Speakers

Rochelle Bartolome-Steffens is the Clinic Supervisor at the Waipahu Academic Health Center, a first-of-its-kind partnership between Hawai‘i Pacific Health and the Hawai‘i Department of Education at Waipahu High School. She has worked with HPH since 2012, advancing through multiple nursing and leadership roles before joining the Academic Health Center to support a community-based model of care and workforce development.

Originally from the Philippines, Rochelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from the University of the Philippines, completed her Licensed Practical Nurse training at Kapiolani Community College, earned her Associate Degree in Nursing through Excelsior College, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University. In her role, Rochelle facilitates collaboration between WHS leadership, faculty, and the clinic’s physicians and care team to support student shadowing and externship experiences. Her work strengthens equitable pathways into health professions and expands community-centered access to care.

Leinaʻala Bright is a Waimānalo community member, Native Hawaiian Health practitioner, educator, and the Director of Cultural Health at Waimānalo Health Center.

She is a lomilomi, lāʻau lapaʻau, laws of olakino practitioner and educator. Leinaʻala joined Waimānalo Health Center in 2015 integrating her services within the Health Center’s primary care setting. She continually strives to share the healing legacies of her kumu and ʻike kūpuna in support of the health and well-being of her community.

Sunny Chen, MBA, RN, IBCLC is the Chief Executive Officer of Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (HMHB). Sunny is known for her passion for community service and social impact. She is committed to empowering women and consistently strives to create positive change and uplift those around her.

Sunny brings extensive experience in public health, business management, and supervision. With a Master of Business Administration, registered nursing credentials, and certification as a lactation consultant, Sunny is well-equipped to lead Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies. She has over 15 years of experience as a labor and delivery nurse in the military. She also has a proven track record of driving growth and leading strategic initiatives for multi-million-dollar companies.

Above all, Sunny treasures her role as a mother to a creative daughter and two high-spirited boys. She believes that motherhood has shaped her into a more compassionate and resilient leader, constantly inspiring her to advocate for the well-being of families and communities.

Camille A. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist. She received her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, and completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo. She obtained a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management at New York Medical College. She is a Certified Physician Executive as conferred by the Certifying Commission on Medical Management. She most recently served as Vice Chair of Faculty Mentorship and Community Engagement and Outreach at Montefiore Medical Center, and most recently as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She served as tenured professor and chair, Downstate Health Sciences University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from 2021-2025.

Her areas of clinical interest include perinatal mental health, health disparties, and medical eduction. Dr. Clare is the 77th President of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the first Black woman in its 75 year history.

Aloha mai kākou, ‘o Leilani ko‘u inoa a no Lāhaina mai au. My name is Leilani Digmon and I live in Lahaina, Maui with my husband Kapali Keahi and our three keiki, Kaiao (15), Mele (13), and Malu (11). I am a Kānaka Maoli Pale Keiki (midwife) and ko’okua (birth support/doula), Childbirth Educator, and Indigenous Lactation Counselor. I serve as the Cultural and Midwifery Advisor for the non-profit organization Kalauokekahuli, which provides free prenatal, birth, and postpartum education and services to the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island communities. I am also the owner of Mauna Kahālāwai Midwifery and Birth Services, and work in collaboration and partnership with several community based organizations (e.g. Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies), provide culturally rooted and evidence based midwifery and birth services, with focus on the Kānaka Maoli community.

Heather Heintz, LCSW, PMH-C, is a psychotherapist on Hawaiʻi Island specializing in infant loss, pregnancy loss, reproductive trauma, and perinatal mental health. She has dedicated her career to supporting families navigating miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, NICU hospitalization, infertility, and pregnancy and parenting after loss.

Before entering private practice, Heather worked as a hospice chaplain and bereavement counselor. She is also an ordained Zen Buddhist chaplain, bringing a unique perspective to her work with grief, resilience, and meaning-making.

Heather frequently collaborates with physicians, nurses, midwives, and community organizations to improve support for grieving and postpartum families. Her clinical work focuses on evidence-based approaches to trauma, anxiety, grief, and adjustment, with particular expertise in the long-term impact of infant loss on parents, relationships, and subsequent pregnancies. She is passionate about strengthening systems of care and improving maternal and neonatal outcomes across Hawaiʻi.

Simone Haanio serves as the Academy Director of Health & Sciences (AHS) at Waipahu High School, where she also teaches the Foundations of Health Services course. She has been a member of the Waipahu High School community since earning her B.Ed.in Secondary Education from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. The Academy of Health & Sciences, accredited through the NCAC, aims to prepare students for successful healthcare careers at all levels through relevant learning experiences that emphasize hands-on engagement, industry mentorship, and project-based learning.
Please contact her at simone.haanio@k12.hi.us with any questions.

