Professional Experience

Mar. 2018 – Aug. 2018     Friends of Kim Coco     Honolulu, HI
Campaign Manager

• As the campaign manager, I oversaw all aspects of the campaign including day-to-day operations and the management of staff. I was also responsible for creating and managing the campaign budget. Additionally, I was in charge of making sure the campaign message was received by direct voter contact and developed a comprehensive plan in order to ID voters and persuade them about the candidate. Finally, as the campaign had no Field Director, I worked with our Volunteer Coordinator and the candidate to motivate and manage staff and volunteers for various field activities (sign waving, phone banking, etc.).

Dec. 2014 – Mar. 2018     Office of the Governor     Honolulu, HI
Policy Researcher

• I worked with the executive branch departments and Governor’s senior staff to develop and track the Governor’s legislative package prior to and throughout the legislative session. I also tracked non-administration bills which affect various departments, watching for and informing senior staff about difficulties, political dynamics, and potential outcomes. My responsibilities also included participating in bill review following the adjournment of the Legislature to provide input and information about bills before the Governor for signature or veto.

Apr. 2012 – Dec. 2014     Office of the Governor     Honolulu, HI
Policy Administrative Assistant

• I was responsible for various tasks, including helping track and organize administrative legislative proposals for bill introduction, tracking legislation during the session, tracking and transmitting departmental reports to the Legislature. I was also responsible for preparing bills for the Governor’s signature or veto and then preparing the official bill, as well as copies, to be transmitted to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, Senate President, and House Speaker.

Nov. 2011 – Apr. 2012     United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646     Honolulu, HI
Government Affairs Aide

• As Government Affairs Aide, I provided administrative, organizational, clerical, and communications services, as directed by the Government Affairs Specialist, to support the UPW Government Affairs Program.  I assisted in developing key political strategies and organized statewide and local actions to meet UPW goals and objectives. I also prepared for and attended committee hearings, and monitored legislation at all levels of government (Federal, State, and County).

Education

2017 – 2018     George Washington University     Washington, D.C.
Master in Political Management

1997 – 2001     Miami University     Oxford, OH
Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Religion and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

Affiliations

Apr. 2017 – Present     Pono Hawaii Initiative     Honolulu, HI
Co-Founder, President

• Pono Hawaii Initiative was founded to work collaboratively with communities, organizers, and other existing progressive organizations to advance a more progressive agenda at the state and county levels of government in Hawaii. As a 501(c)4 organization, we will focus primarily on issues advocacy through legislation, but also work directly with communities to advance ballot initiatives on issues which have failed to gain traction through the legislation process. Secondarily, the organization will work directly with community advocates to identify and support progressive candidates for elective office. As the President, I work closely with the Board and Executive Director to implement our strategic plan. I will also be serving as the lead strategist with respect to the elections portion of our efforts.

Aug. 2015 – Jun. 2016     Organizing Committee Hawaii For Bernie Sanders     Honolulu, HI
Member

• I was one of the lead volunteer organizers who led the charge to ensure a victory in Hawaii for Senator Bernie Sanders’ bid for the Democratic nomination for President. I helped organize volunteer teams to sign up supporters, coordinate sign waving, phone banking, and data entry. In the weeks leading up to the Democratic Party caucus, I worked closely with national campaign staff on messaging and ensuring supporters knew where to go, when, and what the process would be. I also was a Sanders Delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

May 2010 – Present     Democratic Party of Hawaii     Honolulu, HI
State Central Committee, Member

• Having been reelected three times by Party members in my district, I have served as a member of the Party’s governing body since 2010. In 2012 and 2014, I was elected by the members of the State Central Committee to serve on the Executive Committee as the Assistant Secretary and Secretary, respectively. As Secretary, I was responsible for assisting the Party Chair in developing agendas for regular meetings, collecting reports and distributing meeting reminds and information to the 90-member body, as well as taking minutes at meetings. I was also responsible for management and oversight of the Membership Database, ensuring the privacy of member information and fair and its reasonable access and use by Party officers. During my time on the State Central Committee, I also served as Chair of the Party’s Legislation Committee, leading the development and advancement of the Party’s legislative agenda.

Jul. 2007 – Present     Progressive Democrats of Hawaii     Honolulu, HI
Board Member

• I helped create the structure of the organization as a co-author of the organization’s Bylaws. I’ve been an active member since 2006 and have served as the Co-Chair from 2008 to 2013. As the Co-Chair, I have been responsible for scheduling and running the monthly membership meetings, acting as the official spokesperson for the organization, as well as generally keeping the organization active, engaged, and growing.

Jul. 2011 – May 2014  Equality Hawaii, Equality Hawaii Foundation     Honolulu, HI
Equality Hawaii Foundation Co-Chair, Equality Hawaii Legislative Committee Chair

• As the Co-Chair of the Equality Hawaii, I oversaw the implementation of projects and programs to ensure they meet the goals laid out by the Board. The Foundation is charged with community outreach and education on GLBT issues in an effort to raise the level of understanding and support for Civil Unions and Same-Sex Marriage. For the 2011 legislative session, I served as the Legislative Committee Chair, working with our lobbyist, members, and legislators to pass the Civil Unions bill.

Skills

• I can type approximately 57 words per minute
• Comfortable speaking to crowds
• I am proficient working with computers, in both Windows and Mac OS X environments
• I am comfortable working with Microsoft Office
• Collaborate well with others
• Reading comprehension and critical thinking
• Comfortable with WordPress blog software, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
• Understand the Hawaii legislative process and dynamics at the Legislature
• Skilled writer

References

References available upon request.