2016 Ho‘okele Awards program

H O‘O KE L E A w a rd s

A Celebration of Hawai‘i’s Nonprofit Leaders

2002– 2016

Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation Hawai‘i Community Foundation

The Ho‘okele Award The Ho‘okele Award pays tribute to leaders from the nonprofit sector—the guiding forces in our community who strive to make Hawai‘i a better place. For many nonprofit leaders, commitment to their jobs and their causes far outweighs the challenges of working long hours with limited resources and support.

Just as a steersman, ho‘okele, is key to guiding a canoe successfully to its destination, this award recognizes the significant role that a nonprofit leader plays in improving the quality of life for Hawai‘i’s people.

The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation created this annual program in 2002.

Nonprofit leaders in Hawai‘i who are chosen each receive $10,000 to be used for their professional development and personal renewal.

Recipients are selected based on nominations from the community and assessed on the following leadership characteristics: • Thinks strategically and gets results • Brings different groups of people together • Inspires others • Makes a difference in Hawai‘i • Enthusiastically shares knowledge

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Funding Partners Wallace Alexander

Gerbode Foundation The San Francisco-based Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation was established in 1961 by Martha Alexander Gerbode, a descendant of one of the original five New England missionary families who came to Hawai‘i.

The Gerbode Foundation makes grants of approximately $4 million a year with its activities focused in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawai‘i. Areas of interest include civic affairs, reproductive rights and health, conservation and the environment, and the arts.

Hawai‘i Community Foundation With 100 years of community service, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state, helping donors amplify the power of their giving. HCF is steward of over 700 funds, including more than 200 scholarship funds, created by donors who want to transform lives and improve communities.

In 2015, HCF distributed more than $46 million in grants and contracts statewide. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector.

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Congratulations!

2016 Recipients

We are proud to congratulate the following 2016 recipients of the Ho‘okele Award: WILLIAM M. AKUTAGAWA JR.

JOHN LEONG

JULIANNA RAPU LEONG

Executive Director Na Pu‘uwai

Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder Kupu

Secretary, Board of Directors and Co-founder Kupu

Growing up on Moloka‘i was a great experience for Billy Akutagawa Jr. He lived in a rural Native Hawaiian community where there was a sense of sharing, values taught by the community, and mentoring by kupuna. This left a lasting impact on how he sees the world today that was gained during his formative years.

John Leong was born and raised in Hawai‘i and graduated from Punahou School. He combined his passions while studying business to create his own dual concentration of environmental policy & management and entrepreneurial management at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

When John returned to Hawai‘i in 2000, he worked to utilize his experience and education to help preserve and protect one of the most special places on earth.

To pursue educational opportunities for Julianna Rapu Leong and her younger brother, her family immigrated to Hau‘ula, O‘ahu in the 1990s from Rapa Nui, Chile. After graduating from Punahou School, Julianna earned a B.A. in biology from Scripps College in California. She is married to John Leong and together they have been blessed with four children. Julianna is grateful to be able to invest time in both the Hawai‘i and Rapa Nui communities. With a deep love of open spaces, nature, and people, her career has been guided to work with land owners, conservation organizations, and youth.

With John, she co-founded Pono Pacific, which provides land owners and conservation agencies with cost-effective land management services and then they branched out and co-founded Kupu.

After serving in the military, Billy attended the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and graduated with a Master of Social Work, the only one in a family of four brothers to attend college.

When he returned to Moloka‘i in 1978, he began his career with a nonprofit, Native Hawaiian organization and has worked in the nonprofit sector for over half of his life.

Billy started out working in health and human services and continues to be an advocate for health and wellness at Na Pu‘uwai, a Native Hawaiian Health Care System serving Moloka‘i (including Kalaupapa) and Lāna‘i. He was a founding member and is currently the executive director of the organization. Additionally, he serves as a board member of the Moloka‘i Land Trust, which deals with conservation issues.

He is also an instructor with the Hawai‘i Hunter Education Program, providing mentorship in the proper and safe use of firearms and resource conservation.

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To achieve this goal, he started Pono Pacific, a company that provides conservation and land management services to Hawai‘i. Then in 2007 he co­founded Kupu, with Julianna Rapu Leong, and currently serves as chief executive officer.

