Past Speakers

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Dr. Kanoe Nāone, Chief Executive Officer

Girls Scouts of Hawaii

Dr. Kanoe Nāone has dedicated her life to making the lives of those most in need, better through education. She looks at the world holistically and in terms of systems and structures that perpetuate inequity. She is passionate about grassroots common sense solutions to complex issues by determining root causes and relying upon indigenous knowledge. She is also excited about using data to overcome mainstream marginalizing practices that undermine success in communities of color and need. A highly energetic and innovative leader, Dr. Nāone approaches each new business challenge with a flair for creative problem solving and measured risk-taking in order to achieve goals and objectives.

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Christine Lanning - President

Integrated Security technologies- July 10, 2024

Christine Lanning has been working for over 25 years in the Information Technology field. She shared that she was not studious, so she decided to go to LCC and work full-time while taking one class a semester. She met her husband and he influenced her to take more than one class at a time.  Working full-time and then taking more classes, she learned time management quickly and figured out how to prioritize.    
 
In 2004, her husband started his own company and soon expanded to include accounts such as Tripler.  Christine initially wanted to stay “behind the scenes” and did so from 2004-2015.  In 2015, their company applied for an 8A Government contract for experienced small business owners who are socially and economically disadvantaged.  In receiving the 8A contract, she decided to make the most difficult challenge of her life – from being “behind the scenes” to being the representative of the company.  Going out of her comfort zone, she had to learn how to be an extrovert – which helped her succeed.

Christine shared her goals: 

• hire great people and manage the process 

• give opportunities to your employees to help them grow into their roles

• empower your employees and be their cheerleader

• help other women business leaders

 
Christine left us with a few takeaways:

1. Be yourself and do the hard stuff

2. Grow your network (join organizations, empower and encourage your staff to join different organizations)

3. Have a process – quarterly sessions with her direct reports – get to know your team

4. Culture is everything – take care of your people, check in with your peers, people are your most important asset

5. Be the red car – be different; stand out (women empowerment in a male dominated industry)

Christine invites you to reach out to her to further discuss any part of her talk with our OWL members.  Please reach her at: christine@istechs.net.

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Chef Robynne Maii - Chef and Owner, Fete

Organization of Women Leaders - May 13, 2024

If you haven’t eaten at Fete Hawaii yet, this undoubtedly should be your next meal. Not only is the food excellent, but the leadership and creativity of Chef Robynne Maii are also inspiring and “delicious.” 

Chef Maii shared that her business is not just about providing good food; it’s about fostering a community-oriented approach to hospitality and leadership. She is passionate about her work and aims to make a positive impact and effect change. She said, “I think a lot about hospitality every day; it’s the first thing I think of when I wake up each day.” She emphasizes the importance of extending kindness, even on our worst days, and recognizes the role each of us plays in making that happen. Serving others with inclusivity and kindness, no matter our profession, is central to her philosophy: “We are all in service,” in one way or another. 

Chef Maii believes that a positive culture starts within the house, from the top down, and that this translates to the commitment and loyalty of her staff which translates to the guests' experience and their desire to return. She fosters this commitment by actively listening to her staff and patrons and taking the time to truly be present. This presence not only benefits the listener but also brings wellness to those around them. Her tips for “really listening” include slowing down, looking up, putting down our phones, removing distractions, and understanding the other person’s voice, vision, intentions, motivations, struggles, and needs. Through tuning in and being present, resolution and growth are achieved. Truly “being in the moment” creates monumental movement. 

In chef’s terms, if you sprinkle kindness to everyone you meet and know, it will create such a delicious result!

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Jennifer Sabas - Owner and President, Kaimana Hila

Organization of Women Leaders - January 2024

What a great experience to start the year off with Jennifer Sabas, Owner, and President of Kaimana Hila as we embrace our 2024 theme, “Expand and Empower.” 

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Jennifer’s career is a great example of the ability to expand knowledge, silently tear down the glass ceiling, and gain empowerment, by not giving up. Little did she know at the time that she was creating a path for her advancement and the advancement of those women who would come after her. Her career started with a unique focus on agriculture and sugar. Ironically, sugar was her passion but also became her nick name at meetings. She thought “sugar” would be her reality, and she would just have to live through it until her determination and resilience kicked in. It also helped that she worked for a supportive boss, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, who could have changed the situation, but instead told her, “be patient, those people who said those things, will appreciate you.” Jennifer took those words to heart and let them build her character instead of tearing it down. Long story, short, her narrative changed. Those who called her "sugar" would later need her support.

Jennifer did not let that part of her story slow her down but used it to her advantage to accelerate her career. Another opportunity allowed Jennifer to build her knowledge base and expand her repertoire. She wanted to learn more about the military, DOD, National Security, and work with three- and four-star generals. Jennifer was able to utilize her listening and interpersonal skills not only to get a seat at the table but to be able to contribute and make an impact.

Jennifer provided tips for those who want a seat at the table:
- Get involved in partnering and networking.
- Once you get to the table, create space for others to come along.
- Be vulnerable and honest.
- Look for people with different skill sets to help.
- Do your research and be able to share those stories that capture attention.
- Sometimes compromise sucks, but you must do it.

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Jan Harada - Senior People Manager, Hawaiian Airlines

If you call Hawaii home, you have heard of Jan Harada. Her reputation precedes her and she has been linked with esteemed organizations including Helping Hands Hawaii, H.T. Hayashi Foundation, and now, Hawaiian Airlines. Jan is known for her strong work ethic and straightforward leadership style. She served as the Executive Director of several nonprofits for over 16 years before making a career change to her current role which allows her to fulfill her passion for developing people. Jan shared openly about her journey and challenges along the way. She experienced burnout during her career and finally decided to take a sabbatical to reset and recharge. Her body was giving her signs that it was time to take a break. With all of the demands of career and family, especially on women, she encouraged us to take breaks and take care of ourselves first. Jan practices self care through Qigong and spending time with her dog.

