Joy Kimura Hawaii LECET Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust Fund, Kristine Altwies, Hawaii International Child, Women Leaders of the Year, Organization of Women Leaders OWL Hawaii

 OWL 2021 Outstanding Women of the Year

Public Sector

Joy Kimura, Hawaii LECET

Joy Kimura OWL Outstanding Woman of the Year Public Sector

Joy Kimura is the Government Affairs and Compliance Director at Hawaii Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust (LECET). In this capacity, she advocates on issues such as affordable housing, construction, development, and renewable energy. Joy also conducts compliance investigations with government agencies and the Department of Labor on wage theft. Joy works very hard at Hawaii LECET to support including more women in Hawaii's construction industry.

Prior to this, Joy worked in several governmental positions including Legislative Assistant to the Hawaii Senate President; Assistant to the Executive Director of the Public Land Development Corporation at the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Economic Development Specialist at the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; Legislative staff to Congressman Neil Abercrombie, U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C.; Assistant Director of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Washington D.C. Office; and Investigator with the U.S. Federal Probation Office.

In conjunction with the YWCA's Fernhurst Program, Joy assisted women that have transitioned into society after being incarcerated by helping them overcome barriers to employment and has actively encouraged them to consider careers in the construction industry. She was instrumental in connecting the Executive Director of the Oahu Workforce Development Board with officials at the California Prison Industry Authority and Hawaii State Department of Public Safety, where career training programs for women inmates are now being created.

Joy established the Society of Professional Advocates (SPA), a registered 501c3 entity, with the State's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. SPA encourages advocacy efforts that are strategic, yet support respectful discourse. Joy lived in Asia for 10 years, where she owned an educational business in Japan. She is a graduate of National Taiwan University’s International Chinese Language Program, and was the Global Marketing Manager for the internet-telecom company that created and patented Voice Over IP technology. Joy is also fluent in the Japanese and Mandarin Chinese languages.

In addition to OWL, Joy is a member of the following organizations: 

Private Sector

Kristine Altwies, Hawaii International Child

Kristine Altwies OWL Outstanding Woman of the Year Private Sector

Kristine Altwies is the executive director and CEO of Hawaii International Child (HIC) – aka A Family Tree, a licensed adoption agency here in Hawaii.  Kristine holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology, and is (slowly) working on her MBA in non-profit/public/organizational management. She is also a Pacific Century Fellow and joined the ranks of Pacific Business News’ 40 Under 40.

When Kristine learned about HIC, it had run into trouble and was in the process of permanently closing its doors. Kristine asked if she could get involved. She saw HIC’s challenges as opportunities, and thus began building successful adoption programs in China and Russia. With Kristine at the helm, HIC placed more than 3,000 children into homes here in Hawaii and across the United States. Her success has been fueled by her ability to skillfully maneuver through a labyrinth of legal, social, and political systems and the ability to fearlessly tap into resources.  These accomplishments are testament to the vast and intricate web of connections, relationships, and resources Kristine has built over the years. Despite her numerous accomplishments, Kristine has never forgotten the humble beginnings and roots from which today’s A Family Tree was born. 

Kristine’s open and courageous heart is no better exemplified than in her own blended family.  An adoptive parent herself, Kristine knows firsthand all the work and emotions that go into adoption. In 2009, she decided to open her own home—and heart—to an infant daughter from China. Several years later, Kristine met an 11-year-old boy from China who needed an emergency family placement. She felt an instant connection, and moved ahead to adopt, thus growing her family to a total of five children. Regardless of how a child enters your life as a parent, the emotions are equally strong,” she says. “I love them with the same intensity, and I feel just as committed and just as surprised by each one, on a daily basis.” Kristine has learned and managed all of the emotions of building a family in which diversity is not always accepted or celebrated. As her personal journey attests, Kristine is the epitome of absolute credibility, genuine compassion, and unconditional love.

Kristine’s love for and dedication to her family and work helped pave the way for her involvement in community service. Kristine has spearheaded several important events for the adoption community, including an annual trolley ride through downtown Honolulu to see the Honolulu City Lights and an annual Moon Festival get-together for adoptees and their families during the Lunar New Year to celebrate cultural ties. She also mentors young professionals who aspire to serve the adoption community and speaks regularly about her personal adoption journey and opportunities to promote family wellness. HIC also relies heavily on community volunteers, whom Kristine personally oversees.