Lizann left a career in the Kauai hospitality industry in search of more meaningful, heartfelt work. In 2007, she said goodbye to a 35-year career working in hotels—a journey that started after high school booking reservations at the front desk to eventually moving into sales and marketing. “I was feeling the stress of having to carry the load of filling these hotel rooms,” Lizann says. “After 35 years of it, I went to an interview a friend recommended to be an administrator to the director of a nonprofit.” The nonprofit was the Arc of Kauai, a volunteer organization in support of people with intellectual disabilities.
“I remember my first day having to sit in a board meeting and heard all these technical words I wasn’t familiar with—different services, diagnoses, things like that,” Lizann shared fondly. “After 2 months, I thought I wasn’t going to make it! Then I realized how amazing the people were and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Without a doubt, Lizann’s background in hospitality ended up making a big difference in her new role, lending well to supporting fundraisers and community events. Shortly thereafter, the Arc merged with Easterseals Hawaii, making Lizann a member of the ESH ohana and bringing her spirit to the clinic every day feeling the impact on her community.
“I made sure I didn’t stay stuck in my corner of the office,” Lizann recalls. “I got to know everybody, and it just changed my life. I’m still loving the job and the people I work with, but now at my age, it’s time to move on and enjoy retirement.”
Lizann’s next journey is getting to be a full-time grandmother to her 8 grandchildren. “I’m looking forward to spending time with them, like go to their canoe paddling tournaments and hulas,” Lizann says. Being home with her husband and helping out with her grandkids is her all-time favorite thing to do.
When thinking about how jobs and lives can change and evolve and even come full circle, Lizann shared something very powerful she saw at ESH. Most participants at Lizann’s clinic enroll after they’ve finished high school, and many of them stay for years—even decades. “They’re with us, sometimes, until the end,” Lizann reflects. “I’ve gotten to know them and become friends with them, and we’ve lost a few, which is really hard.” Some participants are now living in long-term care facilities when their parents and caregivers are no longer able to care for them due to their own aging or medical needs. “But even though they’ve left our program, they’re still a part of our lives.”
And so, it’s been for years now, one of the regular monthly activities for the group is going to visit these former participants—lifelong members of the ESH ohana—in their care facilities. Being in the community, and sometimes bringing the community to old friends, is something Lizann treasures as a vital aspect of the program.
If there’s one thing Lizann wants others to know is that being bold and taking a chance in a new career can lead to some of the richest memories and friendships imaginable. Many of her team members came from the hotel industry and, like Lizann, never looked back. “This is a great place to give back and a great place to learn. My team and our participants have taught me more here than I learned in over 30 years in hospitality, and I don’t regret one day of being here.”
As Lizann embarks on her retirement, we’re filled with the Aloha spirit in getting to share her Easterseals Hawaii journey. We’re hopeful that she finds tremendous joy in spending time with her family, and we know that whoever gets to join the ESH Kauai teams is bound to experience something great, just like Lizann did.
Mahalo nui loa, Lizann.
