Workforce Development Council

The Workforce Development Council is a 41-member advisory commission comprised of both public and private-sector representatives, selected by the Governor to serve in staggered 4-year terms on the basis of their interest in and knowledge of workforce development programs in Hawaii and ways to support economic development throughout the state. Vacancies are pending appointments by the Governor.

As of July 1, 2023

Private Sector

Ken Loui
Chair, Workforce Development Council
Vice President, Pacific Marine

Manu Bermudes
Vice President, Human Resources, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company

Jason Brand
President, Brand Industrial Group

Eileen Caldwell
Director of Human Resources, Mariott Hawaii and French Polynesia

Cheryl Cross
Principal Owner, C.A. Cross & Associates, LLC

Keith DeMello
Senior Vice President, Communications and External Affairs, Ulupono Initiative

Rona Fukumoto
President & CEO, Lanakila Pacific

Shelli Ihori
Associate Director, Workforce Development, Hawaii Pacific Health

Derek Kanehira
Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Alexander and Baldwin

Sean Knox
President, Hawaii Employment Services, Inc.

Robert Lietzke
Vice President, Indo-Pacific Western Region, Booz Allen Hamilton

Trang Malone
Workforce Initiatives Manager, CVS Health

Cary Miyashiro
President, Quad D Solutions

Kelly Ueoka
President, Pacxa

Local Workforce Development Boards

Jason Chang
Chair, Oahu Workforce Development Board
President, Queen’s Medical Center

Rossella Guardascione
Chair, Hawaii County Workforce Development Board
Director of Human Resources, Kona Beach Hotel

Jackie Kaina
Executive Director, Kauai Economic Development Board

Leslie Wilkins
Chair, Maui County Workforce Development Board
President & CEO, Maui Economic Development Board, Inc. 

Legislature

Andrew Takuya Garrett
Hawaii State Representative

Stanley Chang
Hawaii State Senator

Labor and Workforce Training Organizations 

Michael Anderson Jr.
Regional Director, Inland Boatman’s Union of the Pacific

Scott Collins
Hawaii Island Division Chief, Hawaii Government Employees Association

Dion Dizon
Business Representative, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Carla Kurokawa
Manager, Employment and Training, Alu Like, Inc.

Tui Scanlan
President, International Association of Stage and Theater Employees (IASTE) Mixed Local 665

Lorna Woo
Director, Government Affairs, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 50

Mayors

Richard Bissen
(Designee: Luana Mahi)
Mayor, County of Maui

Rick Blangiardi
(Designee: Andy Kawano)
Mayor, City and County of Honolulu

Derek Kawakami
(Designee: Nalani Brun)
Mayor, County of Kauai

Mitch Roth
(Designee: Doug Adams)
Mayor, County of Hawaii

The Governor

Josh Green
(Designee: Blake Oshiro)
Governor, State of Hawaii

Directors

Jade Butay

(Designee: David Rodriguez)
Director, Department of Labor & Industrial Relations

Lea Dias
Administrator, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of  Human Services

Keith Hayashi
(Designee: Winston Sakurai)
Superintendent, Department of Education

David Lassner
(Designee: Della Teraoka)
President, University of Hawaii System

James Tokioka
(Designee: Dane Wicker)
Director, Department of Business, Economic Development, & Tourism