4th Annual Hawaiʻi-Philippines Business Tradeshow, Symposium, and Reception
Event Speakers
Quick Links: Soya Bueno, Annalisa Burgos, Melody G. Calisay, Ph.D., Senator Lynn DeCoite, Governor Josh Green, Representative Greggor Ilagan, Keith Kanetani, Senator Ronald Kouchi, Senator Rachele Lamosao, Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos, Erick Medrano, Sherry Menor, Bennette Misalucha, Constancio Paranal III, Hilton Raethel, Aian Raquel, Xavier Ruiz, Maria Soledad Esguerra Solleza, Consul General Arman R. Talbo, James Urbaniak
Soya Bueno
Soya Bueno is an Investment Officer for the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, where she leads trade and investment promotion initiatives to position the province as an emerging business hub in Northern Philippines. With over a decade of experience in the academe, she has taught tourism, hospitality, and foreign languages, while actively contributing to research and extension programs.
Annalisa Burgos
Annalisa Burgos anchors Hawaiʻi News Now’s Sunrise Weekends on K5 from 7am-9am, helping launch Hawaiʻi’s number one weekend morning show in January 2023. She also reports during the week and teaches journalism at the University of Hawaiʻi – Mānoa. She’s an international TV anchor and journalist with more than 22 years of experience covering news, business and lifestyle in Los Angeles, New York City, Manila, Singapore, and other cities across Asia and the United States. Annalisa was an anchor/reporter on KITV-4 and a 2019 Jefferson Fellow of the East-West Center. Before moving to Honolulu, Annalisa was news anchor and managing editor at the ABS-CBN News Channel, an international cable network based in the Philippines and broadcast worldwide as The Filipino Channel.
Melody G. Calisay, Ph.D.
President/CEO of East West Marketing, Inc., an importer/distributor of Filipino Dry Food Products, with the mission of providing food products to Filipinos in Hawaiʻi to make them feel closer to home. Melody obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and her Masters at the same field from the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Agriculture in Los Banos, Laguna Philippines. She worked for Dole Philippines, Inc. in Polomolok, South Cotabato for more than 10 years until she decided to pursue her Ph.D.
Senator Lynn DeCoite
Senate District 7
Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe and Molokini
Senator Lynn Pualani DeCoite is a dedicated public servant who has proudly represented the people of Hawaiʻi in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. As a third-generation homestead farmer, Senator DeCoite has learned the value of hard work and sustainability from a young age, instilled with the ethos of living off the land. Before serving in elected office, Senator DeCoite served on the Hawaiʻi State Board of Agriculture and as Chairperson of the Farm Service Agency, where she advocated for the interests of farmers and rural communities.
Governor Josh Green
Governor Josh Green is a dedicated husband, father, physician, and the ninth Governor of Hawaiʻi. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he earned degrees in biology and anthropology from Swarthmore College and his M.D. from Penn State. After completing his residency in Family Practice, he was awarded a National Health Service Corps scholarship and chose to serve the underserved community of Ka‘ū on Hawaiʻi Island.
Since taking office as Governor in December 2022, he has prioritized making Hawaiʻi more affordable, addressing the housing crisis, improving healthcare access, combating climate change, and leading recovery efforts following the devastating Maui wildfires.
Representative Greggor Ilagan
House District 4
Black Sands Beach Subdivision, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawaiian Beaches, Kalapana, Koaʻe, Leilani Estates, Nānāwale Estates, Pāhoa, Pohoiki, Seaview Estates
Representative Greggor Ilagan served in the Air National Guard for six years before he was elected in 2012 and 2014 to serve as a Councilmember for the County of Hawaiʻi 4th District. During his four years on the council, Ilagan chaired the Planning and Housing committees and sat as a member on the committee of Finance and Public Works. In 2023, he was appointed to serve as Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives by Speaker Scott Saiki.
Keith Kanetani
Keith B. Kanetani is a Principal and Architectural Division Manager at Engineering Partners Inc., a Hawaiʻi-based, full-service architecture and engineering firm with operations across Hawaiʻi, the mainland U.S., and the Philippines. With over 45 years of experience, he has led the development of the firm’s Architectural Division and established its Manila office, mentoring a multidisciplinary team supporting local and international projects, including U.S. Department of Defense initiatives.
Senator Ronald Kouchi
Senate District 8
Kauaʻi, Niʻihau
Senator Kouchi secured his current position as President of the Hawaiʻi State Senate on May 5, 2015. In the past, Senator Kouchi served as Majority Caucus Leader, Vice Chair for the committee on Tourism, and Vice Chair for the committee on Ways and Means. He had also served as a member on the committees on Agriculture, Education, Transportation, and International Affairs. Raised on Kauaʻi’s Westside, Senator Kouchi graduated from Waimea High School in 1975 and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Senator Rachele Lamosao
Senate District 19
Pearl City, Waipahu, West Loch Estates, Honoʻuliʻuli, Hoʻopili
Senator Rachele Lamosao is Filipino American born in Honolulu and raised in Waipahu. She is the youngest of two daughters. Her parents immigrated from the Philippines in the early 80’s. They worked multiple jobs to provide for their family. Growing up she was quick to learn the meaning of hard work and perseverance from her parents. Sen. Lamosao has been in public service for many years. She worked as a session staffer at the legislature. Then, she served as an Office Manager in the legislature.
Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos
Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos serves the people of Ilocos Norte with a genuine heart for public service and a clear vision for a stronger, more caring, and more progressive province. Known for her hands-on leadership and approachable style, she works closely with communities—listening to their stories, understanding their needs, and turning these into meaningful programs that improve everyday lives.
Under her leadership, the provincial government continues to expand efforts in health, agriculture, education, tourism, and infrastructure, ensuring that services reach even the most remote barangays. She believes that progress is best achieved when no one is left behind, and that government must always remain transparent, compassionate, and responsive.
Guided by Ilocos Norte’s rich culture and the resilience of its people, Governor Araneta-Marcos remains committed to building a province where families thrive, opportunities grow, and every Ilokano takes pride in calling this beautiful place home.
Erick Medrano
Erick currently serves as a Science Teacher at Highlands Intermediate School in Hawaiʻi, where he has been employed since 2023 through the J1 teacher exchange program.
He holds two decades of expertise and a profound dedication to excellence in science education. Erick earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2002, completed the Teacher Certificate Program in 2006, and achieved a Master of Arts in Education with a major in Science Education in 2021 at Mariano Marcos State University, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.
Sherry Menor
Sherry Menor is President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, where she is the youngest and first female in the Chamber’s 175-plus-year history. Under her leadership, the Chamber has earned multiple national honors for excellence and impact, including Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ Chamber of the Year in 2018, Hawaiʻi Business Magazine’s 2025 Excellence in Business Award and Nonprofit of the Year, and Hawaiʻi Business Magazine’s Best Places to Work 2026.
Bennette Misalucha
Bennette E. Misalucha brings more than thirty years of business and community experience in her role as Executive Director of the State Workforce Development Council. A former State Senator, she represented Pearl City, ʻAiea, Pearl Harbor, and lower Halawa. Prior to entering public service, Senator Misalucha was a respected community leader in Hawaiʻi holding key executive positions in banking, marketing, public policy, and community outreach sectors. In 2022, Bennette received the Presidential Banaag Medal, the highest recognition given by the Philippine Government to a Filipino overseas.
Constancio Paranal III
Constancio Paranal III is a legal and technology professional with strong focus on cybersecurity and digital transformation. As the Innovation and Technology Program Director at the Office of Economic Revitalization, he leads initiatives related to broadband and serves as the primary designee by the City and County for the State of Hawaiʻi’s Broadband Working Group. In his role, Constancio engages key stakeholders and fosters collaborative discussions on Broadband and Digital Equity.
Hilton Raethel, MPH, MHA
Mr. Raethel has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Since May 2017, he has served as President and CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi (HAH), the nonprofit trade association representing Hawaiʻi’s hospitals, skilled nursing, assisted living, home health, adult residential care homes, and hospice providers. He previously held executive leadership roles at HMSA, HPH, and Loma Linda University Health Center. He holds an MPH and an MHA.
Aian Raquel
Aian Raquel is the Tourism Department Head of Ilocos Norte and a designer of experiences and built environments based between Ilocos Norte and New York City. Since 2011, he has led tourism development, policy, cultural festivals, and heritage programming for the province. He holds an MA in Exhibition and Experience Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology–SUNY and is the founder of MAKA Collective, a fashion and lifestyle label working with handwoven Ilocano and Filipino textiles.
Xavier Ruiz
Xavier Ruiz is a licensed urban planner and educator serving the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte as Deputy Head of Tourism and Provincial Cultural Officer. He co-leads destination marketing, festivals, heritage conservation, and cultural development programs across the province. He champions sustainable tourism planning, strengthens local creative industries, and fosters inclusive economic growth while safeguarding, promoting, and celebrating Ilocano cultural heritage, identity, and pride for future generations.
Maria Soledad Esguerra Solleza
Maria Soledad Esguerra Solleza, holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and earned her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Massachusetts. She further strengthened her leadership through advanced training at Harvard Business School. Her work has earned recognition from civic organizations and government agencies in Hawaiʻi and abroad. She is also actively involved in community service and contributes her leadership to various boards.
Consul General Arman R. Talbo
Consul General Arman R. Talbo is a career diplomat with a rank of Chief of Mission II with more than 20 years of experience. Prior to his posting in Honolulu, he served as Deputy Consul General in New York where he focused on the political, economic, and cultural activities of the consulate. He likewise worked closely with the Filipino community in the northeastern seaboard of the United States. He was also previously assigned as Vice Consul in Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, and as Second Secretary in the Philippine Embassy in Madrid from 2012 to 2014 handling political and economic affairs.
James Urbaniak
James Urbaniak is a Human Resources Officer with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. A native of New Jersey, James attended Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey for both his undergraduate and graduate studies before moving to Hawaiʻi in 2007 to teach middle school English. After several years in the classroom, he went on to serve as a union organizer with the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, advocating for educators across the state. He later transitioned into teacher recruitment, where he now leads national and international efforts, including the BridgeUSA J-1 Visa Program. James is a proud parent of children who attend Hawaiʻi’s public schools and, by marriage, an honorary Ilocano – deeply connected to the communities and cultures that make Hawaiʻi’s schools so special.