Coffee Talks Presented by Navian Hawaii: Looking Ahead: Trends of 2026

Sarah Guay
President & CEO
Hawaii Employers Council

Sarah Guay was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in June 2022. In her role, she collaborates with HEC’s board of governors and staff to address the ever-evolving needs of Hawaii’s employers. She is responsible for the organization’s long-term strategy, leadership, and key initiatives.

Sarah has an exceptional track record designing and leading human resources, change management, and workplace culture initiatives. Prior to her appointment as President & CEO at Hawaii Employers Council, she served as Vice President of Human Resources at HEMIC, where she led the digitization of their Human Resources function. Sarah also played an instrumental role in leading the change management efforts behind American Savings Bank’s campus development. She is a director with the Oahu Economic Development Board, serves as an advisor for the Patsy T Mink Center for Business and Leadership, and was honored as a Woman Who Means Business by Pacific Business News in 2024.

Sarah received her master’s degree in organizational communication and a bachelor’s degree in general communication from Washington State University. She and her husband have three kids and enjoy spending time outdoors or at the beach in Kailua, where they live.



Lei Pedro
Publisher & Market President
Pacific Business Magazine
Lei Pedro’s family has lived in Hawaii for seven generations. She and her husband James have four adult children and 6 grandchildren.

Lei has held several sales and sales management positions both in and outside of media before returning to Pacific Business News in March 2020. Today she is the market president and publisher of PBN.

She studied at the University of Oregon and University of Hawaii at Manoa where she received her bachelor’s degree in communications.

Lei’s current board service includes International Executives Association, Honolulu Executives Association and Better Business Bureau of Hawaii.
 

David Nguyen
COO
Navian Hawaii

David Nguyen is the Chief Operating Officer of Navian Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit healthcare organization providing hospice and palliative care services across Oʻahu. He oversees enterprise operations including clinical operations, IT and cybersecurity, facilities and capital projects, supply chain, and organizational strategy.

David has spent over a decade working in information technology and operations, with experience spanning healthcare systems, infrastructure, data, and process optimization. Over the past six years at Navian Hawaiʻi, he has helped lead organizational growth, operational transformation, and long-term strategic planning in support of patient-centered care.

Born and raised in Kalihi, David brings a deep understanding of Hawaiʻi’s local communities and the importance of accessible, culturally grounded healthcare. He earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and remains committed to strengthening Hawaiʻi’s healthcare ecosystem through thoughtful leadership and community partnership.