Two Maui County Leaders Selected for 2014-2015 Omidyar Fellows

Brian Kealoha. Courtesy image.

By Wendy Osher

Two Maui County leaders were selected as part of the new 2014-2015 Omidyar Fellows program.

The leadership and development fellowship trains and educates emerging leaders to shape Hawaiʻi’s future together.

The cohort includes Brian Kealoha, a regional manager for Chevron Energy Solutions, and Emillia Noordhoek, the co-founder and executive director of Sustʻāina-ble Molokaʻi.

The Omidyar Fellows is an initiative of the Hawai’i Leadership Forum.  The Forum receives funding from both the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund at the Hawai’i Community Foundation.

Pierre Omidyar, best known as the founder and chairman of eBay, joined his wife Pam in making a $50 million commitment to the Hawai’i Community Foundation in 2009.

The funds were used to establish the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund, which is being used to launch several community initiatives.

Emillia Noordhoek. Courtesy photo.

Pierre is also the CEO and publisher of CivilBeat.com, a public affairs and investigative journalism news service based out of Honolulu.

Kealoha and Noordhoek were among a list of 14 individuals selected for the program this year, and make up the third cohort groomed under the program.

“We are pleased to welcome this diverse and inspiring set of emerging leaders to the Omidyar Fellows program,” said Kalei Stern, director of external relations, Omidyar Fellows in a foundation press release. “As they embark on this new professional and personal development journey together, we look forward to the Omidyar Fellows becoming a close, collaborative team of leaders who will improve our state – and the world – together.”

Other individuals identified as part of the 2014-2015 group include the following: Kippen de Alba Chu (Lower Makiki), executive director, The Friends of ʻIolani Palace; Kamuela Enos (Waipiʻo Gentry), director of social enterprise, MAO Organic Farms; Sulma Gandhi (Puna), director of student health and wellness programs, University of Hawaiʻi; Lisa Hadway (Hilo), administrator, Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife; Alex Harris (Koʻolaupoko), senior program officer for education, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation; Danny Kim (Hawaiʻi Kai), senior vice president and regional manager, Bank of Hawaiʻi; John Leong (Kaimukī), founder, Pono Pacific and Kupu Hawaiʻi; Kawika Riley (Maunalani Heights), chief advocate, Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Stephen Schatz (Niu Valley), assistant superintendent, Hawaii Department of Education, Office of Strategic Reform; Kerrie Urosevich (Kāneʻohe), action strategy coordinator, Hawaiʻi State Governor’s Executive Office on Early Learning; Stephany Vaioleti (Kahuku), chief executive officer, Kahuku Medical Center; and Rachael Wong (Mānoa), vice president and chief operating officer, Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi.