What Happens When Leaders Choose to Lead Together?

Reflections from the Hawaiʻi Women Rise Leadership Intensive

There are moments in leadership when you know something important is about to happen before you can explain exactly what it is. I knew it in my na’au (deepest part of myself) before we began the two-day Women Rise Hawaiʻi Leadership Intensive. It began with asking for permission to speak into their lives.

What may seem like a small thing, I believe it is one of the most important acts of respect we can offer one another as leaders. Leadership is deeply personal. Our decisions affect families, communities, organizations, and generations. We should not allow just anyone to shape how we think, lead, or view ourselves. Influence is a privilege, not a right.

When they said yes, they weren't simply agreeing to participate in a workshop, they were agreeing to be challenged. What followed was one of the most meaningful leadership experiences of my career.

Can a calendar year be a wild thing? In our case, yes. These past six months have been a ‘hang on to your hats’ adventure of sorts. Most nonprofit executives have been on the same roller coaster ride with thrills and stomach dropping moments. This is my reflection on the first six months of our year. 

One Thing That Really Stands Out - my task lists don't get shorter, they become more strategic. Earlier years, my tasks were primarily individual deliverables. Now, we are redesigning how sector work together by …

The movement grew out of conversations sparked by our 2025 report, Reimagining Giving in a Shifting Landscape and When the Safety Net Frays. Former First Lady Patricia Kempthorne challenged us to keep listening and to bring people together around solutions. In response, we convened five statewide listening and learning sessions involving more than 100 leaders from across sectors. Together, they helped shape the guiding principles and four strategic pillars that now serve as the foundation of Our Idaho: Neighbor-to-Neighbor.

Why This Matters Now

Idaho is at a crossroads. Cuts to healthcare, housing, childcare, and food assistance are putting tens of thousands of families at risk. Nonprofits cannot meet this demand alone, and philanthropy cannot close the growing gap left by government reductions. National trends show individual donations declining while community needs continue to rise.

Fred Rogers once said: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”