Jan credits her close circle of friends for helping her weather the storms. This trusted circle is a group of individuals who can share, vent, and seek advice while keeping everything completely confidential.  She encouraged us to find our circle and support each other.  Jan has found friends and mentors through several cohort-style leadership programs she has participated in. She recommended applying, but do your research first and figure out what you want to get out of the program. Some programs are primarily for networking, while others focus on personal development and skill-building.  Jan shared many lessons with us, but one piece of advice that resonates with me is: know your worth, know your values, and know your limits. Find what centers you and brings you joy. Finally, be authentic and bring your best and true self.

Julie Morikawa - CEO of ClimbHI

We were excited to host Julie Morikawa, CEO of ClimbHi as our featured speaker for the month of May.

Julie founded ClimbHi in 2011, with the goal of keeping our students (keiki) in Hawaii after school. Her engagement theme was ‘how can I help connect?’ and she outlined the many ways she, and her organization have created a Technology Bridge Program between the students of Hawaii and the local businesses who are so eager to mentor, connect and employ them.

Julie shared her roots from the Big Island, her schooling on Oahu and later, Cornell University. She had a successful career in the travel industry, and when Expedia brought her ‘back’ to Hawaii, she was able to blend her passion and knowledge of corporate America and her understanding of the ‘gaps’ for local students into a growing non-profit organization.

Her goal to help the underserved and reach families with children to make the connection between certifications, training and later, jobs is the fuel for her daily life. She outlined the ‘lack of access’ many families face, how we can look at things we can and cannot control (non-negotiables) and how we need to solve problems in a new way. She is governed by the Aloha Spirit Law* as a guide to operating her business, and feels strongly that the spirit of Aloha is infused in everything she does as a business owner, and ‘connector’ in our community.

ClimbHi has many hallmarks, but this growing organization is best-known for the skills-based training that culminates in an ‘excellence certification’ for students, and a platform that not only connects students to employers, but one that employers can use that document the amount of hours they have contributed to outreach by using the portal. She encouraged the business leaders in the room to engage, and together they can create robust, unique programs to build a pipeline of local talent for their organizations.

 ClimbHi has impressive statistics. Since 2011 they have:

• 210 schools on board

• 4,700 educators

• 730 active opportunities (site inspections, internship, mentorship. Job shadowing)

• 2,300 requests received through the portal

• 110,000 students engaged

ClimbHi supports the keiki that want to stay in Hawaii.  By offering support in the public and now private schools, this technology portal can help students receive training, mentorships, and education that can help them with lifeskills for employment. Learn more at: https://climbhi.org/

* "Aloha Spirit" is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others.

Sylvia Luke; Lt. Governor, State of Hawaii

Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke, Featured Speaker for OWL March 2023

On March 13, we were fortunate to hear from Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke. She is Hawaii’s 16th lieutenant governor and only the third woman to hold the office. She shared her experience growing up as an immigrant and learning English while attending public school. While at the University of Hawaii she had her first foray into public service when she ran for student body president and won.

Lt. Gov. Luke recounted a story of being awarded a college scholarship from a Rotary club. She was invited to attend one of their meetings to accept her scholarship. She commented that she would like to join Rotary after college. The club members laughed at her because at that time women were not allowed to be members of many professional clubs including Rotary.

This experience helped fuel her passion, and she went on to have a successful career most notably as Chair of the Hawaii State House of Representatives Finance Committee for ten years before being elected Lieutenant Governor in 2022.

The Lieutenant Governor performs duties assigned by the Governor and serves as the Secretary of State for the State of Hawaii. In this role, one of her responsibilities is to provides authentication services for public and general documents used overseas such as birth and marriage certificates, legal name changes, etc. She noted the current process is antiquated and wait times are often long. Her administration is working to streamline the process and move to an online system. This is one example of how she aims to make administrative processes more user-friendly for residents.

One of many initiatives Lt. Gov. Luke is leading is called “Ready Keiki,” a public-private effort to ensure all Hawaii keiki will be ready for kindergarten and the future. Her goal is to create 80 preschool classrooms by 2024 and 465 preschool classrooms by 2032.  Learn more about Ready Keiki here.

Lt. Gov. Luke was an inspiring speaker and graciously answered questions posed by OWL members and guests. We look forward to seeing her contributions during her term as Lieutenant Governor and in the future.

Margie Jacinto, Publisher Oahu Publications

Margie Jacinto, Publisher

Oahu Publications

Our January 2023 lunch speaker, Margie Jacinto, has been connecting the dots between words and people from the time her Communications/English Lit major in college turned into a decades-long career in magazines. She has risen to the top of the publishing world and is considered a true regional publishing expert in Hawaii. As the former Senior Editorial Director and now Publisher for Oahu Publications’ magazine division, she is at the helm of 14 print titles including goKailua; goKapolei; Kahala Life; Vert Kaka‘ako; One Six: Kaimuki to Kahala; and of course, their flagship HILuxury magazine. 

Pulling on OWL’s 2023 theme of engagement, Margie spoke about the way she engages through her work with the community as a true regional ambassador of the people, strongly advocating for important topics and subjects that should be covered in print. As Margie steadily ascended the career ladder, her continued goal was to always connect in a ‘deeper way.’ She believes the key is in how stories are crafted, and over the years she’s created a personal style of storytelling: “I used my writing and stories as the conduit between subject and audience, so that each reader could form that connection. I wanted to use the stories in a way to engage readers so they would eat at that restaurant, or go visit a store, or learn more about an artist’s work.” 

The strategy has been successful; she has seen countless times how an article has changed the course of a small business owner’s trajectory and gotten complimentary feedback from readers and subjects alike. As a leader, she focuses on this style of engagement even more as she encourages her inspiring staff of artists, writers, and production designers to keep digging for a unique angle, to make deeper connections and to support the community through the stories that they collectively publish.  

