Art & Innovation: Finding My Place Among Hawaii's Power Leaders
Being named one of Pacific Business News's 2025 Power Leaders feels surreal, especially as an artist creating spaces through Kakou Collective. When I look at my fellow honorees - Su Shin revolutionizing our digital infrastructure at Hawaiian Telcom, Alexis Charpentier transforming healthcare access at Waikiki Health, and Stephanie Kalili bringing cutting-edge operations to Amazon - I'm humbled to stand among such innovative leaders. While our industries couldn't be more different, I'm struck by how our diverse paths all lead to the same goal: building a better Hawaii.
Standing at The Kahala Hotel & Resort alongside these visionaries, I felt both out of place and exactly where I needed to be. Each honoree, whether they're steering global corporations or reimagining local institutions, brings their unique perspective to Hawaii's future. This recognition suggests something powerful - that innovation doesn't just come from technology or corporate boardrooms, but also from art, culture, and community spaces. In Hawaii's next chapter, we'll need all of these approaches working together, and I'm grateful to be part of this group helping to shape that future. Mahalo to Pacific Business News for this incredible honor and for including me among the 2025 Power Leaders - this recognition affirms that there are many paths to powering positive change in our islands.
Read more about the 2025 Power Leaders celebration on Pacific Business News and Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.
