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.
