Alumni feedback

Participating in the HANO Fellows Program was truly meaningful. It was so powerful to connect with peers at a similar stage in our ED journeys. The sessions were thoughtfully designed, incredibly well run, and enriched by excellent resources and guest speakers. Jennifer Creed and Anthony Arce were brilliant facilitators.
I especially appreciated the social justice and equity lens woven throughout — it made the experience both grounding and energizing. It was a real gift to step away once a month to share, learn, and lean on colleagues who genuinely understand what it means to lead. I highly recommend this program for new Executive Directors — it refilled my cup and expanded my leadership toolkit in so many ways. Mahalo to HANO and to the funders who make this unique program possible.

The HANO Fellows program is a valuable experience for any burgeoning nonprofit leaders. Through the program, not only was I able to broaden my knowledge base about key elements of running a nonprofit organization, but I was also able to form deep connections with fellow leaders. HANO’s work is helping to strengthen the sector in Hawai’i one leader at a time. The HANO Fellows program helped build my confidence and fortify my motivation to continue in this work. We had opportunities to learn, grow, and be vulnerable together in a safe, human-centered space. Today, as I reflect on the experience, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to participate. I am a stronger, healthier, more resilient leader — and person.

The HANO Fellows program was an incredibly transformative experience. It gave me the opportunity to zoom out from my day-to-day role and reflect on who I want to be as a leader and how I want to deepen my connection and contribution to Hawaiʻi. Through building meaningful relationships with other leaders, I not only gained valuable insights into the diverse challenges and opportunities facing Hawaiʻi’s nonprofit sector, but also discovered the strengths within my own personal leadership toolbox. This program has clarified how I intend to use those strengths to drive meaningful change across the rest of my career.

The 2023 HANO Fellows program has been an immensely gratifying chapter of personal and professional development. Engaging with a cohort of devoted nonprofit leaders dedicated to serving Hawaii’s communities elevated our profound sense of shared purpose. The programs facilitation offered profound insights that significantly enriched our collective experience and strengthened our network of support. This program has been instrumental in enhancing my capacity to serve my organization and community more effectively, reigniting my passion for the important work I am privileged to do in the nonprofit sector. I cherish the invaluable lessons and connections this program has cultivated.

I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the 2022 HANOʻs Fellows program. Each month the HANO team introduced the cohort to new and improved ways of looking at our journey as leaders.
Iʻm proud of my growth and the knowledge Iʻve gained through my participation in the cohort as well as the friendships Iʻve made with other leaders. The HANO team is amazing and genuinely care about the growth of their participants and the organizations we all serve!

Participation in the HANO Fellows Program provided me with a supportive community of inspiring, knowledgeable and innovative peer leaders and friends at a pivotal time in my career as a new ED. It was a relief to have a safe space to learn, be heard, be vulnerable, and to grow alongside others going through similar experiences. The program helped me to build confidence and connections that have nurtured and fueled my ongoing passion for nonprofit work in our communities! 😊

Mahalo Jennifer and Anthony for all that you all do! This was an amazing experience that continues to add value every day to the work we are doing in Maui County and beyond. The insights in everything from HR to strategy have been useful, but the network and sharing with our cohort have been invaluable. I continue to chat weekly with my fellow fellows 😀 and have leaned on them more than once to help our work during recovery.

Creating, nourishing, and growing safe spaces is an important part of the work I do with Puʻuhonua Society. And yet I donʻt often work to create and find these same spaces for myself, which are so important as someone who is new to the Executive Director position and has so much to learn. HANO Fellows was a space I could ask questions, be vulnerable, and share missteps, which have been vital parts of my first year in what I hope to be many, many more years to come.

Thank goodness for the HANO Fellows Program! As a first-time nonprofit director, this program provided me with access to cutting-edge and HI-relevant executive leadership resources and experts, while also connecting me with a cohort of fellow nonprofit directors who continue to serve as invaluable thought partners and peer mentors in this field. Mahalo to Jennifer and Anthony (and the entire HANO team) for granting me this unique and much-needed opportunity!