Full Conference Agenda

Jill Tokuda represents Hawai‘i’s Second Congressional District which includes suburban and rural parts of O‘ahu, the islands of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, Maui, Lana‘i, Moloka‘i, Ni‘ihau, Kaho‘olawe, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Elected in November 2022 to serve in the 118th Congress, Tokuda serves on the House Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

She is a Founding Member and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Rural Health Care Caucus. She has also been selected by her peers to serve as Vice Chair for Communications for the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Freshman Representative for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Region 2 Whip (includes Hawai`i, Alaska, Northern California, Guam, American Samoa, and The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). 

Jill’s family has called Hawai‘i home for four generations since emigrating from Okinawa, living on Hawai‘i Island, Maui, Kaua‘i and on the Windward side of O‘ahu. A proud product of Hawai‘i’s public schools, she was the first in her family to go to college and attended the George Washington University where she earned a BA in international relations with a minor in Japanese studies.

From 2006-2018, she represented Kaneohe and Kailua in the Hawai‘i State Senate. During her tenure she chaired the Ways and Means, Education and Higher Education, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, and Labor committees. As Ways and Means Chair, Jill balanced the state’s $14 billion budget and approved all fiscal and tax measures at the Hawai‘i State Legislature. She also championed legislation that established the state’s first Executive Office on Early Learning and funded the Hawai‘i Keiki Program to provide access to health services in public schools.

During the pandemic, Jill was appointed to the Hawai‘i House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness where she worked with the state, counties and nonprofit entities to track the progress of over $21 billion in federal relief that came into Hawai‘i and provide information and analysis to aid in the distribution and management of these resources.

Jill is married to Kyle Michibata. They have two sons, Aden and Matt, who attend the same public schools their parents graduated from – King Intermediate and James B. Castle High School.

U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda is driven by the goal of making sure Hawai‘i is a place where her sons and all of our children can see a future for themselves in this place we call home.

Jane Clement is the Regional Director of Marketing, Legislative Affairs, and Strategy for the West Hawaiʻi Region of Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation, encompassing Kona Community Hospital and Kohala Hospital. In this role, she leads strategic communications, legislative advocacy, and long-range planning to strengthen and expand healthcare services in West Hawaiʻi. In addition to her professional work, she serves on multiple nonprofit boards, contributing her expertise to initiatives that advance healthcare, cultural enrichment, education, and family well-being across Hawaiʻi Island.

Alex Hetherington serves as the Vice President of Federal Relations & Strategic Initiatives at Strategies 360. He worked for over a decade in Congress, first with the late U.S. Representative Mark Takai and then with U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. In his role at Strategies 360, Alex assists clients with obtaining federal funding and advocating for their policy priorities. He also works at the state level to help his clients navigate the legislature and the Governor's administration. Alex was born and raised in Hawaii where he attended Punahou School. 

Justina Acevedo-Cross is a Senior Director at the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF) overseeing the implementation of collaboration, policy engagement, impact, and grantmaking. Justina has 20+ years of nonprofit, foundation, and board experience. Justina directed the Promising Minds Initiative which increased funding for early childhood mental health in Hawai‘i and increased the skilled workforce specializing in the needs of children ages 0-5. She began her career working for nonprofit organizations and is dedicated to a resilient nonprofit sector that serves Hawai‘i’s people and places. Justina served on nonprofit boards and government commissions including  two terms as an appointed member of Hawai’i State’s Early Learning Board. She holds a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley and a BA from Scripps College.

Dr. Sulma Gandhi is a recognized leader in advancing health equity in Hawaiʻi’s culturally diverse communities. She fosters Stupski Foundation’s health partnerships in Hawaiʻi and works across sectors to dismantle systemic barriers and strengthen the social determinants of health. Her approach is grounded in equity, honoring Indigenous knowledge and Native Hawaiian wellbeing while centering the wisdom and agency of local communities. Rooted by relationships of trust and reciprocity, Sulma walks with communities to build collective power and drive lasting change.

Jennifer Oyer, MA, CFRE, is the Founder and Chief Joy Officer of Community Impact Advisors, a boutique fund development firm based in Hawaii. Her company offers strategic counsel to nonprofits and corporations aiming to enhance their capacity and community impact through philanthropy. As a seasoned connector and navigator in the fundraising sector, Jennifer is dedicated to fostering environments where partners can achieve ambitious philanthropic goals. Her vision is a world where joyful giving is woven into the fabric of society, and every nonprofit achieves financial sustainability.

Jennifer is a proud graduate of Hawaii Baptist Academy, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Azusa Pacific University. She is currently an Advanced Certified Fund-Raising Executive Candidate (ACFRE) and holds the Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) distinction. She is an Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Certified Master Trainer, a Fellow of the Charitable Estate Planning Institute, and received her Certified Fund-Raising Management (CFRM) from Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy where she serves as Adjunct Faculty for The Fund-Raising School. Jennifer completed her certificate in Nonprofit Board Consulting in 2022 and currently serves on boards for the AFP U.S. Foundation for Philanthropy, EPIC 'Ohana, and Abilities Unlimited Hawaii.n text goes here