Shelley Cramer has long led women’s advocacy efforts on the islands, from founding the Girls Got GRIT mentorship group at Sacred Heart’s Academy to serving on the board of the Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women & Children.
Now, Cramer will be stepping into her next role as CEO of Hoʻōla Nā Pua, replacing founder Jessica Muñoz.
The nonprofit organization is committed to preventing child sex trafficking and providing care for vulnerable youth.
Before pivoting to advocacy full-time, Cramer led a successful career in the world of luxury fashion as the vice president of Saks Global.
HPR spoke with Cramer to learn more about her journey and the decades of experience she brings to Hoʻōla Nā Pua.
Interview Highlights
On joining Hoʻōla Nā Pua
SHELLEY CRAMER: I knew Jessica for many years and loved what she did, and through time I've been educated with her, and I did not believe what Hawaiʻi was facing. I think a lot of people don't know about these girls, especially Hawaiʻi girls, and what they face and their challenges across every single island. And throughout the years I've just learned more about it, and timing is everything.
And when I was asked to help come on board to help promote and advocate for these girls and just to provide a safe haven for them and a place to heal and to spread the word, you know, again, timing was everything. And I think through all my experience within the decade that I've been back to Hawaiʻi, I wanted this second chapter of my life to be about helping keiki, and especially the girls, and ensuring that if we can help just one, that it would make a big difference.
On advocating for women throughout her career
CRAMER: I feel anytime we can help the youth, especially girls, knowing that they can do it no matter what; to me, it's all about grit. And in my GGG program which I started, Girls Got GRIT, GRIT stands for Grace, Resilience, Initiative, and Tenacity. And for me, I always preach to the girls that you don't have to be a straight-A student. It's about the perseverance you have in yourself to become great, and it's all about mindset.
And if you believe you can achieve anything, I believe for me, being in a position where I can help open doors for girls is the most important. I feel women have opened doors for me, and I just want to pay it forward and help girls who are in that position as well, and all they need is a door open. Like I told them, we can open doors, but they have to do the magic, right? It's in with them. So, if I'm given any opportunity to help any girl, I'll do it.
On her goals as Hoʻōla Nā Pua’s CEO
CRAMER: Well, we're working on advocacy and awareness and education, first and foremost. I think we're always doing that. We're trying to touch every single island and make sure that everyone knows about the organization, about what we do, you know, especially teaching the youth and just being what to look out for and educating the adults as well in the room.
I think a huge portion of the population here, when you talk about sex trafficking, and especially with our girls in Hawaiʻi, the first thing that I hear is like, ‘Are you serious?’ You know, ‘I can't believe this is happening. I know it happens around the country or in the world, but Hawaiʻi?’ Again, right? It's a touchy subject, so not many people talk about it. So we want to be the ones to be ahead of the game, educating people, educating our youth, saying this is wrong, this is happening, making people know that our campaign right now is “We SEE You.” So letting people know that we see what you're doing, you need to stop in this moment in time. It's not good for any youth to be going through this trauma, and just making everyone aware.
This story aired on The Conversation on Aug. 13, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
