2025 Laura N. Dowsett Honoree: Martha Balkin

Martha Balkin clearly embodies the multiple attributes of a Laura N. Dowsett Honoree. She is a leader and volunteer in our community, a trainer of the current Junior League of Honolulu Actives, an advocate for at-risk youth and houseless individuals, and a Sustainer who continually steps forward to assist our League. Her leadership at both Central Union Church and the growing Residential Youth Services and Empowerment (RYSE) Non-profit Board demonstrates her willingness and commitment to continue volunteering in the community. 

Martha joined The Junior League of Honolulu in 1992. In 2001, she was elected President of The League after serving as Committee Chair for Community, Projects and Programs, Provisional. In 2019, she was the Sustainer Representative to the JLH Board. 

For over 30 years, she has shown an unwavering support for The Junior League of Honolulu and its mission. Martha organized and chaired our JLH 100th Anniversary event. Current Actives regard Martha as a woman who can be counted on to host potential new member events at her home, mentor current Actives, and offer ongoing positive support for our League and its leaders.

She has served on the Board of RYSE since 2016, having served as President of the RYSE Board in 2018 and 2019, and began a third term as President in January of this year. 

Martha is an active member of Central Union Church and served as Council Chair from 2020-2022. She is currently Coordinator for the Serving Aloha Program which provides free food distribution, in partnership with the Hawaii Foodbank, to approximately 750 households per week. In addition, she is on the Board of the Hawaii Conference Foundation of the United Church of Christ, the Capital Campaign Committee for the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Martha has a Master’s Degree in Social Work, having worked in the Employee Assistance field as a counselor, with individuals, couples and groups, and providing management consultation and training. She previously held certifications in employee assistance and substance abuse counseling and retired from practice in 2017.

Martha and her husband, Peter, have 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren.

2024 Laura N. Dowsett Honoree: Ruthann Yamanaka

Ruthann Yamanaka is an incredible Junior League of Honolulu Sustainer who fully embodies the qualities and epitomizes the spirit of the Laura N. Dowsett Award.

As a talented professional, Ruthann is currently Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Outrigger Hospitality Group. As a member of the Executive Committee, she is responsible for global human resources and organizational development and culture. 

Previously, Ruthann was Vice President of Human Resources for Alexander Baldwin, Senior Vice President of People Services Group for Hawaiian Airlines, and Senior Vice President and Assistant Director of Human Resources at Bank of Hawaii.

In spite of the demanding roles in her professional life, she continues to volunteer with a broad variety of non-profit organizations in the community. She completely embraces the spirit of volunteerism, and often ends up in leadership positions at the nonprofit organizations in which she is involved. 

Ruthann understands the effectiveness of advocacy. She was a co-founder of the Guild of Child and Family Services and went on to serve on the National Board of the Child Welfare League of America, attending meetings in Washington, DC during her tenure. Additionally, Ruthann was very active and committed to the Girl Scouts of Hawaii, serving as Chair of the Board of Directors, Chair of the Board Development Committee and Co-Chair of the CEO Selection Committee.

She generously lends her time and her professional expertise in employee training, human resources and business organization to community organizations, as well as professional associations and affiliations. Ruthann is an appointed member of the State of Hawai’i Judicial Performance Review Panel, Executive Committee Member of The Pantry by Feeding Hawai’i Together, serves on the Board of the Variety School of Hawai’i, and on the Personnel Team of First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu at Ko’olau as the Chair.

Ruthann is humble. She never touts her achievements and willingly offers her help wherever needed. She co-founded the American Society of Quality Control – Hawaii Chapter, served as a member of the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation, on the Board of the Hawai’i Children’s Museum, as a member of the Neighborhood Justice Center, and is a graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy. Ruthann also worked for the Waimanalo Children & Youth Program and HeadStart-Honolulu. 

Ruthann joined the Junior League of Honolulu in 1985, served as President 1992-93 and is currently an active participant of JLH’s Sustaining Advisory Committee, where her expertise and involvement continues to benefit the League. Ruthann is a role model for all League members and we are proud to honor her as the 2024 Laura N. Dowsett Award recipient. 

