Full Conference Agenda

Read the Full Schedule and Meet the Speakers

Exhibitors Area Open

Registration

7:30 - 8:30 AM

Coffee / Tea / Pastries

Pule / Welcome / Kick off

8:30 - 9:00 AM

Randy Kurohara

Lani Weigert

Mayor Mitch Roth

  • Lani is the Engagement Marketing Manager for Hawaiʻi Care Choices in Hilo. Lani is responsible for educating healthcare providers, medical staff, patients, and families on the multiple services offered by Hawaiʻi Care Choices. In this role, she educates through storytelling sharing her own personal experiences, offering an easy-to-understand view of how people can still have a quality life while living with serious illness. Gifted in the art of human compassion and connection, she is able to bring comfort and understanding through her work in the healthcare industry. Lani strives to raise awareness about palliative, hospice, and bereavement care in hopes to provide world-class healthcare choices and solutions for all.

  • Randy is the Executive Director of Community First and is responsible for carrying out our strategic vision and mission. He served for 8 years with Mayor Kenoi in various roles at the County of Hawaiʻi including Director of the Department of Research & Development, Deputy Managing Director, and Managing Director. He is a long-time Hawaiʻi Island small business owner of Creative Arts Hawaii and Aloha Grown. He graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. He is the current President of the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce; member and past President of the Rotary Club of South Hilo; director and past President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaiʻi; board member of the Hawaiʻi Health System Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Board, the Salvation Army, Keahole Center for Sustainability, and emeritus board member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island.

  • Mitchell D. Roth was elected Mayor of Hawaiʻi County in 2020 with a focus on building a sustainable and thriving community for future generations. Since taking office, he has made significant strides in improving infrastructure and expanding housing opportunities. Under his leadership, the county has completely overhauled its building permitting process, drastically reducing wait times and issuing more single-family home permits than any other county in the state. The affordable housing pipeline has also grown substantially, helping to ease the island's housing shortage.  

    Mayor Roth has prioritized public infrastructure improvements, including key upgrades to roads and parks, with plans for further development. He also launched the county’s largest infrastructure project to modernize Hilo's wastewater system, addressing critical environmental concerns and preparing for future growth.  

    Before becoming Mayor, Roth spent 27 years dedicated to the safety and well-being of Hawaiʻi Island residents. As the Prosecuting Attorney of Hawaiʻi County since 2012, he successfully prosecuted cold cases, pioneered one of the first restorative justice programs within a prosecutor's office nationwide, established a specialized sexual assault unit, and initiated community outreach and training efforts. Mayor Roth holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School. He lives in Hilo with his wife, Noriko Yamada Roth, and they have three adult children, all graduates of Waiākea High School.

Highlight state healthcare initiatives and other priorities.

Opening Remarks

9:00 - 9:30 AM

  • Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke is the 16th Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the third woman to hold the office, and the highest-ranking Korean American official in the U.S. 

    Born in Seoul, South Korea, she immigrated to Honolulu at the age of nine with her family. She attended Queen Kaʻahumanu Elementary School, where she learned English with the help of her 5th-grade teacher. She later graduated from Roosevelt High School and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she served as one of the few female presidents of the Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi, marking her introduction to public service. Following her undergraduate degree, she continued her education at the University of San Francisco School of Law.   

    Sylvia was first elected to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 1998, where she served until 2022. During her twenty-four-year tenure in the State House, she had many roles, most notably as Chair of the Finance Committee, where she developed a reputation for bringing transparency and accountability to the state budget for over a decade.  

    Sylvia has long supported gender equity, civil rights, and assistance for seniors and immigrants. As Finance Chair, she played a crucial role in securing essential funding for criminal justice reform for female inmates, tax equity for working families, domestic violence survivor services, and care for the aging population.  

    Throughout her career in public service, Sylvia has been recognized for her advocacy and leadership by many organizations, including Hawaiʻi Women Lawyers, Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Technology Trade Association, Korean American Coalition, AARP Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi, and Humane Society of the United States.  

