HHSC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Management Team
- Regional Chief Operations Officer
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Vice President
Job Titles:
- Member of the Kauai Region Executive Management Team
- Clinics Nurse Manager / West Kauai Medical Center Medical Staff Officers
Job Titles:
- Member of the Kauai Region Executive Management Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Assistant Administrator / Chief Nurse Executive, KVMH
- Regional Chief Nurse
Cheryl Tennberg, RN, BSN, NHA, Regional Chief Nurse Executive - a healthcare leader with over 46 years of nursing expertise and leadership has lived and worked on Kauai since 1978. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing at Everett Community College in Washington State in 1977 followed by her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of Hawaii in 1989. Cheryl joined KVMH in 1990 and in her newest role, she is accountable for nursing practice across the HHSC, Kauai Region. This includes clinical nursing leadership for the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and evaluating patient care to ensure it is consistent with the Kauai Region mission, vision and values. Cheryl is passionate about nursing and is grateful for the opportunities that are presented every day to care for our community's healthcare needs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Kauai Region Executive Management Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Regional Chief Financial Officer
Christine M. Asato, CPA, Regional Chief Financial Officer - a financial healthcare management executive with over 26 years of progressive experience in audit, financial, operational, and business intelligence. Christine oversees all finance functions of the Kauai region that include revenue cycle, financial reporting, treasury management, financial analyses, and information technology. She is responsible for guiding the financial strategies and setting the financial priorities of the Kauai Region. Christine is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. She is also a certified public accountant in the State of Hawaii with six years of external audit experience at Deloitte and Touche. Prior to joining the Kauai region, Christine served as the State of Hawaii's Lead Practice Facilitator for the Comprehensive Primary Care program, and worked at the corporate office of Hawaii Health Systems as the Director of Internal Audit and then the Director of Business Intelligence. She joins the Kauai Region as a respected leader promoting strong ethical and high performance standards.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Management Team
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Chief Executive Officer, West Hawaii Region
- Regional CEO, West Hawaii
- Regional Chief Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Chief Executive Officer, East Hawaii Region
- Regional CEO, East Hawaii
Dee Crowell, Director - Mr. Crowell was born and raised in Waimea. He attended the Kamehameha Schools, and the University of Southern California, where he received a degree in Architecture. He is a Licensed Architect in the State of Hawaii.
His professional career is split between the private and public sectors. He spent seventeen years in Honolulu as an architect. He was one of the founding partners of Urban Works, Inc., an architecture and planning firm. He returned to Kauai to work in the County Planning Department, where he served as the Planning Director from 1993 to 2003. After leaving the Planning Department, he worked in the private sector, including jobs at Kukui`ula Development Co., and Princeville Development Co. He returned to the Planning Department to serve as it's Deputy, from 2010 to 2015. He also served on the Kaua`i Board of Water from 1997 to 2003 and from 2008 to 2010. Mr. Crowell currently serves on the board of the Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC). He also owns his own consulting company. He currently resides in `Ele`ele, with his wife, Kathy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Chief Executive Officer, Oahu Region
- Regional CEO, Oahu
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Management Team
- Regional Chief Executive Nurse
Job Titles:
- Member of the Kauai Region Executive Management Team
- Regional Organizational Development Officer
Donna Okada-Asher, Chair - was born on Kauai and attended Kekaha Elementary and Waimea High Schools. She continued her Education at the University of Hawaii, Manoa where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Technology.
Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) employs her where she currently holds the position of Senior Marketing Representative and is in her 16th year. She is based on Kauai but her area of responsibility includes Maui, Molokai and Hawaii Island. This necessitates her to travel off island three to four times a week.
Prior to her current assignment she practiced as a medical technologist for twenty years for both DLS and SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratory.
Donna is married to Roy Asher and they have three children, Stevie, Evan, Marissa and a Grandson Lyon. She cherishes the time she spends with her family especially her Grandson. Her interests are in traveling abroad and relishes coordinating and planning the Family vacations. She has a passion for motorcycles and annually accompanies her husband on cross-country runs across the continental States and to date has explored 46 States in addition to four Canadian Provinces.
Donna enjoys her time on the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation-Kauai Region Board. It been both an honor and rewarding time.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- President
Ernest Kanekoa, Vice-Chair - has over 40 years of experience in the Hotel, Security and Food and Beverage services. The owner of the Kalaheo Steak and Ribs, he focuses on giving back to his community through time spent on different boards and service associations such as the Hawaii Business Association, the American Society of Industrial Security, the Honolulu Zoo, the Kauai Security Association and the Molokai Visitors Association. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Travel Industry Management from the University of Hawaii, Manoa and other degrees and certificates from the Kapiolani Community College, the Honolulu Community College and the Pan American Air Pacific School respectively. Mr. Kanekoa enjoys outdoor activities such as body surfing in his spare time.