2020 Laura N. Dowsett Honoree: Liz Dreher Howard

Elizabeth (Liz) Dreher Howard was our 2020 Laura N. Dowsett awardee. This award is given to a Junior League of Honolulu Sustainer that continuous gives back to the community and is a civic leader amongst volunteers.

Liz Howard has been one of Honolulu’s top interior designers for more than 55 years. She studied at the Parson’s School of Design in New York City and also in Paris. She has continued to maintain her professionalism as an avid and active member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

Liz has held most of the positions as an American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) chapter member, having served as the local president twice and in 1988 she was elected to the office of the National President of ASID. There she served a membership of over 30,000 and created and implemented a national leadership development training program which included strategic planning to the national society of ASID and to local chapters across the US. The geniuses of this program came from  a leadership packet purchased from Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI). In the following years, Liz developed several ASID training programs which were presented all over the country.  

Liz joined the Junior League of Honolulu in 1975 and has also always said yes to serving with the League.  She was President in 1980-1981 and Provisional Chair (New Member Committee Chair) in 1983-1984. She has volunteered on multiple occasions to lead the League in Strategic Planning retreats and has been active in several Sacs in the City Events, as well as Sustainer Representative to League committees.  Liz credits the League with her interest training and leadership development as well as community service which she has been able to bring to other organizations.

Liz is also a very active member in the Rotary Club of Honolulu.  She was on the Rotary’s Board of Directors for 3 years and served as the Director of Community Services.  Liz also traveled to Cambodia in March of 2015 along with 30 other Rotarians to assist in the building of a school for 600 kids. She also traveled to Nepal in 2018 and in Thailand in 2019 for Rotary’s International Community Service Projects.

Liz Howard is dedicated to her profession and her volunteerism, has a can do, “YES attitude!”

2019 Laura N. Dowsett Honoree: Pokey Watson Richardson

Pokey Watson Richardson has been a dedicated community volunteer all of her life. At a young age, her parents, instilled in her a sense of responsibility to her community. They impressed on her the philosophy: To whom much is given, much is expected. Thus, during her teenage years, Pokey volunteered at a local rehab hospital where her experience as an Olympic athlete gave her the tools to motivate and encourage those with physical impairments.

In 1973, Pokey became the first female Head Coach of the University of Southern California Women’s Swimming Team; a position she held for six seasons. During this time, she continued her commitment to volunteerism by serving on the United States Swimming Olympic Committee, serving as a member of the American Swimming Coaches Association and lecturing on Women in Sport to various organizations.

Pokey moved to Honolulu with her husband, Allen, in 1979 and they began their family shortly after: Andrew (1981), Anne (1984), and Puna (1985). Pokey joined the Junior League of Honolulu in 1984 and enjoyed many active years with the League in a number of leadership positions including Co-Chair and Chair of Stargazing (the fundraiser), Chair of Strategic Planning and Community Research and Development, Community Vice President and JLH President 1994-95. As a sustainer, Pokey has served on the Sustainer Advisory Board several times. Currently, she continues to provide trainings to league members and support to the JLH leadership.

In addition to her work with the JLH, Pokey also assumed many volunteer positions in the community. At Punahou School where her children were enrolled, she was an active member of the Punahou Parent Faculty Association (PFA) as a many time room parent, Chair of the Enrichment Committee and Speakers Bureau, member of the Executive Committee, and PFA President. Also, together Pokey and Allen co-chaired Hawaiian Plate at the Punahou Carnival for five years straight!

Outside of Punahou, Pokey served as President of the Wahine O’ Waialae Golfing Group, has served on the Board of the Friends of Hawaii School of Medicine, has just recently finished a six-year term on the Board of Family Promise Hawaii, and serves on the Board of the Hawaii Chapter of the U.S. Olympians Association. Pokey joined the Garden Club of Honolulu in 2011 and is currently serving as President.

As one of her nominators said, “I have never heard Pokey say ‘no’ or refuse to commit to helping the League or our Community”. Pokey clearly has a talent, passion, and fierce commitment to working with others to better our community.

The Laura N. Dowsett Award recognizes a Sustaining member who demonstrates the spirit of voluntarism, the value of specialized training, and the effectiveness of advocacy as it reflects the qualities of leadership developed in Junior League of Honolulu.