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.