The Hawai‘i Children’s Discovery Center in Kaka‘ako inspires children to find their passions – so it comes as no surprise that it’s also where Liane Yajima ’96 Usher discovered hers. Usher’s early memories are of enjoying the Center’s colorful exhibits – from the kid-sized “Your Town” to the body-centric “Fantastic You” – while supporting her mother, the late Hawai‘i-born founder Loretta Luke ’64 Yajima, alongside sisters Tiffany Yajima ’97 and Lara Yajima ’94 Siu.
Through her 23-year tenure as president, Usher has launched several high-profile initiatives – always focusing on serving the deep needs of the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, the Center provided critical childcare for essential workers and offered online classes and take-home enrichment to support families when public spaces were restricted. Usher is particularly proud of the Discovery Camp program, which has grown significantly to meet the demand for quality childcare during school breaks and teacher in-service days.
“With everything we do, I look at the needs in the community and how we can best help,” she says, emphasizing the Center’s dedication to serving local families’ needs. “During the pandemic, it was taking a bad situation and asking how we could be of service? We take feedback from our families and try to be proactive in providing educational resources like camps, toddler programs and more.”
The Center, which attracts more than 100,000 visits from families every year, was a wonderland for Usher and her sisters growing up. “It was our playground,” she says of the 45,000-square-foot facility housed in a renovated Kewalo incinerator. “We pretty much lived there, enjoying the museum at a young age, helping and giving back,” Usher reminisces. This early exposure laid the groundwork for her future academic aspirations, from Hanahau‘oli School, to Punahou in the seventh grade, then higher education in psychology and elementary education at Wheaton College and Harvard University, respectively. Usher’s initial goal was to be a teacher, but familial ties drew her back when her mother proposed she join the Discovery Center team.
Initially, she took on the role of director of exhibits and programs, creating engaging play spaces for children. In 2001, when the board proposed she take over as president, Usher turned it down as she was reluctant to leave the role she loved. However, the die had already been cast: one day she came into work to find a stack of business cards inscribed with her name and new title as president.
Usher took the helm with a deep feeling of responsibility to continue her mother’s legacy and contribute to the institution that shaped her early life. “I didn’t think I’d be in a position to lead a nonprofit, I thought I’d be a preschool teacher, but I discovered I was uniquely suited for this because I literally grew up at the Center and shared the same love and passion for it as my mom did,” Usher says. “Now I’m honoring my mom’s legacy and ensuring everything she built thrives.”
Usher credits her education at Punahou School and her family for reinforcing her dedication to service and early childhood education. She reminisces about her senior year of community service at Pālolo Head Start and working as a peer counselor. “To whom much is given, much is expected,” a principle she learned at Punahou from former President Jim Scott ’70, has guided her both personally and professionally. “Those words have always stuck with me and resonated with me and my family. Giving back and being of service to the community is in our blood. That’s what my mom dedicated herself to,” she says. Her family, inspired by the values of patriarch K. J. Luke, founder of Hawai‘i National Bank and former teacher, displays an enduring commitment to community service.
Outside of her leadership role, Usher enjoys spending time with husband Keith, supporting her children Noah ’28 and Chloe ’26 in sports, and staying active and social through her local CrossFit box.
Looking forward, Usher is enthusiastic about renovations and new exhibits and expanding the Center’s reach through more community partnerships. Yet her leadership philosophy remains grounded in a hands-on approach. She wouldn’t ask anyone to do anything she wouldn’t do herself. “I very much lead by example, similar to my mom. We are a very small operation and there is nothing I’m not willing to do.” She also still works alongside her sisters. “I’m thankful for the two of them. Even though they’re not here daily, they’re always helping.”