&#149  2011 Pacific Institute of Nursing 2011 Nurse Champion 
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&#149  1996 Manager of the Year, Wahiawa General Hospital 
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&#149  2005 Outstanding Elected Leader, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii 
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&#149  2008  Shining Light Award, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans 
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&#149  2008  Community Service Award, Health Care Association of Hawaii 
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&#149  2008 Friends of Pharmacy Award, Hawaii Pharmacists Association 
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&#149  2008  Honored by the Hawaii Women's Political Caucus as a progressive female office holder who serves as a role model to other women interested in seeking office.
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&#149  2009 Legislator of the Year - recognized by the Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses for support of the nursing profession.
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&#149  1999  national Flemming Fellow 
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&#149  2000  participated in the US/Japan Exchange on Women in Public Policy 
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&#149  2001  member of the first Foreign Policy Institute sponsored by the Center for Women Policy Studies 
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&#149  2003  selected as an Eleanor Roosevelt Fellow, traveling to China to study environmental issues
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&#149  2006 selected as one of 14 international women legislators to participate in the GlobalPOWER initiative of the Center for Women Policy Studies.