About Ka Hale Pomaika`i
Ka Hale Pomaika’i ~ Executive Board
The quality of service is supported through our Board of Director’s vast experience and personal commitment. Ka Hale Pomaika’i began as a grass-roots movement in 1996 and became incorporated in 2001. We have spent years working within the community to develop a local consensus around the appropriate strategy for addressing the plague of addiction to alcohol and other drugs on the island of Moloka’i.
The Chairperson of Ka Hale Pomaika’i, Ms. Varna Nakihei (pictured above), has worked on the Federal Agricultural clean-up of the island of Kaho’olawe and following the close of that project, as a case manager for incarcerated adults returning to community from prison. She is the agency’s founder. She is an active spokes person for recovery related issues in Hawai’i. Ms Nakihei is a long-term recovering individual born and raised on Moloka’i. She has developed several self-help housing programs for recovering adults. She is an active recovery advocate and public spokesperson for Native Hawaiians in recovery. She attributes her many successes to her strong spiritual belief in a Higher Power.
The Co-Chair is a well known veteran’s affairs advocate and retired Honolulu Fire Captain. As a Viet Nam veteran, Wendell De Freitas (pictured above) learned business skills while in the military. He is now a successful property owner, managing and owning multiple residences that he rents. In the 1970′s, he was one of the members of the first crews of the Hokule’a, an open-ocean voyaging canoe which Hawaiians replicated after the ancient models that first carried Polynesians to and from islands. He has served KHP for many years.
The Treasurer/Secretary is a paralegal employed by the Legal Aid Society who also serves as a Community Navigator. April Kealoha (pictured above) has been an active member of the Moloka’i community as a renowned Kumu Hula (Director and choreographer of a large Hula Halau). She and her husband are full time Taro, plant and animal farmers and successfully market their crops to large-scale events like the Hula Bowl football play-off. April has been active with KHP since 1996 and was an original founding Board member. She is the mother of two daughters and actively coordinates some of the largest fund raisers for their local elementary school. She is also active in her church.
Pualani Akaka, MA (pictured above) serves the Board as its Recording Secretary. She is an experienced teacher on Moloka’i with 20 years in the DOE. She recently held the position of union delegate for the local chapter of the Hawai’i State Teacher’s Association. She is a member of the allies in recovery movement as a concerned family member. She is the daughter of the highly respected late Kahu and Mrs. Abraham Akaka. She enjoys attending church, motorcycling and spending time with her son and his ‘ohana.
John Aki (pictured playing the drums) serves KHP as a Member at Large of the executive board. He is a devout believer in a spiritual solution to the problem of addiction. He comes with a pastoral background and is a nationally known faith inspired musician. His personal triumph of overcoming his past is an example to many.
Arizona Aki is a Member at Large. She is an elementary educator who teaches locally. She has dedicated her life to strengthening her community and family through her spiritual connection and faith. She is a creative board member who serves with a positive solution-focused attitude.
Helen Kekalia (pictured above) is a native of Moloka’i. She is a systems administrator at Molokai Community Services Council and works with youth and families. She describes herself as a happy new mother. She studied in Chicago, Il and upon finishing her BA in Marketing, she returned home to Moloka’i where she and her son’s father live and work full time.
Na Kupuna: Our Wise Elders, Spiritual and Cultural Advisors.
Dedicated and Beloved Kupuna from 1996-2010
She is truely missed.
Our senior Kupuna of Ka Hale Pomaika’i, Luana Hamakua has left our earthly home to be with her Higher Power . She devoted much of her life since she retired from working with the Department of Education to the Hawaiian practice of conflict resolution called Ho’opono’pono. Aunty Luana was a Kupuna for the clients and staff of Ka Hale Pomaika’i. She was a skilled Native Hawaiian healer referred to as a La’au Lapa’au. She used many Native traditional plants and methods for medicine. Her experience in these areas took her internationally as part of cultural exchange programs. She was with KHP since its beginning.
Our Local Mana’e Kupuna are Uncle Damien Place (pictured above), and his wife Aunty Marie Place (pictured below). They have been married over 50 years and are practitioners of La’au Lapa’au. Uncle Damien retired from cattle ranching and remains very active in local current affairs of the Island. He raises livestock and does welding. He and Aunty Marie provide invaluable help with all KHP activities as they reside right across the street!
