The Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar provides an annual opportunity for innovative women business and social entrepreneurs from the United States, Asia, and the Pacific to enhance their leadership skills and entrepreneurial capacity; build a sense of self-efficacy; strengthen societies through the pursuit of social entrepreneurship; and develop a global community of women leaders. Established in 2002 to address the challenges confronting working women entrepreneurs in the Asia Pacific, this 12-day immersive, leadership and professional development seminar seeks to:
- Enhance the entrepreneurial capacity and leadership skills of innovative women through facilitated training exercises, workshops, meetings; and community site visits;
- Implement a year-long project for the betterment of a participant’s business or community by means of a concrete Action Plan;
- Expand the social capital of participants and establish a community of women leaders via networking opportunities and on-going social media contact with speakers, trainers, Changing Faces alumni, the local community, and one another;
- Create regional awareness among participants through reciprocal learning and exposure to new ideas and divergent perspectives;
- Empower the next generation of women leaders in Hawaiʻi by way of a service project undertaken in partnership with local education organizations.
The Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar is funded by the East-West Center, the Fish Family Foundation, and others.
To date, 214 women from 36 countries have participated in the Changing Faces Seminar.
Program
During this 12-day professional training, dialogue and travel seminar, participants engage in a series of workshops focused on leadership and entrepreneurship. Participants also expand their knowledge of entrepreneurship, economic growth, leadership, and community building through carefully selected field visits and meetings with experts, practitioners, business owners, and policymakers on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island. Participants are individually matched with local women leaders in a Host Mentor Program and, in return, Changing Faces participants act as mentors for a select group of students in a Next Generation Service Project. The Changing Faces Seminar also provides training and consultative sessions to help participants develop and actualize a concrete Action Plan for the betterment of their business or their community. Finally, Changing Faces women serve as panelists, moderators and attendees at the publicly-ticketed #GalswithLEI, a purposeful, collaborative, and dynamic forum
Eligibility
The Changing Faces Seminar targets women business owners and social entrepreneurs who have demonstrated leadership and ability to affect change and influence others in their communities. Innovative entrepreneurs, business managers, government and industry policymakers, and civil society leaders with at least seven years of work experience and who play a leadership role in their community are eligible to apply. Innovators may generally be defined as those who have created an original idea or product or are recognized for their ability to improve upon an original idea or system. Eligible countries include the United States, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sāmoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Vietnam. Applicants must have the ability to communicate in English in a professional setting. Preference is given to candidates with limited opportunities for international exchange and professional development as well as those who offer to cost-share programmatic costs. A phone interview may be conducted with finalists.
2023 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar
July 23 - August 5, 2023
2021-2022 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar
July 25-31, 2021; July 24 - August 6, 2022
2019 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar
July 7-20, 2019
The Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar provides an annual opportunity for innovative women business and social entrepreneurs from the United States, Asia, and the Pacific to enhance their leadership skills and entrepreneurial capacity; build a sense of self-efficacy; strengthen societies through the pursuit of social entrepreneurship; and develop a global community of women leaders. Established in 2002 to address the challenges confronting working women entrepreneurs in the Asia Pacific, this 12-day immersive, leadership and professional development seminar seeks to:
- Enhance the entrepreneurial capacity and leadership skills of innovative women through facilitated training exercises, workshops, meetings; and community site visits;
- Implement a year-long project for the betterment of a participant’s business or community by means of a concrete Action Plan;
- Expand the social capital of participants and establish a community of women leaders via networking opportunities and on-going social media contact with speakers, trainers, Changing Faces alumni, the local community, and one another;
- Create regional awareness among participants through reciprocal learning and exposure to new ideas and divergent perspectives;
- Empower the next generation of women leaders in Hawaiʻi by way of a service project undertaken in partnership with local education organizations.
The Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar is funded by the East-West Center, the Fish Family Foundation, and others.
To date, 214 women from 36 countries have participated in the Changing Faces Seminar.
Program
During this 12-day professional training, dialogue and travel seminar, participants engage in a series of workshops focused on leadership and entrepreneurship. Participants also expand their knowledge of entrepreneurship, economic growth, leadership, and community building through carefully selected field visits and meetings with experts, practitioners, business owners, and policymakers on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island. Participants are individually matched with local women leaders in a Host Mentor Program and, in return, Changing Faces participants act as mentors for a select group of students in a Next Generation Service Project. The Changing Faces Seminar also provides training and consultative sessions to help participants develop and actualize a concrete Action Plan for the betterment of their business or their community. Finally, Changing Faces women serve as panelists, moderators and attendees at the publicly-ticketed #GalswithLEI, a purposeful, collaborative, and dynamic forum
Eligibility
The Changing Faces Seminar targets women business owners and social entrepreneurs who have demonstrated leadership and ability to affect change and influence others in their communities. Innovative entrepreneurs, business managers, government and industry policymakers, and civil society leaders with at least seven years of work experience and who play a leadership role in their community are eligible to apply. Innovators may generally be defined as those who have created an original idea or product or are recognized for their ability to improve upon an original idea or system. Eligible countries include the United States, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sāmoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Vietnam. Applicants must have the ability to communicate in English in a professional setting. Preference is given to candidates with limited opportunities for international exchange and professional development as well as those who offer to cost-share programmatic costs. A phone interview may be conducted with finalists.
2023 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar
July 23 - August 5, 2023
2021-2022 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar
July 25-31, 2021; July 24 - August 6, 2022
2019 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Seminar
July 7-20, 2019