Panelists:
Everett Ohta
Everett was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. He attended UH Mānoa for his undergraduate studies, graduating with a B.S. in Global Environmental Science and a B.A. in Economics. Four days after submitting his GES undergraduate thesis, Everett began orientation at the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Mānoa, later earning his J.D., with a Certificate in Environmental Law. After serving as a law clerk following graduation, Everett now works as the Lead Compliance Specialist at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, where he conducts advocacy work to protect the rights and practices of Native Hawaiians, as well as Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural environment. As money and scheduling allow, Everett loves to travel. One of his favorite trips was a three-week barbecue road trip through the Mid-West and Southern U.S. that he and his wife took shortly after completing the Hawaiʻi bar exam.
Advice:
– Understand yourself! Keep trying to develop as a person.
– Take advantages of opportunities that you have. Balance school, work, and social life while still keeping your eyes on your prize.
– Make sure you have a good foundation of experiences to draw on.
Blaine Namahana Tolentino
Blaine Namahana Tolentino grew up in Kailua on the east side of Oʻahu. She works at the University of Hawaiʻi Press and graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2009 with a Bachelor’s in English. Blaine has worked as a writer for many publications in Hawaiʻi, including Flux, Mana, and Lei. Committed to the production and preservation of both scholarly and regional knowledge in Hawaiʻi, Blaine has worked as a Hawaiian cultural consultant, communications manager, bookseller, and legislative aid for the Hawaiʻi State Senate.
Advice:
– Pursue your goals! You’ll have so many strange opportunities that will present itself without your intention. Realizing them and observing how it effects you positively or negatively is important.
Jenny Tanaka
Jenny Tanaka is a native to Hawaii, born and raised in Kailua, O’ahu, which is where she still resides with her husband and two children. She graduated from University Lab School, then followed her passion in the field of education. Jenny received her undergraduate degree in Elementary and Special Education from UH Manoa. Then pursued and achieved a Masters degree in Educational Technology from UH Manoa, College of Education. She currently works at Hawaii Gas, serving as the Learning & Development Manager. Jenny enjoys paricipating in ocean sports; surfing and canoe paddling. In fact, she had the privilege to cross the Kaiwi/Molokai channel three times in the Na Wahine O Kekai canoe race and Canoe sailed from O’ahu to Kauai.
Advice:
– Do your work first, and then go out and have fun!
– Don’t wait until your fourth year in college to get experience. Teach out to your professors and resources the University offers to get those experiences.
– Everything is changing around us, we all have to change, adapt, and adjust in order to grow.