Second cohort of Hawaiʻi-centered leadership accelerator program kicks off

Meet 20 emerging leaders in the second ‘Ōiwi Leadership Accelerator. They’ll receive six months of cultural training, mentorship, and strategic coaching. This place-based program fosters leadership rooted in Hawai‘i’s heritage.

Launched last year, the ‘Ōiwi Leadership Accelerator equips Native Hawaiian and Hawai‘i-raised talent for key leadership roles across various industries. Local consulting firm People Strategies Hawai‘i runs the program in partnership with Kamehameha Schools Kaiāulu Initiative and sponsorship from Papa Ola Lōkahi, the Hawaiʻi Employers Council, and Turo.

Over six months, participants gather monthly for experiential learning sessions, receive 1:1 executive coaching, and network with kamaʻāina mentors while deepening their sense of place.

Their February gathering takes place at Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy on the Windward side, where participants will hear from new OHA Board Chair Kai Kahele, and explore concepts related to strategic thinking, wayfinding and vision-setting while experiencing sailing techniques and skills out on the voyaging canoe.

“We love tying cultural experiences as metaphors to the concepts and skills you need to be a successful leader in the workplace,” says Kuʻulani Keohokalole, CEO of People Strategies Hawaiʻi. Those lessons are affirmed by employers like John Leong, CEO of Kupu. “Kupu has encouraged key staff in participating with the Oiwi Leadership Accelerator because we recognize the importance of lifting up people with great potential into roles of great impact. It’s through this work that we’ll be able to ensure the communities we serve are represented at the decision making table.”

Here are the 20 participants in the second cohort of the ‘Ōiwi Leadership Accelerator: