Disclosure: The Omidyar Fellows is a group supported by Pierre Omidyar, who is, of course, Civil Beat’s founder and publisher.

The program, based on the White House Fellows program, “seeks to cultivate a community of emerging executives who will collectively bring positive change to the state of Hawaii,” according to a forum press release.

Ben Ancheta, Honolulu

Joy Barua, Honolulu

Joy Barua is the director of community benefit and health policy for Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi. He promotes Kaiser’s social mission through community investments and advocacy. Joy was previously the executive director, director of finance, and director of planning, development and communications at Honolulu Community Action Program. He holds two master’s degrees: one in business administration and a second in organizational change. He is an avid and active volunteer in many social causes.

Maxine Burkett, Honolulu

Maxine Burkett is an associate professor of law at the University of Hawaiʻi. An expert in climate change law and policy, she has presented her research on diverse areas of law throughout the United States and in West Africa, Asia, and Europe. From 2009-2012, Maxine served as the inaugural director of the Center for Island Climate Adaptation and Policy (ICAP). She currently directs research initiatives for the Hawaiʻi Presidential Center Leadership Team which spearheads the state’s bid to host the Obama Presidential Library. Maxine attended Williams College and Oxford University, and received her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Giorgio Caldarone, Kailua

Giorgio Caldarone is a regional manager with Kamehameha Schools’ Endowment. He is responsible for the residential portfolio, as well as Oʻahu, Maui, and Molokaʻi agriculture and conservation lands. He is also responsible for all utility scale renewable energy developments. Giorgio previously worked as an independent consultant and as a senior consultant in KPMG Consulting’s Honolulu office. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from West Point and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hawai ʻi at Mānoa. Giorgio serves on the board of the Hawaiʻi Agriculture Research Center and the Land Use Research Foundation.

Paul Chattergy, Honolulu

Paul Chattergy is the chief investment officer for the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) of the State of Hawai‘i. He is responsible for investment management and the investment office. In 2010, Paul was a student-fellow and employed by the East-West Center. Before 2009, he was a hedge fund analyst based in Asia. Previously, he worked in the financial industry in New York. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross and master’s degrees from Cornell University and the London School of Economics. Paul is a board member of the Hawai ʻi Council of Economic Education.

AJ Halagao, Honolulu

AJ Halagao serves as director of corporate and community advancement for Hawaiian Electric Industries, where he develops strategic initiatives and helps administer the HEI Charitable Foundation. He is co-founder of the Hawaiʻi Presidential Center initiative, a community-wide effort to bring the Obama Presidential Center to Honolulu. AJ serves on the boards of AfterSchool All- Stars, Filipino Community Center, and Japanese American Citizens League, and volunteers with the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Hōkūleʻa Worldwide Voyage. He was recently appointed to the Honolulu Grants-in-Aid Advisory Commission. AJ earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hawaiʻi, and a law degree from UCLA.

Jan Harada, Honolulu

Jan Harada is the chief executive officer of Helping Hands Hawaiʻi, with responsibility for organizational management, board relationships, fund development, facilities, program planning, and community collaborations. Jan previously worked at Palama Settlement, first as their administrator of programs/development and then as their executive director. She also worked at the Department of Health in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and then Bioterrorism and Public Health Emergency Preparedness. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a law degree, and is a member of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association. Jan serves on the boards of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, Susannah Wesley Community Center, and Kamehameha Lions Club Foundation.

Leila Kagawa, Ewa Beach

Leila Kagawa is the deputy director for the Department of Human Resources Development and leads operations in recruitment, classification and compensation, employee relations, training and workers’ compensation administration. Leila also worked for ADP, Inc. as a technology solutions consultant and previously as a human resources manager for Pacific Marine. Leila obtained her bachelor’s degree in public relations journalism and political science at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and earned professional designations as a senior professional in human resources and a certified payroll professional. She is a member of the Hawai ʻi Society for Human Resources Management and the National Association of State Personnel Executives.

Erika Lacro, Kailua

Erika Lacro is chancellor of Honolulu Community College and serves as chief executive officer responsible for the overall management of the college. She administers the college’s $33 million operating budget as well as serving as the principal investigator on several grants including a $24.6 million Department of Labor grant. Erika leads a team of 300 employees that serves approximately 4,500 credit students and 3,500 non-credit students. A strong business background in private industry has facilitated Erika’s rapid rise to her current position in higher education. She holds a PhD from the University of Hawaiʻi in communication and information sciences.

Leslie Mullens, Kihei

Leslie Mullens is president and senior strategist of PlayBook Consulting Group, a Maui-based management consulting firm focused on statewide strategic planning and organizational development. She drives PlayBook’s vision and is responsible for new business development, and team management, and is the firm’s chief strategy and capacity building facilitator for small businesses, nonprofits, and government clients. Prior to founding PlayBook, Leslie led Cisco Systems’s global B2B Ecommerce strategy team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA, is past president of the Rotary Club of Kahului, and serves on Hawai ʻi’s Small Business Regulatory Review Board.

Lance Parker, Honolulu

Lance Parker is a senior vice president, acquisitions and dispositions and the principal broker for A&B Properties, Inc. He is responsible for the acquisition and disposition of all commercial real estate assets in Hawaiʻi and continental United States, and has direct management of all licensed real estate activities for A&B. Prior to A&B, he provided commercial real estate advisory and brokerage services on a national basis at Grubb & Ellis. Lance has a bachelor’s degree in finance with a major option in real property management and development from the University of Southern California and currently serves on the board of Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation.

Margaret Pettyjohn, Honolulu

Margaret Pettyjohn is executive vice president of retail banking at American Savings Bank, overseeing its 57 branches. Her banking career is marked by a number of successes from transforming call center operations to leading culture shifts resulting in double-digit sales increases. Before joining ASB, she was executive vice president of retail support and delivery for South Financial, where she was selected by the CEO for a leadership immersion program and nominated by peers as project team leader. Margaret has a bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College.

Suzanne Skjold, Honolulu

Suzanne Skjold is the executive director of Hawaiʻi Literacy. She is responsible for agency operations, financial management, fundraising and community support, partnerships, and for ensuring programs effectively increase literacy. Suzanne previously worked at Harvard School of Public Health and authored a chapter on Gender and Human Resources in Health Care. She began her career with Boys & Girls Clubs of the (Florida) Keys, eventually becoming its executive director. Suzanne holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and history from Williams College, a master’s degree in international relations from Boston University, and serves on the board of the Hawaiʻi Book & Music Festival. 

— Patti Epler