Janet Liang, president of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, has been named by Working Mother magazine as one of its 30 "Working Mothers of the Year."

Liang, the mother of daughters ages 7 and 5, is the only honoree from Hawai'i. This award is presented annually to extraordinary moms who balance career, motherhood and self-development with grace and determination.

This year's winners include a teacher, several high-powered executives, human-resource and information-technology professionals, a scientist, a banker, a psychologist and even first lady Michelle Obama.

Liang became president of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii in 2007 and has helped in process-improvement efforts and clinical advancements. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Liang had a 14-year career with Group Health Cooperative, a Seattle-based health maintenance organization.

Liang is a member of the Hawaii Business Roundtable, Healthcare Executive Study Society, Presidents Organization — Hawaii Chapter, board director for Kaiser Permanente Insurance Co. Inc., and trustee on the Le Jardin Academy board of trustees, where her daughters attend school.

Liang graduated cum laude from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in political science. She earned her master's degree in health administration from the University of Washington.

Working Mothers of the Year were nominated by their spouses, employers, children and friends, and selected by the Working Mother editorial team.