- Kim Gennaula
Hawaii nonprofit people in the news
Former TV anchorwoman to lead Aloha United Way
From the Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Kim Gennaula, Board of Education appointee, former television news anchorwoman and occasional actress, took the reins June 13 as president and chief professional officer of Aloha United Way, leaving her last job as director of philanthropy for Kapiolani Health Foundation. Gennaula, 46, will succeed Susan Au Doyle, who was in the leadership role for six of her 10 years at AUW. Doyle, 59, is leaving to care for her aging mother and aunt, who live with her. "It's just time for me to spend time with them," she said.
Doyle will overlap with Gennaula during the transition. "I think the job is fairly complex, so I'll be on call for a time," Doyle said.
While Doyle is stepping down to care for aging family members, Gennaula had left her Hawaii News Now anchorwoman job in 2008 to be more present in her children's lives, and husband "Guy (Hagi) and I really talked long and hard about what impact this role would have on my time with the kids. I wanted to make sure it wouldn't be a negative," she said. Son Luke is now 9 and daughter Alia is 7. Additionally, her unpaid position with the BOE involves two meetings a month and committee work, she said.
- Barbara Kim Stanton
AARP leader fights for those facing old age
From the Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Barbara Kim Stanton is still younger than most of the "retired persons" that AARP represents: She's 61. But in 2003, only a few years into the organization's 50-plus membership age range, she got a preview of what frail elders endure.
Long months of traction and rehabilitation after a crash with an SUV left her helpless, barely able to pull open a refrigerator or hobble up the slightest incline with her walker. She still goes to rehab for residual weakness, but on the positive side it infused Stanton with passion for her work as AARP executive director.
AARP most recently has advocated that the city adopt the national "Complete Streets" policy enhancing roadways for pedestrians and cyclists as well as drivers. Earlier this year, the group battled Gov. Neil Abercrombie over a proposed pension tax. The bill failed, and Abercrombie called AARP "essentially a front for insurance companies."
That soured a promising relationship: Previously, the governor had promptly released long-delayed funds for the senior support program Kupuna Care. Stanton, a former deputy director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, now preaches a sermon of preparing for old age. The ones she wants most to hear it are her two kids and their contemporaries.
"What AARP wants is for people to live their best lives," she said. "The years go by faster than they know. You can tell a 20-year-old, you say, ‘Plan for retirement,' and they look at you and they can't believe you're talking to them about this."
> David Leaf launched LEAF Hawaii in February 2007. He then converted it to a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation in April of that same year. The next month, LEAF participated in the Compassion Capital–Hawaii Moving Forward Fellows Program at UH-Manoa. The Fellows program’s mission to build organizational capacity helped LEAF move ahead very quickly in developing its organizational stages. The grant from Compassion Capital enabled LEAF to create a sustainable strategic plan, which has helped carry LEAF toward its long-range goals and objectives.
LEAF has partnered with the Honolulu Community Action Program to begin developing a healthy food system model at its two-acre Waimanalo farm project. Phase one involved clearing the land of overgrown elephant grass and preparing the soil for growing. The cleared area will be used to create vegetable and herb gardens, as well as some long-term fruit and flower-bearing tree planting areas.
The volunteers are currently working with LEAF’s farm development team to design a complete farm plan that could someday function as a model for other small farms in the area. Read more in Honolulu Weekly…
> Michael Chun has been named chairman of the nonprofit Hawaii Pacific University board of trustees. He replaces Chuck Sted who served as board chair since 2009. Chun has been a member of the university’s board of trustees since 1989. He also currently serves as the president and headmaster of Kamehameha Schools — Kapalama campus. Sted is the president and CEO of Hawaii Pacific Health. He has been a member of the board since 2004.