While she claims to be more on the ‘quiet side’, she pushes herself to learn more through others and was so grateful for the opportunity to speak at the OWL luncheon and meet ‘so many amazing women’. Overall, Margie emphasized that engagement could mean so many things, but for her, it was where it offered her growth and a chance to expand in new ways. She ended her talk with a reminder of how the members of OWL can continue to be mentors to other women, and that she learns so much from the incredible female role models who surround her and teach her new things on a daily basis.

ANNUAL MEETING FEATURED SPEAKER

Dr. Rachel Wong, Founder and Strategic Partner, One Shared Space

NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Dr. Rachel Wong, Founder and Strategic Partner, One Shared Space

Annual Meeting Featured Speaker November 15, 2022

These last three years have been challenging for some, especially for those who care for so many in their personal and professional lives.  Dr. Rachel Wong, Founder and Strategic Partner, One Shared Space shared ways to thrive amidst uncertainty and change by telling her story of learning to live more authentically and with intentional care for self, others, and our shared communities.

Rachael Wong, DrPH, has dedicated her career to improving quality of life for others:  in non-profit leadership roles at the Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i, Kōkua Mau (the state hospice & palliative care organization), and the Hawaiʻi Consortium for Integrative Care; and as the director of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Human Services, where she led the creation of the state’s ʻOhana Nui multigenerational framework.  She now leads One Shared Future, which creates nurturing space for professional development programs and transformative experiences, and co-leads the Safe Spaces and Workplaces initiative that addresses workplace sexual harassment.  She is grateful and excited to be working with a strengths-based team and public, private, and non-profit sector partners to catalyze positive change through collaboration and innovation. 

Jinan Banna, PH.D, RD, Registered Dietitian and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Hawaii

Jinan spoke on how to maintain a strong body and immune system by thinking holistically about your diet and the basic principles of healthy eating. She touched on how to get all of the nutrients you need for health, how to avoid getting too much of what you don't need, and some common diet pitfalls people run into.

Jinan Banna, PhD, RD is a registered dietitian and professor of nutrition at the University of Hawaii. Her research at the University focuses on obesity prevention, and she also teaches courses such as introductory nutrition and community nutrition. Through her nutrition consulting business, she helps working women to lose weight so that they can feel confident and energetic and enjoy food without dieting. She offers free information on weight loss and plant-based eating on her blog, as well as individual and group nutrition coaching via telehealth across the US. She also provides workshops and lectures on various nutrition topics, including plant-based eating, eating well at restaurants, and label reading. She has worked with schools, corporate wellness companies, and fitness centers to provide nutrition information in different formats. She is regularly featured on numerous media outlets such as MyFitnessPal.com, MarthaStewart.com, EatThis.com, and LiveStrong.com, and gives presentations through organizations such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is also the author of the book The 28-Day Liver Health Weight Loss Solution. Recently, she received a Mid-Career Award from the Nutrition Education and Behavioral Science Research Interest Section of the American Society for Nutrition. Contact: info@jinanbanna.com or (601) 207-4246

Leslee Katrina Michelsen, Ph.D. of the Shangri La Museum

At the July 11, 2022 OWL membership meeting and luncheon, we had the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Leslee Michelsen, Curator of Collections & Exhibitions at Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design in Honolulu.  She provided insight on Islamic art and the role Shangri La plays in providing access and promoting Islamic art.

Doris Duke collected and commissioned Islamic art and essentially built Shangri La around that art.  Shangri La is now the only museum in the United States wholly dedicated to Islamic Art.

The Islamic world is larger than most people realize, with over 1 billion Islamic people in the world.  Although Hawaii isn’t a place of Islamic majority, Shangri La aims to create an artistic ecosystem deeply connected to the Islamic world.

Shangri La works to nurture the richness of interactions through supporting artists & makers via commissions as well as having artists in residence (digital, performing and/or visual artists).  This allows the community to learn directly from artists. One key takeaway is sharing the diversity of the Islamic world.  Islamic art is not one thing, and like all art it is not just religious.  It is important to remember that the community and discussions that art can foster is vital to all cultures. 

“Art is always an opportunity to talk about people.”  - Dr. Michelsen

The board will work with Dr. Michelsen to see if a tour of Shangri La can be arranged for OWL members.

(Thank you to Holly Hayashi for the write up!)

Judy Bishop - Owner and President of Bishop & Company

On May 9th, OWL welcomed Ms. Judy Bishop as guest speaker for the first in-person Lunch Meeting of 2022.  Ms. Bishop is owner, President and CEO of Bishop & Company, an award-winning recruiting and staffing firm. She has been named by Pacific Business News as one of the Top 25 Women Owned Businesses for the past 15 years, was honored as an Industry Leader by Pacific Edge Magazine, and named Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Organization of Women Leaders. She was also honored by the US SBA as the State of Hawaii Women in Business Champion, and was a finalist in the Hawaii Business Magazine’s Business Leader of the Year in their Best in Small Business category. Her firm, Bishop & Company, has consistently been named as one of the Top 3 Executive Search firms in Hawaii and as a top employer of women. Bishop & Company is also consistently one of Hawaii Business Magazine’s Top 250 largest companies.

Judy shared that when she was six weeks old, her mother left her in the back seat of a doctor’s car.  The doctor’s wife had gone to play bridge that morning and when she returned to the car, she discovered baby Judy in the back seat.  The doctor and his wife took Judy to the hospital, which was run by Catholic Nuns.  The Nuns knew a woman who was looking to adopt a baby and that woman became Judy’s mother. 

Judy grew up as an only child and her adoptive parents were loving and supportive.  She attended Catholic School and for high school she was sent to an all-girls convent boarding school, which was over a hundred years old.  The Nuns were from France and the original Nuns had made the bricks for the school all by hand. 

After high school, Judy attended a public college and graduated with a degree in liberal arts. After college she was hired to work at a staffing company, helping organizations find talent.  After a few years, one of her clients offered to help her set up her own business, which she did.  After three years in business, she was approached by an international staffing company who sought her interest in becoming a franchise owner of their company.  She said yes to this opportunity and after a few years expanded her business by opening a retail store, an art gallery and a child care center.

Everything was going well until one day the oil companies in her town decided to quit drilling.  Within a few weeks the effects on the local economy became apparent.  In 1983, this town went from having the most millionaires per capital to becoming the bankruptcy capital.  At this point Judy sold her child care business, bankrupted the retail store, negotiated for someone to take over the lease for the art gallery and sold her staffing company back to the franchise organization.

After selling her business, she decided to leave and go to Fiji with her boyfriend.  Judy stayed in Fiji for a few months then accompanied her boyfriend to Thailand, where he was hired to assist with the production of a commercial for Singapore Airlines.  Judy was hired to supervise the cooks for the film crew. The Thai cooks didn’t speak English and didn’t know how to cook American food, and Judy didn’t know how to cook or speak Thai, but she made it work!

After the production was over, Judy’s boyfriend was hired as a Captain for a boat doing charters between Fiji and Tonga.  Judy stayed in Tonga and worked in a small gift shop. She decided to approach the staffing company that she used to work for, Kelly Services International, and offered to conduct a feasibility study on the pros and cons of expanding in Australia.  Judy was hired to conduct the feasibility study and moved to Australia. While there, she worked for several companies simultaneously: a rental car company that rented cars for people going to Europe, a boat mooring and repair company and a company that supplied fragrances for soap and detergent manufacturers.

In 1985, she decided to go back to America and approached the international staffing company again and was offered a job to manage their office in Hawaii.  Judy grew the business and after 4 years in Hawaii, her company asked her start up their business in Australia.  After two years, her company sent her to New Zealand to open up a business there and then later to Singapore to conduct a feasibility study. Judy then decided to move back to Hawaii where she worked for another staffing company.  She later moved to Houston for five years to be closer to her mother. Her former boss in Honolulu contacted her and asked her to return to Hawaii, where she grew the company for five years and eventually bought him out and changed the name to Bishop & Company. She bought the company when she was 60 years old and said “It’s never too late ladies!”  Now she owns a home in Lanikai and another home in Guatemala on a beautiful lake.  She is still with her same boyfriend and shared that “Life is good” and “It’s been quite a ride.” 

Bishop & Company recruits for all levels from entry level to Executive positions. Judy graciously shared the following recruiting tips:

·         When you recruit in Hawaii it is the same all over the world.

·         Search far and wide

·         Screen very carefully – you must know exactly what skills you need

·         Offer competitive wages and benefits

·         Make sure you have good recruiters.  Recruiting is a sales role.  Recruiters sell the company, the position and the future within the organization. It’s about attracting candidates and making the organization appealing.

·         Times have changed – recruiting is about admitting more candidates to widen the labor pool

·         Consider dropping requirements for a college degree, five years of experience – Education and experience do not guarantee success. 

·         Consider dropping requirements for no criminal record and relaxing the drug testing policy

·         Consider rehiring past employees

·         Adjust job descriptions to reconsider expectations -Make sure expectations are presented clearly and early during the interview process

·         Major employers make offers during the first interviews – consider shortening the hiring process

·         Do not low ball offers.  People have multiple offers now.  It’s a candidate/job seekers market

·         Reconsider requirement of a 40-hour work week

·         Rethink expectations that you must work on site.  A March report stated that 50% of Hawaii workers work remotely.

·         Do not allow supervisors, managers or executives to interview candidates unless they are trained to screen in and make competitive offers. 

·         Use regular sales and business development teams to recruit employees.  Make every employee feel like a recruiter

·         Ask clients, customers and vendors for referrals for candidates.  Ask employees to refer their family and friends.

·         Build your company’s reputation internally with current staff.  Then promote the company externally with a great reputation for products, services and as a great place to work

·         Consider hiring internally when looking for candidates.

·         Utilize social media to not only promote products and services, but to also promote jobs

·         Consider analyzing your company’s compensation company wide and adjust it to make it insanely competitive.  Do it now.  Compensation analysis is important otherwise you will have an imbalance of equity with new hires demanding more money than your current employees.

·         Improve training and development departments and courses so that you can hire people with innate intuitive ability who can be readily trained - even people you may not have considered previously

·         Retention programs must be stronger than ever.  It is easier to keep good people than it is to replace them

·         Train hiring managers to interview and retain their staff.

·         Retention typically includes attention, recognition, reward, competitive compensation, generous benefits, training, promotional opportunities, clarity about their roles, clarity about performance expectations, and frequent mini performance reviews

·         Retention also includes shadowing someone above you, offering mentorships, and paying for employees to have professional memberships.

Thank you, Judy, for sharing your fabulous story and for the excellent tips on recruiting and retention!

Catherine Ngo

Catherine Ngo is the Executive Vice Chair of Central Pacific Bank since January 1, 2022. Prior to her role as Executive Vice Chair, she was President of Central Pacific Bank since 2015. Prior to joining CPB, Ngo was a founding general partner of Startup Capital Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm established in 2005, with investments in Silicon Valley and Hawaii, as well as in China.

A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Ngo started her career in private law practice, focused on banking and securities law. After seven years in private law practice, in 1993 she joined Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) as General Counsel, and during her tenure there until 2005, oversaw many support-side divisions of the company and served on the company’s Managing Committee. She also served as Chief Operating Officer of Alliant Partners, the investment banking subsidiary of SVB, focused on sell-side Mergers & Acquisitions activities for technology companies.

Ngo is venture partner of Startup Capital Ventures, L.P., serves on the Board of Trustees of the Queen’s Health Systems, Advisory Board of Catholic Charities of Hawaii, Advisory Board for Trust for Public Lands, Board of Directors of Hawaii Gas, Board of Governors of Hawaii Community Foundation, and serves as President of the Hawaii Bankers Association.

Catherine commenced the session with a valuable childhood experience of her first mentor, her eight-grade teacher and reminisced on her experience, concluding that sometimes it takes someone to believe in you and see the greatness within you, even when you do not see it in yourself. Catherine’s experience has inspired her on her journey and as she stressed the importance of mentoring others and helping them see their greatest potential, this is something that she is dedicated to. Catherine discussed that her path to becoming a CEO was not the typical path for a bank CEO, her journey is an inspiration of how dedication and passion can lead you to where you may unexpectedly belong.

