Chancellor Noriko Mizuta was invited to be one of the panelists in a panel discussion of International Higher Education Leaders that was part of the Fifth Annual International Women's Leadership Conference held on September 24, 2008 in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii.

The question was posed to younger women and working women: What is the most important thing for women in leadership positions? In reply, Chancellor Mizuta provided objective and appropriate comments that included advice such as finding good colleagues, teachers, and leaders who support you individually or in companies.

This international conference, sponsored by Hawaii State Governor Linda Lingle, featured women specially chosen from among those in leadership positions around the world. With participation by about 1,100 persons, the one-day program concentrated on learning leadership. Participants included working women, of course, but also high school students, local residents, companies that contributed financially for the conference, women’s groups, and members of local government such as police and fire departments.

【Profile of the main speakers】

Ms. Cristeta Comerford 　
The first Filipina executive chef at the White House
Of Filipino descent, Ms. Cristeta Comerford is both the first female and the first Asian female to be selected as executive chef for the White House. In 1995, she was recruited to work in the White House as an assistant chef, and was appointed as executive chef in 2005. She manages not only the daily meals for the President’s family, but also various state dinners and menus for events for the President. She said that she always made the utmost effort to make people happy through her meals.

Ms. Cathy Lanier　
The first female Chief of Police in the U.S.
Despite low numbers of females in the field of law enforcement, Ms. Cathy Lanier is the first-ever female Chief of Police for the District of Columbia in the nation’s capital of Washington. Talking frankly about her past, she explained how she dropped out of high school and became a mother at the age of 15, but how later she made extra effort, went to university and graduate school, and eventually became a police officer. She overcame various difficulties and established the agency’s first Homeland Security/Counter-Terrorism Branch as the Commander of the Special Operations Division.

Ms. Aduei Riak　
From Sudanese refugee to paralegal
Originally from Sudan, Africa, Ms. Aduei Riak is a paralegal for the Boston law firm, Ropes & Gray. At the time of [what some have called] genocide, she was one of the 4,000 refugees to go to the USA at the age of 8. Among her stories was the thousand-mile walk she took to flee the civil war in Sudan. Ms. Riak, who is 23 years old now, said, “I’ve seen a lot of things that a person of my age should not have been exposed to.” However, her speaking style was confident and powerful. She is currently engaged in supportive activities for Sudan.

Ms. Moira Cameron 　
The first female Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London
Ms. Moira Cameron hails from London. She overcame centuries of inequality in the United Kingdom, and was the first female to be appointed a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London in 2007 at the age of 42 after defeating 5 male candidates. She remains the only woman to hold this honored position in the Tower’s 900-year history.

Ms. Vernice Armour　
The first African-American female combat pilot
Ms. Vernice Armour started her career as a police officer. This was a dream she had had since childhood. She set a record of being the first female African-American police officer and the second female police officer in the U.S. Later, she joined the U.S. Marines and become a Lieutenant. She also served during the invasion of Iraq—the first female combat pilot. She is often asked, “Since you are both female and an African-American, you have faced discriminations and difficulties, haven’t you?” Her reply to this is always with spirit, “Acknowledge obstacles, but don’t let them have power over you!” She also made us all repeat it. Her speech was full of energy, and received a thunderous ovation when she talked about overcoming difficulties by making efforts and showing leadership.

The conference received wide coverage in the newspapers and on television, with diffusion of information on the conference to the continental United States and many other countries of the world.

Participating Panelists
President of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Chancellor of Busitema University (Uganda), Chancellor of James Cook University (Australia), President of Marian University (USA), President of Beijing Foreign Studies University, President of Chaminade University (USA), Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo

Order of Ceremony (Link: ＰＤＦ)
http://www.iwlchi.org/pdfs/2008-schedule.pdf