Molly Schmidt joined the American Red Cross, Pacific Islands Region in 2024, as Regional Chief Operating Officer before becoming Regional Executive for the Pacific Islands, including Hawaiʻi, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and American Samoa. She has 21 years of experience working with international NGOs and community-based nonprofits, including leadership roles with the Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi and Northern California. Previously, she served with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Southeast Asia Regional Delegation post the 2004 tsunami. She worked with Partner National Societies (PNS), including the American Red Cross, focusing on health in disasters and capacity building. Disaster preparedness, response, and recovery were woven into the health emergencies work she led post SARS and during H1N1 Bird Flu that was rampant in Southeast Asia. At the IFRC, she coordinated an inter-agency collaboration communication network with all PNS, United Nations, WHO, and other INGOs.

Vice Governor Miyagi was born in Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture. After joining the Okinawa Prefectural Government in 1988, he held key positions across a wide range of departments, including planning, culture, tourism, and general affairs. Throughout his career, he accumulated extensive practical experience by engaging with critical issues facing Okinawa Prefecture, including regional revitalization, industrial promotion, and tourism policy.

On April 1, 2026, he assumed the position of Vice Governor of Okinawa Prefecture. In this role, he supports Governor Tamaki while working to address pressing challenges facing the prefecture, including regional revitalization, the reduction of the burden of U.S. military bases, and the alleviation of child poverty.

With decades of dedicated public service, Vice Governor Miyagi brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role in leading Okinawa toward a brighter future.

Mayor Uchida, who was born and raised in Iwaki City, has been serving as the Mayor of Iwaki City since 2021 and is currently in his second term. He began his career at Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and has held key positions, including Director of the High School Education Division at the Akita Prefectural Board of Education and Director of the Office for Education Reform at MEXT. He also served as Executive Trustee and Secretary General at Fukushima University. He holds a Bachelor of Education from Tohoku University and a Master of Education from the University of Tokyo.

Retired Colonel James DS. Barros is the Administrator for the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA), appointed in February 2023. He leads state-level disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts, collaborating with local, state, and federal partners. Col. Barros spent 32 years in the Hawai‘i Army National Guard. During the Covid 19 epidemic, he served as Chief of the Joint Staff for the Hawai‘i National Guard’s COVID-19 Joint Task Force supporting Hawaii’s preparation and response to the epidemic. Barros also served as the Hawaii National Guard Director for Joint Domestic Operations supporting State operations including emergency responses to Kaua‘i flooding, Hawai‘i island lava eruption, wildfires on Maui, and preparation for and response to Hurricanes Lane, Norman, and Olivia. He expanded international engagements with  the Philippines and Indonesia, and established Combined Task Force conducting joint confined-space training and high-angle rescues during rotations in Hawai‘i.

Renise Bayne has served as a disaster manager with the American Red Cross for 15 years. She also held leadership roles as Plans and Operations Officer for the City & County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management and CARE Coordinator for the State of Hawaii’s COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Program. For more than 13 years, Renise has volunteered with the Pacific Islands Region, serving as Direct Services Lead, overseeing all client-facing activities such as sheltering, emergency supply distribution, feeding, health, mental health, spiritual care, disability integration, and client casework. With over 30 deployments—including the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, the Kauaʻi landslide, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires—her experience spans Hawaiʻi, the continental U.S., and across the Pacific. She is also an Advanced Instructor for Disaster Response Services (“Train the Trainer”) and a Community Disaster Education and Preparedness Presenter.

Andrea Ciletti leads a specialized team of analysts in translating complex disaster risks into actionable insights across the Indo-Pacific region. Her work focuses on creating informational products for military and civilian responders, increasing readiness for humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations. She has supported various civil-military engagements, exercises, and partner nation capacity building in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and New Zealand. Andrea’s career is anchored in program management and technical writing. Prior to her current appointment, she served as the Valiant Site Lead for a $23.5 million Department of Defense contract, managing a global team of 34 personnel across five time zones. In this capacity, she oversaw the development and staffing of critical information products, training curricula, and initiatives critical to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s core security objectives. Andrea has also provided vital support to several major defense and environmental projects, including AECOM’s Comprehensive Long-Term Environmental Action Navy (CLEAN) contract.