HIPHI works collaboratively with organizations to help identify needs and potential barriers to implementing a program or service. HIPHI works with organizations to ensure that programs and services are grounded by researched supported principles and are evidence based. With health equity as a guiding factor, we work towards designing programs and processes that address the social determinants of health and relieve barriers so the community will be able to achieve their best health.
A few example projects include:
- Kupuna Food Security Coalition After Action Report, 2021
- Kupuna Vaccination Outreach Group After Action Report, 2021
- Kupuna Broadband Needs Assessment, 2021
- Hawai‘i Farmers Needs Assessment in partnership with Good Food Alliance, 2021
- Waimanalo Health Center Needs Assessment, 2018
- Oral Health Town Hall Meetings, 2017
- Native Hawaiian Health Task Force, 2016
- Annual Tobacco Community Assessments, ongoing
KFSC partner, Chef Hui, leveraged their relationships with the community to keep chefs working, local farmers farming, and vulnerable kūpuna fed.
Roella joined HIPHI in 2014 and informs and oversees operations, programmatic, and strategic initiatives. She provides leadership and oversight to programs and staff, administration, fund development, human resources and talent acquisitions, mentorship, and communications. She has more than 20 years of nonprofit experience, with an undergraduate degree in Health Science from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree in Public Health is from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Roella is a loyal partner and mother to three keiki who loves gardening, cooking, baking, watching a good adventure flick, and traveling.
[she/her] Jessica joined HIPHI in 2010 and became CEO in October 2012 when the organization expanded from CTFH to HIPHI. She works closely with the Board of Directors to provide strategic leadership, create and maintain partnerships, provide overall financial oversight, and ensure that HIPHI’s work is addressing the largest gaps. Her BA and MA are from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Speech Communication with a focus in Health Communication. Previously, she worked at the UH Office of Public Health Studies and the UH Cancer Research Center. Jessica enjoys listening to true crime podcasts while walking her dog.
May Rose Dela Cruz, DrPH, MPH
[she/her] May Rose joined HIPHI in October 2021 to lead the coordination of internal and external plans that increase awareness of health disparities, invite collaboration, and promote local efforts to support structures and processes that build health equity. Her previous roles included Assistant Researcher, UH Office of Public Health Studies, and Co-Director, ʻImi Hale Native Hawaiian Cancer Network, Papa Ola Lōkahi. She received her BA in Psychology, MPH in Social & Behavioral Health Science, and DrPH in Community-Based & Translational Research from UH Mānoa. She enjoys baking cupcakes and cookies, and balances it out by growing her own veggies with her family.
[she/her] Rie joined in 2018 and coordinates recruitment and onboarding for HIPHI’s interns and volunteers, as well as conducting assessments and writing projects. She has 20 years of experience in public health and mental health in the US and Pacific Islands. Rie holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from University of Hawai‘i and Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) from Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology.