Keynote Speakers

Colleen Hanabusa

Colleen Hanabusa is the fourth generation of her family from Wai`anae. She attended Wai`anae Elementary School and graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law. 

She has served in the Hawai`i State Legislature and the United States Congress.  She was elected to the Hawaii State Senate in 1998 and served from 1999 up to and including 2010.  She is the first woman President of the Hawai`i State Senate, the first woman to lead either Chamber in the Hawai`i State Legislature and the first Asian woman to lead a Legislature Chamber in the United States.

She has earned many awards including the ABA’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity Spirit of Excellence Award (2009) as well as the Dean’s Award from the William S. Richardson School of Law. 
In 2010 was elected by the voters of the First Congressional District of Hawai`i to serve in the United States House of Representatives.  There she served on the House Committees on Armed Services and Natural Resources.  She was the ranking member (highest Democrat) of the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaskan Native Affairs.  And in 2017, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Public Lands (the largest jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Committee). 

From 1993-2009, she has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the area of Labor and Employment Law and also has been one of Martindale Hubble AV rated attorneys.  She holds an AV preeminent status with Martindale Hubble today.  She returned to practice law and for the Fall semester 2015 taught a course at the UH Law School, entitled House of Cards: Federal Legislative Process.  For Spring semester 2016, Ms. Hanabusa was the Daniel K. Inouye Institutes’ Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the University of Hawai`i and taught a course in political science entitled Civil Liberties in the Time of National Crisis.

Presently, Ms. Hanabusa also serves as a Board member for Altafiber former known as Cincinnati Bell, Inc., a subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure. Hawaiian Telcom is the wholly owned subsidiary of Cincinnati Bell.  She also serves as the Chair of the Honolulu Authority of Rapid Transportation, the largest capital improvement project for State of Hawai`i.  She serves as on the Board of Councilors for the US Japan Council, originally formed by Senator Inouye and his then wife, Irene Hirano Inouye. 

Colleen was appointed last year to the very prestigious US Japan Foundation (unrelated to US Japan Council). She is presently practicing law and has had as one of her clients, the Hawai`i State Legislature and I presently representing certain elected officials.

Reverend Yukiko Motoyoshi

Born in Tokyo, Japan as the eldest daughter of the late Rev. Sachihide Motoyoshi and the late Mrs. Sonoe Motoyoshi.



Education - K’au High School (Hawaii), University of Hawaii at Hilo (BA in Liberal Studies), University of Wisconsin-Madison (MA in Buddhist Studies)



Certificate - Tokudo in Oct. 1977; Kyoshi in March 1978

Temples served - Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin, Mililani Hongwanji, Lihue Hongwanji, Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, and Buddhist Church of Stockton (2011~2020)