Higher education and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 does little to overcome the challenges many hearing-loss individuals’ continually encounter. Challenges such as miscommunications or misinterpretation of signing, laughter about mispronouncing words, delays in responding to questions that affect one’s health, safety, or life.
 
Instead of these challenges stalling her life, Makini developed a keen skill for identifying solutions that minimized her missing opportunities and delayed communications. 

Now, Makini is embarking on a trek to create solutions for others that bridge the communications gap that exists between the hearing and the hearing-loss communities.

Although Makini’s ultimate goal is to make technological paths in how spoken and visual language are combined in today’s world.

Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Ron, a US Air Force Veteran, is a technology and marketing strategist with more than 28 years of experience in building and launching learning solutions that have been implemented in thousands of academic institutions and enterprise organizations around the world, including Microsoft, Time Warner Cable, the US Air Force (USAF), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the Plant-Based Network, and Rock You Academy.  

In addition to learning solutions, Ron has helped to successfully launch a range of products, such as a film in theatres and on Netflix, a line of whole food plant-based meals in over 1000 grocery stores, and digital phone services.  He has also helped to build support communities for health, business, and technology in more than 400 cities around the world.  

As a child, Ron learned sign language and braille, and is passionate about connecting communities.