Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance Cohort 2 members (from left to right:) Eileen Zorc, Partner, Marr Jones & Wang; Sonya Gomes, Assistant Vice President & Deposit Operations Manager, Central Pacific Bank; and Phyllis Freitas, Director of Business Sales, Hawaiian Telcom.
Twenty-two outstanding women from a variety of industries have been selected as members of the second cohort of the Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance. The program aims to further develop management and leadership skills in an effort to increase the representation of women executives in Hawaii.
“We are so thrilled to announce the members of this amazing leadership program specifically designed for women in Hawaii,” said Terri Funakoshi, Director of the Patsy T. Mink Center for Business & Leadership at YWCA O‘ahu. “We look forward to being a part of their journey and really empowering them with the tools to become their personal and professional best.”
The future Mink Leaders will take part in an intensive 10-month program starting in September culminating in a community service capstone project and graduation ceremony in June 2018. Session topics include Leading Authentically, Emotional Intelligence, Social Capital Building, Principles of Negotiation, Financial Business Acumen and Intrapreneurial Thinking – majority of which will be facilitated by prominent women leaders. The signature sponsor for this second cohort is Kaiser Permanente.
“The Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance invaluably nurtures the growth and development of our emerging female leaders,” said Beth Whitehead, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer at American Savings Bank. “It provides participants the opportunity to take a deep dive into their own potential, building upon the leadership skills needed to succeed in both business and community endeavors. It also creates important alliances with other female leaders which creates a mutual support network that is invaluable.”
Whitehead has supported the program through sharing it with others at Americans Savings Bank and donating her time and expertise as a facilitator.
The second cohort members are as follows:
Michelle Acosta, Executive Director, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii
Mary Arakawa, Director of Information Technology, Kaiser Permanente
Shawn Benton, Of Counsel, Leong Kunihiro Benton & Brooke
Caroline Carl, Deputy Director, Hawaii Energy
Ging Ging Fernandez, Principal Consultant, D’Artagnan Consulting, Inc.
Phyllis Freitas, Director of Business Sales, Hawaiian Telcom
Sonya Gomes, Assistant Vice President & Deposit Operations Manager, Central Pacific Bank
Sophie Halliday, Director of Educational Programs, St. Andrew’s Schools
Kara Iwasaki, Vice President, Kumabe HR
Lea (Kaipo) Kaawaloa, Internal Auditor, The Queen’s Health Systems
Kara Kashiwabara, Human Resources Specialist, simplicityHR by ALTRES
Kanani Kealoha Faleafine, Loyalty Manager, Hawaiian Airlines
Ku‘ulani Keohokalole, Director of Organizational Development, Liliu‘okalani Trust
Emily Kleiner, Director or Events and Promotions, Pacific Business News
Nohonani Leslie, Personal Banking Officer, First Hawaiian Bank
Andrea Lum, Manager, Communications & Community Advancement, American Savings Bank
Karen Maciorowski, Workers’ Compensation Adjuster, Hawaii Pacific Health
Sarabecka Mullen, Chief Operating Officer, John Mullen & Company
Cathy Schultz, Small Business Consultant, Cathy Schultz Consulting
Maria Su, Senior Manager, Spire Hawaii LLP
Kimi Takazawa, Director of Development & Marketing, Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America
Eileen Zorc, Partner, Marr Jones & Wang LLP
The Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance launched in September 2016 with its inaugural cohort of 14 women. They successfully completed the program and graduated in March. The program is named in honor of Patsy T. Mink, the first female Asian American and the first female from Hawaii to serve in the U.S. Congress.
To learn more, visit www.mcbl-hawaii.org/minkleaders.
About YWCA O‘ahu
Founded in 1900, YWCA O‘ahu is the oldest and largest women’s membership organization in Hawai‘i supporting women and girls through housing, economic self-sufficiency, professional development and health and wellness. YWCA O‘ahu has more than 1,800 members and three unique facilities on the island of O‘ahu including the flagship YWCA Laniākea in downtown Honolulu, YWCA Fernhurst residence in Makiki, and YWCA Kokokahi recreational site in Kaneohe.
Over two million people participate each year in YWCA programs at more than 1,300 locations across the U.S. YWCA serves more than 25 million women and girls in 125 countries worldwide. To learn more, visit www.ywcaoahu.org.
About the Patsy T. Mink Center for Business & Leadership
The Patsy T. Mink Center for Business & Leadership (MCBL) was established by YWCA O‘ahu, the U.S. Small Business Administration and a community of partners to become the only Women’s Business Center (WBC) in Hawai‘i. WBCs are designed to assist women in starting and growing small businesses, and seek to “level the playing field” for women entrepreneurs who still face unique obstacles in the business world. MCBL is named in honor of Patsy T. Mink for her dedication to helping women through legislative reforms. She was a transformative leader and a national voice for gender equality, education, peace, and so much more.
CONTACT:
Cecilia Fong
YWCA O‘ahu
(808) 695-2620
cfong@ywcaoahu.org
www.ywcaoahu.org