Kupu houses a multitude of different programs that engage young adults statewide in service; develop career and educational pathway opportunities; and provide training for youth and young adults in the areas of natural resource management, conservation, and sustainability.

Kupu is based on the “youth corps” model and is a member of The Corps Network and is also an accredited 21st Century Service and Conservation Corps organization.

John is married to Julianna Rapu Leong, who is originally from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and together they have four young children and live in Honolulu.

To embody her passion around education and encouraging individuals and communities to thrive, Julianna helped to guide Kupu’s mission to “empower youth to serve their communities through characterbuilding, service-learning, and environmental stewardship opportunities that encourage integrity (pono) with God, self, and others.” Kupu partners with over 150 organizations and since beginning in 2007, Kupu programs have supported the growth of 2,932 students. In 2015 Kupu volunteers planted

A Celebration of Hawai‘i’s Nonprofit Leaders

over 137,000 native species and cleared over 14,500 acres of invasive species.

CHRISTINE RICHARDSON Executive Director North Kohala Community Resource Center Christine Richardson is originally from New England, where she graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Boston with a B.A. in human service advocacy, and later earned an associate degree in nursing. In 1991, she moved to Hawai‘i and has served North Kohala for over 22 years as a nurse and nonprofit manager. Christine is grateful for the opportunities she has received in North Kohala, a community rich in tradition and supportive of meaningful community efforts.

She spent five years as the Kohala Clinic Manager for the University of Hawai‘i’s Native Hawaiian health research project. As a registered nurse (R.N.), she worked for Kohala Home Health Care, Kohala Hospital, and is currently a senior staff R.N. for North Hawai‘i Hospice. She completed a certificate of professional development in nonprofit management from Kapi‘olani Community College in 2004 and became executive director of the North Kohala Community Resource Center in 2005. While providing grassroots services for residents in her community, she manages projects and accomplishes communityrelated goals.

Christine thrives on matching the needs of rural communities with the resources of larger communities. She thoroughly enjoys working with donors to help them realize their vision and is inspired to identify projects and organizations working to meet the needs of their constituents and community.

Currently, Paul serves on the boards of Hanahau‘oli School, Learning Disabilities Association of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Association of Independent Schools, and Rotary Club of Honolulu Foundation. He was a faculty member at California State University at Northridge (CSUN) for 30 years, teaching in the College of Education’s Teacher Training Program.

PAUL M. SINGER

Paul received from CSUN a B.A. in sociology, an M.A. in social and philosophical foundations of education, and an M.A. in educational administration and supervision. He has also completed all doctoral coursework in educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Southern California.

Head of School Assets School The last several years, Assets School has experienced unprecedented growth and expansion to serve children with learning differences under the leadership of Paul Singer. This includes purchasing the land the campus has been on for 21 years, expanding to a new campus location for the high school, and opening a learning center on Maui.

Paul joined Assets in 2008, and brought tremendous credentials, decades of educational leadership, and firsthand experience with the frustrations that face bright children with learning challenges. He struggled in school at a time when diagnostic capabilities and treatment strategies were minimal. As a result, Paul recognizes the impact experiences can have on learning and self-esteem.

This influenced his 28 years of leadership at The Country School in Valley Village, California.

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2015 RECIPIENTS

The Ho‘okele Experience : Reflections Kepā Maly

Executive Director Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center

‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia! – It is no great task when done together by all! I believe that each of us do the work we do in our communities because it is the right thing to do — something resonates within us and touches the soul. The rewards are found in the voices of our community and program participants, in the positive changes that occur, and in the acts of stewardship that rise to the surface as a result of the awareness that our programs bring about. Being one of the 2015 Ho‘okele Award recipients was deeply humbling, unexpected, and meant a great deal. Mahalo nui me ke aloha!

A part of my personal experience as a Ho‘okele Award recipient, was that it shed light on the value of the work we do through the Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center. It also inspires younger leaders we work with, in building their own capacity; that the work we do is of value and has rewards that are both tangible and intangible.

Onaona and I thought through the opportunities that financial facet of the award offered us, and we chose to do a couple things that would be of value to us. Sorry, it’s nothing super romantic or exotic, but it was of importance to us. Ho‘okele opportunity one was to take a trip to spend some time with our son, daughterin-law, and grandson who now live in Washington State — it’s so amazing to experience life through the eyes of a grandchild.

