{"id":239552,"date":"2026-08-25T15:42:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T01:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=239552"},"modified":"2026-08-25T16:03:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T02:03:48","slug":"pbn-40-under-40-class-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/25\/pbn-40-under-40-class-of-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> professionals power half of this year\u2019s PBN<\/abbr> 40 Under 40 list"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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PBN<\/abbr>‘s 40 Under 40 Class of 2026 (Photo credit: Pacific Business News)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Take a closer look at many of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s rising leaders, and you\u2019ll find a common connection: the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. This year\u2019s Pacific Business News<\/em> 40 Under 40 list is a striking example. Half of the honorees have ties to UH<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

Two of them are current UH<\/abbr> employees serving Central and West Oʻahu<\/span> communities: Darian Padilla, the UH<\/abbr> Foundation\u2019s director of development for UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> and Leeward Community College, and Hailey Zhou, product development manager at Leeward CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Wahiaw\u0101 Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC<\/abbr>).<\/p>\n

Darian Padilla<\/strong><\/p>\n

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From left), Carlos Pe\u00f1aloza, Elijah Padilla, Darian Padilla, Karla Zarate-Ramirez, Maile Au, Allison Ohanian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Padilla builds philanthropic partnerships for both campuses, connecting people and resources with opportunities that strengthen education, support workforce development and serve Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s communities.<\/p>\n

“Being named to PBN<\/abbr>\u2019s 40 Under 40 is both humbling and meaningful,” Padilla said. “I don\u2019t see it as an individual achievement. Instead, I accept it on behalf of the many people who have guided, supported and inspired me along the way.”<\/p>\n

She added, “Working with UH<\/abbr> has shown me that meaningful impact is rarely the result of one individual. It comes from people coming together around a common purpose and investing in the success of others.”<\/p>\n

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From left, Carlos Pe\u00f1aloza, Daphne Kauahiʻilani<\/span> Jenkins, Hailey Zhou, Emily Terukina, Chris Bailey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hailey Zhou<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zhou leads product development initiatives at the WVAPDC<\/abbr>, where she has supported more than 150 Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> food entrepreneurs to commercialize their products. She secured funding from the Ulupono Initiative for a dozen clients and assisted a Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> baby food product in earning a 2026 NEXTY Award.<\/p>\n

“Being named to PBN<\/abbr>\u2019s 40 Under 40 is incredibly meaningful because it recognizes not just my individual accomplishments, but the work happening across Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> food ecosystem,” Zhou said. “My work at Leeward Community College and the WVAPDC<\/abbr> has given me the platform and freedom to be innovative in designing solutions that meet the needs of the communities we serve.”<\/p>\n

20 out of 40<\/h2>\n

UH<\/abbr>\u2019s connection to the 2026 40 Under 40 class extends across the 10-campus system. Eighteen additional honorees are UH<\/abbr> alumni:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Davin Aoyagi (BA<\/abbr> \u201813, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—senior manager of government relations, Turo<\/li>\n
  • Joseph Castaneda (BBA<\/abbr> \u201811, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—principal broker, REMAX Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> West Oʻahu<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Louie Gangcuangco (MS<\/abbr> \u201820, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—medical doctor and HIV<\/abbr> specialist, Waikiki Health<\/li>\n
  • Cosmo Hirai (BA<\/abbr> \u201813, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—bishop, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> T\u014ddaiji Temple<\/li>\n
  • Chanel Josiah (AA<\/abbr> \u201818, Leeward CC<\/abbr>)—chief operating officer, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Community Lending<\/li>\n
  • Katie Kaahanui (BA<\/abbr> \u201821, UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span>)—director, Safe & Sound Westside, Department of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney<\/li>\n
  • Jai Keep-Barnes (BA<\/abbr> \u201810; JD<\/abbr> \u201817, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—partner, Lung Rose Voss Wagnild<\/li>\n
  • K. Sean Kekina (BS<\/abbr> \u201812, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—deputy administrator and chief operating officer, Office of Hawaiian Affairs<\/li>\n
  • Kris Kokame (MBA<\/abbr> \u201817, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> lead, external affairs, AES<\/abbr> Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Richmond Luzar (BA<\/abbr> \u201820, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—principal, Aura Strategies LLC<\/abbr><\/li>\n
  • Marc Malate (BA<\/abbr> \u201812; MSW<\/abbr> \u201817; MURP<\/abbr> \u201818, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—licensed clinical social worker, Marc Joseph Malate<\/li>\n
  • Kelsey Nishi Darling (attended UH<\/abbr>M\u0101noa)—founder and executive director, Make Lemonade Project; owner, calligrapher and graphic designer, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Calligraphy<\/li>\n
  • Jordan Odo (MBA<\/abbr> \u201817, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—first vice president and compliance associate, American Savings Bank<\/li>\n
  • Nahelani Parsons (JD<\/abbr> \u201817, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—founder and president, Pacific Government Relations<\/li>\n
  • Keane Santos (BBA<\/abbr> \u201810, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—vice president, product strategy department manager, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Federal Credit Union<\/li>\n
  • Sara Strona (JD<\/abbr> \u201814; MBA<\/abbr> \u201815, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—director, Starn O\u2019Toole Marcus & Fisher, A Law Corporation<\/li>\n
  • Cody Winchester (MURP<\/abbr> \u201818, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—community resilience planning manager, G70<\/li>\n
  • Jamie Yoshikane (JD<\/abbr> \u201813, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa)—assistant general counsel, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Gas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    As these leaders continue to drive change across every sector of our islands, they serve as a powerful reminder of UH<\/abbr>\u2019s role in cultivating leaders who are building a bright future for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n

    —By Devon Bedoya<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    UH<\/abbr> is the alma mater for 20 young leaders recognized by Pacific Business News<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":239587,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[679,65,698,271,1794,319,9,59,1785],"class_list":["post-239552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-alumni-recognition","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-staff-recognition","tag-uh-alumni-association","tag-uh-community-college","tag-uh-foundation","tag-uh-manoa","tag-uh-west-oahu","tag-wahiawa-value-added-product-development-center","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t