Kina B. Peter sees work-life balance as a worthy goal

Kina B. Peter is Triple J Enterprises Saipan’s corporate controller. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

A fact of modern life is that finding work-life balance these days is now more of an aspiration rather than the norm. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, though, many of us are consciously making the choice to pursue and achieve this state of equilibrium.

Kina B. Peter, Triple J Enterprises Saipan’s corporate controller, shares that being transparent and realistic of her priorities as a mother and as an employee had helped her hit this elusive work-life balance.

“When I needed to take time off in the middle of the day to tend to my kids’ school events or award ceremonies, I did that. It meant that I needed to shift my work schedule to ensure that my tasks were completed. It also meant that I needed to be open and honest with my team and leaders at work about my schedule and deadlines.”

In return, Peter makes sure she lives up to her work commitments to ensure she completes her tasks. “When I am committed to tasks, you can expect that I will follow through.”

Having a strong support system both at home and at work also allowed her to overcome the challenges of making it in the corporate world. “I had a support system at home as well as having a good working relationship with my team. Both are critical for success.”

Peter believes it is critical to have a strong family support in order for women to achieve success in their chosen careers. “Women in most cases are made to feel obligated to maintain a stable household in order to have a family and a successful career path. I see it as having a household where you have partner (my husband) that supports my growth and development all around—at home and with my career.”

By clearly defining the goals she has set for both her career and personal life, Peter is able to successfully fulfill her role as a mother and as a corporate executive. “Growing and developing my accounting and finance career to get to where I am today resulted from learning to create a work-life balance that allowed me to be the wife and super mom I wanted to be while managing to achieve my career goals and aspirations.”

In her present capacity as corporate controller in one of the biggest family-owned businesses in Micronesia, Peter plays a key role in Triple J’s executive team, overseeing the company’s accounting and financial reporting functions. Aside from the fulfillment she gets in being part of a progressive company known for its integrity and operational excellence, Peter is excited to meet the challenges her new corporate role will bring.

A certified public accountant, Peter was part of corporate America where she spent over 20 years gaining in-depth global accounting and finance experience in the aviation and aerospace industry. Peter became the CNMI’s first female Public Auditor in December 2020, a post she took after she and her husband decided to move their family back to Saipan after spending two decades living overseas. Peter is known among her peers and close friends for being passionate about her job and as one who works hard to complete her projects. When not at work, Peter can be found in the kitchen baking goodies, a hobby that she picked up from her mom.

An alumna of the University of Portland’s Pamplin School of Business, Peter was influenced by both of her grandparents as well as her father to study business. “I grew up at the family farm in Marpi and As Teo, so naturally I was motivated to major in business.” She veered into accounting via the influence one of her college professors, who motivated his business students to get an accounting degree and sit for the CPA exam, which is what she did.

Peter’s career in accounting has opened doors of opportunities that paved the way for both her professional and personal growth. “Aside from the ‘bean counter’ stereotype and the fact that I consider myself an introvert, my accounting career got me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to accept corporate assignments that required me to be more outspoken and lead organizations supporting key executives.”

Peter credits her parents for the professional successes and the career opportunities she continues to enjoy. “My grandparents and parents were intentional in ensuring I pursue higher education studies. They made a commitment that I am afforded this opportunity. It did not matter what field of study I took on. What mattered was I pursued higher education.” This experience has taught Peter the meaning behind the expression “Seize the day. “This experience really allowed me to see that, when we are given an opportunity, grab it and make the most of it because not everyone is fortunate enough to be given the opportunity.”

Born and raised on Saipan, Peter is the eldest among the three children of the late Juan Santos Borja and Nikki Boki Babauta. Married to former House of Representatives member Mario T. Peter, they have two children, Kayannie and Maili, who are a senior and sophomore high school students, respectively. Completing their family are two special fur babies, Azuki and Otto.

Peter and her husband decided to relocate back to Saipan in the summer of 2020 to weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Not wanting to return to the U.S. mainland, Kayannie and Maili convinced their parents to allow them to stay and continue their studies on Saipan. “Their persistence made me feel that they also deserve the opportunity of growing up around family and learning our culture,” said Peter.

For those who want to succeed in whatever endeavor they want to undertake, Peter has these nuggets of wisdom: “You can do what you want and get to where you want to be with hard work and perseverance. …Short-term sacrifices are really long-term gains—put that into perspective. …You are never too young to start and never too old to pursue your passion. Find what you enjoy doing and work hard to become better at it each day—find your purpose!”