Ho‘okele opportunity two was tied to our old plantation home, which needed some upgrades, especially to our bathroom — making it “accessible” for a later time in the not too distant future.

So another year has come and gone, and we remain focused on our work, history, and the future — importantly building succession and capacity for the leaders who follow us.

Na‘u no me ka ha‘aha‘a o ke aloha.

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The Ho‘okele Experience : Reflections

Richard Taaffe

President and CEO West Hawai‘i Community Health Center

As a leader of a non-profit, I do what I do because I’m passionate about making a difference in our community. So, receiving the Ho‘okele Award has been both humbling and inspiring. Humbling because it was unexpected; inspiring because it came from the community. It was an external validation of a sometimes uncertain self-perception that “maybe we are doing something right and making a difference in people’s lives.” Such recognition renews your spirit and motivates you to do more and better work.

During my journey down the leadership path I had mentors at nearly every turn — especially early in my career. These individuals inspired me, challenged me, and threw me into the deep water before I thought I was ready to swim. So, in many ways, the Ho‘okele Award is recognizing those who shaped me as a leader, and I took time to honor those individuals though personal reflections since most are no longer living.

The significance of this award also forced me to reflect on the importance of self-renewal and, perhaps more importantly, to think about the legacy of mentorship. Just as I had mentors, I need to mentor others, and make it intentional. The world of nonprofits can be daunting; emerging leaders need affirmation and encouragement that they are on the right path. So the Ho‘okele Award was a reminder that we have an obligation to not only carry the torch but also pass it to the next generation of non-profit leaders.

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The Ho‘okele Experience : Reflections

Marian E. Tsuji President and CEO Lanakila Pacific, Inc.

I want to express my sincere thanks to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and the Gerbode Foundation for the Ho‘okele experience. I am humbled to receive such a recognition, and am deeply grateful for the honor and the monetary award.

I’m proud to carry the banner of Lanakila Pacific for all of us — our employees, families, and especially our clients: underprivileged and underrepresented kupuna and adults with various disabilities. Our staff works hard to bring our clients out of the shadows and into the rich mainstream of life. Every day we try to live up to our name “Lanakila” which means victory or triumph.

The work is challenging and sometimes exhausting, but our clients never fail to energize us with their joy and passion; they live as if they have all the blessings in the world.

I contemplated the goals of the Ho‘okele Experience: what would really refresh me? what would re-energize my spirit? In the end, I settled on something that might seem rather prosaic — a dining room table.

Meals with my family and friends, especially our Sunday dinners, help me feel grounded. At this weekly multi-generational, multicultural gathering, we review our week, talk politics, share our potluck creations, and just enjoy being together. It brings me quiet pleasure to see my loved ones around the table. It is refreshing and re-energizing. Thank you for reminding me that I have all the blessings in the world.

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The Ho‘okele Experience : Reflections

Harry Wong, III Artistic Director Kumu Kahua Theatre

When I first started out in college, I went to Honolulu Community College just so I could make more money as a union laborer, but I found my passion in English, history, and philosophy classes.

My parents encouraged and supported me in pursuing a new dream, trying something different, and doing what I love. They felt they had worked hard in their lives to provide something better for me. When I won the Ho‘okele Award, I wanted to show them that throughout the years, their support and dedication to my aspirations were recognized not just by me but also by others.

So taking them out for family meals meant sharing the success by treating them — a luxury and an accomplishment.

I also want to provide this same opportunity for my daughter to grow and pursue her passions – continuing the tradition into the next generation. When working in a nonprofit, you have a tight personal budget and this award allowed me to put more aside for her college costs.

Relating this generation to the next was also key in the trip our family took to visit my wife’s mother who was in poor health. After our visit, she was inspired to seek more medical attention so that she could continue to bond with her granddaughter.

The Ho‘okele Award really allowed me to see the generational connections and hope for the future, while inspiring the confidence to step up and say even a small nonprofit and its leaders should be respected for what we do. The money was secondary to being recognized for the dedication of working in the nonprofit sector. The more I think about it, the more I’m surprised about being acknowledged for this work and thankful for your recognition.

