job
Neu Events
Women in Business 2021
May 17, 2021
Women in Business 2021
Malie Moran
What are some ways your relationship building and maintenance has changed from pre-pandemic to now?
2020 was a whirlwind and a completely different PR experience than I have ever had before. Thankfully, I was fortunate to work with amazing clients, but the pandemic affected their business in vastly different ways: they were either thriving, doing okay, or really hurting. For everyone, it was a year to dig deep for both financial opportunities and for the energy to push on for the long haul.
In some ways, it was the most creative year, because there was no time to think. Whenever anyone had an idea, we just went for it. This was a great exercise in trusting your gut and going for it, and it was also a lot of fun to try new things with very little lead time.
What has not changed is building relationships. When I started in PR after college, my first press list was comprised of names, phone numbers, and mailing addresses of my media contacts. We would wine and dine editors in person, and it was great. Then it turned into running into media contacts at events and keeping in touch with coffee dates. Nowadays, many editors and writers move around so it’s easier to keep track of people on social media or by text. Now, if there’s also a collaboration with an influencer, I usually exchange messages over Instagram or WhatsApp. No matter the medium, it’s critical to stay closely connected and continue to forge strong relationships.
What type of skill sets do you find the most useful in your field of work?
I was trained in PR in the late 1990s, so the types of skills have evolved a bit. For example, when I was doing PR in NYC for a restaurant group, we were very hands-on and would pitch stories on new cocktails, new menus, restaurant renovations, celebrities who dined with us, and so on.
Now the majority of my PR work is spent on finding ways to communicate strategy and messaging of the company. I feel that I always try to put myself in the shoes of the customer or potential customer. I try to understand what they will feel when they watch a brand video or see a social media post. Since each business is so different, you really have to embody that brand, which takes a lot of focus and the ability to see things from many different perspectives.
Being creative is also very important and it doesn’t stop. I spend a lot of time working in the creative space, trying to put together content ideas, collaborations, and many daily projects that come up, all focused around big-picture storytelling and strategy. This makes PR work an around-the-clock job.
What do you love about PR?
Whether it’s through a promotion, an interview or an event, I love watching a business connect with and inspire their customers. I feel like I am constantly faced with problem-solving challenges, and I hear things like “we have not been able to solve this” or “we want to improve this,” and finding answers to these challenges is always rewarding. Seeing a successful project come through, especially if it was a long project, feels unbelievable. I definitely love the win!
Piia Aarma
What are some ways your relationship building and maintenance has changed from pre-pandemic to now?
Relationship building is about connecting with people, and for the past eleven months, that’s been online. In some ways, connection is enhanced because virtual meetings have made things more personal. We see people in their every-day environment with pets, kids, leaf blowers, etc. The important thing has always been having a genuine interest in the people you are connecting with and that doesn’t change whether it’s in person or virtual.
What type of skill sets do you find the most useful in your field of work?
Storytelling, writing, imagination, curiosity, and critical thinking.
What do you love about PR?
The variety! On any given day, you can be working on something related to health, environment, architecture, arts, a product promotion, or a startup company….the list goes on.
Teddi Anderson
As President and CEO of TLC PR, Teddi Anderson has helped build one of the state’s top communications firms, managing major clients across the government, travel, finance, retail, renewable energy, information technology, agriculture, nonprofit, and education sectors. Her knowledge of Hawai‘i’s key issues, history, and culture has helped lead the way for high-profile initiatives that touch audiences around the world, covering everything from public education to crisis and issue management.
What are some ways your relationship building and maintenance has changed from pre-pandemic to now?
Constant check-ins with clients have always been part of TLC PR’s ethos. We spend quality time strategizing and planning with them. Having this built-in proactive approach helped us weather the pandemic. We have been able to go the extra mile to be of service, no matter what, making sure our clients feel held and supported during these challenging times.
What type of skill sets do you find the most useful in your field of work?
Listening and hearing what isn’t being said. I listen between the lines to make sure we are identifying and addressing the real needs and issues, and that includes uncomfortable topics. Having a deep, meaningful relationship with each client means that we can truly be their voice and help them build the brand they envision, only better.
What do you love about PR?
We’re here to build a client’s brand, message, and image by developing ideas that position them in the best possible light. When it clicks and the client is happy, there’s nothing better. That synergy develops from the long-term relationships we have enjoyed over many years, which often become lifelong friendships.
TLC PR has three decades of experience providing marketing, branding, and public relations support across a wide range of industries. For more, visit TLCPR.com.