> Lyn Flanigan, executive director of the Hawaii State Bar Association, announced that she will retire on Dec. 31. After eight years as head of the 7,000-member bar association, Flanigan, 68, said she is ready for the transition and will remain involved in the Hawaii community. “It seems there’s never a good time to leave, but now’s as good a time as any,” she told Pacific Business News. “We’re not right in the middle of something huge. There are always changes, and always will be.” During her tenure, the bar association has backed major regulatory changes for lawyers, including mandatory continuing legal education.
> Keawe Liu, assistant headmaster for external relations for Hawaii Preparatory Academy, was named the 2011 American Savings Bank Community Leader of the Year as part of Pacific Business News’ 40 Under 40. Liu, 39, has helped the academy increase its annual giving by more than 400 percent and cut operational costs by 15 percent over the past two years. This year’s 40 Under 40 class included seven other nonprofit leaders, who were honored on June 16: Jill Baldemor, Teach for America-Hawaii; Jennifer Barrett, UH-Sea Grant College Program; Mariah Brown, da kitchen; Jennifer Dotson, Mothers Against Drunk Driving; Marcie Herring, Junior League of Honolulu; Kristin Inouye, Hawaii Pacific Health; and Christi Masters, Imua Family Service.
> Neil Takekawa has joined the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii as its chief operating officer. He replaces Allicyn Tasaka, who left in December to become the director of operations in Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office. Takekawa previously served as the chief operating officer of the Blood Bank of Hawaii. The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii is a nonprofit organization based in Moiliili that offers various programs and classes about Japanese culture and the Japanese American experience in Hawaii.
> Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor has announced the following new hires: Cynthia Emoto as development coordinator; Maria Elena Brown as education coordinator; Harris Bonnell as restoration manager; and Miwa Hammond as administrative assistant.
> Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has named Rix Maurer III as director of contracts and benefits administration. His experience in health care finance includes work as director of budget and fiscal services for the City and County of Honolulu and 20 years at the Queen’s Medical Center as vice president of finance, chief financial officer and treasurer. Michelle Lewellen becomes account manager. She was previously a registered nurse at Blood Bank of Hawaii as well as staff nurse with Kaiser Permanente at its Waipio Clinic and Moanalua Medical Center. Michelle Alani becomes a sales coordinator. She was previously in the accounting department with Warehouses District Flooring in Kailua-Kona and served in customer service positions at Kaiser Permanente on Hawaii Island. Garriann Montalbo also becomes a sales coordinator. She was previously an account representative at University Health Alliance and worked nine years as sales and account manager at Kaiser Permanente. Julie So also becomes a sales coordinator. She previously worked for Kanpai Bar and Grill in Honolulu and as sales account manager with Cox Radio Hawaii.
> Rotary Club of Kahului named 12 finalists for the annual Mike Lyons II Palaka Award, given to an outstanding nonprofit leader. They are: Janet Allan of Maui Nui Botanical Gardens; Victor Bellarosa of Light Bringers Rescue Mission; Judy Bisgard of Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center; Robert Chapman of Haleakala Waldorf School; Jim and Edna DiFalco of Hale Kau Kau, a program of St. Theresa's Church; Barbara Guild of Sugar Cove AOAO; Diane Haynes Woodburn of Ka Lima O Maui; Helen McCord of Aloha House, Maui Youth & Family Services and Malama Family Recovery Center; Helen Nielsen of Hawaiian Islands Land Trust and Maui Coastal Land Trust; Rob Shelton of Lahainaluna High School Foundation; and Debbie Sutherland of Imua Family Services.
> University of Hawaii Foundation announced the appointment of four members to its board of trustees: Alan Arakawa, senior vice president of planning at A&B Properties Inc.; T. Michael May, retired president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Co.; Lawrence J. Taff, executive vice president of Pacific Office Properties Trust Inc.; Richard Wacker, president & CEO of American Savings Bank.
> Nancy Lewis, director of the East-West Center’s Research Program, has been named president of the Pacific Science Association. Prior to her East-West Center position, she was associate dean of the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Social Sciences from 1993 to 2001.
