Growing up in Hawaii was such a great experience. I learned the value of family, trust and respect. My family or “Ohana” consists of my blood related family and close family friends who have made such a positive impact on my life. I learned to respect my elders or “Kapuna” and refer to them as “Aunty” or “Uncle” as a sign of respect.  Trust was built easily as my Ohana was always there for me through good times and bad.

Even though I moved to Washington and then California as an adult, I always carried the values learned from my upbringing.  I valued family and knew that a fulfilling life is measured by our relationships. Unfortunately, my experiences with relationships were rocky at times. I am a domestic violence survivor. My healing journey after experiencing domestic violence has profoundly shaped my approach to relationships, both in life and in business. The journey to recovery was not just about personal survival, but about learning what makes relationships healthy and sustainable. I came to understand the importance of trust, respect, communication, and boundaries in ways that I hadn’t before. These lessons deeply influence the way I interact with people in the workplace and in my personal life.

One of the most critical components of building healthy relationships is communication. In any setting, communication is at the heart of how we connect, collaborate, and resolve conflict. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most common reasons relationships fail—whether those relationships are personal or professional. Communication issues are especially prevalent in today’s multigenerational workplaces. With teams often spanning several generations—each with its own preferences, expectations, and approaches to work—it’s no surprise that communication breakdowns are a frequent source of conflict.

In my experience, one of the biggest obstacles in multigenerational workplaces is a lack of understanding of the characteristics and preferences of each generation. Too often, teams struggle with communication because they aren’t aware of how their colleagues prefer to interact or what motivates them. Without this understanding, conflict can arise, and productivity can suffer. To truly build effective teams, it’s crucial to recognize and embrace the differences in communication styles and preferences across generations. When organizations fail to do this, they miss out on the opportunity to harness the full potential of their diverse workforce.

My mission is to bridge these generational divides by fostering clear and honest communication, promoting teamwork, and encouraging a sense of ownership and accountability. By nurturing a culture where collaboration and innovation are valued, we can empower individuals and teams to thrive. In doing so, we create an environment where employees feel heard, respected, and motivated to contribute their best ideas and efforts. When people from different generations can communicate openly and effectively, the result is not only stronger relationships but also more innovative solutions and a more cohesive team dynamic.