Local Leadership: Intergenerational Pivots and Progress

As university general counsel and vice president for legal affairs, Carrie K. S. Okinaga serves as a member of the presidentʻs executive leadership team and is responsible for overseeing provision of legal services to the Board of Regents, the president, the university administration and its operating units.  Okinaga joined the university system, with its 10 campuses statewide, in June 2015, with legal experience gained in both the private and public sectors.

Following 12 years in private practice in Honolulu, Okinaga worked with three mayors as the City and County of Honoluluʻs Corporation Counsel from 2005 to 2011.  From 2012 to 2015, she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of First Hawaiian Bank.  Okinaga also served on the board for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) from its inception until June 2015, serving as HART’s first board chair for two years until 2013.  She has continued her service to our community as a member of the Honolulu Police Commission, commencing in September 2018 through the present.

Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Okinaga attended the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, participating in the honors program.  She received her bachelor of arts degree in government/public policy from Pomona College in 1989, graduating magna cum laude.  She graduated from Stanford Law School in 1992, and served on its Board of Visitors from 2006 to 2014.

Cristina Moon is a Buddhist priest, writer, and strategist who lives at Daihonzan Chozen-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple and martial arts dojo in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, known for its rigorous method of mind, body, and spiritual training. After a global career in human rights and social change, and graduating from business school at Stanford University, she now lives in the secluded grounds of Chozen-ji helping others develop the sensitivity and strength needed to stay calm amid chaos and accord with the myriad changes of today’s fast-moving world. 
Her first book, Three Years on the Great Mountain: A Memoir of Zen and Fearlessness, will be published by Shambhala Publications, distributed by Penguin Random House, and is currently available for pre-order. For more information, please visit www.cristinamoon.com.

Hisae Jennifer Uki is currently the Vice President of Business Operations for Sun Noodle, focusing on cross functional teams in operations, communications, HR and accounting/finance. Known for its artisanal approach, Sun Noodle is a family-owned, manufacturer of freshly made ramen and Asian noodle products served throughout Hawaii, North and South America and Europe.  Hisae grew up working in the family business, spending summer and holiday breaks packaging noodles in the production area and now strives to continue and cultivate the culture and aloha spirit that was founded by her parents. Over the years, Hisae has worn many hats that were necessary to supports its company’s rapid growth – from managing the operations of the company’s New York City ramen pop-up incubator called Ramen Lab, developing and managing the human resources and quality assurance department, to overseeing marketing strategy with a focus on building brand awareness.  

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Hisae spent the last 10 years in California overseeing the California facility and recently moved back to Hawaii. She is now based out of the Honolulu facility where she frequents the facilities in California and operations in New Jersey.  

Hisae received her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Hawaii’s Shidler School of Business and when she’s not working, she enjoys exploring shops and restaurants, cooking and spending time with her growing family, friends and her dog, Misty.  

Nicole A. Velasco was born in Honolulu, raised in Kalihi, and now calls Makiki home. As yonsei, Nicole’s childhood was a blend of many traditions with deepest influences from Hawaiian and local Japanese culture. Raised in the diversity of Hawai’i, Nicole did not spend much time considering her identity until she left for college on the continent. There, she explored the nuances of her own ethnic composition and uncovered its strengths in her unique internarrative identity.

Today, Nicole serves Hawai’i, Alaska and the Pacific Northwest as the business development lead for NORESCO, an energy advisor and asset developer. On behalf of NORESCO, she raises awareness about opportunities for greater energy efficiency and sustainability, supports green collar workforce training, and drives impact through systems optimization for both public and private entities. Nicole’s public speaking engagements often focus on leadership development, generational synergy, and gender equity. Velasco is a graduate of Princeton University.