Announcing Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance Cohort 6 Mink Leaders

Honolulu, HI – The Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance, the only program in Hawai‘i designed to enable mid-career women to advance their management and leadership skills, has named 17 women leaders to its sixth cohort, starting on August 27.

“We are thrilled to announce the final selection for the 6th cohort of the Leadership Alliance,” said Colleen McAluney, Director of the Patsy T. Mink Center for Business & Leadership. “It is especially important for us as a community to continue lifting our emerging women leaders during these challenging times and we are so grateful to our generous supporters who trust in the Mink Leader program.”

The following women have been selected for the 2021-2022 Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance:

  • Poki'i Balaz (Director of Nursing and Home Operations, Lunalilo Home)

  • Aimee Curre (Assistant Vice President, Senior Planning Manager, Bank of Hawaii)

  • Lori Fukumae (Vice President & Director of Membership Development, Hawaii Employers Council)

  • Kellye Greco (Associate Principal, Sr. Interior Designer, G70)

  • Teresa Hamabata (Commercial Banking Officer II, American Savings Bank)

  • Caroline Ishida (Chief Counsel, Hawaii Public Utilities Commission)

  • Regina Komine (Commander, 154th Mission Support Group, Hawaii Air National Guard)

  • Michelle Lansel (Chief Technologist, Booz Allen Hamilton)

  • Loretta Lubera (Director, Consumer Product Strategy, Hawaiian Telcom)

  • Rebekah Mraz (Director of West Hawaii Programs – Kona Administration, Child & Family Service)

  • Daphne Okunaga (International Business and Design Academy Lead Teacher, Pearl City High School)

  • Meagan Oppenheim (Regional Manager, Alexander & Baldwin)

  • Rachelle Ouye (Project Manager & Marketing Coordinator, Sae Design Group)

  • Anne Weber-Yarbrough (Senior Program Management, Honeywell Smart Energy)

  • Natalie Werts (Area Manager & Banking Center Manager, First Hawaiian Bank)

  • Laura Yamamoto (VP & Senior Private Banking Officer, Central Pacific Bank)

  • Jadyne Yomono (Strategic Account Manager, ProService Hawaii)

To date, 91 Mink Leaders from diverse fields and industries, including finance, healthcare, technology, law, education, construction, small business and nonprofit, have graduated from the program. This year’s group of Mink Leaders is eager to take part in learning more about topics such as Building Agility & Innovation for the Next Normal; Emotional Intelligence; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Power of Persuasion, and Strategic Planning. Participants will benefit from valuable expertise offered throughout the program by prominent women leaders and facilitators. The curriculum also includes a community project that allows the cohort to contribute to YWCA O‘ahu’s mission of empowering women.

“We are honored to help support the work of the Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance,” said David Tumilowicz, Hawaii Market Senior Director of Marketing and Community Health for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. “Providing training helps develop leadership and business acumen for the individuals selected and helps create economic opportunity for our entire community.”

The Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance began in September 2016 and is a 10-month program designed for emerging women leaders who are committed to personal growth, professional impact, and community change. This program further develops management and leadership skills in an effort to increase the representation of women executives in Hawai‘i. Through almost 100 hours of facilitated sessions, the cohort will have the opportunity to engage directly with established business professionals and build alliances with fellow Mink Leaders. Participants are chosen through a competitive application process and are required to attend 18 out of the 20 program sessions in order to graduate in May 2022. The program is offered by the Patsy T. Mink Center for Business & Leadership, at YWCA O‘ahu.

The program was named in honor of the late Patsy T. Mink, who was both the first Asian-American woman and the first woman from Hawai‘i to serve in the U.S. Congress. She was renowned for her commitment to proactive leadership and women’s advocacy.

For more information about the Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance, visit www.mcblhawaii.org/minkleaders.

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