During the session, Catherine shared many of the innovations and efforts that Central Pacific Bank (CPB) has been making, several of the initiatives include:

• Re-vamped the digital space with a new mobile app that is easy to use and convenient for managing accounts. To further add convenience and expediency, one can open a checking or savings account, as well as apply for a personal loan entirely online.

• Established major changes in branding, using fresh, brighter colors, which are more fun. CPB is aiming to attract more millennials.

• Incorporated “Kai nu’u o Kanaloa”, a work of art that is designed to bring the waves of Hawaii to the digital space.

• The Flagship Main Branch, which provides a glimpse into the future of CPB and houses “Tidepools@CPB”, a modern co-working space. The main branch is an inviting, modern, welcoming space, houses Aloha Beer Company and the first Starbucks Pickup in Hawaii.

In addition to the initiatives recently made, Catherine highlighted CPB’s support of small businesses, especially during the pandemic and shared that while she was dining at one of the small business establishments, the business owner personally thanked Catherine for the support made by CPB to small businesses and without that support, their business would not have made it. CPB has been instrumental in saving many small businesses.

A few other notable facts highlighted:

• CPB was named by Newsweek as one of “American’s Best Banks in Each State” in 2022

• The SBA recognized CPB as “Lender of the Year” for 12 of the last 14 years, with over $7 million in loans given in FY21 and 122, 7(a) loans originated, this is more than all major banks of Hawaii combined.

• CPB is one of the first banks in Hawaii to accept Cryptocurrency.

Lastly Catherine discussed CPB’s shared commitment to empowering women, in addition to the fact that CPB employees 66% females, CPB has established a “Women’s Leadership Program” focusing on empowering women. The connections made in the program have been impactful and meaningful. Catherine believes that supporting women starts early, such as supporting the Girls Scouts, inspiring young girls to pursue the STEM field. Ultimately, Catherine believes it is important to support other women to purse their dreams and attributes the core values of CPB and employees with fierce determination and spirit is what makes the company so successful.

Write up by Dr. Summer Van Pelt - Thank you Summer!

Shelley Cramer

Shelley shared strategies as to how SAKS Fifth Ave, was able to maintain a competitive advantage during a season of many unknowns and still service their customer differently during a pandemic. Shelley coined the term Disrupt or be Disrupted.

Instead of focusing on what she could not do, Shelley focused on what she and the team could do, which was to create the store of the future. She knew that operation’s team would be instrumental in pivoting the company to meet the clients’ needs, which subsequently profitable.

Some of the thing’s SAKS capitalized on during the pandemic:

• Events and experiences – realized the value of online and how clients could still get their needs met.

• Shop NY took fashion looks to the next level through virtual fashion shows

• Try before you by – Items could be mailed to the customer, to try on, and they were able to return if personal needs were not met.

Shelley did not stop with ensuring the store could still operate, she took her expertise in the community to give back. Here are some eye catchers that were shared.

• Involved in Junior development to help young girls learn about philanthropy

• Raised $70,000 for the Humane Society

• Instrumental in the Tux and Tails Event for young and the younger

• Bought 50 women together at Sacred Hearts Academy to job them that when they are finished college there are still jobs in Hawaii for women. She also stated a STEM program for Women

It was powerful to hear her story and learn from Shelley’s drive to make a difference.

Beckie Stocchetti

Beckie Stocchetti is the Executive Director of the Hawai'i International Film Festival, a multi-island Festival and 41-year old non-profit organization that has earned the distinction of being the nation’s creative pipeline to the Pacific Islands and the primary source for the exhibition and discovery of API films and talent. At the helm of HIFF, Beckie has revitalized the organization, spotlighting emerging talent from Asia and the Pacific Islands, and bringing focus to local Hawai’i content and filmmakers through competition programs, cash awards, in-flight screenings on Hawaiian Airlines, content development, and new youth programs. She launched a Virtual Reality exhibit at HIFF that spotlights immersive new media works primarily from the Asia-Pacific region. Beckie has tripled the staff size at HIFF since taking over as Executive Director and more than doubled its economic impact to the state.

Having a focused career on developing independent creative talent, Beckie regularly speaks at national and international Festivals and conferences on supporting and evolving local film industries and spotlighting diverse voices through film.

Previously, Beckie lived and worked in Chicago as a filmmaker and held numerous industry positions including with Kartemquin Films documentary production company, launching a filmmaker-in-residence program with the City of Chicago Film Office, and spearheading a local digital media production fund with Chicago Filmmakers. Beckie has served on various Boards and dedicates her time to building investment in the independent film industry. She has a degree from the University of Chicago in Cinema and Media Studies and an MBA from Quantic.

Elisia Flores

Elisia Flores is the Vice-Chair and CEO for L&L Franchise, Inc. and the daughter of business founder Eddie Flores. She always knew she’d come back to the family business but after college on the mainland she worked as a finance leader for General Electric for many years.

After receiving her MBA she decided it was time to bring her skill and experience back to Hawaii.

Elisia believes in leading with a purpose. For her, the L&L story is the American dream. Many of the franchisees are immigrants and she derives great satisfaction from helping them create something for their families. It’s truly gratifying to help an entry level cook eventually become a franchise owner.

Her years at GE and her training as an auditor taught her to ask “why” and be willing to adapt and change. When the pandemic hit, L&L had locations in 15 states, sales were going down and local health department rules were changing almost daily. Elisia's ‘change agent’ mindset and the entrepreneurial spirit of the organization helped navigate the uncertainty. The ability to flex to the new reality of a COVID world, move quickly and find ways to get things done helped L&L remain profitable. During the pandemic they closed two stores and opened ten.

Elisia believes that things are getting better for women leaders. She sees companies now being intentional to seek diversity and different perspectives. Factors that caused her concern at the beginning of her career being Asian or a woman she now sees as strengths and an advantage.

She believes it is vitally important for us to support each other and build and maintain a pipeline for women to leaders in Hawaii.

Beth-Ann Kozlovich of Kahi Mohala

Our May guest speaker was Beth-Ann Kozlovich who beautifully entitled her talk, “Living with Purpose, Living the Why, and Navigating Those Challenges”. Her story and thoughts came from reflecting on leading with a purpose, this year’s theme.

What is our purpose? What is our why? These are questions we each should take time to consider and reflect on. Many may remember Beth-Ann from Hawaii Public Radio where her job was to speak out about some really challenging topics. Her work had tremendous purpose and guided her to her current position.

In her new role at Kahi Mohala as the Senior Development Officer, she expressed that her new work, where she advocates, educates, and raises support for resources to address mental health in Hawaii, has become her why. Her new position and direction drew out her purpose and why because it allowed her to share about and direct her work from personal experience. Throughout her career, she had often talked about homelessness, mental illness, and addiction. In a true act of vulnerability, she shared that never in her wildest dreams would she think it could happen to a loved one. The journey she and her family continues to navigate pushed the need to understand the interconnectedness between mental health and mental illness. Although Beth-Ann came to the realization that her loved one was navigating a different path should could no longer impact, she knew that in her new position, she could be a resource and support for others who had family members who were in a similar situation.

Beth-Ann’s role at Kahi Mohala magnified her why, the role for her work, and the work of the organization. On March 6, 2020, when Governor Ige announced the first positive COVID case in Hawaii, her new why was layered with how we as individuals were doing and coping with mental health challenges and illness amid a pandemic and the isolation associated with it. The work Beth-Ann continues to do with Kahi Mohala has helped her continue her pursuit of her why. She now reflects that her purpose and why was less about educating and opening people’s minds up intellectually, but more about hearing, uplifting, and helping people in communities to find their way forward to understand that their big why is wrapped around issues of health and wellbeing.

During the last 5-6 years, Beth-Ann noticed that her purpose and big why began to show up more. It may have changed day to day and looking back it may have appeared to have changed a lot. Through it all, she leaves us with some lessons she learned about herself and the process:

• Being “okay” and your “good enough” is enough.

• At times we may feel like we need to have all the answers and it feels like we’re not the best ________ (e.g., teammate, worker, leader, etc.) because we don’t have all those answers, but sit with this uncertainty because the answers may avail itself along our journey.

• Trust what hasn’t shown up yet or what you can’t do yet or haven’t done yet.

• Your why may not be what you expect, but once you find it, it will reveal a lot of the real you.

• People become more of who they are, not less, and we each need to pay closer attention to what allows us to be authentic.

• Ask the tough questions, listen to the answers, and seek clarity in what it means to live your why.

• Don’t be afraid to navigate all the challenges that come with navigating to your why.

• Don’t forget to “Keep Calm and Carry On”.

Kelly Knox of Southwest Airlines

Kelly Knox started her career at Southwest Airlines in 2011 after graduating from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. It was a happy coincidence that Kelly likes to say proves “You don’t need to get every job, just the right one.”

She started at an entry level position in customer relations and learned the company from the ground up.  The company has a philosophy of “empowering employees” by having them “know your role, know your goal.” From day one employees are encouraged to act and feel like owners.

Kelly has opened many new routes for the airline including Mexico, Cuba and Hawaii.  She stressed the importance of listening and learning when going into a new market.  Southwest puts great importance on being respectful and sensitive to local cultures.

Like every other organization, Southwest had to pivot due to COVID-19.  They upgraded their cleaning, air filtration and safety precaution taken by crew and passengers, but the economic impact was significant.  The airline offered voluntary separation and extended time off benefits for employees. They focused on taking care of their employees, being transparent about changes while providing consistent and frequent communication.

As part of their community outreach and support, Southwest offered complimentary cargo for medical equipment such as ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic.

Built as a low-cost carrier, Southwest was well positioned to weather the economic downturn and actually ended up opening 17 new destinations in the last years.

Kelly is passionate about her work, her organization, and is a great example of an effective and  successful leader.

Dr. Eileen Hilton

A great presentation by Dr. Eileen Hilton at the first OWL luncheon of 2021!  As an internationally recognized infectious disease clinician, Dr. Hilton provided the ladies with a timely and very informative update on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  Dr. Hilton explained why the virus is so worrisome to her as an infectious disease expert, including that the fatality rate is significantly higher than the flue, many hospital ICUs are at capacity, and some COVID-19 patients experience prolonged effects.  

The good news is that through new gene-based technology, vaccines are being developed and produced at an astonishing rate.  There is light at the end of this tunnel!  Until then, Dr. Hilton emphasized the best strategies remain:  masks, social distancing, no large gatherings, contract trace all positive COVID-19 cases quickly, enforce quarantine rules, and take the vaccine when available.  

Thank you Dr. Hilton!  For those who missed the OWL January luncheon, be sure to sign-up and attend the next luncheon in March to hear another great woman leader discuss important and relevant issues to our community.

A great presentation by Dr. Eileen Hilton at the first OWL luncheon of 2021!  As an internationally recognized infectious disease clinician, Dr. Hilton provided the ladies with a timely and very informative update on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  Dr. Hilton explained why the virus is so worrisome to her as an infectious disease expert, including that the fatality rate is significantly higher than the flue, many hospital ICUs are at capacity, and some COVID-19 patients experience prolonged effects.  

The good news is that through new gene-based technology, vaccines are being developed and produced at an astonishing rate.  There is light at the end of this tunnel!  Until then, Dr. Hilton emphasized the best strategies remain:  masks, social distancing, no large gatherings, contract trace all positive COVID-19 cases quickly, enforce quarantine rules, and take the vaccine when available.  