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Past Recipients

2014 Suzanne Case Former: Executive Director, Hawai‘i Program The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i

Howard S. Garval, M.S.W.

President and CEO Child & Family Service

Nanci Kriedman, M.A.

Nola Nahulu

Carol Kouchi Yotsuda

Kenneth L. Zeri, R.N., M.S.

CEO and Co-founder Domestic Violence Action Center

Artistic Director Hawai‘i Youth Opera Chorus

2013 Nancy Aleck Former: Executive Director The People’s Fund

M. Nalani Fujimori Kaina

Executive Director Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i

Executive Director Garden Island Arts Council

President and CPO Hospice Hawai‘i

2012 Jud Cunningham

David Fuertes

Connie Mitchell

Marjorie Ziegler

Lea Hong

Tony Krieg

Robert G. Peters, Ed.D.

Leslie Wilcox

Jeanne Unemori Skog

Patricia Tummons

Laura Smith

Stacy Sproat-Beck

CEO Aloha House

Executive Director Ka Ha-na No‘eau

Executive Director The Institute for Human Services

Executive Director Conservation Council for Hawai‘i

2011 Hawaiian Islands State Director Trust for Public Land

CEO Hale Ma-kua Health Services

Former: Head of School Hanahau‘oli School

President and CEO PBS Hawaii

2010 Selena Ching

Former: Executive Director Hawaii Youth Symphony Association

Gregory Dunn

Former: Executive Director Hawai‘i Nature Center

President and CEO Maui Economic Development Board

Editor Environment Hawai‘i

2009 Drew Astolfi

Former: Executive Director Faith in Action for Community Equity

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Matthews Hamabata, Ph.D.

Former: Executive Director The Kohala Center

President and CEO Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, Inc.

Executive Director Waipa- Foundation

2008 Marilyn Cristofori

David Derauf, M.D., M.P.H.

CEO Hawai‘i Arts Alliance

Executive Director/ Family Physician Ko-kua Kalihi Valley

Dale B. Bonar, Ph.D.

Mike Gleason

Ku- Kahakalau

Chipper Wichman

Former: Program Director Kanu o ka ‘A-ina Learning ‘Ohana

Director and CEO National Tropical Botanical Garden

2007 Former: Executive Director Maui Costal Land Trust

Rose Nakamura

Gary and Kukui Maunakea-Forth

Former: President and CEO The Arc of Hilo

Administrator Mo-‘ili‘ili Hongwanji Mission

Former: Founders Wai‘anae Community Re-development Corporation

2006 Christina Cox, M.S.Ed.

Roy Katsuda

Robert Agres Jr.

Vanessa Y. Chong

President KCAA Preschools of Hawai‘i

Executive Director Hale Mahaolu

Wally Lau

Former: Managing Director Neighborhood Place of Kona

Tin Myaing Thein, Ph.D. Executive Director Pacific Gateway Center

2005 Former: Executive Director Hawai‘i Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development

Executive Director American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i

Janice Kalanihuia

Darrell H. Y. Lum

Patricia A. McManaman

Robert M. Witt

Chief Administrator Moloka‘i General Hospital

Co-founder, Co-editor Bamboo Ridge Press

2004 Carol R. Ignacio

Former: Executive Director Office for Social Ministries

Lynn C. Z. Maunakea

Former: Executive Director The Institute for Human Services

Former: Executive Director Hawai‘i Association of Independent Schools

Former: Chief Executive Director Na- Loio

2003 Walt Dulaney* and George Kon

Marsha Erickson Former: Executive Director Hui o Laka - Koke‘e Natural History Museum

Executive Directors Alliance for Drama Education

Hardy Spoehr

B. Puni Kekauoha

Former: President Papakolea Community Development Corporation

Former: Executive Director Papa Ola Lo-kahi

2002 Andrew Aoki

Former: Co-founder College Connections Hawai‘i

Eric Enos

Executive Director Ka‘ala Farms

David Nakada

Former: Executive Director Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i

Jo-Ann Ridao

Former: Executive Director Lo-kahi Pacific

*deceased 11

H O‘O KE L E A w a rd s For more information contact: Hawai‘i Community Foundation 827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813 Phone: 808-537-6333 Toll-free: 1-888-731-3863 HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org