Carla Kuaiwa has been married for 22 years and has two children in college attending Texas A&M in College Station. She owns a Consulting Firm, Cross OD Consulting, LLC, providing services in HR Compliance, Leadership Development, and Talent Acquisition. She focuses on small to medium size businesses, serving as a dedicated contractual HR Department. Her career in Houston began with Memorial Hermann Health System in 2003 after leaving the United States Air Force after serving for 13 years.
At Memorial Hermann, Kuaiwa was first hired as an Internal Consultant, focusing on leadership and employee effectiveness. She then served as a Regional Human Resources Director for four years. After that, she moved into Business Development as a Service Line Administrator for Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, In-Patient Rehabilitation, and Asian Services. Finally, Kuaiwa served as the Director of Community Relations, Community Benefits, and Volunteer Services. She was responsible for educating the community on the healthcare impact of having another Level II trauma-designated hospital in Houston. She partnered with different organizations and employers to educate and share resources on how to manage community and employee health, emphasizing the importance of prevention and early detection of chronic diseases. Kuaiwa also worked with a team that led the hospital’s community outreach programs, such as school drive and blood drive. She managed over 300 adult and student volunteers, ensuring patients and guests of the hospital feel welcomed.
Prior to Memorial Hermann, Kuaiwa served in the United States Air Force in Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. She now serves as the liaison to the Texas National Guard Family Support Foundation – an organization that takes active steps to build family resilience to strengthen military families and provides medical and financial assistance to military members their family members during times of crisis.
She is a Board Member of the Asian Chamber of Commerce, which fosters economic development in the Houston Asian-American communities and promotes trade between Houston and Asian countries. She is an advisor to SoleAna Stables Board of Directors, providing Therapeutic Riding to individuals with Special Needs, such as Autism, Down Syndrome, and PTSD, and raising capital funds to continually expand its capacity. She is a member of the Royal Oaks Lions Club, Houston Metropolitan Chamber, Asian Pacific American Heritage Association, and Southwest Management District- Economic Development Committee. Kuaiwa is a volunteer with Women’s Voice for Better America, providing education and resources to empower women, particularly those within the ethnic minorities, in civic engagement, health management, and career management. Recently, Kuaiwa was named as One of the 50 Most Influential Women of 2016 by Houston Woman Magazine.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and a Master’s Degree in Organization Development and Human Resources.
Carla Kuaiwa
Owner/ Managing Director
Cross OD Consulting, LLC
Ph. 713.550.0881
