Melissa Miyashiro Managing Director of Strategy and Policy Blue Planet Foundation Age 38 Before Melissa Miyashiro joined Blue Planet Foundation in 2014, she says her life and career were on a “fairly traditional track.” After graduating from law school, she…
Cayenne Pe‘a Principal and co-founder, Alaka‘i Development Age 37 West O‘ahu native Cayenne Pe‘a recalls waking at 5:30 a.m. so she could catch the school bus to Kamehameha Kapālama. “I remember when we first moved out to Makakilo, there were…
Lina Le Enterprise Director of Human Resources Y. Hata & Co. Ltd. Age 29 "My parents are boat people from Vietnam,” says Lina Le simply. After escaping that country following the war, her parents took three years to reach the…
Mark Kawika McKeague Director of Cultural Planning, G70 Age 49 Mark Kawika McKeague has been working for more than 20 years toward a vision of the Native Hawaiian experience and turning that vision into a reality. “That is my kuleana,…
Evan Killips Project Manager, City Mill Age 33 "My first job was at City Mill at the Kaimukī store,” reminisces Evan Killips. “… So what do you make a 15-year-old do to help the store? The store manager gave me…
Ka‘iu Kimura Executive Director ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center Age 41 "I think that we are in a time when there is greater awareness of the importance of Hawaiian knowledge and Hawaiian community engagement in things. And I think there is great…
John Hulihe‘e Senior VP and Manager Central Pacific Bank Age 46 John Hulihe‘e had a hand in business from early on. While growing up, he and his two sisters helped their mother with her garment manufacturing business, trimming fabric, tagging…
Michelle Kauhane Senior VP of Community Grants & Investments Hawai‘i Community Foundation Age 51 Michelle Kauhane is playing a key role helping to ensure a complete count in Hawai‘i for the 2020 census. Kauhane and her team at the Hawai‘i…
Aimee Malia Grace Director of Health Science Policy University of Hawaii Age 37 Aimee Grace decided at first that she didn’t want to be a doctor. But she became passionate about global health while studying human biology and international health…
