Cheryl Soon

Cheryl D. Soon, Ph.D, FAICP

As an author, Cheryl takes a unique and well-researched approach to tell history, from which the reader can gain rare historical insights, a greater sense of place, and appreciation for our island communities.

Cheryl’s professional experiences for Hawaiʻi’s public agencies have helped shape the character and quality of the Islands. She was Director of the Department of Transportation Services for the City & County of Honolulu, Chief Planning Officer for the City & County of Honolulu, Deputy Director for Highways, State of Hawaiʻi, Department of Transportation, and Executive Director of the Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Within the private sector, Cheryl has held senior management positions with significant Island planning firms. Her work as a project manager in charge has won several awards, and she is distinguished as a Fellow in the American Institute of Certified Planners, the highest honor available for a professional planner.

In addition to the joy of making a difference through city planning, she loves to travel, read, and spend time with her ʻOhana.

Reflections In Stone and Bronze

Available at Mutual Publishing

Available at Amazon: Best Seller

Statues are very much in the news at present, center of a national debate over who gets honored and what that says about our society. Reflections in Stone and Bronze looks through the lens of Hawaiʻi’s statues to explore sixty historical figures, their ties to Hawaiʻi’s history and culture, as well as to consider how their values and accomplishments are memorialized. 

ENDORSEMENTS

“A growing number of travelers from around the world come to Hawaii in search of new knowledge and experiences that are authentic and meaningful. In Reflections in Bronze and Stone each statue that is depicted serves as a unique portal into Hawai‘i’s history and traditions. The author has found and elevated the voices of these ‘silent storytellers’ from which the reader can gain rare historical insights and a greater sense of place and appreciation for our island communities.”

– John De Fries, President and CEO, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority

“Reflections in Stone and Bronze can serve as a field guide to visit and revisit old friends (or rivals) and new acquaintances embodied in these depictions. The statues offer a path for the curious who want to learn more about Hawaii’s heritage and sometimes forgotten aspects of its history. The statues encourage thoughtful contemplation, with stories that offer inspiration and encouragement, and also stories of sadness, disappointment and loss.”

– Kiersten Faulkner, Executive Director, Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation