Director for External Relations and Communications provides leadership and support to Hawaiʻi Green Growth Network, and advance environmental, social, and economic priorities through the Aloha+ Challenge – Hawai‘i's local framework to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Elected Official formulating legislation, policy, and engagement strategies for ~37,000 constituents. Supervised 4 analysts focused on constituent services, policy analysis, and media communications. Skilled fundraiser, raising double the campaign expectation. As a community organizer during COVID, arranged for free testing and vaccinations, delivered free meals and 4,000 masks with a minimal $20,000 outreach budget.• As Vice Chair of the Water & Land Committee, managed a team of attorneys and Subject Matter Experts to vet implications of proposed legislation affecting water and land use policy o Built consensus among all community voices by developing a new task force and management structure for a controversial telescope project o Developed widely popular “to the point” newsletter to keep constituents updated on key issues in the community and the legislature• Secured $10M+ in capital improvements funds for local schools and communities, a significant impact from a Freshman Legislator• Enabled more effective management and use of land assets by organizing transfer of land between agricultural use and conservation• Enabled entrance into the Green Economy by re-establishing Youth Conservation Corp for 18-35 years old to compete for green jobs, providing $5M per year for 2 years• Introduced legislation that closed a loop-hole, enabling the local police force and prosecutors to confiscate thousands of ghost guns• Introduced legislation requesting an Apology Legislation for the 90 year ban on the Hawaiian language in public schools to the Native Hawaiian people from the State of Hawaii and enabled the passing of $1M for education for Native Hawaiians• Championed a $650M team effort to fund the building of homesteads for Native Hawaiians

Managed grants and contracts.• Managed critical COVID-19 Rent Relief Program to 3,000+ families, providing $3K to each household by administering a $25M federal fund with business and nonprofit partners o Developed compliant award processes, enabling massive food drives• Strategically awarded $40M to support economic revitalization by providing grants to 26 nonprofits providing COVID-19 emergency relief, business and workforce support, and $3M to homeless shelter

Led 18-member team through full embassy evacuation and presidential crisis to provide continuity of programming and messaging as the relationship with Venezuela deteriorated. Managed $3M budget.• Implemented dynamic communications and media strategies to dispel misinformation and propaganda from the Maduro regime – created media content as a counter voice to regime• Managed and awarded multiple projects and 100+ grants, valued at $5M, promoting economic stabilization, education, democracy, and English language programs• Protected the team from the regime, ensuring staff were safe and rotated out of the country to refuel

Led policy analysis and served as a global escalation point in the Department’s 24-hour, fast paced crisis management center for the Secretary of State, Senior Department Principals, and other interagency officials, on complex issues of diplomatic and international crises. Developed and staffed emergency task forces to provide effective whole-of-government response to emerging threats.• Assisted with mass evacuations in the Caribbean due to hurricanes – helped get post managers’ families evacuated and found in-country help for other Americans

• Led the planning and execution of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan overseas diplomatic engagements; coordinated initiatives between SRAP and various Federal Agencies and U.S. Missions overseas.• Advised and drafted briefing papers/talking points for the SRAP and senior State leadership on crises and policy issues.• Managed communication between the SRAP Executive Office and staff from the Offices of the Secretary of State, the White House, National Security Council, and other Federal agencies.

• Adjudicated over 13,000 immigrant visas and served as the Acting Deputy Immigrant Unit Chief; oversaw a team of 25 local staff and 2 Americans, clearing a 400-case processing backlog that uncovered over 100 cases of sham relationships.• Oversaw the panel physician portfolio (five clinics in three cities); negotiated new agreements and contracts with each clinic to ensure all applicants received examinations in compliance with the Centers for Disease Control standards.

• Provided daily support to Ambassador ensuring the effective prioritization of Embassy efforts to advance U.S. interests during peace negotiations to end nearly 50 years of conflict.• Served as trip lead for high-level delegations to Colombia, including visits from the Vice President, the Secretary of State, former Secretary Albright, and multiple cabinet-level and congressional visits.• Spearheaded the development of an online tracking and editing system that standardized the Embassy’s processing of memoranda, cables, and correspondence for the Ambassador, increasing transparency and efficiency.

• Supervised a team of 6 staff members executing information diplomacy activities related to counter-narcotics policies and the Colombian Peace Process, including crisis communications, speech drafting, digital outreach, and press interviews. • Monitored multi-million-dollar Federal grants promoting entrepreneurship, digital economy, and job skills training for indigenous groups, who were the hardest hit by the ongoing violence.• Revamped Embassy Colombia’s social media presence and increased reach from low thousands to upwards of 20-30,000 per post and reached a record of over a million views for one single post.

• Responsible for overseeing and maintaining 40-person Student Ambassador (SA) management, coordination and activities of Student Ambassador program for U.S.A. Pavilion at the Yeosu World Expo in South Korea.• Working closely with Pavilion teams, sponsors, and University of Virginia to design, organize, and execute Student Ambassador involvement in work functions, outside programming and Expo events.•Providing guidance and assessment to senior management on Student Ambassador related issues and participation.

• Conducted legal research on various legislation, legal topics and issues affecting the Native Hawaiian community.• Assisted with the promotion of Native Hawaiian Affairs through legislative lobbying and community outreach.

• Drafted speeches, briefs, and memoranda for the Cultural Attaché, the Deputy Chief of Mission, and the Ambassador on U.S.-Korea ties. Delivered presentations and speeches in Korean for several U.S. embassy sponsored cultural groups to student groups and universities.

• Prepared briefing documents for congressional hearings related to the Asia-Pacific region: 2010 Thai Protests, Vietnam Agent Orange Remediation, Marshall Islands nuclear issues, and the effects of climate change.

• Managed attorney/client support administration for multiple key accounts in immigration, liquor commission and corporate sections• Took part in the maintenance and production of over a million document files utilizing various processing software• Prepared legal documents utilizing document processing software including marking and client/attorney confidential functions

• In the Legal Foreign Affairs Division, performed legal research on the laws and codes of countries for application in relevant multinational cases. Drafted presentations and timelines of facts and pertinent dates for LG’s international cases in litigation.

• Responsible for the correspondences of the Representative, setting-up Labor and Public Employment public hearings and committee meetings, and providing executive help to State Representative and Chairman of the Labor and Public Employment Committee