Darrah Kauhane
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Resilient, Loyal, Passionate
How has your career shifted from 2020 pandemic?
In February of 2020, I took the reins at Project Vision Hawai’i as Executive Director, without any clue that the world would drastically change in a matter of weeks. Instead of leading a vision organization, I am proud of our pivot to medical response for the underserved. We learn as we go and use our experience in rural international surgical work to bring quality and compassionate covid prevention to Hawai’i. We are grateful to our funders and partners for believing in us and funding our expansion.
How do you manage stress and self-care?
Time with my loved ones. New experiences together rejuvenate me.
In lieu of traveling, I am practicing gratitude for beautiful Hawai’i. I am glad to be home near our beautiful beaches again.
What are your favorite virtual tools?
Simultaneous use of messages and notes on my phone and computer. The new iMessage pin feature has changed my life. Notes is my favorite because I can share it with all of our team members and access it on all of my devices. It makes finding things effortless while keeping all my thoughts organized.
What are the hardest lessons you’ve had to face in becoming a leading woman in power?
That the social determinants of health must be tackled little by little. We must celebrate each small win in this fight. We have to advocate for the chance and create the space to do good work. It takes money and approval, which take time, so we must be patient when striving to make an impact. I am grateful for our incredible team that pushes through each day. There will always be people who try to discredit your good work, but you have to remember the reason for your service and push on. I was told that “Everyone does the best that they can with what they have at that moment” so I try to remember that with every obstacle. Each is an opportunity to grow.
If you could look into a crystal ball, what would you want to know about your future?
The pathway to solving the issue of poverty. I’d love to see that the work we are doing every day will eventually lead to the elimination of homelessness and inequities in access to care. Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. It is our mission to eliminate disparities in access to care and I hope that one day we can make that a reality.
If you are a career mom,what is your reality of managing kids & family life?
I am not a mother but I have so much respect for our mana wahine who are able to balance both. I look up to my mother and those I work with for the way that they slay at work and at home.
What are your 2 proudest accomplishments of your career?
1- Vaccinating the homeless in collaboration with the Behavioral Health Administration and Partners In Care during this pandemic. It’s a team effort, always. Merging Project Vision Hawai‘i and Hawaiian Eye Foundation in 2020 to create a powerful partnership allowed us to expand our reach and serve even more patients on a larger scale here in Hawai’i and abroad. Its been an honor to serve during this time.
2- Setting up new annual training programs in Cambodia and Indonesia, and an eye clinic in Yap FSM in the same year with the Hawaiian Eye Foundation. These clinics create jobs for local nurses and the programs share knowledge, which improve access to much needed medical services to the residents of these rural communities.
Dailyn Yanagida
How has your career shifted from the impact of the 2020 pandemic?
Every single one of us has been impacted by the pandemic in some form, whether personal or professional. I too can share about the negative impacts that COVID-19 has and continues to have on our business. However, the pandemic has also brought unintended gifts and opportunities! While I miss the in-person opportunities to engage with our clients, the shift from in-person meetings to digital formats has allowed us to “see” those across the ocean. So many businesses have expanded their communication through the use of video conferencing and in doing so, we were able to expand our reach and strengthen relationships by meeting “virtually.” For example, we have still hosted educational sessions and meetings over lunch that were delivered to our clients using local restaurants and delivery services.
What are the hardest lessons you’ve had to face in becoming a leading woman in power?
I have never seen myself as a “woman in power.” I have held various leadership roles over the past twenty years and am humbled by the invaluable lessons I have gained. The toughest lesson that I learned and still struggle with, is to accept failure as an opportunity to improve. Failure can be intimidating and destroy confidence, but I learned to view it as a learning experience to hone my craft. Failure happens more frequently than I care to acknowledge. Someone I admired shared with me, “Fail fast and fail forward.” I often remind myself of this in both personal and professional endeavors.
Related to the first lesson I learned along the way, I also was taught to appreciate all experiences along my journey. The good, bad, and the indifferent. All the setbacks and successes, large and small, have shaped me into the leader I am today. I am grateful for the opportunities thus far and look forward to more.
Did you always want this career track?
This question makes me smile because throughout my life, depending on when I was asked, I wanted to do so many different things! My parents will tell you that I always talked about being a flight attendant, a newscaster, attorney, schoolteacher, a politician, and even a college professor! Obviously, I ended up being none of those. I happened to find my career by stumbling through life, and I have loved it every step of the way!
If you are a mom, what is the reality of managing kids and family life with your career demands?
