As the Executive Director of the Doris Duke Foundation’s Shangri La, Ben Weitz is dedicated to positioning the global center as a dynamic space for art, culture, and ideas, helping to redefine how the world views Hawai‘i. Weitz received an MA in Communicology (Speech) from UH-Mānoa in 2003 and credits his time in the program for his professional journey and personal leadership approach.
Weitz came to UH-Mānoa after earning a BA in communication studies (2000) from the University of California, Los Angeles, and beginning his career in music marketing at Universal Music Group (UMG). As a graduate student, Weitz carved a unique path, continuing to work with UMG as its first college and lifestyle marketing representative in Hawai‘i while engaging on campus with teaching and research. He taught public speaking, communication theory, and writing. Interactions in the classroom deepened his appreciation for Hawaiian cultural norms and practices, including “other-oriented” communication, which centers the needs and perspectives of others, and “talking story,” taking time to share experiences as a meaningful act of relationship-building.
Weitz also connected with local community partners through work with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health on Ka Leo O Nā Keiki, a statewide report on student substance use trends and treatment and prevention needs. His interest in data-driven and applied work informed his master’s thesis, which drew from the function impact model to develop an assessment tool for business meeting effectiveness. This led to a consultation project that informed organizational leadership assessment at UMG.
Since graduating from UH-Mānoa, Weitz has held several leadership positions, including global roles at Disney in marketing and consumer product strategy, and serving as the inaugural Chief Brand Officer at UCLA. In 2023, Weitz returned to Oʻahu with his husband and twin boys (now 10) to join the Doris Duke Foundation as the Executive Director of Shangri La. In this role, he manages the philanthropist’s former home that houses a diverse collection of 4,500 objects of Islamic art and serves as a center of cultures and ideas. A key focus of Weitz’s tenure has been grounding the center’s global relevance in deep local community engagement. He describes this approach as a “tripod” built on three pillars: the historical collection, the beauty of campus on Kāhala’s Black Point known as Kūpikipikiʻō, and a deep respect for and integration of Hawaiian culture.
Shangri La, under Weitz’s direction, has implemented several cultural initiatives, including hiring a kumu (Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner), implementing a cultural learning program for staff, introducing an ‘oli (chant) to welcome guests, and grounding the museum experience in mo‘olelo (storytelling of the place). The center also supports local community initiatives, from offering mālama events to support wellness for local educators to hosting globally relevant gatherings such as senior level diplomatic dialogues. A recent convening included five heads of state across the Indo-Pacific region with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State.
As a steward of a space that bridges learning, storytelling, and dialogue, Weitz emphasizes audience-centered messaging and prioritizes rapport-building through authentic relational practices, such as “talking story.” Weitz is deeply appreciative of his time at UH-Mānoa, noting how his communication training continues to guide his leadership over two decades later.