My Story

​

My journey is a mosaic of personal and professional experiences that have a common theme of training, leadership, business development, and a passion for helping others.

​

Professional Story

My professional experience started at the age of 17 when I started a customer service position in the hospitality industry. After 7 years of working in major chain hotels, I earned a General Manager position for a small hotel. 

​

After a successful career in hospitality, I joined my mother in real estate. We took real estate to the next level by building a team that partnered with local, private and public sector industries to assist their employees with corporate relocations. When the market shifted in 2008, I decided to finally pursue my education and enrolled in a Bachelors of Business Management degree at the age of 34! During my enrollment interview, my counselor said I would be a great fit for a newly formed business development team at the university, and there began my 15+ year career in higher education. My roles include administrator, partnership development, workforce development, and faculty. 

 

Working in higher education also afforded me the opportunity to earn my Masters in Public Administration and my Doctorate in Educational Leadership. In 2019, I certified as a John Maxwell Leadership Coach. In 2021, I transitioned to the non-profit sector as an Executive Director in Hawai'i and, in 2023, I launched my consulting company, Talk Story With Me. Aside from Talk Story With Me, I am also a lecturer at the University of Hawai'i Hilo Campus.

 

All of these experiences provide my in-depth knowledge of leadership, management, workforce development, business development/sales, and business operations. I believe in life-long learning and I always work to learn more to best serve my clients. 

​

​