Papa Ola Lōkahi works with the five Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems that serve seven islands.  On Maui, Hui No Ke Ola Pono has offices in Wailuku and Hāna.  Meet the Hui’s executive director, Joseph Gonsalves, Jr.

Gonsalves has been at the helm of Hui No Ke Ola Pono since 2012, but he has worked in a variety of positions since he first joined the organization in 1993.

“Joey” was born and raised on Maui , graduating from St. Anthony Jr.-Sr. High School in 1985.  He received a B.A. from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and is trained as a social worker.  Joey resides on the slopes of Haleakalā with his lovely wife Colleen and two children, La‘akea and Kala‘i.  This past February, the family was blessed with a grandchild, Lawai‘a. 

Joey continues to be passionate and committed to improving Hawaiian health and well-being on Maui.  His work in the non-profit sector and life, in general, is driven by a simple motto, Live Aloha.

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In this series, executive director Sheri Daniels celebrates someone special in the Papa Ola Lōkahi ‘ohana each Monday.

Meet Donna-Marie Palakiko! 

Donna is honored to be part of the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) ‘ohana.  Joining the scholarship program in September has been an easy transition, as she is an alumna of the program, and member of the advisory board.  She fulfilled her service obligation at the O‘ahu-based Native Hawaiian Health Care System Ke Ola Mamo, and continued to provide leadership there.  Donna has more than 15 years of Native Hawaiian community-based program management and research experience.

After a long academic journey, Donna recently received her PhD in Nursing from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her dissertation was on Native Hawaiian Caregivers' Cultural Perspective of Pediatric Asthma Management.

Donna's collective experiences motivate her to provide peer support to Native Hawaiian students, which she is able to do at NHHSP Operations Coordinator.  Outside of the office, she is an active member of St. Augustine by the Sea Parish, a student of Halau Hula ‘O Maiki, and member of ‘Ahahui Ka‘iulani. In her free time, Donna travels, of course, because life is meant to be adventures filled with experiences!

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MEET-UP MONDAYS

In this new series, executive director Sheri Daniels celebrates someone special in the Papa Ola Lōkahi ‘ohana each Monday.

Meet ‘Alohi Bikle! 

‘Alohi feels blessed to have been born and raised in what she considers to be two of Hawaiʻi’s greatest moku: Hilo and Ko‘olauloa. These two communities have instilled, for her, the values she continues to live by today. A proud graduate of Kahuku High School, ‘Alohi joined Papa Ola Lōkahi by way of Washington, D.C., having recently served as a Legislative Fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono. ‘Alohi’s stint on Capitol Hill, coupled with her background in journalism and mass-communication, has deepened her drive to improve the quality of life for Native Hawaiians and their families. Outside of her role as POL’s Policy and Compliance Coordinator, you will most likely find ʻAlohi tending to her backyard in Ka‘a‘awa, visiting ‘ohana on Hawai‘i Island, and or in the kitchen conquering another recipe.

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