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FOR MORE INFORMATION Contacts: Cat Howland Phone: 808-566-5569 Cell: 808-260-5001 chowland@hcf-hawaii.org Contact: Lynelle Marble Phone: 808-566-5564 Cell: 808-295-6162 lmarble@hcf-hawaii.org
NONPROFIT EXECUTIVES RECEIVE $10,000 HOOKELE AWARD FOR THEIR PERSONAL RENEWAL New fund in honor of former HCF CEO Kelvin Taketa is created to sustain the award in perpetuity HONOLULU – Four Hawai‘i nonprofit leaders were announced as recipients of the annual Ho‘okele Award, a special recognition given to exceptional leaders in Hawai‘i’s nonprofit industry by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF). “For over fifteen years, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation has given the Ho‘okele Award to nonprofit leaders to recognize these hardworking and inspiring individuals for their years of service,” said Micah Kane, president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. “Working in the nonprofit sector can be incredibly demanding, and we’re committed to investing in Hawai‘i’s leadership. When a nonprofit’s leader is strong, their staff and organization can be more effective in better serve the community.” The Ho‘okele Award strives to strengthen nonprofit leaders by providing them with an opportunity to rejuvenate themselves, rather than risk the potential of “burnout” which often affects those in the sector. Each Ho‘okele Award recipient receives $10,000 to be used for their professional development and personal renewal. Since 2002, $640,000, has been given to 67 nonprofit leaders statewide, the majority of which remain in the nonprofit sector. Of those awardees, 44 continue their work in the sector, 9 remained in the sector until retirement, and four moved to state government.
Hawai‘i Community Foundation Announces Recipients of Annual Nonprofit Leadership Awards Page 2 Mike Gleason, past Ho‘okele awardee and former President and CEO of The Arc of Hilo who retired from the role said the award gave him “a tremendous sense of accomplishment in an environment where successes are not easily measured or outwardly recognized.” This year, the Ho‘okele Award event also included a special recognition for Kelvin Taketa, HCF Senior Fellow and former CEO. The HCF Board of Governors announced the creation of the Kelvin Taketa Ho‘okele Leadership Award Fund, to ensure that funding for the Ho‘okele Awards will continue in perpetuity to support and inspire nonprofit leaders in Hawai‘i. More than $1 million was raised through contributions from HCF board members, staff, and friends. The following 2017 Ho‘okele Award recipients were selected based on community nominations and their ability to think strategically and get results, bring different groups of people together, inspire others, make a difference in Hawai‘i, and enthusiastically share their knowledge: KEVIN CHANG, Executive Director, Kua‘āina ‘Ulu Auamo (KUA) KUA, meaning “backbone,” is an innovative “backbone organization” for protecting, restoring and caring for Hawai‘i. KUA’s community-driven approach currently supports three statewide networks, E Alu Pū, 40 Hawaiian fishpond projects, and a group of limu practitioners. Prior to KUA, Kevin was a land manager for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and a field representative for the Trust for Public Lands’ Hawaiian Islands Program. He also practiced law as a solo practitioner. Kevin was born in Honolulu and raised in Ahuimanu Valley. A proud graduate of J.B. Castle High School, he earned a B.A. in Psychology and a J.D. from the University of Oregon. He currently sits on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Commission on Environment, Economic and Social Policy, and on the boards of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, and the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust O‘ahu Advisory Committee. Kevin is married to Alma Siria Vega Urias and, on occasion, to the band Kupa‘āina. BRENDA S. HO, RN, MS, Chief Executive Officer, Hospice of Hilo Under the direction of CEO Brenda S. Ho, Hospice of Hilo has grown from a largely volunteer-based program serving 40 patients annually, to a structured Medicare program with 80 staff members who
Hawai‘i Community Foundation Announces Recipients of Annual Nonprofit Leadership Awards Page 3 care for over 800 individuals a year. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (William Jewell College), but before receiving a Masters of Science in Nursing (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa), Brenda joined Hospice of Hilo in 1990. Within a year, she was appointed Executive Director, a position that expanded in 2011 to her current role as CEO. Under her visionary leadership, Hospice of Hilo opened the first neighbor island inpatient care center in 2012. Brenda’s dedication to the community extends even further by serving on the boards of Kōkua Mau and the Hawai‘i Healthcare Systems Corporation’s East Hawai‘i Regional Board, and as a member of the East Hawai‘i Regional Health Improvement Collaborative. She is President of the Rotary Club of South Hilo, a Weinberg Association Fellow, and recipient of numerous well-deserved honors including The Faces of Nursing award (UH); AIM for Excellence Award; Businesswoman of the Year Finalist (Pacific Business News); ATHENA Award® (Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce), and others. HEATHER LUSK, MSW, Executive Director, Community Health Outreach Work (CHOW) Project, Hawai‘i Heather has dedicated more than 20 years to reducing health disparities and stigma as it relates to HIV, viral hepatitis, and other chronic conditions linked to substance use. In addition to serving as the Executive Director of the statewide harm reduction agency, CHOW, she is the Co-Director and Founder of Hep Free Hawai`i, a coalition of over 80 agencies working together to eliminate hepatitis in the Islands. As Chair of the Hawai‘i Advisory Commission on Drugs and Controlled Substances, and through her role on the Executive Committee of Partners in Care, O‘ahu’s Homeless Coalition, Heather works to support systems integration and the intersection of mental health, substance use, homelessness, chronic health conditions, and the criminal justice system. Heather approaches her work with individuals, families, and communities adversely affected by drug use as if we were all ‘ohana, which, she believes, would help everyone move forward from a place of compassion. The CHOW project has adopted a harm reduction approach, stressing the importance of being nonjudgmental and respectful: a philosophy that Heather Lusk fully embodies. PAULINE M. SATO, Executive & Program Director, Mālama Learning Center Pauline’s passion for protecting Hawai‘i’s environment dates back to her childhood. In her 30 years of professional experience, she has helped to build a broad network of individuals and groups dedicated to the conservation of natural, cultural, and agricultural resources across the state. Mālama Learning
Hawai‘i Community Foundation Announces Recipients of Annual Nonprofit Leadership Awards Page 4 Center uses a hands-on and place-based approach to learning, preparing its participants for diverse real-world experiences and 21st century careers. She also conducts a training program for the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i and has served on several boards and councils, including the Hawai‘i Environmental Education Association, Hawai‘i Academy of Science, and State of Hawai‘i Environmental Council. Pauline was honored with the Distinguished Service Award at the Hawai‘i Conservation Conference for a career that’s been dedicated to environmental preservation. Pauline is a proud graduate of the University Laboratory School in Honolulu; she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Educational Technology from the University of Hawai‘i. About Hawai‘i Community Foundation With 100 years of community service, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state. HCF is a steward of more than 800 funds, including more than 200 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. In 2016, HCF distributed more than $47 million in grants and contracts statewide, including $4.7 million in scholarships. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector. For more information, visit www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org. ###