Celebrating Women’s Leadership in Hawai‘i

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“Taking classes with the YWCA and meeting other women helped get me through everything…. To have a place where I can have so much support; that’s unheard of. We have to give back to organizations like YWCA because if we don’t, there’s no one to help support the next woman to be able to do the things that we do.”

-Brandy Cajudoy, Maui Business Owner Featured in the 49th LeaderLuncheon

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A Powerful Day of Women Leading, Lifting & Inspiring

Set to the iconic anthem “RESPECT” by Aretha Franklin, this LeaderLuncheon recap celebrates a day of inspiring women sharing their stories, building meaningful community, and empowering one another through leadership, connection, and authenticity.

For nearly five decades, YWCA Oʻahu has taken the lead on recognizing the women in our community who are making extraordinary contributions and creating lasting positive impact. This year, we continued this legacy with our 49th Annual LeaderLuncheon, where we honored four women for their exceptional accomplishments and celebrated our long legacy of uplifting women and inspiring new generations of women leaders in Hawaiʻi.

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History & Legacy

Imagine a time when there were no events in Hawai‘i dedicated entirely to celebrating the accomplishments of local women leaders.

That all changed when YWCA O‘ahu hosted the very first LeaderLuncheon on November 18, 1977. On that day, five women were inducted as the inaugural members of YWCA Oahu’s distinguished “Academy of Honorees.”

Over the course of LeaderLuncheon history, YWCA O‘ahu has honored women from a diverse cross-section of professional fields and community work. To date, LeaderLuncheon counts over 200 local women honorees throughout its 49 years.

VIEW A FULL LIST OF PAST LEADERLUNCHEON HONOREES