In the next 10 years, what do you hope to see in your industry?

It’s such an exciting time to be in the energy sector! Particularly as someone who embraces change, I love the transformation to a decarbonized future. At Hawaii Gas, due partly to our isolation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, innovation has long been the company’s mantra. A little-known fact locally: HG is a global leader in the use of hydrogen in our pipeline fuel mix, a carbon neutral fuel that’s been an integral part of our business for decades. We continue to develop our hydrogen and renewable natural gas  initiatives and see it as a major part of our clean energy future. Our SNG is another example—recycling a byproduct that had no useful value and creating synthetic natural gas over 20 years ago, long before recycling waste products was commercially viable. When you live and work on an island, you figure out how to make it work.

What do you love most about your job?

I’m one of those people who embraces change. I get bored otherwise! The energy and utility sectors are in the midst of major and vitally important change, and I’m honored to be at some of those tables. Being there as we cultivate new renewable energy innovations, as we take a hard look at our sustainability and figure out what changes we can make, what markers we need to meet, advancements that can be made to meet the state’s clean energy goals, and so much more. In life, sometimes it’s only in hindsight that we realize we were in the midst of something major. In energy and environment right now, we know it in real time. We’ve got to get this right.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work for a wonderful female CEO who has really supported me in leading the charge for developing and releasing the first annual Sustainability Report by Hawaii Gas. It’s definitely been one of the biggest and most important projects I’ve ever undertaken, and I’m incredibly proud of the company and the final report we’ve released.

What has been the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your career?

I’m like most of us. I’m balancing life and family and career and still trying to keep all the balls in the air at all times. Early in my career when we lived in San Diego, I received a huge promotion, which of course I was thrilled about. But it soon became obvious I couldn’t do it all. My son, now 15, was still very young, and my career was dramatically and adversely impacting our family life. So I did what I knew was right—I stepped down from that promotion to have more of me for my family. I’ve never regretted that decision. All these years later, I know now what I didn’t know then. Our careers have a long runway, often paved by the women who’ve come before us. We may not be able to do everything all at once, but we can make meaningful and important impacts in both our jobs and our families.

What failure taught you the biggest lesson?

It’s not a failure per se, but a life event. While I was on the Big Island for a business conference, our house on O‘ahu burned to the ground. My husband called me of course, to report that he, our son, and our dogs were fine, and I caught the first plane home. My initial reaction was similar to my husband’s—we’re all fine. I’m fine. We’ve got this. But it was a lot to process, and I wasn’t the same high-functioning professional or wife or parent than I normally was.

During that entire period, so many women friends, including my core group of amazing girlfriends and my newly fostered sisters in the Patsy Mink Leadership Program reached out, offered help, introduced valuable resources, and sometimes just made me laugh. I realize now those “amazing women” helped me navigate one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced. Women know. They understand. And even in the most elevated, prestigious leadership positions in the state, we are still moms and wives and sisters and daughters.

As you reflect back on your life and career, would you change anything personally or professionally?

This is something I think about all the time—what would I have done differently. You can constantly think about how you could have done this or that better. But this is one where I stop myself and look around at the life I have built. I have a wonderful husband, and amazingly smart, resilient and well adjusted son, great friends and a wonderful community. I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth with a great job that constantly challenges me. If I had done things differently, I wouldn’t be here now. Being in Hawai‘i has really made me appreciate where I am now and the importance of giving back.

What scares you about the future?

I’m a big believer in leaving the world better than we found it. I’m outdoorsy—water sports, hiking, camping—and I’m constantly awed by nature, its resiliency, and its fragility. I worry that the divisiveness that seems to have taken over much of the world in recent years is doing so much damage to our natural resources, our common purpose, and our shared commitment to leave this place better than we found it.