Joy Kimura was featured in Pacific Edge Magazine’s Women in Business Edition - March 2023 and honored at their Awards Ceremony. Pacific Edge magazine showcases the accomplishments of Hawai’i’s diverse business community, the brightest entrepreneurs and professionals that champion motivation, inspiration and innovation in Hawaii.
Joy Kimura was selected as Hawaii’s Mother of the Year® for 2023 by the American Mothers Organization. The award recipients—women from diverse backgrounds and experiences across the nation, are recognized for their work, resilience and commitment to family and community. These mothers were chosen through a national nomination and selection process led by American Mothers, which has had the honor of searching for and selecting the Mother of the Year® in every state, district and territory in the country since 1935.
Soroptimist International of Honolulu (SIH) elected several OWL members to their 2022-2023 Board.
Julie Arigo - President
Joy Kimura - President-Elect
Lisa Ma - Treasurer
Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. Soroptimist International of Honolulu is part of Soroptimist International of the Americas, one of five federations that make up Soroptimist International, which now has over 75,000 members in 122 countries.
Congratulations Julie, Joy and Lisa!
Small Business Regulatory Review Board Administrator Dori Palcovich received recognition for her 20 years of exceptional service with the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). DBEDT posted on their website that Dori “is the driving force behind the Small Business Regulatory Review Board" and that they are “truly grateful for all that she does”. Congratulations Dori!
Dr. Poki`i Balaz has been chosen as the first scholar from Hawaii to participate in the Obama Foundation Scholars Program. Poki`i is currently Chief Policy and Compliance Officer for Lunalilo Home, a residential care home that serves Hawaii’s kupuna.
The Obama Foundation Scholars Program is made up of 30 emerging leaders from around the world who will study at Columbia University or the University of Chicago. Congratulations Poki`i !
Lynn Araki-Regan representing the Transportation Toastmasters Club and Joy Kimura, representing DBEDT for Business Toastmasters Club, received the 2022 Outstanding Toastmaster of the Year Awards from District 49 Toastmasters. District 49 Toastmasters encompasses all the Toastmasters Clubs in the State of Hawaii. Congratulations Lynn and Joy!
Poki`i Balaz is now the Interim Executive Director at Lunalilo Home, where she will serve kupuna and underserved populations, focusing on neurology and Native Hawaiian Health. Congrautulations Poki`i!
Maia Ferreira was born on April 2, 2022 to proud parents Ananda and Ricardo Ferreira. Congratulations Ananda and Ricardo!
Julie Arigo has been chosen to receive the 2022 Hall of Honor Award from the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Shidler College of Business. The Hall of Honor Award recognizes Shidler College Alumni that have demonstrated business excellence in their professions, contributions to their community and dedication to the Shidler college.
Congratulations Julie!
Mona Choy was recently promoted to Senior Vice President and Hawaii Regional President of HomeStreet Bank. She was previously the Senior Vice President and Hawaii Regional Manager. Mona is responsible for leading the retail banking operations in Hawaii, including the largest branch among HomeStreet’s 62 branches throughout the West Coast. Founded in 1921, HomeStreet Bank offers consumer and commercial banking, mortgage lending and loans for residential construction, commercial real estate financing, and insurance products and services throughout the West Coast and Hawaii.
Congratulations Mona!
London Yoshida was born on March 24, 2022 to proud parents Cici Fong and LayneYoshida. The Yoshida Family from left to right: Kylie (13), Dillon (3), Cici, London (7 weeks) and Layne. Congratulations Cici and Layne!
Congratulations to Lynn Araki-Regan for being elected as Club Growth Director for Toastmasters District 49! The Club Growth Director is the third highest ranking officer in the District and is responsible for all aspects of marketing, club-building, and member retention efforts.
On May 2, 2022, the National AFL-CIO and Pride at Work spotlighted Joy Kimura for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
On Wednesday, March 30th, the Labor, Culture and Arts Committee of the Hawaii State Senate confirmed our VP, Cheryl Cross to serve a four-year term, July 2022 to July 2026 on the Workforce Development Council. Cheryl has 35 years as a subject matter expert in the fields of Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Marketing, Communications and Training. She has served as a Committee Member to the WDC Employer Engagement Committee since 2017, a group that advises the Workforce Development Council on ways to engage Hawaii's employers to utilize the resources and services of the American Job Center (s). Cheryl is a former International Talent Acquisition and Management professional with the Indo-Pacific offices of Booz Allen Hamilton, and now serves as an independent advisor and consultant for both DOD and Private Sector work, specializing in medium and small businesses. Each year she donates pro bono services to specific non-profit organizations on Oahu.
Congratulations Cheryl!
Poki`i Balaz was featured in the February 2022 edition of Hawaii Business Magazine as one of 20 people chosen, whose talents, accomplishments and potential set them apart as emerging leaders of Hawai’i for the next two decades. Poki’i is the Interim Executive Director for Lunalilo Home, which provides compasionate quality care for kupuna, as well as residential, respite, adult day care and “meals to go” services.
Congratulations Poki’i!
Joy Kimura was nominated by Governor Ige and confirmed by the Hawaii State Senate to serve on the Hawaii State Board of Naturopathic Medicine. The Hawaii State Board of Naturopathic Medicine regulates and licenses Naturopathic Physicians. As a Board member, she will be supporting safe and effective consumer access to Naturopathic Medicine.
Also, she was nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the Honolulu City Council to serve as a Board Member for the Oahu Workforce Development Board, where she will assist with economic recovery efforts through workforce development programs. In addition, she is the Chair of the Sector Strategies Committee, which focuses on expanding industries to build skilled workforces.
OWL member Joy Kimura has been appointed to the Oahu Real Property Tax Advisory Commission. Joy is also the Chair of the Rates and Classifications Committee for the Commission. The Oahu Real Property Tax Advisory Commission was established to advise and assist the Honolulu City Council by conducting a biennial review of the City's real property tax system. Congratulations Joy!
Sondra Leiggi Brandon was named to the VII Cohort of the Omidyar Fellows Program. Sondra is the director of systems behavioral health programming for psychiatric/mental health nursing at Queen's Medical Center.
Omidyar Fellows is a societal change program that seeks to cultivate the conditions in which Hawaii thrives. Fellows participate in a 15-month curriculum and are part of the Forum of Fellows. The Fellows become an active network of leaders and change makers, all of whom are dedicated to making positive movement on Hawaii’s most pressing issues. Fellows also commit to the ongoing development of their leadership and its impact in Hawaii.
Cat Gelman was recently promotion to the newly created position of Vice President, Corporate Relations at Hawaii Public Radio. Prior to this, Cat had been Director of Corporate Relations for over 10 years.
Ann Nagel, PMP, CMAP was recently promoted to Lead Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton. During her time with Booz Allen Hamilton in Hawaii, Ann supported project management, change strategy and implementation for a mix of commercial and defense clients. She returned to Booz Allen 2 years ago, after 6 years as a Senior Manager at Hawaiian Telecom. Prior to that she served in multiple management roles on the mainland with Level 3 Communications (now CentruryLink) and began her career as an officer in the United States Army.