Andrea Hepuapoʻokela Hermosura, PhD, is the Senior Director of Native Hawaiian Health and Kaleiopapa: Unity & Wellness at The Queen’s Health Systems (QHS). In this role, she provides strategic and operational leadership for the development and implementation of innovative initiatives that advance the mission of QHS, strengthen Native Hawaiian health, and promote unity, wellness, and belonging across the organization. She collaborates with leaders, caregivers, patients, and community partners to foster culturally responsive care, improve health outcomes, and support caregiver well-being throughout the health system.

Dr. Hermosura has served as a staff psychologist at The Queen’s Medical Center since 2018. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is a licensed clinical psychologist.

Dr. Cori-Ann Hirai is an OB/GYN based on Oʻahu with an interest in expanding access to care in rural and underserved communities. Since 2018, she has provided telemedicine obstetric care for patients on Lānaʻi through Lānaʻi Community Health Center. She previously served for 10 years as an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine while also practicing clinically as a generalist OB/GYN caring for other communities on Oʻahu, particularly in Waipahu. Dr. Hirai is dedicated to bringing specialty care closer to patients through telemedicine and collaborative care.

Liana Iaea Honda is part of the Native Hawaiian Health department of The Queen’s Health Systems at North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital. Raised in Mākaha and grounded in the values of her ʻohana, she has dedicated her career to advancing the health and well-being of Native Hawaiian communities through education and healthcare. Liana, a mother of four and grandmother to seven, began her professional journey as an educator of Hawaiian language, culture, and history, later serving as a curriculum developer, instructional coach, vice principal, and charter school director. A Kumu Hula who completed the ʻūniki rituals under Mililani Allen and Māpuana de Silva, Liana brings a culturally grounded perspective to healthcare leadership. Her work focuses on integrating Native Hawaiian values and traditional practices into clinical care, with an emphasis on maternal and women’s health. She has led initiatives in culturally responsive and safe care, patient education, and policy development, helping improve patient experiences, health equity, and outcomes for Native Hawaiian mothers, babies, and ʻohana throughout Hawaiʻi.

Leinaala Kanana has recently come into her new role of Vice President & Interim Director of Ka ‘Ike Ola since July 2025 after serving over 24 years at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. Leinaala completed her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Brigham Young University – Hawaii campus and quickly joined Ke Ola Mamo as an outreach worker in the Ko’olauloa, downtown Honolulu and eventually Waianae districts. She left Ke Ola Mamo for WCCHC wanting to explore more in the medical social worker realm. After working in the Malama Recovery Service Department as a Baby SAFE Outreach Worker and transferred to the Perinatal Program where she worked with substance using pregnant and post-partum women. She worked her way up to the Director of Community Health Services where she oversees the health centers enabling services including transportation, case management, homeless outreach, care coordination, and eligibility services. Leinaala obtained her master’s in social work from Boston University. She is from the community and understands the unique needs relative to the Waianae Community.

Dr. Bradley Kuo, APRN, is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and the President and CEO of Wellness Partners Mental Health, a Hawaiʻi-based behavioral health practice providing telehealth psychiatry, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient services. Over time, Wellness Partners Mental Health has increased its work with perinatal mental health in response to the growing need for timely, accessible care for birthing families across Hawaiʻi.

Bradley also serves as Board Chair of Mental Health Kokua and as a board member of NAMI Hawaiʻi. His work focuses on expanding access to behavioral health services, strengthening Hawaiʻi’s mental health workforce, reducing barriers to care, and building community-based systems that better support individuals and families across the lifespan.

Born and raised in Hawaii, I graduated from Moanalua High School. Received my Bachelors of Arts from Chaminade University of Honolulu. I ventured East and received my medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine. I returned home and completed OB/GYN residency at the University of Hawaii. Currently I am an Addiction Medicine Fellow. Growing up in Hawaii, I witnessed the far-reaching effects of substance use disorders on individuals, families, and communities. During fellowship, I have the opportunity to build long-lasting relationships with patients and caring for them during the most medically and socially complex times in their lives. Training in Hawaii has allowed me to combine my passion for addiction medicine with my OB/GYN training by focusing on substances use in pregnancy an area where compassionate, multidisciplinary care can profoundly improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Nancy Manglallan-Yang grew up in Minnesota and received her medical degree from the University of Minnesota in 2020. She then came to Oahu for OBGYN Residency at the University of Hawai’i and graduated in 2024. She completed fellowship training in Addiction Medicine at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA from 2024-2025, and now practices as an OBGYN generalist with Queens Maui Clinic, where she is trying to bring more addiction services to both her clinic and Maui hospital. She is passionate about decreasing barriers to substance use care and healthcare in general. Outside of work, she is an an avid whale watcher and nature lover.