Dr. Hilton is certainly an inspiration to us all.  She started an antique business at 18, and then pursued various jobs.  After discovering a male colleague was making double her salary for the same job, Dr. Hilton decided to go to college.  When she asked a pre-med advisor about medical school, his response was “honey get married and have babies.”  The challenge was on and she entered medical school!

Thank you Dr. Hilton!  For those who missed the OWL January luncheon, be sure to sign-up and attend the next luncheon in March to hear another great woman leader discuss important and relevant issues to our community.

Grace Hao “Courage in Leadership”

Grace Keohohou Hao is a Certified Business Coach and joined OWL for our September meeting to discuss “Courage in Leadership” and how increasing our Emotional Intelligence (EI /EQ) can increase our results personally and professionally.

EQ (Emotional Quotient) a measurement of how much or how little emotional intelligence you have. Emotional Intelligence (EI) impacts our relationships. More developed EI correlates to being more likely to communicate in mindful and thoughtful, way. With high EI, we are able to monitor our own and other’s emotions, take appropriate action and communicate more effectively. We can use our emotions to unlock our intelligence. Approximately 90 percent of high achievers have high emotional intelligence.

Reason for Courage:

Courage is stepping outside our comfort zone. We are more likely to have courage if we have a purpose/reason. This is what some people call “your why”. Why am I here? How can I add value?

Making time and space to reflect and monitor our own emotions will help us to be clear on “our reason” and create our vision beyond your current circumstances – especially in challenging times.

If we have great clarity of our reason for what we do or how to “be”, we are more likely to show up as our greatest self and be our best.

Questions to help focus on our reason:

• How has this been a gift.

• What have I learned?

• What would I have learned if things have stayed the same?

• What do I prefer for my life going forward?

• What is my vision.

How can we expand our comfort zone? Our greatest competition is the best version of us from yesterday. How can we do or be better than we were yesterday. Great path to self-improvement. We can set a tone and an example. Help ourselves and be courage multiplier for others.

Leverage imagination

Most profound ideas come from imagination. Imagine what does courage look like? You tap into imagination with open ended questions. They start with who, what, when, where and how. Be careful of “why” it can carry judgement.

Give yourself time and space to think beyond what is in front of us. What is important to me? Who is important to me? How are my choices moving us forward or holding us back?

Helping others through challenges: Loving them enough to ask versus telling them what to feel. “How are you feeling?” Give them an opportunity to express how they are feeling. When they describe their emotion and put a word to it they are more able to cope or strategize about solutions.

Emotional intelligence questions to help coping or solutions:

• What do you believe can be done about it? OR What could have been done differently?

• What are you willing to do about it – go into solution

• What would you prefer – transitioning v. staying in the negative space

Postured for Courage

“The body shrieks before the mouth speaks.” How we talk to ourselves and how we hold ourselves matter. Pay attention to what you are thinking. Sometimes we give ourselves a tone we do not use with anyone else that can be self-sabotaging. Suggest you ask yourself questions in the way you would ask someone with great respect, love and admiration. “How am I feeling?”

This simple question postures us for success and support others.

• What is within my sphere of influence versus what I don’t have any say in

• What is within my realm of responsibility.

• What are my options?

• How can I make the most of what is happening?

These tools will help us not be a victim. Victims blame, shame and justify versus victors that take ownership and responsibility. Victor statement: “I get to, I prefer, I choose, I have an abundance of options.”

grace@coachwithgrace.com

Paula Akana - Executive Director, Friends of Iolani Palace

Paula has over 30 years of experience in communications and leadership, and has covered a variety of stories about Iolani Palace while working at KITV, and now is serving as Executive Director for the Friends of Iolani Palace, preserving a local treasure. Akana graduated from Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she earned a bachelor’s degree journalism and a minor in Hawaiian anthropology and archaeology, and is involved with a number of local organizations including YMCA of Honolulu, Mao Farms, Hawaiian Civil Club of Honolulu and the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

Everything she has done over the years has led her to where she is today. In high school she wrote for the newspaper, developed a love for history and wanted to see the world. In college she studied to be an accountant. She later realized through an internship with KITV while at UH that she loved to tell stories and report. This was around the time of Indiana Jones and she took classes in anthropology. Those classes at UH sparked her love for Hawaiian culture. She looked at Hawaii and realized how much we have and how much we are losing. Her teacher started a voyaging society and she became interested in the Hokulea, the “pinnacle of Hawaiian renaissance.” As Akana shares, that canoe has been the forefront of raising self esteem about Hawaii. She (Hokulea) was able to go all over the world. She was like a lei - every time she went to another place in the world she added a flower to a beautiful lei.

While covering those stories as a reporter she was also covering Iolani Palace and became friends with the director at the time. She was approached by board members of Friends of Iolani Palace to take on the leadership role which she had to weigh heavily as it was out of her comfort zone, but she believed all the skills she developed over the years and her love for hawaiian culture and nonprofits led her to take on the role of Executive Director for the Friends of Iolani Palace.

Like the Hokulea, the icon of the ocean, Iolani Palace is the icon of the soil. There were quite a few challenges including repair and maintenance, funding, and then the pandemic. When she conversed with law makers, she was like a jellyfish - overly transparent and worked to develop an understanding of what they were looking at and what they need. When the Pandemic hit, she learned quickly that 90% of their revenue came from ticket sales and they suddenly were losing over $7,000 a day with their doors closed, with virtually nothing set aside. They were in a pickle. A tight pickle jar with a tight lid. They had to do something. They were fortunate to be able to reopen to a smaller crowd later and benefitted from PPP funds to prepare to reopen safely in a new COVID environment. Hawaii residents were wonderful and came in and embraced them. They had to pivot and opened an online store. They had to reduce their staffing quite a bit.

