MEDIA RELEASE

Jeanine Atebara

The YWCA Hawaii Island appointed Jeanine Atebara to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the agency effective March 1. “With over 25 years of business management experience and three decades of active involvement in our Big Island community, Jeanine is an ideal leader for the YWCA. She embodies the YWCA mission of empowering women and eliminating racism,” said Board President Lorraine Godoy.

Jeanine has worked in radio for most of her career, first at Brewer Broadcasting, where she was station manager and sales manager and later at Pacific Radio Group, where she was general manager for eight radio stations. Most recently, Jeanine was in advertising sales at the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. Raised in a small farming community in eastern Oregon, Jeanine attended the University of Oregon and graduated with a B.A. in Journalism. In 1979, she moved to Hilo, where she has lived since. She has three grown children now in their twenties.

Jeanine has an extensive record of community leadership. She has served as Board Chair of the Hawaii Island United Way and is Past President of the Rotary Club of Hilo and the American Marketing Association, Big Island chapter. She has also served on the boards of Junior Achievement – Hawaii Island, KIAA and March of Dimes. She is a current board member of the CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union.

YWCA Hawaii Island is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is the elimination of racism and empowerment of women. Established in 1919, the organization offers services and programs which include: a nationally accredited preschool; an aquatics center; the only island-wide 24×7 rape crisis center; the only Teen Court for the Big Island; and the only home visitation new mother and baby support program for all of East Hawai’i.

The YWCA Hawaii Island is part of the YWCA USA, the oldest and largest national women’s organization. Nationally, the YWCA serves 2.5 million women and girls each year. Globally, the YWCA USA is a member of World YWCA, which has affiliates in 122 countries that serve 25 million women and girls worldwide.

For more information about the YWCA, visit www.ywcahawaiiisland.org. Contact: Lorraine Godoy, Board President at 808 935-6067, ext 110 or jmeli@ywcahawaiiisland.org. YWCA Hawaii Island, 145 Ululani St., Hilo, HI 96720.