    Lieutenant Governor Luke is leading Ready Keiki, the state’s plan to provide universal access to preschool, ensuring all Hawaiʻi children are ready for kindergarten and their futures while creating economic stability for local families. She is also spearheading Connect Kākou, the state’s initiative to expand access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet.    

    Sylvia is a wife, mother, dog mom, and former practicing attorney in Honolulu.

Navigating Our Healthcare Future Together

9:30 - 11:00 AM

Eric Shell’s presentation will take an in-depth look at the healthcare industry as a whole and the struggle facing rural communities. He will speak to strategies that could help us (Hawaiʻi Island) take control of our healthcare future as we navigate the changes facing our nation and state in the coming years.

  • With a dedication to improving rural communities, Eric Shell is an industry leader in supporting healthcare in its transition to population health. For his nearly 30 years in healthcare financial management and consulting, Eric's passion for sustainable and accessible healthcare has driven him to help hundreds of rural and community health systems achieve improved financial and operational performance. As healthcare transitions from fee-for-service reimbursement towards value-based payment, Eric and his team provide vital strategic, financial, and operational improvement services to ensure that community health systems continue to provide local, high-quality, and accessible patient care.

    A noted speaker with a commitment to education, Eric is often featured at conferences nationwide, presenting on the future of healthcare, hospital financial and reimbursement topics, and hospital performance improvement. He has assisted in the development of a national program for rural hospital performance improvement and performance measurement. Further, he helped develop new demonstration payment programs for frontier clinics and hospitals. Eric has served on the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Health Congress and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's Rural Hospital Issues Group.

    Before joining Stroudwater, Eric was the director of finance and administration for Rochester Community Individual Practice Association, Inc., where he provided leadership and financial management to a 2,500-provider community-based IPA. He has also practiced as a CPA at Arthur Andersen & Co. and a local accounting firm.

The AHEAD Grant: Transforming Healthcare in Hawaiʻi for a Sustainable Future

11:00 - 11:45 AM

The new AHEAD grant will boost statewide efforts to enhance primary care access, reduce inequities, improve healthcare outcomes, and maintain affordability. Funded by CMS/CMMI, this 10-year initiative focuses on Medicaid and Medicare modernization and aims for alignment with commercial payers. It brings significant financial resources to Hawaiʻi but will require widespread health sector collaboration to succeed.

  • Jack Lewin was appointed Administrator of the State Health Planning and Development Agency by Governor Josh Green MD in 2023, and is charged with helping him design and implement his “Hawaiʻi the Health State” vision for the future of healthcare here. Lewin is a physician, former Hawaiʻi Director of Health, and in recent years he was CEO of the California Medical Association, CEO of the American College of Cardiology (DC), President/CEO of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (NYC), and advisor to two US Presidents.  

  • Judy Mohr Peterson, PhD, has been the Medicaid Director for Hawaiʻi since 2015, where she has led nationally recognized healthcare system and Medicaid policy innovations. She served as president of the board of the National Association of Medicaid Directors from 2017-2019. She began her career with Oregon's Medicaid program in 1997 and served as Oregon's Medicaid Director from 2009 to 2015. Before working for the Oregon Medicaid program, Dr. Mohr Peterson received her doctoral degree in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Jack Lewin

Judy Mohr Peterson

Exhibitors Area Open

Lunch

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

  • Jill Tokuda represents Hawaiʻi's Second Congressional District which includes suburban and rural parts of Oʻahu, the islands of Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi, Maui, Lanaʻi, Molokaʻi, Niʻihau, Kahoʻolawe, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Elected in November 2022 to serve in the 118th Congress, Tokuda serves on the House Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

    She is a Founding Member and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Rural Health Care Caucus. She has also been selected by her peers to serve as Vice Chair for Communications for the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Freshman Representative for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Region 2 Whip (includes Hawaiʻi, Alaska, Northern California, Guam, American Samoa, and The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

    Jill's family has called Hawaiʻi home for four generations since emigrating from Okinawa, living on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Kauaʻi, and on the Windward side of Oʻahu. A proud product of Hawaiʻi's public schools, she was the first in her family to go to college and attended the George Washington University where she earned a BA in international relations with a minor in Japanese studies.

    From 2006-2018, she represented Kaneohe and Kailua in the Hawaiʻi State Senate. During her tenure, she chaired the Ways and Means, Education and Higher Education, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, and Labor committees. As Ways and Means Chair, Jill balanced the state’s $14 billion budget and approved all fiscal and tax measures at the Hawaiʻi State Legislature. She also championed legislation that established the state's first Executive Office on Early Learning and funded the Hawaiʻi Keiki Program to provide access to health services in public schools.

    During the pandemic, Jill was appointed to the Hawaiʻi House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness where she worked with the state, counties, and nonprofit entities to track the progress of over $21 billion in federal relief that came into Hawaiʻi and provide information and analysis to aid in the distribution and management of these resources.

    Jill is married to Kyle Michibata. They have two sons, Aden and Matt, who attend the same public schools their parents graduated from – King Intermediate and James B. Castle High School.

    U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda is driven by the goal of making sure Hawaiʻi is a place where her sons and all of our children can see a future for themselves in this place we call home.

Breakout Sessions 1-5

1:15 - 2:45 PM

Session 1: Strengthening Hawaiʻi’s Healthcare Workforce

Explore the impact of Good Jobs Hawaiʻi on healthcare training and workforce development on Hawaiʻi Island. Hear from healthcare organizations that have launched successful training programs with Good Jobs Hawaiʻi funding. A panel discussion will follow, focusing on how these initiatives can be sustained and supported by employer partners in the future. Learn how your organization can play a role in building a stronger healthcare workforce.

Marshall Norman

Janna Hoshide

Lindsay Haralu

Jordan Fickess

  • Marshall joined the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi, UHCC team in August 2023 to lead the Resilient Hawaiʻi: Good Jobs Challenge grant, a $16.3 million initiative funded by the Economic Development Administration. His professional practice has focused on linking government, business, education, and nonprofit organizations through innovative programming for social impact and workforce solutions throughout Hawaiʻi; specializing in career technical education.

  • Lindsay is the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi Navigator for Hawaiʻi Island where she supports participants to successfully complete their trainings and secure employment. Lindsay has been with the UH System for 2 years supporting student success, local workforce development, and community resilience. She specializes in the healthcare and skilled trades sectors, and she is located on the Hawaiʻi Community College Manono campus in Hilo.

  • Jordan Fickess joined the Human Resources ʻohana at Hilo Benioff Medical Center and the East Hawaiʻi Region of Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation in February 2022. As Assistant Director of Human Resources, he has undertaken several key initiatives to address hard-to-fill vacancies and enhance the recruitment experience for candidates and hiring managers. Prior to his current role, Jordan previously worked with the nonprofits Common Threads and Johnson & Wales University in Miami in human resources, operations, and marketing communications roles. Hawaiʻi has been his “favorite happy place” since his first visit in 2005 and he is thrilled to live and work on the Big Island. 

  • Janna Hoshide is the AVP of Workforce Development at the Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi (HAH), representing 170 healthcare organizations across the continuum of care.  The workforce development role was created in 2020 as a product of HAH's Healthcare Workforce Initiative, a collaboration of leaders in healthcare, education, and business communities working to meet the workforce needs of healthcare providers.  As the lead of HAH's Workforce Initiative and the Healthcare Sector Partnership Collaborative, she has developed innovative workforce programs for high school students and adults across the state. Janna has more than 19 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including strategic management and execution, human resources, and organizational development. She also has a strong passion for developing Hawaiʻi's healthcare workforce.

Session 2: Bridging the Healthcare Gap Through Telehealth

Join us for an engaging panel discussion focused on efforts to bridge the healthcare gap through telehealth in our community. This session will cover what is currently happening, what’s planned, and the possibilities for future developments. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about ongoing initiatives, share their thoughts, and provide valuable feedback on the various phases of implementation. This is your chance to contribute to the conversation and help shape the future of healthcare in our region.

Sylvia Mann

Christina Higa

Cindy Garza Moore

Cynthia Crabtree

  • Ms. Sylvia Mann is a Co-Director of the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center (PBTRC), one of fourteen Telehealth Resource Centers. Sylvia works collaboratively with PBTRC in conducting joint telehealth training, developing telehealth resources for families and healthcare providers, and providing outreach to various underserved and vulnerable communities. Sylvia is also the Project Director for the Hawaiʻi Department of Health's Library Telehealth Access and Mobile Clinic Vans Projects. The project seeks to use public libraries, telehealth navigators, and mobile clinic vans equipped with telehealth capabilities to increase access to telehealth for underserved families across the state.

  • Christina Higa, PhD, is an Associate Faculty Specialist with the Social Science Research Institute at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Co-Director of the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center (PBTRC), one of fourteen HRSA-funded centers in the U.S. PBTRC provides technical assistance and program support to enhance telehealth services in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Basin. Born and raised on Oʻahu and her parents are from Kekaha, Kauaʻi, her work focuses on leveraging technology to address healthcare disparities in underserved communities across the region.

  • Cynthia Garza Moore is the Telehealth Navigator Coordinator for the Big Island of Hawaiʻi at the Research Corporation of The University of Hawaiʻi (RCUH). She is a nationally awarded STEM educator with her Master’s in Education (MA. Ed) and is certified as a Community Health Worker (CHW). Cynthia is dedicated to expanding telehealth services and digital literacy in underserved communities, making healthcare access easier for all.

  • Cee Cee is a Community Health Worker currently partnered with the Hawaiʻi State Rural Health Association, where she leads the execution of the USDA-Funded REACH (Rural Equity for Advancing Community Health) grant. Based on the East side of the Big Island, she works closely with rural and underserved populations to enhance digital literacy and telehealth access. Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Cee Cee is deeply connected to the local communities she serves. She is passionate about closing the digital divide and expanding access to telehealth across the islands. 

  • Riley is currently with the County of Hawaiʻi, Research and Development Department, as the Energy Specialist and the Deputy Director in the last 6 years. This is his first time in his multi-faceted career working in a public service organization. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi, Manoa with a BA. from the School of Travel Industry Management and from 2004 focused on Hawaiʻi's clean energy future.

  • Victoria Hanes currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center. As COO, Dr. Hanes works with leadership across several divisions of the health center to support the mission of HICHC, “promoting lifelong health and wellness through quality healthcare that is comprehensive, integrated, culturally responsive and accessible to all.” Dr. Hanes started her career as a staff psychologist at the West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center in 2010 and then served as Director of the Behavioral Health department for 4 years before moving into the role of COO. Dr. Hanes received her MA and PsyD degrees in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University Hawaiʻi and an MS in Psychopharmacology from the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo.  She completed internship and post-doctoral fellowships at I Ola Lāhui, Rural Hawaiʻi Behavioral Health Training Program, where she worked in rural communities across Hawaiʻi. 

Riley Saito

Victoria Hanes

Session 3: Key Legislative Priorities to Improve Healthcare in Hawaiʻi

Join us for a panel discussion that delves into the critical legislative priorities necessary to improve healthcare access and delivery in Hawaiʻi. This session will address pressing issues such as the barriers posed by pre-authorizations, the challenges of low Medicare reimbursement rates, and other key policy concerns affecting healthcare providers and patients alike. Experts will share insights on the current legislative landscape, potential reforms, and strategies for advocating change. Engage in this crucial conversation to better understand how we can collectively work towards a more efficient and equitable healthcare system in Hawaiʻi.

Donna Mills

Kenric Murayama

Scott Grosskreutz

Dr. Esther Smith

Senator San Buenaventura

Dr. Kaʻohimanu Dang Akiona

  • Dr. Grosskreutz did his internship at the University of Hawaiʻi, and radiology residency at the Naval Hospital San Diego. He has served as a Commander in the U.S. Navy, Chief of staff at Hilo Medical Center, and President of the Hawaiʻi Radiological Society. As a breast cancer specialist, Honolulu Magazine has named him as one of Hawaiʻi's top doctors for the past decade. He worked on patient access to care challenges for 30 years on Hawaiʻi Island.

  • Dr. Esther Yu Smith has been a primary care physician at Dr. Smith Family Medicine in Kealakekua for the last five years. She is now the founder of Mohala Health, a nonprofit multispecialty group integrating primary care, addiction treatment, pain management, oncology, and psychiatry. A dedicated advocate for healthcare reform, she serves on the boards of the Hawaiʻi Academy of Family Physicians and the Hawaiʻi Provider Shortage Crisis Task Force, focusing on sustainable payment models and prior authorization reform to improve access to care.

  • Senator San Buenaventura was first elected as a Hawaiʻi State Representative in 2014. Then elected to the Hawaiʻi State Senate, District 2 in 2020. She is the Chair of the Senate committee on Health and Human Services. As Chair of Health and Human Services, she oversees state policies that affect healthcare, medicaid, SNAP benefits, homelessness, and other issues that affect families and providers. In 2019 she received the Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi's Legislator of the Year Award. In 2021, she was awarded the Women of Excellence award from the National Foundation for Women Legislators and the Legislative Champions Award from Mental Health America.

    Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura of District 2, Puna is a product of the Hawaiʻi public school system. She attended Lunalilo Elementary School, Washington Intermediate School, and graduated from McKinley High School. She then received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

    Prior to being a legislator, she was honored to have taken three of her clients' cases to the highest court in the State of Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court; and won all three petitions for writ of certiorari. Senator San Buenaventura volunteers her time helping the public's access to the courts through the Judiciary's Self-Help Center.

  • Dr. Okamoto has been in healthcare for over 45 years, practicing medical rehabilitation and carrying out various administrative roles. In 2012, he joined AlohaCare, moving from the provider world to the health plan world but concluding that we're all in the same world that serves members and their communities. He’s a graduate of Roosevelt High School, University of Hawaiʻi, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, and University of Washington School of Public Health.

  • Kā'ohimanu Dang Akiona, MD, is a Native Hawaiian, community-focused, Family Medicine Physician, researcher, mother, and advocate for access to rural healthcare. She owns an independent, integrated medical practice serving rural Hawaiʻi Island and Molokaʻi, providing primary care, occupational health, urgent care, and telehealth & mobile health services. Her team has used innovative but practical approaches to address disparities in and barriers to access to healthcare across the care continuum and in a range of resource settings, with a special focus on marginalized and vulnerable populations. She is a proud mom to her amazing daughter, ʻAuliʻikolomanu.

Dr. Gary Okamoto

Session 4: Re-imagining Mental Health Crisis Care in Hawaiʻi County

Panelists will share insights into the partnerships necessary to support mental health initiatives, including collaboration with community organizations, healthcare providers, and local government, to ensure a comprehensive continuum of care. This session will also address the importance of community engagement and education in reducing stigma and promoting these vital services. Join us to learn how these innovative approaches are re-imagining and transforming mental health crisis care in Hawaiʻi County, ensuring that everyone has Someone to Call, Someone to Respond and Someplace to Go in their time of need.

Timothy Hansen

Dr. Michiko Fried

Dr. Katherine Knezek May

Susan McGovern

  • Tim Hansen is currently an Executive Assistant to Mayor Mitch Roth. In this role, he works to increase mental health services and drug treatment options for our community. Tim also supports peace and conflict resolution efforts on our island. He has worked with and in communities for over 35 years and is an adjunct faculty member at UH-Hilo in the Political Science Department.

  • Dr. Michiko Fried, DNP, APRN-Rx, FNP-BC, is the Director of Health Services for HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, overseeing the innovative integration of comprehensive healthcare into the operations of an organization long-dedicated to housing individuals experiencing homelessness. She is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner whose experience includes Critical Care/ICU nursing, comprehensive chronic disease management, healthcare quality improvement, health equity advocacy, primary care clinic administration, and nursing education. She is often seen with her certified therapy dog Koa Maluhia who is experienced in providing comfort and entertainment to people of all ages, but with a focus on those with cognitive impairment and mental health disorders. She is dedicated to expanding and enriching the healthcare experience in our community by supporting a culture of mutual trust and respect, understanding each person's unique journey, and helping them to achieve their best possible health. 

  • Susan McGovern was born and raised in Honolulu and graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa.  She has been a NAMI volunteer since 2019 and is the Designated Affiliate Leader (DAL) for NAMI Big Island. She is a certified Family Support Group (FSG) facilitator and teaches Family-to-Family (F2F), NAMI's signature 8-week program for family members.  She also gives free Family & Friends presentations (F&F) to the general public. Every October, she coordinates the annual NAMIWalks community event in Hilo. She is also involved in the Big Island Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training. She and her husband Rob have lived in Volcano since 1985. It is an honor to be here with the pillars of our Big Island mental health community. 

  • Dr. Knezek May is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, and Tobacco Treatment Specialist. Dr. Knezek May currently works as the Director of Behavioral Health at Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center (HICHC). In her time at HICHC Dr. Knezek May has worked to expand services for mental health and substance use disorders, both for patients of HICHC as well as in Hawaiʻi County. Dr. Knezek May is originally from the UK and has lived in Hawaiʻi for 14 years.  She completed her undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Science degree in Substance Misuse from the University of Sussex. Dr. Knezek May received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey, UK, where she specialized in substance use disorder. Dr. Knezek May serves on the Board of the Friends of Big Island Drug Court and is passionate about improving outcomes for individuals, families, and communities impacted by mental health and substance use.

  • Rodney has been working in the Behavioral Health for over 25 years. He has experience with National & State non-profit and for-profit social services agencies; as well as having worked in the Adult Mental Health, the University of Hawaiʻi mental health research division, and has extensive clinical experience with Medicaid and Medicare from both a managed care & community provider perspective. He has served on local non-profit boards and is active in National, State, and County initiatives on advancing primary care through behavioral health integration. Rodney is of Pacific Island heritage and he resides in Hilo with his partner of 27 years.

  • Jessica Stevens is from Nanakuli, Oahu and a graduate of the University of Arizona – School of Nursing with a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Systems Leadership. Ms. Stevens has held nurse leader roles at the State of Nevada, Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital, Department of Veteran Affairs – Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, State of Hawaiʻi, DOH, Adult Mental Health Division - Community Mental Health Clinics, and Hilo Benioff Medical Center. On October 7th, 2020, Ms. Stevens was honored and presented with the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses in the care of a patient suffering from severe mental illness.

Rodney Powell

Jessica Stevens

Session 5: The Vital Role of Private Practice Providers in Rural Hawaiʻi

Join us for a moderated discussion on the crucial role of private practice providers in Hawaiʻi Island’s healthcare ecosystem. This session will explore the unique challenges and opportunities faced by these providers in rural areas, including issues related to patient access, financial sustainability, and workforce shortages. We’ll discuss how private practices support the broader healthcare system by delivering essential, personalized care to underserved communities. Attendees will gain insights into the current status of private practices, their impact on community health, and strategies for strengthening this vital sector to ensure a resilient healthcare delivery system in rural Hawaiʻi.

Scott Whiting

Dr. Kevin Kurohara

  • As a former Sharp Healthcare Senior Vice President and CEO of Sharp Rees Stealy Medical Centers, Donna J. Mills led a staff of more than 1,800 employees who were dedicated to supporting the 450 physician multi-specialty medical group practice. Sharp Rees-Stealy is nationally known for superior clinical practices and efficient care delivery models. They care for more than 1 million patients annually at 22 locations throughout San Diego. Sharp Rees-Stealy is part of Sharp HealthCare, San Diego's most comprehensive health-care delivery system with many accolades including being a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige recipient. 

    Prior to joining Sharp Rees-Stealy in 1998, Mills had a successful career in medical group practice leadership and currently draws on those core competencies as a respected healthcare consultant.

  • Dr. Murayama is the Executive Vice President and Chief Health Officer for the Hawaiʻi Medical Services Association (HMSA). In his role, he oversees the Health Services Division which has responsibility for provider relationships, provider network and contracting, integrated health management, pharmacy services, and community health equity. As a retired provider in the local medical community, Dr. Murayama understands the importance of all providers to patients and the community.

  • Scott Whiting is The Queen's Health Systems Senior Vice President, Chief Population Health Officer, and The Queen's Development Corporation President. Whiting has a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Genetics from Dartmouth College. Whiting, whose wife is originally from Hawaiʻi, moved here a decade ago to raise his children surrounded by their local family and is deeply committed to improving health care in Hawaiʻi.

  • Solo primary care medical practice since 1987. Brought on another family practice physician and as APRN for the past several years at Hawaiʻi Island Healthcare, Inc. Interest in healthcare administration, value-based medical care, and challenges facing private practice, especially in primary care services.  

  • Lynda M. Dolan, MD, FAAFP, has been a Family Physician in private practice at The Family Medicine Center (FMC) in East Hawaiʻi for the past 27 years. FMC provides a team-based model of care and is a teaching site for various learners- medical students and residents, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and college and high school students. 

    Dr. Dolan has a passion for providing comprehensive healthcare to the community with an eye on improvement strategies to ease the administrative burden on physicians while engaging patients more in their own healthcare and creating collaborative relationships with various healthcare stakeholders.

    She is active as the President of the East Hawaiʻi Independent Physician Association/Big Island Docs, board member of Queens Clinically Integrated Physician Network (QCIPN), and volunteers on various non-profit boards. She is the medical director at Hawaiʻi Care Choices which provides hospice and palliative care services to our community. 

Lynda Dolan

Exhibitors Area Open

Break

2:45 - 3:00 PM

Coffee / Tea / Pastries

The Future of Hawaiʻi Island Rural Healthcare

3:00 - 4:30 PM

Key leaders from Hawaiʻi Island Healthcare organizations discuss collaborative efforts to focus on improved health outcomes.

Eric Shell

Dan Brinkman

Clayton McGhan

Susan Mochizuki

Stephany Vaioleti

Richard Taaffee

  • With a dedication to improving rural communities, Eric Shell is an industry leader in supporting healthcare in its transition to population health. For his nearly 30 years in healthcare financial management and consulting, Eric's passion for sustainable and accessible healthcare has driven him to help hundreds of rural and community health systems achieve improved financial and operational performance. As healthcare transitions from fee-for-service reimbursement towards value-based payment, Eric and his team provide vital strategic, financial, and operational improvement services to ensure that community health systems continue to provide local, high-quality, and accessible patient care.

    A noted speaker with a commitment to education, Eric is often featured at conferences nationwide, presenting on the future of healthcare, hospital financial and reimbursement topics, and hospital performance improvement. He has assisted in the development of a national program for rural hospital performance improvement and performance measurement. Further, he helped develop new demonstration payment programs for frontier clinics and hospitals. Eric has served on the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Health Congress and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's Rural Hospital Issues Group.

    Before joining Stroudwater, Eric was the director of finance and administration for Rochester Community Individual Practice Association, Inc., where he provided leadership and financial management to a 2,500-provider community-based IPA. He has also practiced as a CPA at Arthur Andersen & Co. and a local accounting firm.

  • Dan is the East Hawaiʻi Regional Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation, overseeing Hilo Medical Center, Hale Hoʻola Hamakua, Kaʻu Hospital, the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, and the East Hawaiʻi Health Clinics. He earned a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Colorado, an Associate Degree in Nursing, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Augusta State University.

  • Clayton is the West Hawaiʻi Regional Chief Executive Officer of Kona Community Hospital. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Aliʻi Health Center. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce. Clayton earned a bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration and master's degree in Healthcare Administration and Management from Grand Canyon University.

  • Susan Mochizuki has served as Executive Director of Big Island Docs since 2014. Established in 1994 as East Hawaiʻi Independent Physicians Association, Big Island Docs is a membership organization of MD's, DO's, APRN's, and PA's on Hawaiʻi Island. Ms. Mochizuki is also the Manager of Big Island Healthcare Primary Care Clinic (BIHC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Big Island Docs, and serves as a Community First Board member. Before moving to Hilo, Susan held leadership positions in Honolulu and Seattle, Washington for skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and other nonprofit organizations. She holds an MBA from Temple University and a BA from Yale University and is fluent in Japanese.

  • Before joining Queen's, Vaioleti was deputy director of the nonprofit Holomua Collective. Prior to that, she was a community engagement navigator at Hawaiʻi Energy, focusing on energy efficiency and equity. She also held positions of senior vice president at HMSA and chief executive officer at Kahuku Medical Center. She has also served on HHSC's Oahu Region and Corporate Boards, Koʻolauloa Neighborhood Board, Kahuku 2000.  

  • Richard serves as Vice President of Community First's board. He is the CEO of West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, a role he's held since 2005. He also serves on the Board of Directors of HMSA Foundation. He is a graduate of Allegheny College and the University of New Mexico.

  • Dionicia Lagapa is a clinical leader with 37 years of experience in the Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi Market. A family nurse practitioner by background, her experiences include ambulatory care, continuing care, and the inpatient setting. Dionicia was raised in Kekeha, Kauai, and educated on the island of Oahu. She has a deep understanding of the importance of member-centered care and the criticality of incorporating our culture, values, and diversity in the delivery of health care across our state. She currently serves as the vice president of ambulatory care and clinical services for Kaiser Permanente. 

Dionicia Lagapa

Facing Our Future Together & Mahalo

4:30 - 4:45 PM

  • Inspired and concerned by the events of the last decade that surround Mauna Kea and her future, John (with wife Ginny's consent) chose to compete for the leadership role as executive director of the newly formed Mauna Kea Stewardship & Oversight Authority (MKSOA). In March 2024, MKSOA's 12-member board of directors, announced its selection of John to head the new authority.

    The board's selection of John was informed by a wide range of support and opposition that he received from kupuna, business executives, community leaders, environmentalists, conservationists, Hawaiian cultural practitioners, and kiaʻi (protectors); some of whom led the massive July 2019 demonstration and blockade against the commencement of construction for the Thirty Meter Telescope.

    MKSOA was enacted by law in July 2022, within which a five-year transition period was established (July 1, 2023 - July 1, 2028) for the transfer of all management and stewardship responsibilities on the summit, from the University of Hawaiʻi to MKSOA.

    In accepting this challenging assignment, John is aware of and grateful for the complexities that are imbedded in the process of establishing common ground which will honor, care for, and protect Mauna Kea as a summit of spirituality and the pinnacle of astronomical research in the world. Effectively, Mauna Kea is a sacred place of cosmological origin and cultural identity for Native Hawaiians while being recognized throughout the world as the pre-eminent, Earth-based portal to the cosmos.

    John currently serves on the boards of Friends of the Future, Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Memorial Committee, Henry Kapono Foundation, and Kualoa Ranch. He was born and raised in Waikīkī and East Oʻahu and a graduate of Punahou School. John and Ginny have resided in Kona for the past 35 years.

  • Randy is the Executive Director of Community First and is responsible for carrying out our strategic vision and mission. He served for 8 years with Mayor Kenoi in various roles at the County of Hawaiʻi including Director of the Department of Research & Development, Deputy Managing Director, and Managing Director. He is a long-time Hawaiʻi Island small business owner of Creative Arts Hawaiʻi and Aloha Grown. He graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. He is the current President of the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce; member and past President of the Rotary Club of South Hilo; director and past President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaiʻi; board member of the Hawaiʻi Health System Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Board, the Salvation Army, Keahole Center for Sustainability, and emeritus board member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island.

Randy Kurohara

John DeFries

Networking Reception

5:00 - 6:30 PM

Exhibitors Area Open

Network and connect with everyone