Forum Unites International Women Business Leaders

(from left) Alice Li Hagan of Shidler College of Business, Gaan-dolgor Purevjav from Mongolia, Cynthia Yamasaki of CMY Consulting, Ronna Pastorizo-Sekiguchi from Fiji and Nalani Choy of Na Leo Pilimehana attended last year's Changing Faces reception EAST-WEST CENTER PHOTO

(from left) Alice Li Hagan of Shidler College of Business, Gaan-dolgor Purevjav from Mongolia, Cynthia Yamasaki of CMY Consulting, Ronna Pastorizo-Sekiguchi from Fiji and Nalani Choy of Na Leo Pilimehana attended last year’s Changing Faces reception EAST-WEST CENTER PHOTO

Female leaders from around the world will gather at East-West Center’s IMIN Conference Center for #galswithLEI, an interactive conference that encourages the sharing of information across cultures and professions. The forum runs from 3 to 8 p.m. July 23 — and marks the beginning of a new program for East-West Center’s annual Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar.

The #galswithLEI (LEI stands for leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation) forum will include six workshops, each led by entrepreneurs and industry leaders: reinventing the office, bringing local products to larger markets, passion as a purpose, building your brand and your community, fundable startups and raising capital, and balancing it all. Local trailblazers like Hawaii Center for Food and Safety program director Ashley Lukens and Whole Foods Market Kahala marketing team leader Dabney Gough will be joined by women from Mongolia, Thailand, South Korea, California, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia to offer an inside look at their work, problems they have faced and solutions they have implemented to address those situations.

According to Changing Faces, #galswithLEI looks to the power of collective innovation and synergistic knowledge flow to provide attendees with skill-building, new connections and inspiration to grow their careers and personal development.

“These are women that are entrepreneurs in their countries, whether they started a business or revamped their family business. They’re active in supporting their community and giving back and creating jobs,” says Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar board member Amanda Corby Noguchi.

The inaugural discussion is one part of the Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar, which runs July 12-25 and has an overall theme of generating jobs and strengthening community.

The goal of #galswithLEI is to bring together an international panel of women who can share ideas.

“It’s such a profound thing to have women from all around the world,” Noguchi adds. “Because we live in different countries, we have different outlooks on how to get to the end goal … It’s skill sharing.”

Following the workshops is a networking session from 6 to 6:45, featuring a hosted bar and pupus from local chefs including MW Restaurant’s Michelle Karr-Ueoka and Koko Head Café’s Lee Anne Wong.

What sets #galswithLEI apart, says Noguchi, is the 45-minute Open Space portion of the forum, which focuses on brainstorming and networking.

“They call it an un-conference,” she explains.

During this time, curated ideas are brought to the table, and in four discussion groups, participants will have another chance to further explore ideas, skills and interests. In the words of board members, Open Space is “chaotic, productive and fun.”

Registration for #galswithLEI will open at 3 p.m. the day of the event and also is available at eastwestcenter.org/galswithLEI. The workshops cost $75 for general admission and $45 for students. Those interested in attending only the networking reception and Open Space pay $35.