Celeste A. Connors, who was raised in Hawai‘i, is a recognized international leader with more than 25 years of risk management and national security experience. As a former Director on the National Security Council and the National Economic Council under both Republican and Democratic administrations, Celeste chaired complex interagency processes and advised White House leaders on energy, trade, environment, and technology strategies. She previously gained extensive foreign policy experience while serving as a US diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, Germany, and the US Mission to the United Nations, and as Foreign Policy Adviser to the Mayor of New York City. 

In recent years, Celeste led the internationally recognized center of excellence Hawai‘i Green Growth focused on economic development. She served as Co-Chair of the Local2030 Islands Network, a group of 45 island economies working to build community resilience. 

Celeste has an extensive background in corporate and nonprofit governance, including serving on the boards of Hawaiian Electric Industries, the state’s primary electricity provider, and the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau. She served as faculty lecturer and practitioner with the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where she led a practicum program focused on risk management. 

Celeste holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and an undergraduate degree in International Relations from Tufts University. Her husband Paul is a former diplomat and teacher, and they have a son and daughter in their teens.