Job Titles:
- Administrator
- Member of the Executive Management Team
Glenda Nogami Streufert, Director - brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the HHSC Kauai Region. Having grown up on the Island of Lanai to moving to the Midwest, to Germany and later to Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania, she has experienced life with a broader perspective. She has worked in both academic and governmental positions. Most recently, she's served as the Chair of the Kauai County Planning Commission where hearings for zoning and land use permits are reviewed and decided upon. Dr. Nogami-Streufert also managed the Kauai Civil Defense Agency (now Kauai Emergency Management Association). She holds a Bachelor's, Master's and Ph.D. from Purdue University and enjoys many activities in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Management Team
- Regional Chief Medical Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Regional Chief Human Resources Officer
Jennifer P. Mariano, Regional Chief Human Resources Officer - a service leader with over 24 years of human resources and customer service experience within the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Kauai Region. Jennifer obtained her Accounting Degree at Kauai Community College but found her calling in the world of human resources. Initially, she began her career at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital and later transitioned to a regional position where she developed a keen knowledge of all aspects of the Human Resources programs. As the Regional Human Resources Director, she is responsible for administering the human resources management, recruitment and examination, position classification, compensation administration, organizational management, employee transactions and benefits, labor relations, leave administration, investigations, employee development, and laws/regulations that impact the employer/employee relationship. She enhanced her customer service performance by evolving employee relations through an "open door" strategy that formed a firm foundation for the Kauai Region Human Resources department. Jennifer displays determination and commitment to the HHSC Kauai Region, strives to keep employees motivated, and encourages them to utilize their outstanding skills to deliver the exceptional care in all services provided to all.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Vice President
Job Titles:
- Chief Human Resources Officer
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Vice President
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Management Team
- Assistant Administrator, Support Services
Job Titles:
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Member of the Kauai Region Executive Management Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Chief Executive Officer, Kauai Region
- Regional CEO, Kauai
- Regional Chief Executive Officer
Lance Segawa, FACHE, MPH, NHA, Regional Chief Executive Officer - Lance is a passionate, highly skilled and proven health care executive who embraces leadership concepts of organizational improvement and excellence through the creation of a positive/supportive work environment focused on team concepts, an organizational culture of accountability, and a commitment to evidence based decision making. With over 46 years of health care leadership experience his competencies embraces a wide range of governance, leadership, communication, negotiation, project management, and conflict resolution skills necessary to lead a multi-hospital system. His accomplishments include improving hospital operations post-bankruptcy, implementing organizational culture change utilizing Studer tactics, creating enhanced charge capturing systems to maximize revenue, right sizing hospital operations utilizing productivity models, and facilitating governance and strategic planning training for boards and executive teams. Lance enjoys coaching and mentoring and believes high performing organizations place a high priority on their employees.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Management Team
- Assistant Hospital Administrator Clinical Services
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Officer
- Member of the HHSC Leadership Team
- Vice President
Job Titles:
- Chief Medical Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
Ronald Y. Fujimoto, DO, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer - a healthcare leader with over 39 years of family practice expertise was born and raised on Kauai. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and a Master of Science degree in Public Health, Environmental Health, both from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He continued his education at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, California achieving the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in 1984. Dr. Fujimoto completed his internship in family practice at the Tucson General Hospital and subsequently completed his residency at the Phoenix General Hospital. Over the years, his professional experience has brought him back to Kauai where he invested his knowledge and compassion to caring for our Kauai islanders through his association with the Hawaii Family Medical Centers (Kuhio Medical Center), HMSA and UnitedHealthcare Hawaii. Dr. Fujimoto joins the HHSC Kauai Region as our Chief Medical Officer bringing his wealth of knowledge to our region. He enjoys reading mysteries, surfing, auto-detailing, and golfing.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Kauai Region Executive Management Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Regional Chief Quality Officer
- Regional Clinical Quality Improvement Officer
Sherry Lauer, RN, BSN, Regional Chief Quality Officer - a healthcare leader with over 29 years of experience in nursing, managing clinical operations, ancillary and support services across the care continuum. Sherry received her education from the Lourdes College and St. Vincent School of Nursing respectively. She is skilled at fostering capabilities in others to successfully navigate and lead change. Sherry and her team coordinate quality, regulatory, risk, infection control, utilization review/case management and social service activities across the region. Sherry collaborates with the clinical and support departments to align quality outcomes and patient safety with clinical practice for the entire Kauai Region. The focus of Sherry's work is to ensure healthcare provided in Kauai Region is patient-centric, clinically relevant, operationally effective, and regulatory compliant.
Theodor David Rintel, MD, Director - received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the Antioch College in Ohio and received his Doctorate of Medicine from George Washington University in Washington DC, Maryland. He completed his Surgical Internship and Residency with the Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. He continued with a Fellowship in Anesthesiology and Neuroanesthesiology from Harvard University. His professional experience includes over 30 years of Surgery, Anesthesiology and Neuroanesthesiology experience on the US mainland and South Pacific. In his spare time he enjoys guitar composition, jet skiing, diving and hiking with his dogs.
Job Titles:
- Director
- at & T 's Chief Security Office
Walt Barnes, Director - has been a Kauai resident since 1996. He plays an active role on Kauai in land conservation, energy, and STEM education. Walt served as a Director for the Kauai Public Land trust, a founding Director of Kauai Island Utility Cooperative and its foundation, and as a director and past President of the Garden Isle Racing Association. Walt led Kauai's first middle-school robotics team and has served in advisory capacities for STEM programs at Kauai Community College.
Walt also teaches Vinyasa Yoga and Yoga Nidra meditation, with certifications from the American Council on Exercise and from Yoga Alliance. He believes Yoga movement and Yoga mediation are inseparable parts of a complete practice which is deeply healing and can protect the mind and body from stress and the demands of daily life.
Professionally, Walt is a lead scientist in AT&T's Chief Security Office inventing new ways to protect AT&T, its approximately 100 million customers, and their more than 200 million connected devices from cyberterrorists and nation-state adversaries. He is the architect for AT&T's cyber governance, risk, and compliance programs. As one of the original architects for Bell Labs' Computer Division Walt designed fault tolerant computer systems, and on loan to France he contributed to the early success of their Minitel network. Walt also designed robotic blood analysis systems for Abbott Labs and directed R&D for reliability and resilience for Motorola's Internet Content Services Division.
Walt holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Kansas and a MS in Electrical Engineering from Northwestern University.
Walt is an avid cyclist, hiker, SCUBA diver and woodworker.