There is a silver lining. She went back to her dreams and thoughts for the Palace before the pandemic hit. She (Palace) has so much to share with Hawaii and the world. It is much more than what you learn on a 45 minute tour. Paula envisions the Palace as a platform for education, culture and history, much like the Hokulea going around the globe. Kalakaua navigated the globe and made so many relationships. The White House first state dinner was in his honor. He brought electricity to Hawaii 4 years before the White House. He was a remarkable renaissance man who had foot planted firmly in the past (hula) and one foot in the future (technology). So many wonderful stories and educational opportunities the Palace can share through the eyes of people who walked the hallways. So many lessons in character, charity, love and Aloha from the Queen. Everything she did for the people. The Kingdom of Hawaii had treaties with over 2 dozen countries. The Palace can be a platform to help so many people around the world and to develop and strengthen relationships. Getting there means we need to achieve short and midterm goals.

Paula also shared some leadership tips and advice she has learned over time. These include: Spend time understanding where people are and why they are there. If you ask someone to do something, you should be willing to do it as well. Be proactive and transparent. Have the support of great mentors. Take that leap of faith.

Paula encouraged us to tour, visit, say hello, and see what the Palace has to share with you.

Denise Hayashi Yamaguchi

As we adjust to a “new” normal these days, we continue to find ways to connect and stay connected, even if virtually. We were honored to continue our bi-monthly OWL meetings with Denise Hayashi Yamaguchi as our guest speaker for our webinar meeting in July. She appropriately titled her talk with us “tsunagari”, which means to “connect” in Japanese, and shared her vision and version of connectivity in her life.

Denise is the CEO and Founder of the Hawai‘i Ag and Culinary Alliance (dba, Hawaii Food & Wine Festival) and the Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation. From her experience at a nonprofit to a multi-billion dollar corporation, she shared that the breadth of her work provided her with the foundation she needed to undertake the projects she has made flourish.

With a background in marketing and business, she would never have imagined doing what she is doing today. She credits a lot of her professional direction to her experience working with the late Senator Inouye. Her time with him was a pivotal point in her life and is where she decided to take her education and experience and do something different.

Making connections has been a part of every aspect of her work. Through the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, the goal of the Local Inside program, a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, is to connect farmers with the community. Now, not only do the farmers have a way to connect people directly with their produce, but the community also has a deeper appreciation for the farmers and their work. During this pandemic, a challenge she saw in the community was that people did not know which restaurants were open for business. So through the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, Denise helped create Food-A- Go-Go to connect people directly with restaurants. Through this on-line, free community resource, people can access the latest information on which restaurants are open for take-out, delivery or curbside pickup. This effort has helped the community still enjoy their favorite dishes while supporting local restaurants statewide. These are just a few ways she has demonstrated her art of connectivity.

A book titled, “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” by David Epstein, helped Denise frame the successes of her career. She explains that generalists find their path late. They juggle many different interests instead of just one, and this diversity creates someone who is more creative, more agile and more able to make connections that a specialist may not be able to make. Adaptability is what has helped Denise thrive and hints this is what we need today. She reminds us to remain adaptable and find ways to connect, especially during this time, because if we’re in this together we need to work together.

Amanda Ellis

These are proving to be challenging times and while we could not meet in person, we were determined to connect with you all.  We were honored to have Amanda Ellis as our guest speaker to kick off the first of our webinar meetings in May.

Amanda is the Executive Director, Hawaii and Asia Pacific and Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. Amanda found home in Hawaii when she was a student on scholarship at the UH Manoa East West Center. She described her love and connection with Hawaii as a guiding force for her growth,  professionally and personally. “Aloha spirit is the forefront of what we need and what we need in women’s leadership.” 

Did you know that less than 7% of country leaders are women? Amanda encouraged us to not take this as the norm, but to challenge ourselves in how each of us can make an impact. How can we each be an advocate for women’s rights? Commit to serving as mentors and guides to ensure more women run for office. Or seek out women leaders to be our mentors, to guide us on our journey.  “What will you commit to today to make a difference?” Get a seat at the table! Are you C Suite ready? 

If you do not have a seat, get one! Have lunch with those you do not necessarily know or in some cases, like. You will learn and grow with each new encounter. Be seen and known by the decision makers. Engage a supportive network of women colleagues. Have both mentors and sponsors. A mentor for helpful advice and a sponsor to serve as your advocate. By having a mentor, or a sponsor, and making sure you are out in the community, involved, joining groups, such as OWL, is how you can make a difference!

Amanda’s belief is “Women are significantly more likely to include community and sustainability to affect change; and through the power of collaboration we will be empowered to “use our role to help create the greater good”, especially during such difficult times such as COVID. We can “move mountains” by “adopting a female value of compassion – coming together to not only survive, but thrive”, is exactly what our country and Hawai’i needs.

Laura Richards

As our membership gathered on Monday, March 9th we learned of the extraordinary story and journey of Laura Richards, General Manager of Hanalei Colony Resort on Kauai.

Laura’s succession in Hospitality from front office clerk to GM has spanned 40 years and several locations and companies on the US Mainland.  It was a cross-country drive-share in a limousine that brought Laura from her home in Lynchburg, VA to San Diego, CA where she attended classes in Hospitality and eventually started working in the business.  Her hospitality experience has spanned several different locations, from San Diego to Fayetteville, Arkansas and properties from ski resorts to her current client owned resort community on Kauai. 

As General Manager of Kauai’s beautiful Hanalei Colony Resort, Laura and her team have witnessed three major natural disasters, Hurricane Iniki, a flood and later, a fire that destroyed most of the operations/infrastructure for the resort.  Due to road closures, the resort was closed for 15 months and Laura and her staff offered the Colony to the community as a meeting and gathering place.  She worked with Governor Ige, the Air and Army National Guard(s) and other businesses to combine resources (food and water pick up, meeting rooms and later – a school) for the community. 

During her presentation, Laura outlined that her driving force comes from, “just doing what needs to be done”, but encouraged our membership to actively seek and find mentors and advocates who can help pump new enthusiasm and help professional women gain a new perspective when challenges arise.  Her own cadre of supporters included a retired Military General, a retired Engineer and a Performance Coach and she shared with us several quotes, including a favorite from leadership coach, Margaret Wheatley, “Leadership is a series of behaviors, rather than a role for heroes.”