For the 2026-27 Kiwanis International president, service and leadership are a lifelong journey. 

By Tony Knoderer

As a leader, Hope Markes has always hit the ground running. Consider her introduction to Kiwanis. When she became a Kiwanian in 1999, she joined as the president-elect of a charter Kiwanis club.  

Markes is still a member of that club — the Hopewell Kiwanis Club in Hanover, Jamaica. And now, 27 years later, she’s starting her term as Kiwanis International’s president. It might be an exaggeration to call it all destiny, but one thing is true: Markes’s leadership qualities have been apparent to people throughout her life. 

“I remember seeing a report card that my mother kept for many years,” she says. “I was 12 when the teacher wrote on it, ‘Hope is a born leader.’ So I think there’s something there — and I try to enhance it with the opportunities I take and the choices I make.” 

When her Kiwanis opportunity came along, it was presented by Milton Berry, whom she had worked with — and who recognized her potential for helping the club gain prominence in the community.  

Or as Markes puts it, laughing: “He thought I could help round up a few people.” 

That’s a humble way of describing it, but recruitment is always a serious matter. And since the Kiwanis Club of Hopewell was just the second in Hanover’s history, the organization itself required some explanation around town. That was true for Markes as well. Fortunately, the concept of service and community engagement was immediately appealing to her. 

“And it involved children,” she says. “That’s spot-on with me.” 

A fantastic childhood
For Markes, service to children has been an interest even since her own childhood. In fact, family support throughout her youth showed her how important stability can be for kids. 

“I had a fantastic childhood,” she says. “I think that has helped me understand child development. (Markes and her siblings) were nurtured and loved by our parents, but also by their siblings. They all believed in putting children first.” 

As Markes grew toward adulthood, that example remained a powerful part of her life. She has a background in early childhood education, but encouragement inside the home also provided a lasting influence.  

“My mother prompted me a lot because she saw that I had a thing for working with young children,” Markes says. “She told me, ‘Listen, I think this is what you want to be doing.’” 

Through Kiwanis membership, she’s been doing it. Markes went into the tourism and hospitality industry professionally — she is the owner of Hope Markes Villas, a resort-property management firm — but Kiwanis membership has given her ample opportunities to fulfill her life with service. 

“The doors to work with youth and children have been opened so many times, I don’t miss the fact that I didn’t go into the classroom,” she says. “I enjoyed the resort industry, and I realized I was good at managing people. I met a number of people who had resort homes and needed a sound understanding of our culture. And I found I somehow had a gift for that.” 

In fact, Markes adds, that gift has also been useful as a Kiwanis member. 

“I’m so pleased when somebody asks, ‘Where’s Jamaica?’” she says. “I like to get out a map and show them. I have a lot of fun talking about our culture.” 

Confidence and diligence
As a member of an international organization, Markes has found that kind of fellowship to be an incentive for seeking leadership positions beyond her club.  

“Meeting people from all over the world, learning about different cultures — it’s been very encouraging for me,” she says. “Kiwanis has brought value to my life, and I’m sure it has brought a lot of value to others. That has inspired me to continue on the path I’m on.” 

Part of that value has come from mentors and supporters, such as Milton Berry, who had recruited her, and Joe Williams, the lieutenant governor of the Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District at the time she joined Kiwanis. In fact, she followed them as lieutenant governor and eventually ran for governor. As usual, she moved forward with a mix of confidence and diligence.  

“I read all the things you have to do, all the duties, and I figured — yeah, I think I can do this,” Markes says. “I kept getting encouraged by people who had faith in my ability.” 

That combination of support and determination is a hallmark of her leadership style, but it has also helped her feel ready for each succeeding opportunity when it comes.  

After becoming governor, she says, “I didn’t think of anything else (regarding leadership positions). But then a few years later, you look at all you’ve accomplished, and you get encouraged, you get inspired. You still have reservations, still wonder if you’re doing the right thing — sometimes you get pensive. But you persevere.” 

That perseverance has been an advantage for Markes and her fellow Kiwanians from the start. During her presidency in the early years of the Hopewell club, a local retiree donated property to be turned into a playground. It was located between two resort properties, Markes says, and even with their permission, the club needed financial help to complete the project.  

