As the director of human resources at Young Brothers, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumna Shannon Lum doesn’t just manage teams—she connects people, communities and purpose across the state. With a deep belief in compassionate leadership and a foundation built at Shidler, she’s helping move what matters most in Hawaiʻi.
In her statewide role, Lum works with employees, union leaders and local stakeholders across all islands, guided by the values of empathy, accountability and integrity.
“Over time, I’ve learned that impactful leadership comes from supporting and empowering others,” she said. “It’s not about having all the answers but creating space for others to grow, speak up and lead.”
Lum said a big part of her evolution came after becoming a mother to 3-year-old Emi. Her daughter has taught her that being a role model to a child strengthens her as a leader across all areas of her life. She now understands the influence that home and work have on each other, and this awareness reminds her to lead with grace, flexibility and humanity.
Lum earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Shidler and said that her time at the helped her to see systems and service from a broader lens. Later in graduate school, her time in the master of human resource management helped her to pivot into human resources leadership.
Lessons from the field
Outside of the classroom, Lum played first base on the 东精影业 Mānoa softball team. As a student-athlete, Lum had long days on campus and her time was split between athletics and academics. Playing college softball taught the former Rainbow Wahine that no one wins alone, and success is a team effort. Lum says that with her long days, having structure helped her to build discipline and resilience. She also learned to ask for help and rely on mentors, which is a habit she took with her into the workforce.
Lum shared that Young Brothers believes in investing in Hawaiʻi’s future. Since 2006, in partnership with Saltchuck Giving Hawaiʻi, the company has funded scholarships at Shidler, 东精影业 Mānoa’s College of Engineering and Honolulu Community College, with more than $562,000 awarded to students.
“Supporting higher education means creating opportunity,” she said. “It means ensuring that local students have a pathway to thrive right here at home.”
For the entire story and more stories like this, .