Trisha Nomura

Occupation: Certified Public Accountant (not in public practice)
What school you grad? James B. Castle High School ‘97
College: Creighton University, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Location: Kāneʻohe, HI

As the owner of Ascend Consulting, LLC, Trisha Nomura leverages her background in leadership, accounting, human resources and operations to develop strategies and provide services for clients in many different industries. Prior to that, she spent 10 years with public accounting firms in Honolulu, and in 2014, she joined Hawaiʻi Human Resources, Inc. where she was the chief operating officer before the company’s acquisition by ProService Hawaiʻi, where she was the chief people officer. She is also involved with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Hawaiʻi Society of Certified Public Accountants (HSCPA). She has since served on the AICPA’s Recruitment Committee and Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee, as an at-large council member and a board member of the association. At the HSCPA, Trisha is the president-elect and previously led the organization’s efforts in influencing students and young professionals about the career experiences of a CPA. In her free time, she also serves as the treasurer for the Kāneʻohe Little League team.

Nomura attended Lunalilo Elementary School, Washington Middle School a James B. Castle High School. Her mother, Linda Shinsato, retired from the HIDOE after serving 33 years as an administrator in the Office of Human Resources (now the Office of Talent Management).

Q: What was your journey like after high school?
A: I graduated from Creighton University, where I majored in accounting, and then attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where I obtained my Master of Accountancy degree. I earned my CPA license and then worked in both public accounting and private industry. I’ve been fortunate to work in a number of different roles, each allowing me to build upon the one prior – and incorporate something I love as part of my career, which is traveling. Visiting other countries has opened my eyes to the beauty of other cultures, but my favorite place will always be right here at home.

Q: What are you up to these days?
A: Today, I own a consulting practice and also spend time volunteering with organizations that have missions I am passionate about. Whenever I have the opportunity, I have gone to speak to students at our public schools. I think it is really important for them to hear about our experiences. I highly encourage all of the alumni out there to visit the schools that you attended and to pay it forward. If we each made a small difference, collectively we could make a huge impact. Everyone needs a cheerleader and someone that encourages them and reminds them that anything is possible!

Q: Why did you choose this career path and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I knew that in order to have a career in business, I needed to have a strong foundation in its “language” — accounting.  What I love about this profession is that there are so many pathways that it can take you depending on what your interests are. Accounting has afforded me the opportunity to create a career where I am learning something new everyday, have the flexibility to work from anywhere and feel great about the difference that I am making.

Q: Favorite subject in school?
A: I was in Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) at Castle, which was my first introduction to business and it was a class I really enjoyed! I had a great teacher, Mrs. Evangeline Casinas.

Q: What type of extracurricular activities were you involved in?
A: I swam and was very involved in the student council. I planned our Winter Balls and still enjoy event planning today.

Q: What was your favorite school lunch or breakfast?
A: I have a different favorite for each school!  At Lunalilo Elementary, it was baked spaghetti.  Washington Middle served milkshakes on Fridays and I always looked forward to that.  At Castle, we had a saimin bar that I frequented often. 

Q: What makes you #PublicSchoolProud?
A: I am very proud to be a product of our public school system. The path in front of me may have been harder at times than it was for those that attended private schools, but I learned how to be resourceful, what it means to be resilient and the importance of showing appreciation. My experience taught me to have what I call, “a whole lotta grit and an abundance of gratitude!”

Q: Name of a teacher or mentor you’d like to thank?
A: I am especially grateful for Mr. Mark Miyamoto (Mr. M.) at Washington Middle School.  It was in his sixth grade class that I first heard the phrase, “carpe diem” (seize the day), a motto I’ve tried to live by ever since. His confidence in me made a profound difference in my life. Mr. M. continued to mentor me long after I left his classroom, and he still remains a great friend to me today. Teachers hold a very special place in my heart – they follow this career path because they truly love what they do and care for the students in their classrooms. Their impact is tremendous and they deserve so much more recognition than they receive.

Q: What advice do you have for students?
A: It does not matter what your circumstances are – if you work hard, you can be or do anything you set your mind to! No matter how many times you fall, the important thing is to get back up again.