Hawaiʻi Community Lending COO honored as one of PBN ’40 Under 40′ Class of 2026

Chanel Josiah, chief operating officer of Hawai‘i Community Lending (HCL), was honored by Pacific Business News (PBN) as part of the “40 Under 40” Class of 2026. Josiah and 39 other honorees were celebrated at a gala event on Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Alohilani Waikīkī Beach Resort. 

This is the 27^th year that PBN has recognized outstanding young leaders in Hawai‘i’s business and nonprofit communities. The Class of 2026 includes professionals in banking, law, healthcare, energy, technology, real estate and nonprofits. All the honorees are also leaders in their communities, serving on boards and volunteering to make Hawai‘i a better place. 

According to Janis Magin, PBN editor-in-chief, the honorees represent a new generation of leaders for Hawai‘i who have already made a difference in their organizations, industries and communities before the age of 40. “Each has a unique career path, but what they have in common is a commitment to excellence, leadership and meaningful impact,” Magin stated in her introduction. “Many cited kuleana and integrity as two of the personal values that guide their decisions and actions—at work, in the community and in their personal lives.”

As COO of HCL, a certified native community development financial institution (CDFI), Josiah champions the growth and stewardship of specialized housing and lending programs for local and native Hawaiian families. In 2025, Josiah established the Hoʻokele Home Program, a comprehensive approach to assisting native Hawaiians with technical assistance, grants and loans to build and buy homes on Hawaiian Home Lands. In addition, she was key to negotiating a strategic MOU with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to bring the program to native Hawaiians statewide. Josiah’s leadership has helped HCL secure $17.7 million in below-market interest rate mortgage financing for an estimated 40 families on Hawaiian Home Lands. 

Working with partners and investors in the community, she supports HCL’s innovative loan programs for purchase, refinancing and construction financing, and is committed to finding practical ways to keep homeownership attainable and to prevent displacement of Hawai‘i’s local families and kānaka maoli. Josiah is also certified in trauma-informed care to support domestic-violence victims and is the co-founder of Kaua‘i Lahui, a nonprofit focused on community advocacy. 

According to HCL Board President Billy Pieper, Josiah’s leadership recognition is a good thing for more than just personal or professional reasons. 

“Chanel represents hope and momentum for Hawai‘i’s housing industry,” Pieper said. “Her recognition shines a light on the important role CDFIs can play in addressing Hawai‘i’s housing challenges and demonstrates that we can develop innovative, community-focused solutions while staying true to the people we serve. Most importantly, it recognizes a leader who is deeply invested in Hawai‘i and its future. These are the kind of people we need to guide Hawai‘i and ensure it remains a place where our people can afford to live, work, raise their families and ultimately thrive.”

“We congratulate all the honorees for their leadership and their commitment to Hawai‘i, and we are especially proud of Chanel and her accomplishments,” said Jeff Gilbreath, chief executive officer of HCL. “Meaningful progress in housing and community development takes time and it rarely comes easily, yet Chanel and other leaders like her continue to push forward with determination, compassion and optimism.”

Since HCL’s founding in 2002, the organization continues to develop new programs to meet the needs of local people, proving that affordable homeownership is achievable through partnerships that lower barriers.

For more information, please visit www.hawaiicommunitylending.com.