One resource was the Kiwanis Children’s Fund — then called the Kiwanis International Foundation — which eventually awarded the club a grant.  

(“After three attempts,” Markes says with a laugh. “But we got it.”) Ultimately, the playground was a four-year project. Markes says it was worth the time and effort, both for the kids who got a place to play and for her own belief in the impact of Kiwanis.  

“We weren’t a very affluent club,” she says. “It took a lot of perseverance, a lot of asking. But after that I was like, that’s it, I’m sold.” 

Learning as she goes
The rewards of patience and work are some of the great benefits of membership for Markes. Looking back on her progress through various leadership positions, she’s proud that every election was contested along the way. Win or lose, she says, making your case to fellow members will strengthen you. 

“I don’t have a ‘losing’ personality,” Markes adds. “If I lose, I just lost an election. I don’t lose who Hope is.” 

That sense of self has served as a strong base for the addition of knowledge. For example, her leadership roles have given her a fuller understanding of how important certain initiatives and programs are to Kiwanis International’s future. 

“I didn’t come into the organization thinking how important growth was,” Markes says. “I learned it as I went along. Our work is second to none worldwide, and if we don’t grow, our legacy will just die away. And for me that would be a very sad day — if all that we do in the world to make a difference just dies.”  

That’s why growth is among her goals as president, along with support for Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs (SLPs) and the Children’s Fund.  

But those goals, collectively, are a result of her accumulation of knowledge and her desire to help. That’s what led her to run for the Kiwanis International Board in 2022 — and eventually for president. 

“I knew I didn’t know everything,” Markes says, “but I thought I was qualified enough to listen and learn. I always said to myself that if I didn’t really know what’s happening at that (international) level, it’s not fair to complain. I tend to be a solutions person. Tell it to me once and I’ll try to fix it.” 

History and character
Markes may be focused on solutions and progress, but she’s aware of the pride her election has given others. She is the first woman of color and the first Caribbean national to become Kiwanis International president — and the excitement of her fellow Jamaicans has been particularly touching.  

For example, Markes is a justice of the peace in Jamaica, and she was “bowled over” by a letter from Lennox Wayne Anderson-Jackson, the custos rotulorum (principal justice of the peace) in the Parish of Hanover. 

“Your elevation to this prestigious international leadership role not only brings honour to the Kiwanis family,” Anderson-Jackson wrote, “but also serves as a source of immense pride for Jamaica and the Parish of Hanover. Your election to this distinguished office reflects the confidence that members have placed in your vision, integrity and exceptional ability to inspire positive change across communities.” 

For Markes, the emphasis on matters of character was especially notable — and not just for herself. She considers it a key part of why people join Kiwanis. 

“I’ve come to realize that one of the main reasons people gravitate towards us is that our thing is serving the children of the world,” Markes says. “When they ask what we do and you tell them, they buy into that very quickly.” 

As Kiwanis International’s president, Markes sees the importance of service at the club level as clearly as ever. No matter where in the world a club is located, its life-changing potential — for kids and for those who serve them — is a unifying truth. 

“We’re all under one umbrella,” she says. “Whatever regions we’re from, we’re all under the Kiwanis umbrella.” 

A letter of recommendation leads to a lifetime of service — and a lifelong friendship.

By Dan L. Connolly, past governor of the Kiwanis California-Nevada-Hawaii District 

Nearly 50 years ago, an educator took the time to believe in a student who was trying to determine where he belonged. I was that student — and that educator’s simple act changed the direction of my life. 

I first met Robert “Bob” Jolley during the summer of 1976. Before beginning my freshman year at Andrew P. Hill High School in San Jose, California, U.S., Jolley was the school’s assistant principal of student activities. (We are pictured above in 2000, during the 20th anniversary reunion of my graduating class.) At the time, I could not have imagined that he would become my mentor, lifelong friend, fellow Kiwanian and ultimately the best man at my wedding. 

Looking back, I realize that opportunity began with something very simple: an educator who believed in a student and took the time to write a letter of recommendation. 

Starting service
During my years at Andrew Hill High School, I became involved in Key Club, student government, the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, Civil Air Patrol and numerous student activities. Jolley’s office often felt like a second classroom. Through rallies, assemblies, athletics, leadership conferences, orientation programs and countless other activities, he taught leadership, responsibility, teamwork, service and accountability in ways no textbook could. 

In my freshman year, I entered a national competition that recognized young people for leadership, community service, school involvement and character. Assistant Principal Jolley graciously wrote one of my letters of recommendation, and I was selected as a winner of Parade Magazine’s Young Columbus Contest.  

As part of the program, I participated in The Iberian Experience, an educational and cultural journey through Spain and Portugal. It was my first trip outside the United States. For a young man from East Side San Jose, it was life-changing. The experience expanded my horizons, introduced me to a larger worldand showed me possibilities I had never imagined.  

Keeping a community
Near the end of my sophomore year, my parents informed me that they would be moving to Sonora, California. 

The news was devastating. 

My family did not have much money when I was growing up, and we moved frequently. I never stayed anywhere long enough to feel fully connected. But Andrew Hill High School was different. It became the first place where I established roots, built genuine friendships, discovered leadership opportunities and felt part of something bigger than myself. 

Jolley understood. Through conversations with my parents, my aunt in San Jose and school district leaders, he helped make it possible for me to remain in San Jose and complete my education at Andrew Hill. I worked, paid rent, lived with family and stayed. 

Jolley was not simply helping a student stay at a school. He was helping a young man remain connected to the first community where he truly felt he belonged. 

Because I stayed, I continued my involvement in student leadership and eventually had the honor of serving as student body president during my senior year. Equally important, Jolley continued to guide and encourage me — and occasionally remind me that leadership and good judgment are not always the same thing. 

Lifelong inspiration
Jolley’s influence didn’t end at graduation. When I later attended the University of Idaho in the U.S., I remained active in Civil Air Patrol and became involved in Circle K International (CKI). I eventually had the privilege of serving as president of the CKI Club at the University of Idaho. 

Looking back now, I can see a clear path. 

The leadership opportunities Bob encouraged in high school led to Key Club, which was followed by CKI in college. They continued through Civil Air Patrol service and eventually developed into decades of Kiwanis involvement and community leadership. Each experience built upon the previous one.  

The common thread was not a particular title or position; the common thread was service. 

Jolley taught that leadership was not measured by recognition or office held. Leadership was measured by the willingness to help others, create opportunities and invest in people. 

Our relationship continued long after high school. Jolley became a mentor, advisor, friend and fellow Kiwanian — and eventually the best man at my wedding. By the time Jolley stood beside me at my wedding, he had become far more than a mentor. He had become part of my family. 

Years later, after his passing, I had the privilege of officiating his celebration of life. 

A Kiwanian’s legacy
Jolley’s own commitment to Kiwanis service was extraordinary. He rose through the organization to become a Kiwanis International vice president (1998-99) and touched countless lives through his leadership, mentorship and example. 

In many ways, I spent much of my life following the path he helped illuminate. 

Recently, I was honored to be selected for induction into the Thomas P. Ryan Hall of Fame of the East Side Union High School District. The recognition caused me to reflect not only on the opportunities I had received, but the people who made those opportunities possible. Foremost among them was Robert Jolley. 

The true measure of our lives is not found in titles, awards or accomplishments. It is found in the lives we touch, the communities we serve and the opportunities we create for others.  

Educators and mentors often plant seeds whose flowers they may never see. Jolley planted those seeds through encouragement, trust, responsibility, friendship and service. Those seeds grew into a lifetime of leadership, volunteerism, community involvement and a commitment to helping others. From Key Club at Andrew P. Hill High School to Civil Air Patrol to serving as president of the CKI Club at the University of Idaho, and eventually through decades of Kiwanis service, the lessons he taught continued to guide my path. 

No matter where life takes us, a part of us remains that young person trying to find a place in the world. I found that place because Robert “Bob” Jolley believed in me. Nearly 50 years later, I remain profoundly grateful.