since 2019.

Bishaw-Juario is a member of MPD’s Hostage Negotiation Team and Sex Assault Investigative Team. He also volunteers with the Molokai Community Action Team and Kaunakakai Elementary School. He and his wife, Kananikala Bishaw-Juario, have three children.

Born and raised on Maui, Bonacorsi was inspired by her father’s service in the fire department and developed a strong desire to serve her community at an early age.

After graduating from high school, she moved to Washington state. The attack on Sept. 11, 2001, inspired her to join the U.S. Coast Guard, where she served for four years.

After completing her military service, Bonacorsi returned home and joined MPD in 2007. She started as a police officer in the Wailuku Patrol District, while also serving part-time on the Special Response Team, where she remained for nine years, including serving as a sniper, the only female in the department’s history to have done so.

During this time, she also served approximately four years with the Community Policing Unit.

In 2018, Bonacorsi was promoted to sergeant and served for one year in the Hana Patrol District. Upon her return, she was reassigned to the Wailuku Patrol District. In 2021, she was selected to serve as Chief of Staff to Maui Police Chief John Pelletier.

After a brief return to patrol for one year, she resumed the position of Chief of Staff, where she currently serves.

Calibuso joined MPD in 2007 as a police officer I in the Wailuku Patrol District. Throughout his career, he has served in the Hana Patrol District, Wailuku Patrol District, Kihei Patrol District, Crime Reduction Unit and the Plans, Training, Research and Development Section.

He has been a member of the Special Response Team since 2011, serving as a team member and sniper before becoming the sniper team leader.

He currently serves as the head of the Firearms Committee and is MPD’s lead firearms instructor.

In 2021, he was promoted to sergeant and served in the Lahaina Patrol District, Lanai Patrol District and receiving desk prior to his most recent assignment as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Division.

Hubbard was born and raised on Molokai, and he joined MPD in 2003 as a police officer on his home island.

In 2014, he served as the Molokai High School Resource Officer until being promoted to sergeant in 2017. He subsequently served as the Molokai Alpha Watch Sergeant and Acting Lieutenant prior to his recent promotion.

Hubbard volunteers with Molokai Special Olympics, and he served for 10 years as Molokai High School’s Air Riflery Coach. He continues to reside on Molokaʻi, where he remains committed to serving the Molokaʻi community.

Joining MPD in 2005, Losvar began his law enforcement career as a police officer in the Lanai Patrol Division. He later was transferred to the Lahaina Patrol District, where he served as a field training officer and as a member of the Special Response Team.

In 2014, he was assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division’s Domestic Violence Unit. He was promoted to sergeant in 2016 and has since served in the Molokai Patrol District, the Criminal Investigation Division as a detective, and most recently as a supervisor in the Lahaina Patrol Division.

Mawae joined MPD in 2004, beginning his career as an early-hire member of the 63rd Recruit Class, assigned to Central Dispatch and the Wailuku Receiving Desk.

Throughout his career, Mawae has served in the Lahaina Patrol District, Criminal Intelligence Unit and Community Relations section. He was promoted to sergeant in 2018 and assigned to the Molokai Patrol District before transferring to the Wailuku Receiving Desk. His most recent assignment was as a detective with the Kihei Criminal Investigation Division.

Mawae is a current member of MPD’s Peer Support Unit and Special Response Team.

He and his wife, Leah, have two sons.

Pontanilla is a graduate of Maui High School who continued her education at the University of Hawaii Maui College and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, earning both an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in science before joining MPD as a police officer in 2008.

She spent the majority of her patrol career in the Wailuku Patrol District, with a one-year assignment on Molokai, before serving as the Upcountry community police officer in the Wailuku Patrol District.

Pontanilla has obtained numerous certifications, including Crisis Intervention Team, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, Clan Lab Site Safety Officer, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Law Enforcement Training Center courses and Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Instructor certifications.

She was promoted to sergeant in 2016 and served intermittently in the Communications Section for approximately two years, while also being assigned to the CORE Unit under the Office of the Chief. She coordinates and manages the department’s Crisis Intervention Team, Mental Health Emergency Worker, and EPIC programs, and serves on the Opioid Task Force, Mental Health Court and Veterans Court.

In 2018, she was honored as the Maui Police Department’s Manager of the Year. She later helped establish the Mobile Medical Educational Unit in 2020 and assisted in the development of Project LIYT in 2023. She currently serves on the Board of Directors as Chair of the Wellness Task Force-Maui, a nonprofit organization. Outside of work, Pontanilla enjoys motocross and volunteers in wildlife restoration efforts.

Rowe joined MPD in 2001 as a member of the 57th Recruit Class, where he began his law enforcement career as a police officer in the Wailuku Patrol District.

In 2007, he transferred to the Traffic Division’s Vehicular Homicide Unit. He was promoted to sergeant in 2013 and returned to the Wailuku Patrol District before transferring back to the Traffic Division, where he served as supervisor of the Solo Bike Detail.

Rowe is also a member of the Specialized Emergency Enforcement Detail, the Mobile Command Vehicle team, and participates in various aspects of recruit training. He resides in Upcountry Maui with his wife, Nola.

Souza joined MPD in 2009 as an early hire assigned to the Wailuku Patrol District. In 2011, he was assigned to the Kihei Patrol District. Later he served as a field training officer, and he joined the Special Response Team in 2013. In 2014, he was assigned to the Vice Division.

In 2018, he was named the Hawaii Narcotics Officers Association’s Officer of the Year. He was promoted to sergeant in 2020 and served in the Hana Patrol District for one year before transferring to the Lahaina Patrol District. In 2022, he was transferred to the Crime Reduction Unit and served for one year before returning to the Lahaina Patrol District, where he served as sergeant and acting lieutenant prior to his promotion.

Terry joined MPD in 2001 as a police officer I in the Lahaina Patrol District. He later transferred to the Hana Patrol District for a one-year assignment before returning to Lahaina.

From 2003 to 2013, he served in the School Resource Officer Program before being promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Molokai Patrol District for a one-year tour.

In 2014, he was assigned to the Plans, Training, Research and Development Section, where he served as the Use of Force Sergeant and assisted with the recruit academy curriculum. In 2019, he became the supervisor of the Community-Oriented Policing Unit and the Wailuku Patrol Division.

Terry also serves the department in additional capacities, including peer support, crisis intervention, crisis hostage negotiation and as an instructor in numerous disciplines.