The pandemic has changed life and work in ways I could have never imagined. With the combination of my sons’ schools transition to distance learning, their extracurricular activities being cancelled, and me working from home, time and space collided. For me, the challenge is managing these events and putting up guardrails on our time. Sometimes I end up working longer hours at home and family time is interrupted. Other times, I feel the pressure of getting work done while I am enjoying the family time. The drawbacks are frustration and irritation with one another, and it often rears its ugly head! There is a time to work, a time to play and a time to rest. It is extremely hard to find that right balance and boundaries between all of these things.
What are two of the proudest accomplishments of your career?
Wow, tough question! While I cannot claim it as my accomplishment, I am proud to have been able to work for and with incredible leaders both male and female. It may sound like gratitude versus an accomplishment, but I am proud that in building my career, I earned the opportunity to be developed by truly amazing leaders.
In turn, I have been blessed with opportunities to develop others in my field—as a peer, supervisor, educator, or advisor. The opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences with others is extremely rewarding. Reaching a point in my career where I was trusted to help someone else develop their own will always be an accomplishment for which I am very proud.
Dana Hazelton
Describe yourself in 3 words:
Vision, purpose, flow.
What is your favorite quality in a team member?
Reliability/Stability.
How has your career shifted from the 2020 pandemic impact?
I learned to master the art of triage, calmly and economically. 2020 was the culmination of all my previous career learnings: using all my skill sets and also pushing myself through false beliefs and fears to step up and show up for myself and my community.
How do you manage stress and self care?
My self-care regime is a combination of Peloton, meditation, hot magnesium salt baths, being in the ocean, spontaneous dancing, quiet time with my baby and a little Casamigos Reposado tequila. It gets me through!
What is your current daily routine?
Hit snooze once, splash cold water on my face, breathe deeply, practice mindfulness imaging, drink coffee, work, dance in the car, give myself gratitude reminders, enjoy family time, sleep.
What are your favorite virtual tools to use currently in business?
Zoom with funny backgrounds.
What are the hardest lessons you’ve had to face in becoming a leading woman in power?
Understanding that beliefs about my limitations and fears were easily reprogrammed through love and courage in my God given life path.
Did you always want this career track?
I’ve always wanted to support the human journey forward and to fight for the best aspects of humanity. In community development, I’ve learned I can directly affect major changes in the system, to encourage and promote the strengths in humankind.
Alia Pan
How has your career shifted from 2020 pandemic?
This has been a huge shift on so many levels! The shift to online rearranged our entire lives just to figure out how to do this. I am an English teacher, not a manager of software systems! I see teaching as a community that is a safe place for students to take risks, to fail, to get back up and try again. However, to set up that environment on zoom is so challenging. We are trying to recreate an emotional connection with each other on zoom with a camera which is uncomfortable. Then, in returning to campus, I am acting as a health and safety inspector and reminding students of the protocols for sanitization and social distancing practices. So, I used to say my job description was to teach kids literature but now, my job description is so different!
On a personal note, one of the gifts of this pandemic time is that our family got to be a lot closer. We started having game nights, got into Disney plus movies, and learned how to be together well.
How do you manage stress and self care?
By having supportive people around me – my husband, mom, dad, brother all taking turns with the kids and cooking is how I’ve been able to find time to destress. I have a surf gang, an online boot camp, Saturday running partner, Sunday walking partner – basically, a scheduled social life. I schedule my life around my workout routines and family time, of which has developed into standing surf dates in the afternoons.
What is your current daily routine?
I get up at 5am, slowly get life together and head to diamond head for a surf check with my surf crew. Some days I don’t feel like showing up but my friends keep me accountable. I’m thankful the beaches stayed open which has kept normality in my routine and exercise that is essential for me. Even if there is no surf, seeing the sunrise is the best way to start my morning.
By 7:30am, I am at school and once my work is done, I am rushing to get my kids in traffic by the 3:30pm pick up time.
Tell us a little about the concept La Pietra is taking with “Raising Women of Purpose on Purpose.”
When La Pietra started, it was in a time where there were limited spots open for girls to get a good private education that was not so heavily based on religion affiliations. La Pietra really opened the door for girls to have a hands on, progressive approach that really encourages social-emotional learning. We measure how a student learns by how they observe and organize ideas into a paragraph or substantiate their argument with evidence. To be a teacher here is really listening for and calling out the purpose of a student’s life. We help students to listen to the small voice that moves one to their calling. We expose them to the right resources and encourage them toward the unique way they are meant to grow. Learning and success is not just about getting a 4.0 gpa – it’s about students finding purpose in the way that is intentional. We encourage emotional vocabulary that allows them to express moments of joy or despair with articulation that translates into life meaning. We hope our contribution is to help each child find their individual gifts, develop them and move forward intentionally.
