Linda Jameson

Photo courtesy Linda Jameson

Can you believe it has been more than 12 years since Linda Jameson kept Hawaii residents and visitors informed on their daily and nightly news as a KHON-2 news anchor and reporter?

Of her ventures since leaving her passion as a news anchor, Jameson says, “Once you transition from news to the business world it is shocking, but amazingly you can do it.”

The transition she took was quite a leap, going from breaking community and world news to working in the business, technology and even military sectors.

Since leaving KHON-2, Jameson spent time as vice president of business development and corporate communications at Trex Enterprises Corp., a high-tech company specializing in cutting-edge technical solutions. Jameson was charged with helping to deliver messages about Trex Enterprises Corp.’s latest innovations and technological creations.

She also spent time at United States Pacific Command at Camp Smith working in strategic communications. Jameson was involved in significant projects, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. She also oversaw communications among 36 United States embassies, providing a common operational picture for each.

“Every job I have had has been demanding, but that was exceptionally demanding. I was dealing with classified national security issues,” she says.

Jameson has embraced each new position head-on, but has taken a very personal liking to her newest title as Kapiolani Health Foundation’s director of philanthropy.

“I love children, I love helping people, and the idea of raising money for a hospital and creating a family-centered facility for the future of Hawaii would be such a wonderful opportunity,” says Jameson, who was featured on MidWeek‘s cover March 24, 2004.

Jameson has a lot on her plate now, as she and Kapiolani’s leadership team – which includes board members Chuck Sted, Ray Vara, Dr. Ginny Pressler, Martha Smith, Mike Robinson, Lynne Wooddell, Bert Kobayashi and Dee Jay Mailer – are focused on generating $30 million for a capital campaign that includes funding for a major redevelopment of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children.

“People really want to give back. I am not out twisting people’s arms to donate. People have generous hearts,” she says.

Just a few of the initiatives of the capital campaign include construction of a new neo-natal intensive care unit, a pediatric intensive care unit as well as expanding capacity from 46 to 70 rooms. There are extensive plans to add new conference rooms for training and an education auditorium.

“When I tell people what I do, without question they will tell me an amazing story about something that happened at Kapiolani,” says Jameson.