Eighteen business leaders and executives who relocated or returned to Hawai‘i have completed Cohort 7 of the Hawai‘i Talent Onboarding Program (HITOP) following six weeks of immersing into Hawai‘i’s culture, history and community. Movers and Shakas congratulated these graduates at a closing ceremony last night on acculturating into their new Island home through cultural education, community service and leadership training, walking away with a deeper understanding of the true meaning of kuleana and a stronger sense of belonging to Hawai‘i.
“This year marks three years since we launched HITOP and we are grateful that companies and organizations continue to look to us to help them build workplace effectiveness through community education and acculturation,” said Nicole Lim, Executive Director of Movers and Shakas. “We congratulate all participants of Cohort 7 and look forward to them continuing their work in Hawai‘i beyond the program as stronger and more effective business and community leaders.”
To date, Movers and Shakas has acculturated a total of 175 leaders through seven cohorts, representing some of Hawai‘i’s top companies and organizations. Participants have lived in Hawai‘i anywhere from three months to two or more years.
Cohort 7 also welcomed new members of Hawai‘i’s hospitality industry as it continues to grow this sector of participants.
“When I moved to Hawai‘i to lead ‘Alohilani Resort, it was very important for me as a hospitality industry leader to deepen my knowledge about Hawai‘i’s history, culture, people and community,” said Brad Baer, Area Managing Director at ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach. “Participating in HITOP allowed me to develop a shared kuleana and shared stewardship of our home as a new resident and hospitality leader so that I can contribute to tourism with mindfulness of its local impact.”
The following executives and leaders are graduates of HITOP’s Cohort 7:
| COMPANY | GRADUATE | TITLE |
| Bank of Hawai‘i | Irene Chang | SVP, Director of Data Engineering & Architecture |
| Jonah Oh | (Partner of Irene Chang) | |
| Booz Allen Hamilton | Karen Skanderson | Principal |
| City and County of Honolulu | Randal Collins | Director of Emergency Management |
| Hawaii Dental Service | Victor Yoon | Director, Dental Operations |
| Hawaii Pacific University | Jennifer Walsh | Chief Strategy Officer |
| Hawaii Pacific University | Quincey “Q” Otuafi | Director of Undergraduate Admissions |
| Highgate Hawaii | Brad Baer | Area Managing Director, ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach |
| Highgate Hawaii | Todd Shepard | VP of Food & Beverage |
| Honolulu Civil Beat | Amy Pyle | Executive Editor-in-Chief |
| Kahala Nui | Michael Brogan | Nursing Home Administrator |
| Marine Corps Base Hawaii | George Williams | Director, Marine Corps Community Services Hawaii |
| Punahou School | Maile Uohara | Director of Enrollment Management |
| Teach for America | Melanie Perse | Teacher, Waianae High School |
| Teach for America | Ashley Currie | Teacher, Parker Elementary School |
| Teach for America | Andrew Lavine | Teacher, Wheeler Middle School |
| TRUE Initiative | Nicole Cacal | Executive Director |
| YMCA of Honolulu | Ee Soo Paik | Executive Director, Kaimuki-Waialae Y |
SUPPORT FROM HAWAI‘I’S COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PARTNERS
Cohort 7’s six-week program included three community workdays with participating partners Ka‘ala Farm, Hale Kipa and The Pantry by Feeding Hawai‘i Together, as well as leadership training workshops, networking events and talk-story sessions through partnerships with Leadership Works, ‘Iolani Palace, Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA), cultural practitioners, and community leaders such as Jason Higa, President of FCH Enterprises and Josh Wisch, Executive Director at Holomua Collective.
HELPING NEW RESIDENTS DEEPEN THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING IN HAWAI‘I
Based on surveys from past cohorts, 100% of participants improved their understanding of the host culture, 90% improved their sense of Hawai‘i as home, 94% improved their sense of shared stewardship for Hawai‘i, and 90% of participants improved their work effectiveness and deepened their sense of belonging in Hawai‘i. Additionally, many of the companies that participated in the inaugural cohort continued enrollment in its subsequent cohorts including Cohort 7.
Although I grew up in Hawaiʻi, I spent much of my professional life on the West Coast before returning home to join Punahou School,” said Maile Uohara, Director of Enrollment Management at Punahou School. “Coming home was more than just a career decision, it was a return to the values that have always felt true to who I am. At the same time, I recognized that living and working in Hawai‘i as an adult means navigating a unique set of social and cultural expectations. Reconnecting with those nuances is essential to building trust and shapes how I lead, care and respect for the communities I serve.”
For more information or to register for HITOP’s Cohort 8 in Fall 2025, please visit www.moversandshakas.org/enroll.
About Movers and Shakas
Movers and Shakas is a non-profit that runs place-based, community orientation programs designed to empower and retain recently relocated key talent to learn, contribute and connect in their new home, Hawaiʻi. For more information on the Hawaii Talent Onboarding Program and other programs, visit www.moversandshakas.org.
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