Jennifer Walsh Ph.D
How has your career shifted from the impact of the 2020 pandemic?
My work has taken on a new sense of urgency. We have over 4,000 students that entrust us with their educational goals and who have turned to us for assistance during this very difficult season. Many of our students have serious financial challenges because of pandemic-related job losses; others have found it difficult to focus on their studies because they are worried about their health or their loved ones’ health. This past year, I have worked hard to identify creative solutions so that students can successfully complete their courses while also attending to their physical and mental health needs.
I also anticipate that the pandemic-induced economic downturn will increase competition for professional and leadership positions; therefore, it will be important to create partnerships with industry executives, seasoned professionals, and the broader Hawai’i community to ensure that our graduates are well-prepared for success, no matter what the circumstances may be.
What are the hardest lessons you’ve had to face in becoming a leading woman in power?
My academic field has few women, so I had to learn to advocate for myself, to take advantage of every open door, and to take risks in order to get ahead. The path was certainly a bumpy one! I had very few women role models and no women executive leaders that I could turn to for advice and encouragement.
Now that I am an executive, I want to do what I can to help the next generation succeed. Our new Women’s Executive Leadership Council will match talented students with women island leaders who will mentor, counsel, and help them navigate the professional career path. There are more open doors than before, but gender parity in most industries is still a long way off. We want to help close the gender gap and ensure that corporations and organizations benefit from all of the talents and strengths women have to offer.
If you are a mom, what is the reality of managing kids and family life with your career demands?
I am an empty nester now, so family life is not nearly as busy as it used to be. I finished my Ph.D. when my youngest was just four years old, and this season was exhausting! I quickly learned to abandon any notions about personal or professional perfection and be content with accomplishing the bare minimum.
For women who are juggling career and family, please know you may not have time or energy to tackle a new professional challenge right now, but you will one day. Some of the best advice I received was from a trailblazing executive who encouraged me to set aside my professional goals for a season and prioritize my family. I would enjoy the time more if I was not mentally and emotionally conflicted, and I would do better work anyway once we were all sleeping through the night. She was right!
What are two of the proudest accomplishments of your career?
In addition to being an executive, I am also a political scientist with expertise in criminal justice policy. In 2009, I was invited to offer expert testimony on a sentencing policy that the New Zealand Parliament was considering. Policymakers incorporated my recommendations into a revised version of the bill, which became law in 2010. It was a proud moment to realize that citizens of another country benefitted from my years of research.
In my leadership career, my most rewarding moment was this past fall when we welcomed a record number of first-year students to campus so that they could pursue their dreams of attending college, even in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic. It took months of extensive planning to create a campus environment where they could live and study safely, but seeing them thrive despite the challenges of the last year has made it all worthwhile.
Mari Galiher
Describe yourself in three words:
Nimble: Creative; Resilient
How has your career shifted from the impact of the 2020 pandemic?
I went from working in the office to working from home with my dog. I got comfortable and into a good groove of telecommuting. Now, I’m back in the office as of January 2021 at Central Pacific Bank’s new coworking space—Tidepools@CPB!
How do you manage stress and self-care?
I enjoy going to the beach, golfing, talking long walks, and, safely, spending time with family and friends. Self-care and stress management are the most underrated, understated, yet, critical aspects of our lives. The COVID-19 pandemic paired with telecommuting made it easy to work long, strenuous hours; it was about three months in that I realized I needed to self-care and destress. Taking an hour or two out of each day to unplug made all the difference.
What are your favorite virtual tools to use currently in business?
FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom—staying connected while apart.
Did you always want this career track?
Yes, I’ve always sought to be in a career where I’m in a nimble position, a utility player on the team, and ready for new opportunities and projects while contributing my best work. I’m grateful for all of the mentors.
If you could look into a crystal ball, what would you want to know about your future?
None of it, I just want to enjoy living in the moment and taking life day by day.
What are two of the proudest accomplishments of your career?
Being part of the #KeepHawaiiCooking team, with the ability to support the local community and restaurant industry when COVID first hit. As well as being part of the team to unveil and launch the new Central Pacific Plaza and the Bank’s new brand. It’s moments like these that we will look back in history in amazement and awe of how we pivoted and thrived.