Tellie Matagi is the Co-Executive Director of the Tagata Moana Hui Foundation, where she works alongside Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities to advance maternal and family health through culturally grounded, community-led approaches. With a background in Pacific Islands Studies and public health, she has led initiatives in maternal health, community-based research, health equity, and workforce development. Her work centers relationships, trust, and Indigenous Pacific knowledge, creating spaces where families, communities, and healthcare systems can work together to improve health and well-being.

Michele Y. Pangilinan, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health and Psychiatry at the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine. Board-certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Addiction Medicine, she brings an integrative, trauma-responsive approach to perinatal care, particularly for individuals and families affected by substance use.

Dr. Pangilinan serves as a generalist OBGYN and perinatal addiction medicine specialist with the Hawaiʻi Pacific Health Medical Group and Waikiki Health’s PATH Clinic. Her clinical work, research, and teaching focus on improving maternal and fetal health outcomes through equity-driven care that bridges medical systems with vital community resources in Hawaiʻi.

Olivia Pascual is the first homegrown Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) on the island of Lāna‘i and currently serves as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) at Lāna‘i Community Health Center. (LCHC). She joined LCHC in 2016, serving in various administrative roles before becoming part of the clinical ‘ohana as an APRN. Prior to returning home, she spent 13.5 years in Medical-Surgical nursing at The Queen’s Medical Center, building a strong foundation in patient care. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Northern Colorado and her Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Southern California. Raised on Lāna‘i, she is deeply committed to improving access to quality healthcare for her community, blending medical expertise with cultural understanding. Outside of work, she enjoys time with family and friends, traveling, hiking, and relaxing at the beach, embracing the beauty and spirit of island life.

Leila Ryusaki is a Native Hawaiian Perinatal Health Educator specializing in culturally grounded prenatal and postpartum education, breastfeeding support, and therapeutic massage for pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and lactation. With over 15 years of experience in community health outreach and maternal health, she serves as the Program Coordinator for the Healthy Hāpai Prenatal Program at Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi on Hawaiʻi Island. Since joining the organization in 2017, she has led the development of its perinatal initiative, focused on improving birth outcomes, addressing health disparities, increasing breastfeeding rates, and advancing health equity through community-based approaches. She has extensive experience providing education and support through classes, workshops, community baby showers, outreach initiatives, and has served as a presenter and educator for healthcare providers and community audiences. Born and nurtured in Hilo, Leila is a proud Kanaka ʻŌiwi, cultural practitioner, devoted wife, mother of four, grandmother of two, and is dedicated to uplifting and strengthening our lāhui.

Dr. Aukahi Austin Seabury, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the Executive Director of I Ola Lāhui, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides behavioral health services to medically underserved Native Hawaiian and rural communities throughout the pae ‘āina with its team of providers and psychology training program. Dr. Austin Seabury provides training to health providers in the use of culturally-minded, evidence-based practices and works as a consultant providing facilitation, strategic planning, team building, training, and evaluation services to health and education organizations.

Trillium Simington is the Program Manager of the Window of Hope (WOH) Program at Kumukahi Health & Wellness and has led the program for the past seven years. She supports pregnant and parenting individuals impacted by substance use disorders, justice involvement, and other complex life challenges. With more than 20 years of experience serving women and families as a doula, childbirth educator, and maternal health advocate, Trillium is committed to reducing stigma and expanding access to compassionate, trauma-informed care. She works closely with healthcare providers, behavioral health professionals, and community partners to build coordinated systems of support that promote healthy pregnancies, recovery, and family stability. Combining professional expertise with lived experience, Trillium is passionate about helping families find hope, healing, and lasting recovery.

I am originally from Kilauea, Kaua‘i, and a proud graduate of Kamehameha Schools. I earned my undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and went on to receive my medical degree from the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). I completed my residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Hawai‘i Internal Medicine Residency Program, where I also served as Chief Resident.

Following my training, I returned to Kaua‘i to begin practicing as a primary care physician. Shortly after, I accepted a position at Molokai General Hospital Outpatient Clinic, where I have now been serving the community for over four years.

My passion lies in rural health care, and it has been an honor to provide primary care on Moloka‘i. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and spending time outdoors with my husband and two sons.