Having a passion for people and helping them find their calling is what Melody Fukushima calls, “Aces in their Places.” With nearly 20 years of human resources management experience, Melody brings an enthusiasm for executive search and placement to the team. She has extensive HR generalist experience at firms of all sizes, both locally and nationally. Her core expertise includes employee relations, on-boarding/recruiting, benefits management, payroll/HRIS, project management and coaching & development. Additionally, Melody is a trained analyst in the use of the Predictive Index (PI) System, which is a science-based assessment tool that provides managers with accurate, actionable data quantifying the drive of employees.

Prior to joining Inkinen, Melody held the position of executive team leader of team relations for Target Corporation in Boulder, Colorado. She was also the director of human resources for TeamPraxis, LLC and most recently, the director of human resources at Roberts Hawaii Inc. Melody earned a BA in business administration from the University of Northern Colorado with an emphasis in sales & marketing and speech communication. She is also a member of the Society of Human Resources. In her free time, Melody enjoys volunteering with her children’s school and sports teams, is active with the PFA and enjoys traveling.

(808) 380-2480 | mfukushima@inkinen.com

I-man Uyeda is an experienced talent acquisition consultant with more than a decade of corporate recruitment and agency experience. She has worked for notable global brands, including Hilton, KPMG, and Goodwill Industries. I-man is accustomed to being a part of high-performing teams and delivering stellar results for her clients. She has worked with small, mid-size, and enterprise companies — including nonprofit organizations — and brings a passion for client service as well as a unique ability to identify A-player talent. I-man hails from the Pacific Northwest and is an alumna of the University of Washington; she graduated with a BA in Communications and a minor in American Ethnic Studies.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, she is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and has lived in Thailand while working for an international NGO doing humanitarian and development work. I-man spends her free time on foodie date nights with her husband, playing the piano and board games with their two daughters, and snuggling with their fur babies. During football season, she is busy cheering on the Seattle Seahawks.

(808) 380-4177 | iuyeda@inkinen.com

Taylor Barnett brings over 8 years of combined prospect research and sourcing experience, driven by her passion for helping local companies and candidates succeed. After college, she worked in her university’s advancement and development office, focusing on prospect research. Prior to joining Inkinen, Taylor was with a local HR outsourcing firm, where she discovered her dedication to supporting both employees and organizational leaders in achieving professional success in Hawaii.

 With a background in BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) organizations, Taylor understands the value of outsourcing and leveraging professional services to allow organizations to focus on their core missions. She partners with clients to source and cultivate diverse pools of candidates across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, with a special emphasis on finding Hawaii talent on the mainland and bringing them home.

 Outside of work, Taylor enjoys spending quality time with her family, attending live music events, and traveling.

Connecting people is Cheryl Cross’s passion. With 20 years as a key talent acquisition partner, she has successfully placed management, director, and C-suite roles across various industries, including energy, finance, healthcare, and the military, for organizations ranging from Fortune 50 companies to start-ups and nonprofits.

Cheryl began her career after graduating from the National School of Broadcasting in Las Vegas, working as a radio broadcaster and music director. She then moved to Los Angeles, doing radio promotion at Geffen Records and later led media relations for Mesa/BlueMoon Recordings. With the advent of new technology, Cheryl transitioned into competitive intelligence research and served as a business analyst in financial services. In 2002, she joined CRI (now Manpower) as a researcher, leveraging her competitive intelligence expertise. She quickly advanced to the executive team, placing C-suite executives for Fortune 10 clients such as General Electric and KB Home. In 2005, she founded her own communications and recruitment outsourcing company, serving a diverse range of businesses in California.

Cheryl is actively involved in the community, serving on the executive board of the Hawaii Workforce Development Council and as co-chair of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. She is also a past president of the Organization of Women Leaders Oahu and lectures at the Shidler School of Business at the University of Hawaii. In 2023, Cheryl authored “CIVILIAN MISSION: The 3-Year Guide for Military Professionals Planning Civilian Careers” and hosts the “Military to Civilian Career Transition Power Hour” podcast. In her free time, she enjoys writing, spending time with her family, and island-hopping to discover the best Hawaiian beaches for fishing and snorkeling.

(808) 380-5445 | ccross@inkinen.com