Where Are They Now – Marc Pader

Marc Pader, who graduated from LHES in 2015, intended to study culinary arts in college. However, during his junior year of high school, he took a drafting class which caused him to shift course. Drafting is the foundation of architecture, and Mr. Gaylien Kahoohalahala Sr. inspired Marc to consider it as a career. When he attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Marc already knew where to focus his studies.

After spending two semesters at UNLV, Marc traded his winter jackets for board shorts and transferred to UH Manoa to complete his degree in Environmental Design. Now, he works as a designer for Architects Hawaii Limited (AHL), a multi-disciplinary architectural firm that was founded on Oahu in 1946. At AHL, Marc creates blueprints for permitting; assist with construction administration; and creates maps, diagrams and pre-planning documents for building designs and master plans.

Marc’s team has been working remotely since the pandemic started, so he decided to use the opportunity to work from home from Lanai. Since arriving back on the island, Marc has enjoyed spending time outdoors and cooking. Although his culinary dreams took a back seat to architecture, he still enjoys experimenting in the kitchen with Filipino and local recipes. He has also partnered with his former coworker and mentor on various architecture-related side projects.

Being home during the pandemic also meant that Marc could witness his hometown come together in inspiring ways, especially for graduation. Through community posters, cakes from the Four Seasons, a virtual ceremony, a helicopter flower drop, and a drive-by celebration, the community united to honor the graduates. “It was heartbreaking for everyone when it was announced that traditional graduations were cancelled this year. But that didn’t stop anyone from recognizing the graduates—everyone did their best to help celebrate this once in a lifetime accomplishment,” Marc explained. “Despite the situation, the community still found a way to celebrate and welcome our new LHES alumni.”

“Where are they now?” features alumni from Lanai High and Elementary School to see what they’ve been up to since graduation.