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Michele Okimura

About - About Michele.

Your story. Your power. Your creative genius.

My great adventure is helping you find yours.

Michele Okimura on the beach in Hawai'i

I’m an author, speaker, and coach who has spent the last four decades inspiring courage, vulnerability, healing, and purpose.

My story has been an adventure in finding purpose, and it began with my own healing journey. Transforming feelings of worthlessness into a deep sense of value ignited a fire in me, a passion to help others discover the same strength within themselves.

I am the founder and executive director of Releasing Generations, and I write, speak, and teach across Hawai‘i and beyond. For more than twenty years I served as a pastor, and before that I spent seventeen years as an elementary school teacher. Across all of it the work is the same: helping people find the courage to live out the purpose they were made for.

Beyond the work, my heart is at home. I’ve been happily married to Rob for 42 years, and we’re grateful to have raised two adult children, Aaron and Jessica. Our son-in-law Kevin and our beautiful grandbaby, Mia, complete our little world.

My firm belief is that every person’s story, even the broken ones, can become a launchpad into a future full of freedom, wonder, and limitless possibilities.

“There is a golden thread of bringing restoration, healing, and encouragement to the heart. If you don’t believe that you are valuable, you will not believe that the dreams in your heart are valuable. I make a case for knowing your value, and throughout pretty much everything that I do, there is that golden thread of bringing restoration, healing, and encouragement to people’s hearts.”
Michele Okimura
Michele Okimura laughing at home
Love,Michele

Meet Michele

Most days, you’ll find me with coffee in hand, laughing over a story that gets a little more dramatic every time I tell it. I care about real connection. When I step on stage or lead a Talk Story Session (TSS), my goal is always the same: to bring that same warmth, real-life energy, and heart to the room, meeting people right where they are.

I believe dreams give purpose a voice.

My Story

  • Michele as a baby with her parents and grandmother in Honolulu, 1962.
    1962: Born in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. (My parents, grandma, and I)
  • Michele with her two younger sisters.
    1969: Oldest of two beautiful younger sisters.
  • Michele as a Miss Teen USA finalist, 1979.
    1979: Miss Teen USA Finalist I didn’t win. But loved the experience!
  • Michele at her high school graduation, 1979.
    1979: Graduated from high school
  • Michele at her college graduation, 1984.
    1984: Graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.
  • Michele and Rob on their wedding day, 1984.
    1984: Married Rob after dating for three years. The love of my life and best friend.
  • Michele with her newborn son Aaron, 1991.
    1991: Overflowing joy! Adopted our son Aaron.
  • Michele with her newborn daughter Jessica, 1993.
    1992: More rivers of joy! Adopted our daughter Jessica…who happened to be 9 days older than Aaron! My twin-like sweeties.
  • Lifespring Church, founded by Michele and Rob in Honolulu, 1997.
    1997: Rob and I founded Lifespring Church. I was unconventionally qualified to be a pastor by comedian Jim Carrey, but that is another story for another time.
  • Poster for Renaissance: a Journey to Creativity, July 2011.
    Renaissance Conferences in 2010 and 2011: my first two arts conferences to release people into greater creativity!
  • Dancing with Father, published 2011.
    2011: Published Dancing with Father. Let’s heal hearts.
  • Young people standing arm in arm at the 2014 Explicit conference.
    2014: Our first island-wide youth and parent conference. Little did I know then that it would grow into a movement.
  • Explicit Conferences become a nonprofit organization, 2015.
    2015: Unexpected curve ball! Explicit Conferences grew into a non-profit organization. And we held our first middle school, young adult, and parent conferences AND repeated our high school conference. How ever did we do 4 in one year?!!
  • Conference in the Philippines, 2016.
    2016: Another shocker… going global! Philippines Conferences in Manila and Baguio.
  • Youth and parent conference in Singapore, 2016.
    2016: Asia here we come! Youth and Parent Conference in Singapore!
  • Michele teaching her first university course, 2018.
    2018: Teaching my first University course.
  • The Birth of Explicit Movement and its 21-Day Journal, 2018.
    2018: Published The Birth of Explicit Movement: Discover Keys to Fulfilling Your Purpose and the Explicit Movement 21-Day Journal.
  • The first California youth and parent conference, 2018.
    2018: Hello SoCal! The first California Youth and Parent Conference.
  • Flyer for the Kingdom Kids Workshops led by Michele Okimura.
    2019: Began launching equipping events for parents, teachers, and leaders in raising healthy and flourishing children and youth!
  • The ReThink Creativity logo.
    MY GREAT JOY! Online Creativity Conferences in 2020 and 2021, hosting global speakers!
  • The Brave & Beautiful curriculum, published 2022.
    2022: Published the Brave & Beautiful Curriculum. Empowering teen girls and women with confidence, purpose, and tools to protect themselves from exploitation.
  • Michele receiving the Outstanding Advocate award, 2023.
    2023: SURPRISE!! Our nonprofit was honored with the Hawaiʻi State’s 2023 Outstanding Advocate for Children and Youth Award by the Governor and the City Mayor. So humbled. I didn’t even know we were nominated!
  • Releasing Generations tenth anniversary, 2023.
    2023: Happy 10th Birthday to our non-profit organization Releasing Generations. Overwhelmed with gratitude for the journey.
  • The Dream Big Journals curriculum, 2023 to 2025.
    2023-2025: Published the Dream Big Journals curriculum. Versions created for Preschoolers through adults.

The work Michele leads

  • Releasing Generations
  • Explicit Movement
  • The Brave Series
  • ReThink Creativity

Honors and recognition

  • Outstanding Advocate for Children and Youth of Hawai‘i, 2023

    Hawai‘i Children and Youth Day, presented by Governor Josh Green and Mayor Rick Blangiardi

    Releasing Generations, led by Michele Okimura

Roles and work

  • Founder and Executive Director of Releasing Generations, which includes three facets:
    • Explicit Movement
    • Kingdom Families
    • ReThink Creativity
  • Author of:
    • Dancing with Father
    • The Birth of Explicit Movement: Discover Keys to Fulfilling Your Purpose
    • The Raising Kingdom Kids curriculum
    • The Dream Big Journals Curriculum
    • Brave Purpose (forthcoming)
    • Brave Purpose with God (forthcoming)
  • Chief Editor and Chief Creative Director of the Brave Series Curriculum and The Explicit Movement 21-Day Interactive Journal
  • Part-time pastor at Lifespring Church, Honolulu
  • 14 years as an elementary public school teacher in Hawaiʻi and California

Let’s work together.

Whether it is coaching through the Brave Purpose Author Method or a speaking date, join the waitlist and Michele will reach out personally.

Based in
Honolulu, HI