SPA FOR A CAUSE
SUNDAY, AUG 26. 2012
Q Laser & Fashionistas Market
Women Speaking Out (WSO) is a private non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization committed to educating young women in middle school through college about dating violence and sexual assault through character development and anti violence training. Programs will include educational presentations, empowerment/beauty workshops and various community events.
Women Speaking Out also creates leadership opportunities for young women through various programs.
The purpose of WSO is to coordinate statewide awareness and prevention measures to reduce teen dating violence in Hawaii. By providing:
To empower, unify, and foster the growth of philantrophy among Hawaii's young women to ensure safety from intimate partner violence.
To educate young women between the ages of 11-25 in Hawaii about dating violence including sexual assault by providing an interactive curriculum focused on building self-esteem, increasing the awareness of gender-based violence, teaching intervention techniques, and developing leadership skills that will foster youth mentoring through volunteerism.
WSO Board Members represent diverse areas of business, philanthropy, media, and communications.
As a former Miss Hawaii USA, Lighter has been a long time advocate and spokesperson for domestic violence, including working with the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Action Center, and the Verizon Foundation in Hawaii. She received a Bachelors degree in Public Relations and her Masters in Communication from Hawaii Pacific University in May of 2008. Currently, Lighter is working on proposing a three-year strategic communication plan for both the public/private schools to educate young women about all of the issues surrounding dating violence and sexual assault. In addition, the plan will also provide student leadership opportunities.
Mark Quirimit – PresidentMark Quirimit is an accomplished and creative makeup artist with experience in all aspects of media makeup: fashion, video and print. His training and education, along with his affable personality and diverse background creates a unique style and artistic talent. He has the innate ability to bring out the natural beauty of his subject. "When you've learned how to 'highlight' someone's spirit, and 'contour' someone's heart, that is when you have arrived as a makeup artist" said Mark.
While Mark focused his career on celebrating beauty, his life was shadowed by domestic abuse. "My father's violence tore our family apart” said Mark. "I witnessed his rage and saw him nearly end my mother's life. It was at that horrific moment that my mother left; she ran and never looked back." For many years Mark resented his father, but found forgiveness advocating against domestic violence. "Because my story should never be repeated, I stand and I speak for those voices are often silenced." Mark is honored to turn his personal experience toward positive change as the President of WSO.
After earning a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Janueri continues her professional development by pursuing a Masters in Communication at Hawaii Pacific University. Janueri has devoted much of her time volunteering at various organizations in Las Vegas and Hawaii. Her passion for community service has inspired her to support WSO in enhancing awareness and promoting education surrounding domestic violence. A favorite quote that Janueri lives by: "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
- Sir Winston Churchill
Currently, Abbot is working as a Senior Account Manager at KHON2 news station. She received a Bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Hawaii. With her extensive communication background and community involvement, Abbot will also assist in coordinating local media, public events, and advocacy services to the community.
Kaiu received her Bachelor's Degree in Hawaiian Studies from the University of Hawaii. She has always had a strong passion to serve the needs of the Hawaiian people through education and advocacy. Kaiu will help to coordinate and implement educational outreach programs to targeted female groups who are of Hawaiian ancestry.
As a seasoned leader and young entrepreneur in the marketing industry, Cydney Chu is the currently the Marketing Manager for the Pearl Ultra Lounge one of Hawaii's top restaurant and nightclubs. Cydney graduated from Hawaii Pacific University receiving a Bachelors degree in Pre-Medical Sciences. In 2009 she started her own marketing company which services some of Hawaii's top businesses including hotels, clothing lines, and spas. As a highly skilled marketing professional she has proven experience in directing effective marketing campaigns and developing innovative websites as well as print materials for her clients. With her exceptional interpersonal skills and drive to improve the social status of young women Cydney has the ability to grow Women Speaking Out both locally and nationally while increasing the awareness of domestic violence through special community events.
Leilani Bush has made a name for herself in Hawaii's modeling industry. She was Miss Hawaiian Tropic 2004 and is considered to be one of Hawaii's top bikini models. Leilani has held over 15 bikini and figure competition titles. She has been featured in local magazines, posters, print work, promotions, runway, as well as television. A sought after judge for an array of talent, figure, & bikini contests. Leilani has had an extensive line of work within her acting career in Hawaii including a wide range of local commercials and television shows: North Shore, Hawaii, Baywatch (the movie), and Lost.
In 2008 she started her own promotional company called Dollhouse Promotions which is an elite event and full service model promotion company. As a mother she is very passionate about working with young women to improve their self-image, create job new opportunities, and sustain positive change in the community.
Christa Wittmier is an author and publisher of Honolulu Nightlife Diaries. Her content has been featured in the Honolulu Advertiser, Metromix, Contrast Magazine, Hawaii Magazine, MyOpenBar, Hawaiirama, Hawaii In Style TV, and on 93.1 The Zone. Her regular column "Social Lite" is published weekly in the Honolulu Weekly and her nightlife diaries appear quarterly in Pacific Edge Magazine. Her photos and writing capture the rich diversity of Honolulu’s nightlife, arts and music scene.
Kellie Peterson earned her Master of Arts in Communication and her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Hawaii Pacific University and was the Valedictorian speaker for the graduate programs. She was born in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands and grew up on Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California. Throughout her career Kellie has worked with top executives to create successful promotions campaigns. She has applied her enthusiasm for the art of communication and creativity to a wide range of industries; designing brand positions and marketing collateral for organizations as diverse as the Catalina Island Conservancy, Harry Winston Jewelry, Inbev, Kauai Channel 26, Total Corporate Solution, Johnson and Jonson, and educational and not-for-profit organizations. She also has substantial experience speaking in public, representing fashion product brands at national conventions, managing sales presentations, hosting Television programs, and promoting media literacy. Along with traditional public relations and marketing experience, she also has expertise working with non-traditional and new media. Kellie takes pleasure in leveraging her creative talents and entrepreneurial spirit to ensure success and has a long history of charitable work.
Dara's commitment to ending abuse began when she was a 14 year-old teen volunteering at her community's Youth Development Association in Centerport, NY. She earned a Bachelors degree in Sociology from Florida's Jacksonville University in 1988 and a Masters degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from New York's Hofstra University in 1993. Dara has worked in social service agencies, primarily in the area of child welfare providing counseling services in New York, Virginia and Hawaii, but devotes all of her time these days to grassroots efforts against domestic violence at the local and national levels.
As one of our youngest Board Members Sarah Hunt is one of the most dynamic young women in politics. She worked as Chief of Staff for Representative Kymberly Marcos in Hawaii drafting legislation as well as creating and maintaining community networks/government networks. During her time with Representative Kymberly Marcos, she developed a keen interest for politics and started Political Pop Culture. Hunt has great interpersonal skills will be an integral part of the Creative and Marketing team for WSO in developing trendy new concepts to educate young women about dating violence and sexual assault. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications with a concentration in Marketing, from Chaminade University.
Effie currently works for the Law Office of Philip R. Brown. Throughout her professional career she has demonstrated skills at strategic thinking, leadership development, business analysis, planning and management. Her gal is to be apart of a philanthropy organization to help cultivate the next generation of community leaders and driving lasting social change in Hawaii. Effie has a BA in Political Science from the University of Hawaii and a law degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Nicole Stoughton received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of San Diego. She received her Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Regis University. Nicole is currently completing her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Argosy University where she is writing her doctoral dissertation on the long-term effects of social aggression on the self-esteem of adult women. Nicole comes to the Board with years of experience working with young women who were sexually and physically abused. She will be key in developing the organizations' educational programs and facilitating various preventive workshops.