KMC OHANA

Friends and Family Taking Care of Friends and Family

Employee Highlights

August 2025 WOWS

Julia has been recognized for exemplifying three of our core values: “Ola – Life, Health, Well-being & Support”, “Hilina‘i – Build Relationships of Trust”, and “Uho‘ohō‘i – Our Patients Will Leave and Return.” In the Nursing department, she went above and beyond during a challenging moment when a father brought in his 1-year-old patient, along with a newborn and four other children under the age of six. Recognizing the need for support, Julia cared for the newborn for nearly an hour, allowing the father to focus on his injured child while the doctor sutured the patient’s finger. Her willingness to step in without hesitation, combined with her calm and caring presence, brought comfort and stability to the family—perfectly embodying the spirit of “friends and family taking care of friends and family.”

Annette has been recognized for exemplifying three of our core values: “Maika‘i Loa – Strive for Excellence”, “Kuleana – Responsibility”, and “Hilina‘i – Build Relationships of Trust.” Over the past three months in the Clinic, she has gone above and beyond in her role, stepping up to cover the responsibilities of two staff members without missing a beat. She has single-handedly managed referrals for five providers while also sorting and importing the high volume of incoming faxes each day—an impressive accomplishment in a busy clinic environment. Throughout this demanding period, Annette has demonstrated unwavering dedication and maintained a consistently positive attitude. Her hard work, resilience, and team spirit make her an outstanding example of our values and a true asset to the Kahuku Medical Center team.

Sydney has been recognized for exemplifying four of our core values: “Maika‘i Loa – Strive for Excellence,” “Ola – Life, Health, Well-being & Support,” “Kuleana – Responsibility,” and “Hilina‘i – Build Relationships of Trust.” As a new employee who has experienced many onboarding processes, Job Stringfellow’s time at Kahuku was truly exceptional—thanks in large part to Sydney. Her warmth, deep knowledge, and impressive go-getter attitude set the tone for his journey here. She even went out of her way to make his wife feel welcomed and part of the family. Sydney perfectly embodied the spirit of “work ohana,” creating a sense of belonging from day one. Her professionalism, care, and genuine hospitality left a lasting impression and reflect the very best of Kahuku Medical Center.

Parker has been recognized for exemplifying five of our core values: “Maika‘i Loa – Strive for Excellence”, “Ola – Life, Health, Well-being & Support”, “Kuleana – Responsibility”, “Hilina‘i – Build Relationships of Trust”, and “Uho‘ohō‘i – Our Patients Will Leave and Return”. On a recent day in the ED, a father brought in his 1-year-old son as a patient and also had his other five children with him, all under the age of six. Without hesitation, Parker stepped in to help, taking the four oldest children out to the front lawn and engaging them in games of “Simon Says,” races, and flower picking. His kindness, creativity, and willingness to go above and beyond—without being asked—brought comfort to the family, eased the father’s stress, and created a safe, joyful environment for the children during a potentially overwhelming time.

August Birthdays

Jiare Kahanu-Gorai/ August 3

Ofelia Pita- August 3

Lori Greenhouse- August 4

Alessa Bezzi de Melo-August 6

Dawn Sullivan- August 7

Marieh Herre Quereshi- August 8

Dalvin Keil- August 9

Sharla Vendiola- August 9

Luisa Matangi-August 10

Esther Mapu-August 11

Alberto Pasol- August 12

Ursel Matagi- August 14

Ofa Roberts- August 16

Markee Estioko- August 21

Seini Kaufusi- August 23

Brandon Higa- August 24

Mar Brenegan- August 26

Helena Noga- August 26

Alanna Chun- August 28

Joseph Mayer- August 30

Eve Nawahine- August 30

Nonita Acorda- August 31

New Employees (August)

Shaylee Taylor - Rehab Shadow
Dwein Tarrobago - Social Worker
Savannah Nelson - CNA
Douglas Andrews - Contract Physical Therapist
Tui Roberts - CNA
Nicole Florendo - Dental Hygienist
Dr. Grace Packard - Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Oakley Davis - Hospitalist
Ashley Nguyen Lake - Rehabilitation Administrative Assistant
Brooke Loo - Clinical Assistant
Jo-Ann Acoba - Transition from Patient Access Rep to Medical Assistant
Jeannette Slack - Med Surg RN
Leslie Pascua - Clinical Assistant
Shaynice Greene-Naki - Billing and Revenue Extern
Kathryn Pasion - Rehabilitation Intern
Ava Padaca - CNA

About

Company News/Updates

CEO Message

August 2025 Department Updates

Chief Nursing Officer, Quality Assurance

Andrea Moralez

The team continues working with OCHIN Epic to ensure smooth workflow integration. Andrea encouraged ongoing participation in meetings and expressed gratitude for everyone’s involvement and patience.

Chief of Strategic Growth and Development

Kori Napa’a

Admissions remain challenging, with census fluctuating between full capacity and several open beds. The team is actively marketing and networking with facilities to secure admissions. Two marketing events were hosted last week, and staff are welcome to volunteer for future efforts. Planning is underway for the KMC 2025 Employee Party, tentatively set for January 2026, with attendance open to each employee plus one guest.

Chief Financial Officer

Ariane Haiola-Castillo

July was a great month for the hospital, with patient volumes increasing compared to prior months and most departments surpassing their targets. Congratulations to the Dental Department and Haleiwa Clinic for achieving record highs, with 516 and 430 visits respectively.

Projects continue to move forward with automating finance processes. Specifically, the automation for Materials Management is set to go live in September.

Chief Operations Officer

Matt Mamizuka

Consolidated Painting continues work in the Campbell Wing, with second-floor flooring installation beginning soon and expected to take about a month. The Generator Project remains on schedule for a swap in the coming weeks. We are working with the Helmsley Group on the ED expansion and received $812K from HRSA for the dental clinic project. Lastly, Matt thanked everyone who assisted during the tsunami threat to ensure safety.

Information Technology

Jason Ava

Shalaila and Dalvin are now EHR Analysts. Elliot, our System Administrator, is currently working on a major project.

Human Resources

Sarah Niumatalolo

UHA Medical Insurance Open Enrollment will be in September with a plan start day of Oct. 1. We will have 1 in-person session from UHA and a recording sent out for more information. Please keep an eye out for more information.

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