Building Hawaiʻi’s Technology-Enabled Economy Through Collective Action
Hawaiʻi’s most influential public and private sector leaders are joining forces to adopt technology together, creating jobs, building workforce capacity, and strengthening the economy for every community across our islands.
Our Committee Members
TRUE Initiative
What is TRUE?
TRUE is a Hawaiʻi-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that turns technology adoption into jobs, workforce capacity, and economic opportunity. By working together, our members increase organizational resilience, accelerate innovation, and collectively raise the tide for every industry in Hawaiʻi.
This collaboration unlocks resource sharing, eliminates duplication, accelerates partnership formation, and creates collective intelligence.
THE TRUE WAY
What Makes TRUE Different
Most technology initiatives in Hawaiʻi operate independently where organizations invest separately, solve the same problems in isolation, and compete for the same scarce talent. TRUE takes a fundamentally different approach.
We Convene Partners
We bring together organizations that might otherwise compete or operate in silos (enterprises, government agencies, academic institutions, and technology vendors) creating a shared table where honest conversation drives better outcomes for everyone.
We Broker Partnerships
Because TRUE doesn’t sell technology or compete for contracts, we serve as an honest broker. Organizations trust us to facilitate partnerships that prioritize Hawaiʻi’s long-term interests.
We Create Playbooks
Every successful implementation becomes a reusable playbook. When one organization solves a technology challenge, every committee member benefits.
We Document Success
We capture what works (measurable outcomes, implementation lessons, and scalable models) and make it available for broad use. Every success story becomes a foundation that other organizations can build upon.
TRUE’s work is grounded in values that shape how we collaborate, lead, and build:
Lōkahi (Unity)
We move forward together, aligning diverse perspectives toward shared outcomes.
Mālama ʻāina (Care for the Land)
Technology must serve our place, our people, and future generations.
Kuleana (Responsibility)
Every member carries a shared responsibility for Hawaiʻi’s economic future.
ʻOhana (Family)
We build relationships of trust that extend beyond transactions.
Supporters
Our Committee
TRUE is a nonprofit composed of a diverse group of change agents who serve as senior leaders in their industries and community. Committee membership represents:
Cross-sector leadership spanning private enterprise, government, academia, and technology
Strategic commitment to Hawaiʻi’s economic diversification and workforce development
Strategic commitment to Hawaiʻi’s economic diversification and workforce development
VIEW FULL COMMITTEE
Bart Beavers
Business Development Manager
NEC Americas
Micah Ewing
Director, Innovation & IT Technical Architecture
Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
Robert Muellner
Sales Manager, State & Local Government
Salesforce
Jim Takatsuka
Account Manager - Commercial
Amazon Web Services
Jason Chang
CEO
the queen’s health systems
Rick Hopfer
EVP & CIO
HMSA
Allen Nguyen
Account Manager, SLED
Amazon Web Services
Deena Tearney
Founder & CEO
Pacific Point, Inc.
Jennifer Chun
Director, Tourism Research
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority
William Kumagai
Executive Director
Transform Hawaiʻi Government
Hong Phan
CEO
Datahouse Consulting
Jimmy Tokioka
Director, DBEDT
State of Hawaiʻi
Peter Dames
President & CEO
SERVCO PACIFIC, INC.
Maiju Kutty
Partner, Director of Consulting Services
CGI, Inc.
Robert Redding
VP & Chief Technology Officer
HMSA
Kelly J. Ueoka
President
Pacxa
Ashley DeGeus
Director of Business Operations
TEKsystems
Trung Lam
Executive Director & CEO
HTDC
Christine Sakuda
CIO
State of Hawaiʻi – Enterprise Technology Services (ETS)
Wilhelmina van Beers
Associate Director, State of Hawaiʻi Client Account Lead
Accenture
Manny Edmondson
EVP & CTO
Central Pacific Bank
Peter Lewis
SVP & CIO
Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
Vassilis Syrmos
Interim Provost
University Of Hawaiʻi at mĀnoa
Chad Walton
Interim Vice President, Research & Innovation
University of Hawaiʻi at mānoa
Ready to Participate?
Whether you’re an enterprise executive, a technology partner, a public sector decision-maker, or an academic leader, your expertise and commitment can help shape what comes next for our islands.
IMPACT
Creating Opportunity and Economic Growth Across Hawai’i by 2029
Target 1: Cumulative New Tech Jobs
Target 2: Annual Tech Placements
Target 3: Average Starting Salary
Programs
What We’re Building
TRUE Innovation Studio
Partnering with organizations in the community to solve real world problems to help make Hawaii a better place while preparing our next generation with the skills and experiences to launch them into their careers in technology.
Hawaiʻi AI & Cloud Innovation Summit
The annual Hawaiʻi AI & Cloud Innovation Summit is the state’s premier cross-sector convening for technology decision-makers. Leaders from enterprise, government, academia, and the technology industry come together to share best practices, explore real-world solutions, and form strategic partnerships that translate directly into workforce development and economic growth.
Executive Networking Series
Building Relationships That Become Hiring Pipelines
TRUE hosts invitation-only executive networking and professional development sessions that bring together committee members, enterprise leaders, university partners, and public sector decision-makers.