Aunty Marie is a mother of 9 with many grand and great-grand children. She is very skilled in the Hawaiian art and spiritual practice of native healing. She is a strong leader for the Mana’e community on Moloka’i.
Our Kupuna provide Cultural Education and Guidance for Clients
Our Dedicated Staff
Executive Director – Administratively, Ka Hale Pomaika’i has secured Shari R. Lynn (pictured above) as Executive Director and clinical supervisor. Ms. Lynn is in long-term recovery and has been serving KHP since its inception in 1996. She first served as a volunteer and later in 2002 became staff. She holds a Master’s Degree (M.Ed.), secondary education license, is an internationally and locally Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC/ICDAC), Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) and is Certified Transition planning Specialist (CTS). She has extensive training in her career as a psychotherapist in the areas of sexual abuse/assault/offense, family dynamics, reactive attachment disorder, and addictions. Since 1995 she serves as the local responder for suicide crisis intervention on Moloka’i. Shari is a mother and grandmother of 4 and joins her ‘ohana in owning a small organic farm.
Patricia Mc Cartney (pictured above) is a Program Coordinator at KHP. She coordinates treatment, recovery and relapse prevention services. She is a member of the recovery community in long term recovery herself. Ms. Mc Cartney is an internationally and locally Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC/ICDAC). She has a BA in Addiction Sciences. She is a major responder to the Recovery Connection Line. In addition to her employment with KHP, Patty works as a social services worker at the hospital. Patty is an agricultural entrepreneur and along with her ‘ohana owns a productive organic farm. She uses her farming and aquatic experience and her organizational skills together to assist the agency in designing cultural learning projects.
Ronny Santiago (pictured above) is a native of Moloka’i. He is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) . He describes himself as a warrior for the cause of sobriety and has been active in his own journey of recovery for over 24 years. He provides recovery support, assessments for individuals who may have had impaired driving issues, transportation and assists with the Ohana-focused group counseling. He is married and a full time resident of Moloka’i’.
Recovery Partners deliver outreach services to people who desire support to gain or maintain sobriety. Recovery Partner Frank Lawelawe (pictured above) is a Native Hawaiian man in long-term recovery. He has participated in many youth under aged drinking projects. Uncle Frank facilitates recovery support groups and provides local-style outreach. He is a peer support mentor for adult men in early recovery. Uncle Frank is active in his church and is the father of 6 children on Moloka’i. He is the Motivational Enhancement Counselor at Ka Hale Pomaika’i and provides much of the transportation for the participants.
Substance Misuse Counselor Tim O’Shaughnessy (pictured above with “Lana” the recovery dog) has been active in his recovery since 1987. Uncle Tim is a long time surf board maker and artist. He currently serves as a group and individual counselor for Ka Hale Pomaika’i and often takes his groups to the ocean for classes with the KHP recovery dog “Lana”. He also assists in the facility maintenance. Uncle Tim has a Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling from University of Hawai’i. He provides mentorship to men in early recovery through surfing while working the 12 steps.
Dan Reed (pictured in the white shirt with Tim) is a long time counselor in the substance misuse field. Before moving permanently to Moloka’i, he worked for 25 years in an adolescent correctional facility as a chemical dependency counselor. He is currently serving Ka Hale Pomaika’i as a part-time group counselor. He continues to be active in his church, home and with his recovery community since 1992.
Cora Schnackenberg, MA is a local native Hawaiian born and raised on Moloka’i. She is a devout mother. She studied counseling in California and after earning her advanced degree, she returned home to the island where she currently serves as the ‘Ohana – or family- group counselor for Ka Hale Pomaika’i. Her ambition is to finish her licensing for her Marriage and Family Therapist certification.
Tiare Ritte (pictured above) is a volunteer with Ka Hale Pomaika’i and also a full time assistant at the Legal Aid society. She is currently a wonderful kokua in all of KHP’s fund raising efforts. She is a full-time mother and part-time college student.
Check back soon for our most recent additions to the Ka Hale Pomaika’i ‘Ohana.
